Garmin Descent S1 Buoy

[rjmd]

Especially with litigation becoming more prevalent this might be good for shops

I doubt shops are strapping $1.4k watches on everyone anytime soon

 

[brsnow]

I doubt shops are strapping $1.4k watches on everyone anytime soon

Might depend on the insurance savings.

 

[scubadada]

The Garmin buoy is towed by a diver using a spool or reel...

Seems that you are writing about something else.

Personally, I don't see ever using one.

 

[JMarc]

View attachment 909784

Personally, I don't see ever using one.

I won't go out of my way to try one, but wouldn't refuse to try it once if I've the opportunity. Which could happen as I'm considering CCR training and the instructor with whom I'm in contact has ties with Garmin and posted on Facebook that he got a buoy.

 

[scubadada]

I won't go out of my way to try one, but wouldn't refuse to try it once if I've the opportunity. Which could happen as I'm considering CCR training and the instructor with whom I'm in contact has ties with Garmin and posted on Facebook that he got a buoy.

I simply don't see the opportunity presenting itself to me. I would have to dive with an operator with a buoy who would also loan me a compatible Garmin computer and transmitter. If this were to occur, I would certainly give it a try.

 

[Rick Brant]

Has anyone used one of these devices yet? I frequently need to collect GPS coordinates of underwater locations and it is very difficult to do normally. Right now we have a GPS topside on a float and we pull the line tight, then read the coordinates on the surface. With any swell it is a nightmare. There are other devices that use optical methods to accomplish this but they are for oil and geo surveys and are an order of magnitude more costly than the Garmin. If I can tag waypoints on the bottom (shallow, like 10m), I will buy this device and the computer.

Note that I don't want a map/route of the dive path, I want to be able to mark specific waypoints.

 

[Ranga]

The DANcast interview seems to suggest it's targeted towards things like marine surveys.

 

[Rick Brant]

Thank you. They do mention reef surveys but they really do not answer the question about waypoints:

1. Can it allow a diver navigate to a known GPS waypoint underwater.
2. Can it mark an underwater waypoint for future use.

These are very different from route recording or heatmaps, which are much less accurate than a waypoint. I can already track my route simply by towing a float with a a GPS on it. I have to be able to work with waypoints underwater and be able to select and mark them.

On the other video, hosted by Garmin, a user has asked this same question, but so far no answer. I'm afraid that the answer may be that the location is not accurate enough to support waypoints.