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PostPosted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 3:56 pm 
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Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 11:11 am
Posts: 26
Location: Boca Ciega Bay, Florida
How is it working for you? Are there any particular features that you find particularly useful?

I've had this gps in my ditch bag for years but I've never really used it. Since I've recently purchased the kayak, i thought I would start using it.

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2010 Mirage Oasis Tandem

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PostPosted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 5:02 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:21 pm
Posts: 2498
Location: Central Florida
I use one, mounted on a RAM ball mount on my AI. I like it! Works well. On the left below:
Image
Besides storing spec's for bragging rights (Max speed, Ave moving speed and distance) it's very useful if you have many points stored for fishing spots, launch/landing sites and landmarks so you can select one to see distance to go, time to destination and exact best direction to head, for the shortest route to sail or pedal to.

A couple of suggestions with it. Because of the soft rubber covers on the back, if you won't be using a port seal it with silicon adhesive. For small ports you will use often (USB for uploading) fill it with di-electric grease. These will keep water out of it and give it a long life.

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PostPosted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 11:45 am 
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Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 11:11 am
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Location: Boca Ciega Bay, Florida
KB , Thanks for the information and the picture of your deck. You sure do have a lot of stuff up on deck . I am going to be spying your picture for ideas. Thanks again

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2010 Mirage Oasis Tandem

Words Of Wisdom From My Old Mentor....

"I never met a man on his deathbed, who wished he had spent more time at the office."


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 6:00 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:21 pm
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Location: Central Florida
Good luck with you mods. Get it just the way you want it.

That picture was of my boat fully loaded for fishing here in Hawaii. The two waterproof boxes forward or the Mirage Drive are; on the left is for my cell phone, keys, license, etc. The right side one is my fish-finder battery. On the far right is my fishing 1/2 tramp. Using it is like fishing sitting at a counter. :) Here's a better picture of it.Image

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Hobie Island Sailing since 2006


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PostPosted: Sat Aug 10, 2013 8:31 am 
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Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 4:01 pm
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flrider wrote:
How is it working for you? Are there any particular features that you find particularly useful?


I bought one when we bought our Oasis. I had to buy and install the California/Nevada chip for accurate info.

It performed better on water than on land. It seemed slow re picking up the satellites. It ended up in the water with a little pfd, and it never had problem with yaking. It ate up batteries like a teenage boy who hasn't eaten for an hour or so.

Last fall after our last kayak trip, I brought it inside and stored on a counter with other electronic gear. A few weeks later one of my sons heard a weird beep, which my wife and I never heard. He traced it to the gps. I took the batteries out.

It never worked after that. It was stuck on the last trip, couldn't acquire the satellites and refused to boot up. Hidden in their package insert was a one sentence warning to take the batteries out if it wasn't used. It wasn't used for about a month, and some how that fried the inner parts.

Garmin wanted a $100 prepayment and for me to ship it to them for repair. Cabela's had a great deal on the Garmin Oregon 550t with the maps. I had enough points to cover most of the cost. So I ordered one for less than the repair job would have cost.

I transferred the Cali/Nevada chip to the Oregon 550t. I bought Cabela's dvd to help me get on board, and it did. There was an even better web site. It for me is the easiest gps to get working. I have owned several, and they have faults and often die after a few years..

The 550t is really fast in acquiring the satellites and works great on land for walks and drives.

It has a camera that isn't that great, but it works and gives you the satellite position where you took the picture.


It has a lot of features for hikers/hunters like can download 3d pictures to help you find where you really are.

Since I use mine for local walks and yakking that really isn't needed.

The batteries are rechargeable and work for at least 2-4 trips. The battery recharging unit was the most complicated thing/process to find out. I have fitted it with a soft nylon protective cover to protect if I drop it, and it works. On water I used the little camera pfd I use with the 76 cx.

At this time I would recommend this unit. One of our younger relatives does backpacking elk/deer hunts in remote areas. I will loan him the unit. He will add the 3d service and a small remote temp sensor and buy the chip for his area. He has a small solar recharger for his satellite phone and will use it with a spare set of batteries.

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2012 Freedom Hawk Pathfinder


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PostPosted: Sat Aug 10, 2013 10:28 am 
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Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:21 pm
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Location: Central Florida
Grampa Spey wrote:
It ate up batteries like a teenage boy who hasn't eaten for an hour or so.
This reminded me, if you set it in battery saver mode, it will last over a month of weekly use (40+ hours) before running low on alkaline batteries. It updates a little bit slower in battery saver maybe every 10 seconds for changes in speed or direction, but still well useable for me on the water.

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