gps/depthfishfinder???

[Calif_Diver]

i have a 14ft inflateable ,i want to mount a gps / depthfinder. anyone have a suggestion for a model and how i could mount it permanantly in the boat.any suggestions would be great.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

There are several issues:

1. Power. A depthfinder is gonna require 12V. If you have an electric start motor, no problem, if
you don't, do some homework -- some pull-start motors have a small alternator. If not, then a
battery in a box would be required. Either motorcycle battery, small gel cell battery or some NiMHs,
in any case in something like a small Pelican case.

2. Physical mounting. You're NorCal, walk around the Breakwater checking out boats. You will
see a bunch of creative solutions to this. (And say Hi, I've got a 17' Boston Whaler "Black Dog",
I'm there most weekends, but I'll be at Pt. Lobos the next couple of weekends).
And consider security. How permanent do you want it? do you want to be able to remove it
while you park for dinner (Humminbird has a REALLY nice quick release).

3 What unit? I'd go with a Garmin. You don't need anything too fancy.

And a final note: use the GPS to navigate every time you go out, that way you will know how to
use it the day the fog clamps down while you are diving.

 

[Nemrod]

If your 14 footer has a steering/helm cross bar like my Cancuro 420 then you could use a RAM mount to install it with a bracket to the cross bar. My boat is set up for full electric start/battery and remote steeering so yours may be different. N

 

[Calif_Diver]

thanks for the advice chuck i didnt think about the quick disconnect but good idea already have batterry in the boat , elictric start motor just need to figure out how i vcan mount it to something stable i guess will look at others to get ideas

 

[Nemrod]

Not many scuba divers own boats, there is an inflatable forum on Boats for Sale, New Boats, Used Boats, Boat Parts - iboats.com :

Inflatables and RIBs - iboats Boating Forums

Perhaps some of those guys could provide more information.

N

 

[Thunder Bay Minnow]

"Not many scuba divers own boats" Nemrod.

This is true and why is that? It has greatly increased my diving.

You can get a small inflatable very cheap now days.

Or you can grow bigger and greatly increase your options. I went from a 9 foot Achilles with a 15 tiller horse to a 14ft Achilles console with a 50 horse, to a 6m Avon Sea Rider with 150 horses!

I can be back to the docks by ten after doing TWO dives now!!!

It used to be funny. I would be tied up and diving on a wreck 9 miles out and the charter guys would show up and their customers jaws would drop seeing a 14 ft dinghy tied up with three divers in 3 footers. It was a blast running in 6 footers, with no gear of course.

That is a good point. 9 footer kept me in the bay and close to shore. 14 footer got me further out and the 6 meter opened up the world!

 

[Nemrod]

"Not many scuba divers own boats" Nemrod.

This is true and why is that? It has greatly increased my diving.

You can get a small inflatable very cheap now days.

Or you can grow bigger and greatly increase your options. I went from a 9 foot Achilles with a 15 tiller horse to a 14ft Achilles console with a 50 horse, to a 6m Avon Sea Rider with 150 horses!

I can be back to the docks by ten after doing TWO dives now!!!

It used to be funny. I would be tied up and diving on a wreck 9 miles out and the charter guys would show up and their customers jaws would drop seeing a 14 ft dinghy tied up with three divers in 3 footers. It was a blast running in 6 footers, with no gear of course.

That is a good point. 9 footer kept me in the bay and close to shore. 14 footer got me further out and the 6 meter opened up the world!

Thunderbay, there are many reason more divers don't own boats, for one right up front, many divers are not really interested in boating or other water activities and are attracted to scuba for myriad reasons, some of which I don't want to go into, suffice it to say, may divers are not "water people" and cannot even swim a lick to save their life. Additionally, there are boat handling skills and seamanship that would have to be learned, most people really are quite intimidated by small boat handling on big water.

Boats can be expensive, require storage, even an inflatable or kayak but still you would think more divers would have a boat rather than diving the same beach diver over and over not to mention a boat increases safety, range, easier access to many sites. Most divers are vacation divers, they cannot bring the boat in the suitcase I suppose.

N

 

[riverdiver]

Sorry but in my neck of the woods just about all my diving friends own boats and their own compressors. It's hard to find divers to go out on your boat because evryone wants to take theirs out.

 

[Nemrod]

Sorry

Why are you "sorry," did you do something wrong?

N

 

[idive2]

I have a Lowrance H2OC hand held gps that can be used with the 12V
cord or two AA batteries. I use the RAM mount with the suction cup base
and have used it in pontoons and recently on a couple kayak ventures.
It's not a large screen but I would highly recommend the color version.
It has a replaceable chip and I switch from the land map or the saltwater
chip as needed. I had the mount pop off when kayaking but I did have it on a
tether line and it fell into the water briefly but was fine. On the subject of boat
ownership I figure I can pay $60.00 to $70.00 for a charter to take me out for
four hours and allows me two dives. I don't pay fuel, maintenance, insurance,
registration, or storage. If I was not a diver or did not have so many charters
available then I would probably consider boat ownership again.