First electronic for a new boat?

[AJack]

Purchased a 2018 SX240, currently using it in Tampa Bay and will fish, but do have plans to attempt Bimini next year. As a first electronic purchase, which is better? A radio or GPS/Fish finder combo?

 

[HABANEROTE]

GPS, a radio is a must... but GPS will take you anywhere and be safe if you know how to use it... and Friendly GPS is gonna be Garmin

 

[Joatmon]

I went with the GPS/fish finder first to get me around Estero Bay just south of you. Installed docking lights (ok not electronics) then purchased a hand held radio from West Marine. Inexpensive, easy to pack/stow and it floats. I also use my cell phone navigation to find the waterside restaurants.

 

[BlkGS]

Since the boat already came with a radio, I'm gonna say a gps.

 

[Betik]

First electronic??? A taser. That is how I decipline the first comers. They learn real quick what not to do.


For Bimini you will need both. Please make sure get a fixed radio. You also need to make sure you have the charts for Bimini. Gps with no charts is not optimal

Please read the prepare for Bimini under Gatherings. You going to need a lots of stuff ie backup bilge pump , real life jackets, handheld radio on top of your fixed

 

[AJack]

@Joatmon I downloaded an app on the iPhone that allows for one-square-block to be downloaded for free, so I may use that in the meantime. As far as a handheld radio - debating between fixed and handheld. It seems like a fixed would provide further range.

 

[AJack]

First electronic??? A taser. That is how I decipline the first comers. They learn real quick what not to do.


For Bimini you will need both. Please make sure get a fixed radio. You also need to make sure you have the charts for Bimini. Gps with no charts is not optimal

Please read the prepare for Bimini under Gatherings. You going to need a lots of stuff ie backup bilge pump , real life jackets, handheld radio on top of your fixed

I did read the Bimini thread, and that's why I figured I could get everything ready in a year's time! This site is full of information - from beginner to seasoned boater.

For the backup bilge pump, do you have the wired in or just on hand?

 

[zipper]

First electronic??? A taser. That is how I decipline the first comers. They learn real quick what not to do.

Funny, and a man of my own heart. You need to get one of these flags for the boat.

I know not electronics. But this would warn them of what is instore.

 

[GoVols01]

I've always preferred the handheld radios. Put it this way, how much good is the boat mounted radio going to do you if the boat sinks?

 

[Betik]

I did read the Bimini thread, and that's why I figured I could get everything ready in a year's time! This site is full of information - from beginner to seasoned boater.

For the backup bilge pump, do you have the wired in or just on hand?

I would definitely wire it and make sure it has its own drain on the side of the boat.
If you are planing on leaving the boat in the water overnight you might to consider wiring it directly to the battery and putting a float switch.

Bimini........
one year is defiantly enough to prepare the boat for Bimini.
In regard to fixed vs handheld. I say both. If you bring an inreach or ACR or something like that maybe you can justify only having a handheld, but otherwise in my opinion a Fixed VHF is a must. In 2017 I had a fixed with a 8 foot antenna mounted on the rail and I put it very conservatively I picked up at least 5 communications which nobody else picked. 3 or them were related to boats runing out of fuel. 2 of them where between open water and boats inside the canal.
@Julian can probably make a good case on why a fixed VHF can come in handy, especially when you are trying to find a drifting boat somewhere between Florida and Bimini

 

[Jameson Clark]

I've always preferred the handheld radios. Put it this way, how much good is the boat mounted radio going to do you if the boat sinks?

This is one of my only concerns about doing Bimini next year. I have absolutely no use for a boat mounted radio in any boating I do. I really refuse to put that much money into it and also do not want and then also have the antenna and radio in the way all the time as well. If I can't get by with a handheld radio, I doubt I'll ever make the bimini trip.

 

[Betik]

This is one of my only concerns about doing Bimini next year. I have absolutely no use for a boat mounted radio in any boating I do. I really refuse to put that much money into it and also do not want and then also have the antenna and radio in the way all the time as well. If I can't get by with a handheld radio, I doubt I'll ever make the bimini trip.

you have both a handled and fixed.
You can mount the antenna on your tower and the fixed can be mounted in such a way that it can be removed after the trip. I hope $200 is not what is stopping you from making a $10,000 trip.

 

[Jameson Clark]

you have both a handled and fixed.
You can mount the antenna on your tower and the fixed can be mounted in such a way that it can be removed after the trip. I hope $200 is not what is stopping you from making a $10,000 trip.

Well, after looking at costs, there is no way my trip would cost $10,000. But, no, $200 does not get in the way of making the trip. The point is that hard mounting anything for one trip is not ideal to me. I have been boating my whole life and have never used/needed a VHF radio. The only boat I have ever even been on with one was my Dad's old Chaparral cabin cruiser he had on the Potomac and that was needed out there. So, to drill and mount anything to my boat for one trip just isn't ideal in my opinion. I had planned on making this trip next year and had been doing a ton of reading and research on it when I saw some recommendations on having a fixed radio on board. I just have no use for it any other time. Maybe I can look into ways to "mount" it for this trip and then remove it entirely afterwards. I have no problem spending the money, I just don't want the stuff on my boat after the trip and don't want holes left from mounting it.

