I am taking a sea kayaking trip to the Gulf Islands National Seashore
(o.r.c-k posters don't flame me...this is a gear question) and I am
trying too determine the best way to attach my Garmin GPS V to the deck
of my fiberglass kayak.

I usually canoe so this hasn't been an issue for me before.

I have a RAM Mount with a short arm and a 4" suction mount but the whole
assembly is rather cumbersome to have mounted right in front of me.

If I position the GPS close enough to read its puny display, it's so
close that it will interfere with where I set my paddle or gets tangled
in my paddle leash. Move it out of the way and it might as well be
inside the boat since I can't read it at greater than arm's length.

I think the RAM suction mount is probably prenty strong to hold the GPS
and I would certainly use a security leash to back it up. Something
tells me there's a better way though.

Would I be better off using deck bag or vinyl sport pouch on the deck?
Bear in mind that the GPS V is water restistant to 1 m and won't be
harmed by salt water spray.

Any advice to offer? I'd appreciate it.
--
Greg Smith
Remove the bird for email followups

On Sat, 28 Feb 2004 15:12:50 GMT, Greg Smith
wrote:

I am taking a sea kayaking trip to the Gulf Islands National Seashore
(o.r.c-k posters don't flame me...this is a gear question) and I am
trying too determine the best way to attach my Garmin GPS V to the deck
of my fiberglass kayak.

I usually canoe so this hasn't been an issue for me before.

I have a RAM Mount with a short arm and a 4" suction mount but the whole
assembly is rather cumbersome to have mounted right in front of me.

Would I be better off using deck bag or vinyl sport pouch on the deck?
Bear in mind that the GPS V is water restistant to 1 m and won't be
harmed by salt water spray.

Any advice to offer? I'd appreciate it.

Does it need to be attached to the deck, or could you strap it to your
arm or something? That might simply entry and exit as well.

I would still consider a waterproof housing, as the water pressure
from splashing might exceed the pressure at 1 meter submersion.

Happy trails,
Gary (net.yogi.bear)
------------------------------------------------
at the 51st percentile of ursine intelligence

Gary D. Schwartz, Needham, MA, USA
Please reply to: garyDOTschwartzATpoboxDOTcom

Greg Smith wrote:

I am taking a sea kayaking trip to the Gulf Islands National Seashore
(o.r.c-k posters don't flame me...this is a gear question) and I am
trying too determine the best way to attach my Garmin GPS V to the deck
of my fiberglass kayak.

Would I be better off using deck bag or vinyl sport pouch on the deck?
Bear in mind that the GPS V is water restistant to 1 m and won't be
harmed by salt water spray.


I wouldn't completely count on the waterproof rating. Garmin indicates that
it does not apply to the battery compartment and sal****er getting in there
could corrode the battery contacts even if it can't get into the main unit.
There have also been quite a few reports of various models of GPS receivers
that didn't live up to their waterproof specifications.

I put my GPS receiver inside a clear, waterproof AquaPac pouch and just set
it on the sprayskirt in front of me. The pouch comes with a good lanyard
and I attach this to the boat.

Greg Smith wrote in
:

Bear in mind that the GPS V is water restistant to 1 m and won't be
harmed by salt water spray.

The waterproof spec that is used is a static test. Dynamic
water pressure such as that caused by splashes, or by dropping
the GPS into water, can easily exceed the spec, so the GPS
may not be 'waterproof' in your usage.

--
Dave Patton
Canadian Coordinator, Degree Confluence Project
http://www.confluence.org/
My website: http://members.shaw.ca/davepatton/

I also use AquaPac (www.aquapac.net) and carry my GPS attached to my PFD
or in a pocket that is on the front of my deck bag. I have had good
luck with AquaPac and also carry my VHF radio in one. The other plus is
the AquaPacs add flotation so if you drop your GPS or radio they will
not sink.

--
Bill

Brought to you from beautiful Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, Alaska.
N 53° 51.140' W 166° 30.228' (WGS 84)

Peter wrote:
Greg Smith wrote:

I am taking a sea kayaking trip to the Gulf Islands National Seashore
(o.r.c-k posters don't flame me...this is a gear question) and I am
trying too determine the best way to attach my Garmin GPS V to the
deck of my fiberglass kayak.

Would I be better off using deck bag or vinyl sport pouch on the
deck? Bear in mind that the GPS V is water restistant to 1 m and
won't be harmed by salt water spray.


