www.iFourWinns.com

I am interested in getting a navigation device. Its main purpose would be to navigate to avoid rocks but having a GPS/ chartplotter would be nice to have. Do sounders help alert you to rocks or is it to late by the time it shows up on the screen? I am only worried about rocks when going into coves and shallow areas in the ocean. thanks

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2007 H210
2011 Chevrolet Tahoe LT

For small lakes nothing beats local knowledge. Talk to people. Get up to date local charts.

A depth sounder will not help you avoid rocks. A depth sounder really won't help you avoid anything if you're running faster than anything more than idle. You should always know where you are on the charts first. The depth sounder is simply a second opinion. It's great for gauging just how close you're getting to shore when going in to beach the boat (assuming you've added a keel guard). Or slowly gunkholing through unfamiliar shallows. But not at speed.

There's really nothing you can put on a small vessel that will help avoid underwater obstacles. There's no practical way to do it. The nature of a planing hull makes it nearly impossible to use any sort of look-ahead sonar type of gear. But even with a displacement hull vessel (one that doesn't come out and up on plane) it's still a big challenge. That and forward looking sonar gear is VERY, VERY expensive (think MORE than the boat itself). Even then you're still talking about only being able to use it at relatively slow speeds.

The question is whether digital chartplotters have good local charts for your area.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

I have a GPS/Chart plotter with latest Chart, A depth sounder/alarm and a local knowledge (at least that I thought) but I still hit a rock…. The alarm did not even beep once….And $7500 damage.....
No wonder dealer gave me a great deal for my boat… they knew I would come back for repair / Insurance work.
On serious note color GPS/Chart plotter would help you for sure guiding you from dangerous area but not 100%. Since I start using GPS/Chart platter it took me 5 years for facing the issue…

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08 H260 VP 8.1Gi DP.....Previous
2013 Crownline E6 Merc 8.2MAG BIIIX, DTS/SC

I am very happy with my Lowrance 522i. You can get them for just over $600 and they have decent maping, depth and fish, and upgradeable with the NMEA 2000 toys.
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... -9345418-2

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2001 Horizon 260 - 7.4 Volvo GSI DP

Makes me glad I'm on the Chesapeake. I think there's only 3 rock hazards, total. Now, you can still wreck props on sand (damned shoal in Selby Bay). Or, like one of my slip neighbors, hit a channel buoy, to the tune of a $2500 gouge to the bow. Apparently he swung about to rescue his daughter's no-to-bright dog that had just leapt overboard after seeing some ragbagger toss over a round anchor line buoy (thought it was fetch at high speed). Makes me glad to have a cat... at home...

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

You are lucky to not have to worry about rocks. We spend about at 75% of our time in Nantucket sound which i know very well and there are not many rocks to worry about. Naragansett bay is where you constantly have to worry about rocks. i am also ready to explore new shore lines and a chartplotter would be great to have. Has anyone ever used one of the hand held gps systems? if so does it do the trick or should i splurge for an entry level mounted system?

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2007 H210
2011 Chevrolet Tahoe LT

The trouble with handheld systems is they're not all that easy to operate when things get busy. Even touchscreen based fixed-mount units are tricky to use when seas get choppy. That and I'm not sure that the handheld units have charts with the same amount of charting details available. I'd use one if I had to, of course, but it wouldn't be my first choice.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista