Garmen Map Viewer
I am looking at 2 GPS units by Garmen:
GPS V Deluxe
GPS MAP 276C
The 276C is brand new and comes with a high resolution color display.
They have a “Fishing Hot Spots” CD-ROM that includes my lake with details. You can actally view it on their site:
http://www.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource/fhs.jsp#
Map Source Viewer - All Maps
A great way to see what each map shows:
http://www.garmin.com/cartography/
i just got
a Garmin Foretrex 201 gps as a gift this weekend & was not sure how it would work for on the yak. this Garmin unit is different from other units in a couple of ways. First, this unit is small in size, something like 2"x3". and designed to be worn on the wrist with a wrist band (or strapped around the bungee cords). Second, it does not have a map feature like a standard unit. but, it will give spee, distance, time, max speed, direction, time, waypoints, count down timer & will give “breadcrumbs” to follow back to the launch spot. truth, be told, i don’t really need a map feature as much as i thought i would. this new unit, that retails for around $150, will give me my current speed, distance & time along with a max speed reading. it is also “WAAS” rated. and it’s waterproof rated to the IEC Standard 60529 IPX7, the same as my VHF. 1 meter for 30 minutes. it’s worth checking out, weighs 3-4oz.
It gives a lot of peace of mind.
Last year I was hosting a trip of 12 paddlers doing a 14NM roundtrip coastal paddle in Santa Barbara, CA.
Since it was an absolutely beautiful Southern CA day and the weather forecast was for more of the same, I did not take my GPS.
After a lunch break at our 1/2 way point, it was time to leave the restaurant on the beach. We were totally surprised to find that fog had come in and visibility was about 50 feet.
After we formed everybody up just past the surf zone, it was a difficult paddle by compass and ded reckoning alone. We could not see the shore or the surf zone, so we had to stay out of it by listening for the breaking waves. It was a harrowing trip back. All that could be seen was the paddler immediately in front and/or behind.
Fortunately others had GPS with them or we would probably still be searching for the beach that we launched from. The only way to tell was to actually land.
Even if I don’t plan to use it, the GPS is now in my day hatch when I paddle.
It’s also nice to be able to give the CG an accurate position if you need help. They really prefer it that way.
While not
– Last Updated: Jun-14-04 9:52 PM EST –
critical for paddling or other uses , I find mine extemely useful. We tend to explore new areas constantly. It helps to know distances to next landmark or exactly where you are without the hassle of trying to gauge distances(rivers tend to wind a lot). combined with a good map w/ lat. /long marks and you got a good reference. Use mine for paddling,geocaching, biking ,hunting, fishing , hiking and camping.
Compelling reasons
>Is it possible to get lost on a river (it only goes two ways)?
If you’re talking about “lost” as to not able to find your way ashore, probably not. But finding where you park your car may or may not be easy, depending on a few different conditions. I’ve heard people over-shooting their parked cars and had to back track on foot along the shore… But if you marked the car with a GPS waypoint, it’s a no-brainer.
Has anyone ever gotten lost on a lake? Is it hard to keep track of where the coastline is on a coastal day paddle?
Lake, or coastline, are the same. The answer is a definite YES! When the fog comes in, which it does a lot here in CA coast, finding the stretch of beach you launch from can be a life and death decision…
that for day paddlers, they are really just toys, not useful pieces of equipment.
Toys? yes. But what’s the matter with that? Isn’t the kayak itself a toy for most of us? Who here depends on their kayak for the day’s meal???
I love exploring the maze of channels in the marsh in different tide conditions. There, getting confused (“lost”) in those channels could happend. I know I could eventually get out by trying the different ways (that all look alike). But having a “bread crum trail” of how I came in gives me the peace of mind that I can quickly retreat when the tide is about the go away… I call that “useful” since it increase my enjoyment of my paddling day.
Whether these use are “compelling” or not depends on where one paddles. I found them more than just “useful”, but almost “neccesarry” peice of safety equipment for where I paddle. You may reach a different conclusion if none of those condition applies to the water you frequents.
I got a SportTrak Pro…
and I use it for finding my way around in the tall marsh grass when I’m paddling especially if there are numerous channels calling me to explore. Want to make sure I get back to the original one! I also like knowing how far I’ve gone and how fast I might be going. I am also a geocacher and have had great luck with this model even though I know I could get away with cheaper it has lots of memory and functions, I still haven’t used all the possibilities! Maybe if you posted where abouts you live on this site or even geocaching, someone would let you tag along and try theirs. I’m always letting people who want to try it go out with me and see how easy it is to learn. Good luck.