Catalyst cases are also reliable. My phone is waterproof rated but I carry it in my PFD in saltwater so the case slows inevitable corrosion.
I leave my phone at home at all times. I have a VHF hand held which allows me to hear weather, submarine and gunnery information from Belfast Coastguard at 08:10 & 22:10 GMT. In any event, phone cases are rather expensive and have a limited shelf life as well as being a pain to use.
I use one of these regardless of phone capability. It fits in a pfd pocket. It has been dunked many times. Both of mine are years old.
No I donât listen to music, take pictures, etc. It is a back up for Gps and weather status and a phone. I have used it to verify summer storm locations , lightning , during night paddles. Screen isnât real visible in Florida sun.
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VHF is on my PFD. The phone is in airplane mode in a see through dry bag in the day hatch or behind my seat depending on which kayak is being paddled. About once or twice a year IF and only IF an important call is imminently expected while I am paddling, I will put my cell in an âadvertised to be dryâ OtterBox and keep it on-deck attached to bungees if I am doing a flat water paddle. If conditions may get rough, the phone is in a day hatch/behind the seat in a dry bag.
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I should have added that my phone is always in the pocket of my pfd. I use it for pictures (I take a lot of pictures) and occasionally for navigation - I have Navionics on the phone mostly for the sailboat but it is handy for the kayak too. I also run a mileage tracker as I like keeping track (I use Runtastic/Adidas running). And - most importantly in Florida, especially in the summer - radar for tracking the constant thunderstorms.
Whoa! ⌠Then youâll miss all the extended warrantee callsâŚ
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It is tough to do, but I prefer to save my phone battery for a real emergency so must miss those golden opportunities offered by robo-callers. Thanks to your unintentional idea, perhaps I should put the phone on airplane mode 24/7âŚno, will continue letting callers I do not know go though to voice mail.
In case some of our newer members donât know about it, the USCG has an excellent app for your iOS or Android phone. In addition to your contact info, also has a section for a description of your boat(s) and photos of your boat(s):
https://uscgboating.org/mobile/
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Has anyone ever used Strava to track?
Yes, I sometimes run Strava as a backup to Runtastic but I have found that if one doesnât work, neither do (usually in areas with bad GPS signal). I prefer Runtastic/Adidas Running but they are both free apps so you can try and choose which you like better.
As a life long cyclist I have been using Strava for years on the bike. I am sure I will be experimenting a lot when I finally get my boat, if it ever comes in.
What boat are you waiting on?
A Delta 16 for myself and a Delta 15s for my wife
I hope they arrive soon. Spring has finally taken hold.
I agree. We always carry VHF/UHF marine band radios while on the water for use in an emergency situation or staying in touch with the group leader or sweep. Personally, my phone stays tucked away in my vehicle âtil I get back from the paddle. No need for a âphoneâ.
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I like dicapac phone cases, my daughter used one for snorkeling and it worked great. A note on waterproof phones, I used a galaxy S7 and fell in salt water and the phone wouldnât charge for a while I had to do some aggressive cleaning of the charging port to get it to work, it worked wireless to charge, but not the plug, I read up that this is a known issue with salt water and phone contacts like the charging port and headphone jacks even on waterproof phones.
Most phones are water resistant these days so that helps. I like the Body Glove Tidal case. It is IP68 rated. I have water tested it many times and it hasnât leaked. It is not too bulky. The screen response is nearly perfect, it takes pictures well. The one thing I donât like is certain frequencies cause the case to rattle like a kazoo. That said, I am not terribly concerned with audio quality directly from a phone. The Body Glove cases are not terribly expensive.
Even with all that, we still put our phones in a dry box and bungee it to a thwart. It keeps the phones with the boat. It ALSO forces you to leave your phone alone and live more in the moment, which is very therapeutic.
If itâs not on you, you donât have it.
I have a Sea Line E-Case and have used it extensively, it works fantastic. It will also keep warer out if briefly submerged. Iâm not sure for how long, but as long as I could stand to hold it under the water before I got board. I have seen cheaper cases with a âclampâ to seal them let water in, I would avoid those.