 

[Joatmon]

@Joatmon I downloaded an app on the iPhone that allows for one-square-block to be downloaded for free, so I may use that in the meantime. As far as a handheld radio - debating between fixed and handheld. It seems like a fixed would provide further range.

Up to your preference on the hand held versus mounted. I just carry the hand held in the boat just in case. It has difference power levels and I don't go out more than ten miles. I didn't want to mount a radio in or under the dash and have an obstructive antenna. Hopefully I will only use the radio to dock for lunch. If I sink a mounted radio won't work with the boat underwater.

Tell me more about this app. I wasn't following what you were saying about it.

 

[Betik]

Well, after looking at costs, there is no way my trip would cost $10,000. But, no, $200 does not get in the way of making the trip. The point is that hard mounting anything for one trip is not ideal to me. I have been boating my whole life and have never used/needed a VHF radio. The only boat I have ever even been on with one was my Dad's old Chaparral cabin cruiser he had on the Potomac and that was needed out there. So, to drill and mount anything to my boat for one trip just isn't ideal in my opinion. I had planned on making this trip next year and had been doing a ton of reading and research on it when I saw some recommendations on having a fixed radio on board. I just have no use for it any other time. Maybe I can look into ways to "mount" it for this trip and then remove it entirely afterwards. I have no problem spending the money, I just don't want the stuff on my boat after the trip and don't want holes left from mounting it.

If you have stock boat, i do not see how you will get away with a budget of less than 10K for your first trip. I am sure on a day like the June group had, you can jump on the boat and make there on $100 worth of fuel, but if you want to prepare to make a single boat crossing on 2017 conditions then it is a different story. From $400 on off shore life jackets to 20+ holes for the trim tabs, it can definitely add up. I have relativly handy my cost for 2017 and I will put a couple of pictures, so you can see how painful it was for me.
For this type of trips my moto is Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum

 

[Betik]

it seems that we have fully hijacked this thread and given there was been other people asking random Bimini questions on random threads, I created a temporary 2019 Bimini.

For a more VHF diverse opinions please put your question there and the Bimini veteran can chime in.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/2019-bimini-trip-unofficial-thread-until-admin-puts-official-one-up.18897/

 

[AndyD]

This is one of my only concerns about doing Bimini next year. I have absolutely no use for a boat mounted radio in any boating I do. I really refuse to put that much money into it and also do not want and then also have the antenna and radio in the way all the time as well. If I can't get by with a handheld radio, I doubt I'll ever make the bimini trip.

People have made it with just a handheld in the past and although it can be doable a fixed is preferred simply because of the range you get. 2018 was a phenomenal crossing and the radios were never a need while crossing however keep in mind that in 2017 the weather got real bad real quick. With a handheld you get maybe 5 miles range max and if you break down in the Gulf Stream and get separated and start drifting north at 4 mph, it doesn’t take long until you’re completely out of touch and at the mercy of a random boat in the vicinity. I understand the need to not want to affix anything to my boat for just a once a year trip (I struggled with the exact same thing) but I compromised and made things removable/tucked away/etc. to keep the boat looking as stock and clean and possible. Because we wanted to make his trip so much, we decided that the safety of my wife and I while crossing was far more important than not having something I didn’t need 51 other weeks out of the year. Just my humble opinion.

 

[Mainah]

I am a lake boater that normal that keeps his boat in the lake. I waffled on the fixed mount radio quite a bit before going to Bimini this year. I did install a DSC fixed mount and I figured out how to make the antenna dual purpose as a flag holder as well. We went off on our own for one day while in Bimini and I had to be on channel 16. I was able to pick up Ft Lauderdale USCG and Tow Boat US on the fixed mount. I think it is cheap insurance in case something happens on the water. I also have a DSC handheld. I did save a few key waypoints in both radios for back up navigation.

I did not end up really needing the fixed mount and without an external speaker it is very hard to hear at speed. That said we all buy insurance and hope to never need it. As for not hearing the radio at speed I established a limited radio traffic with a break/squelch twice protocol to indicate necessary traffic (someone falling off the pace, mechanical, etc) so that the group could slow down and hear the traffic. That was for the return trip that I was appointed to lead and I found that protocol worked much better.

Trim tabs are not a must but now that I have them I use them every time I am out in any water. They sure did help make things more comfortable on the crossings.

A dedicated direct wire back up float bilge pump is an absolute must for every boat everywhere IMO. Testing both bilge pumps regularly is also a must IMO.

As for the chart plotter. I held off until I found one on sale but is was out of stock so I made the trip with my iPhone, Navionics, and a suction ram mount. This worked well up until the plastic in the suction cup degraded after a few days in the sun. I removed the suction cut and used the mounting holes for my fixed vhf mic mount for the ram arm and that worked for the rest of the trip.

So to sum it up are trim tabs, fixed mount vhf, chart plotter, garmin/delorme tracker, or radar required for this trip. No. Are some of those items really good ideas? Yes.

 

[cbpagent72]

I just bought a new boat as well this year first electronic was the Sirius Radio and right now I'm installing a Garmin VHF 210 AIS. if you want to chart plotter Garmin GPS map 722 would be a nice one to tie into that VHF/AIS