[Rhodes22-list] GPS and Depth Finder

[Don O'Grady]

I am a new sailor so would not want to debate the issue of using the centerboard as a way of depth finding.  But as a "boater" I personally would not have a boat that did not have depth sounder, particularily in unknown waters.  The Potomac is full of shallow water in unusual places, e.g. right off the Washington Sailing Marina.  Those nice coves down river go from 6' to 2 feet' pretty quickly and the channels are not always marked clearly if at all.

I just like the sense of knowing where I am and what is around.

Don
----- Original Message -----
From: mputnam1 at aol.com
To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] GPS and Depth Finder
Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2006 00:31:08 -0500

> 
> As I mentioned in an earlier email this evening, I just attended my 
> first boating safety course, where the instructor (a power boater 
> who spends most of his time on the Chesapeake Bay) insisted I 
> needed a GPS and a depth finder.
> 
> I didn't see anything about this in the FAQ, so I thought I'd raise 
> these questions here ...
> 
> I will be spending most of my time on the Potomac River (I won't be 
> trailoring, as I have a slip on the river), although I hope to be 
> spending a weekend here and there exploring downriver in areas I 
> won't be familiar with.
> 
> Stan seemed pretty confident that I wouldn't really need a depth 
> guage, given the centerboard's ability to alert me to shallow water 
> ... and I don't remember what he said about GPS.
> 
> Anyway, what do you all think?  Since my recycled boat is still at 
> GB, it would be far easier for me to have them install a GPS and 
> depth finder now, rather than trying to do it myself.  And the best 
> reason I can think to have a depth finder is to help me calculate, 
> from a safety perspective, how much anchor rode to use ... rather 
> than trying to use the rode itself to judge the depth.
> 
> And how about GPS?  I've heard there are combination GPS/depth 
> finders out there (I'm planning a trip to the neighborhood West 
> Marine).  If I were to get a combo unit, where would you recommend 
> installing it?  The recycled boat I'm getting already has a compass 
> installed just to the right of the cabin door (on the cockpit 
> side).  Maybe I could install it just above the compass, but are 
> GPS units waterproof?  Should they be inside the cabin where you 
> can't see it?  That doesn't make sense to me.
> 
> Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
> 
> -Mark
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