[Breambo]

I'm paranoid about accidently drifting into the National Park so I'm thinking of a waterproof handheld GPS to help me navigate the boundries.
I know it will also be usefull for finding offshore locations etc.
How much should I be spending and what to look out for ?
Thanks

 

[Davey G]

having a handheld GPS will also make you paranoid about dropping the thing overboard! :roll:

I think that GPS's are a valuable tool if venturing a long way offshore, for navigation or to locate isolated bommies /reefs etc, but apart from that they are no more than a gimmick and the majority of kayakfishermen (who stay in enclosed waters or close to shore) wouldn't benefit THAT much from having one (IMHO).

However if you have the spare cash and feel the need, then go for it, but I would be looking at getting a fully waterproof one, preferably leashed to your pfd or your yak.

 

[troppo]

Breambo, recently I camped on a beach where there was a stip of yellow zone (some fishing ok) totally surrounded by green zone (no fishing at all). One time I anchored using a plastic bottle I found and filled with sand. Enjoyed just sitting and relaxing, but after a bit I noticed the waves were much bigger. I realised I was drifting basically out to sea past the rocky point which was protecting the place I first anchored. That was getting very close to the green zone so I was concerned about exactly where the boundaries were.

I think a GPS would be very useful in this type of situation. All the best with ya hunting the right one.

 

[kingfisher111]

Hi Breambo, I`m hoping I`ve been good enough to get one for fathers day coming up. Such a timesaver when trying to revisit a good spot in a very big bay! On a recent trip out in westernport bay down here in Melbourne with Kevin (GPS in his FF), I suggested that we had drifted off our mark in the rather rough conditions. 260 metres was Kevins reply. Follow me I`ll put us back on the spot! Unreal! Steve.

 

[Dodge]

Breambo

I'm assuming there are signs on the shore to show boundaries and if so why not use the old marks method we used pre GPS...and this is not knocking GPS by the way

Just look for two prominent objects in line, eg: red roof over an antennae,
and if its a reef location find another pair of marks at a different angle; when both sets line up you are on the spot again, and no electrics to drown.

Be careful with marks I had a hot spot off Kingscliffe one time that involved tree with mauve flowers and it really stood out over a second building mark.

Had forgotten that jacarandas only blossom for a short time, and lost the bearing until next flower season a year later..then found a different object to use for the same reef.

A notebook with marks noted was in the hands of most anglers, and still use it today if I find a good patch

 

[troppo]

Dodge, the place where I was careful of the green zone had few landmarks and the (edit) edge of the zone was not logical. It started on the tip of a point (not sure exactly what part of the tip?) and then it see-sawed up the coast for about 8 km or so.

According to Google Earth where I mapped the long and lat given with the green zone map, so I could see the corridor along the coast, it varied between 500 m and 250 m, give or take 100 m .

So, I got some basic line-of-sight references, but when I was enthusiastically paddling all over the place and even when I was trolling two lines and trying to turn around by doing a very big circle to avoid a cross over (failed) then I had no idea if I was in or out (Out of the green zone I mean, not the yak. If I was out of the yak I would have noticed probably when I made a beach landing and tried to hop out.)

So, I reckon sightings can be very useful, but some of those zones are like crab marks on the beach.

 

[Peril]

Bad legislation. What have we come to when you need to a GPS to ensure you are not breaking the law when fishing? So much for simple family pursuits and our common law rights

 

[Dodge]

Bad legislation. What have we come to when you need to a GPS to ensure you are not breaking the law when fishing? So much for simple family pursuits and our common law rights

Dave you are absolutely right, just plain stupidity, but then pollies rarely take a common sense approach.

Troppo , if the boundary is a zig zag, shore marks, at best would only enable you to average a course, and maybe use an orienteering compass which I now use for marks, but still a lot of work, and Dave's point is spot on

 

[PoddyMullet]

G Day Breambo, I picked up a Garmin E-trex handheld GPS on sale last year for about $179. That seems to be a staring point price wise for the handhelds (or was at the time). For what ya describing as it's use, Dodge maybe on the money....mainly because it's painful on batteries if it's left turned on, and I reckon it'd be easier to look at shore marks than digging about for the GPS. I see ya initial problem in trying to sort out where those marks should be however, could ya borrow one to get set? Having said that the GPS is a hoot for finding new fishing co-ordinates I've heard about, helping me navigate unfamilar waters back to my car, and navigating in fog. It also has a few not quite useless tricks like telling me how/fast far I've paddled or how far to my next waypoint, or how far from sea level I am (important as contary to popular opinion I can sometimes launch my yak into the air by paddling too fast, which explains the flying kangaroo on my stern). Away from the water I've also used it a few times in the bush, but wouldn't rely on it soley for anything serious .

 

[troppo]

or how far from sea level I am (important as contary to popular opinion I can sometimes launch my yak into the air by paddling too fast, which explains the flying kangaroo on my stern).

:shock: "Look, up in the sky, is it a plane, is it a bird? No, it is PoddyMullet from the AKFF! . . . . Duck for cover, he's trailing SX40s!"

 

[Breambo]

Just got back from my arvo paddle.
I fished a 100m strip where fishings permitted.
There are two signs on the headland, one for the outer boundry, one for the inner. Trying to get a reference and line them up is a nightmare.
There is no other marine park references and the map they provide is not to scale and not very accurate, so even if I had other marks to go off, and taking in to account margin of error, its still only a guess if your in or out. I dont know if a gps would be accurate or good enough either to help in this situation. I sure dont want to find out by being fined either. :evil:
I was thinking of using it for the outer boundries where theres not really anything to line up. :?

 

[HiRAEdd]

I've got a Lowrance iFINDER® GO attached to my kayak with a RAM mount. So it can't go overboard and it's in my line of sight always. I don't see it as something incredibly necessary but there's three good reasons for having it:
3. It gives you something to play with when the fish aren't biting
2. It tells you all sorts of interesting stuff about your speed, where you've been and you can amaze people with how far you've paddled.
1. But the best reason for me is where I fish most often at Scarborough, I can paddled directly to the submerged reefs and weed banks that would otherwise take me up to 10 - 15 minutes to find using landmarks and the sounder.

 

[yakfly]

B
With regard to GPS make sure that your on the right datum as there are a couple.Most maps/charts are on WGS 84 these days,the old datum was AGD66 which is about 185 different in northing and 114m different in easting.If they give you a coord at each end just enter them in,then set it up as a route.This will then give you an offset left or right to this line.We use Garmin 72s for work and crosschecks against our truck mounted gear usually agree within a couple of metres.Having said that most fixes are dependent on sattelite configuration anyway,with the more the merrier.As Troppo said just do a visual check on whats around and you cant go too far wrong.

 

[Davey G]

breambo, maybe if you get 'busted' while fishing your spots by the water police or whoever polices these things you could just tell them 'Well Mr Officer it's like this... I had a GPS which I thought was telling me the safe zones, but turns out that the satellite coordinates were out by 185 metres so that's why I'm here mr water police officer sir'

when he asks you where the GPS is, tell him that you've just lost it overboard and could he please help you look for it. That should distract him enough for you to make a swift getaway. :wink:

if that fails then I'm out of ideas. sorry.

 

[troppo]

Oh no, a terrible thought has hit me. DaveyG, the opposite could happen. Breambo's GPS thingo bought using expert advice on AKFF and is perfectly accurate says he is NOT in "no fish" zone while the officials' system tells them he IS in the zone. I think the answer is to tell them he is from the AKFF as that will immediately identify him as someone who should be listened to respectfully.