I put my GPS receiver inside a clear, waterproof AquaPac pouch and
just set it on the sprayskirt in front of me. The pouch comes with a
good lanyard and I attach this to the boat.

Greg Smith wrote:
I am taking a sea kayaking trip to the Gulf Islands National Seashore
(o.r.c-k posters don't flame me...this is a gear question) and I am
trying too determine the best way to attach my Garmin GPS V to the deck
of my fiberglass kayak.

We don't flame, we heckle in the most traditional fashion. But lots of us are
gearheads so someone wil probably help you out.

I have a RAM Mount with a short arm and a 4" suction mount but the whole
assembly is rather cumbersome to have mounted right in front of me.

Is this like the navy? Do you have short-arm inspection? (Tradition has it
that lots of sailors like to mount-up and do RAM actions with their short arms,
but this is *really* the wrong newsgroup for that.)

GaryJ

"Greg Smith" wrote...
I am taking a sea kayaking trip to the Gulf Islands National Seashore
(o.r.c-k posters don't flame me...this is a gear question) and I am
trying too determine the best way to attach my Garmin GPS V to the deck
of my fiberglass kayak.

I have a Garmin 3+, also water resistant. Depending on weather conditions, I
start by just looping the strap around a bungee in the paddle park, and then
securing it under the bungee. If I expect more spray (especially salt water), I
wrap it in a plastic bag first.

I suppose it depends on how often you expect to need to refer to it... If not
often, you could use a pocket in your PFD or spray skirt...

"Greg Smith" wrote in message
...
I am taking a sea kayaking trip to the Gulf Islands National Seashore
(o.r.c-k posters don't flame me...this is a gear question) and I am
trying too determine the best way to attach my Garmin GPS V to the deck
of my fiberglass kayak.

snip

Greg,
I used a waterproof pouch casing with a clear front; that casing has a strap
that can be looped through the deck lines in front of the cockpit. That is
a superior setup because it requires no drilling of your kayak, and doesn't
rely on the water-resistance of the GPS unit should you roll.

On Mon, 01 Mar 2004 01:45:47 GMT, "Tony" wrote:

Greg,
I used a waterproof pouch casing with a clear front; that casing has a strap
that can be looped through the deck lines in front of the cockpit. That is
a superior setup because it requires no drilling of your kayak, and doesn't
rely on the water-resistance of the GPS unit should you roll.

I use the same set-up. It's not a good idea to "dedicate" a mounting
location to any individual device. Freedom to re-configure your
lashings is way more important than that gps. The gps unit will even
work through the boat's deck so if you want a track log, or a backup
to your compass and map, you don't even have to have the thing out on
the deck.

You will need a bag for a GPS V since it is not waterproof. I have an
Etrex Vista which is waterproof. I put it in a GPS bag I bought at
Boaters World. I tie the strap to to the kayak and position it on or in
front of my deck bag so I can see it as I paddle. In the past, I used it
with a RAM mount with my Klepper. The moisture and spray caused
corrosion on the interface contacts. I have had no problems with water
getting into the battery compartment even though it was under water for
15 minutes when my Klepper capsized under sail. I now only use it with
the GPS bag. If you use it with a RAM mount, you will at the least have
corrosion problems. If you capsize or take substantial overwash, your
GPS V will be toast.

Greg Smith wrote:
I am taking a sea kayaking trip to the Gulf Islands National Seashore
(o.r.c-k posters don't flame me...this is a gear question) and I am
trying too determine the best way to attach my Garmin GPS V to the deck
of my fiberglass kayak.

I usually canoe so this hasn't been an issue for me before.

I have a RAM Mount with a short arm and a 4" suction mount but the whole
assembly is rather cumbersome to have mounted right in front of me.

If I position the GPS close enough to read its puny display, it's so
close that it will interfere with where I set my paddle or gets tangled
in my paddle leash. Move it out of the way and it might as well be
inside the boat since I can't read it at greater than arm's length.

I think the RAM suction mount is probably prenty strong to hold the GPS
and I would certainly use a security leash to back it up. Something
tells me there's a better way though.

Would I be better off using deck bag or vinyl sport pouch on the deck?
Bear in mind that the GPS V is water restistant to 1 m and won't be
harmed by salt water spray.

Any advice to offer? I'd appreciate it.