Thanks for the info, Dave. I know the depth meter won't give a whole lot of warning but it will keep me from imagining all types of thin water all around. Just me. Hopefully the bars will slope some. It is really a peace of mind type thing. I will look into getting a gps. My last one was steam powered. Tom B On Thu, Feb 28, 2013 at 10:17 AM, W David Scobie <wdscobie@yahoo.com> wrote:
remember, at best, the depth unit will only be reading 1/2 or so boat length ahead when in shallow water ... and this is if you are able to fiddle the unit to read that far forward with an install under the v-berth. (a transom mount, which is the least expensive, is of little help.)
in areas where shoaling is gradual a depth sounder can help as you have time to respond.
if the shallowing is a steep sided bar by the time you know it is to shallow you have already hit. some goes for an obstruction, like a rock or old piling.
just my POV on 'sounders'.
for speed, like others have already stated, i use a handheld GPS. had a 'speed stick' that came with my old M15. used it a few times to 'see how it worked'. found it to be more trouble than it was worth. (i think a speed stick would be great if you launch and let it run for days ... like on a long passage.)
i use the GPS primarily for speed and secondary for navigation. i rely on paper charts and a hand bearing compass as the primary tools to find my location and where i'm going. my M17 also has a bulkhead compass for direction of travel.
:: Dave Scobie :: M17 #375 SWEET PEA - www.m17-375.webs.com :: former M15 owner - www.freewebs.com/m15-named-scred
--- On Thu, 2/28/13, Thomas Buzzi <thomaspbuzzi@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi Doug, Thanks for the ideas. The gps doing double duty sounds good but I would rather have a continuous readout for the depth. There is a lot of thin water around Rockport, Tx. and crunching onto a shell bar is quite surprising. When I used to run aground on the shifting muck in Galveston Bay is was just a sploosh type landing.
Regards, Tom B
On Thu, Feb 28, 2013 at 9:24 AM, Douglas Kelch <doug1kelch@gmail.com> wrote:
I just use a hand held gps as double duty for a knot meter and gps. I do have a fixed mount compass and keep an old fashioned lead line for occasional use.
I sail shallow draft boats, 2 ft 11 inch draft board/keel down and donot worry much about the depth while sailing. I use the lead line when checking out an anchorage if it is unfamiliar.
Thanks
Doug
On Tue, Feb 26, 2013 at 12:21 PM, Thomas Buzzi <thomaspbuzzi@gmail.com
wrote:
Since it has been about 15 years since last buying a knot meter,depth gauge or gps, does anybody have any recommendations as to which brand is a good cross between quality and price or is it a matter of "1st class or no class"? Tom B.