Manual for GPS

[traderdavel]

With the purchase of my boat, (1998 Monterey 276), came a Sitex EZ Chartplotter. I have NO experience with GPS. I will spend 99% of the time stay in the Great South Bay of Long Island.

A couple of questions:

1. The Chartplotter is probably around 10 yrs old. Would anyone know where I can find a manual? Have done internet searches but so far have come up empty.

2. Is this a decent plotter? (Especially for my needs). Have asked a couple people I know with boats and the answers have been widely different.

3. If it is not good enough can someone make a reccommendation. (Do I even need one for what I am doing) (Remember I am not going in the ocean, mostly in the Bay).
Really just want to know about the quality of this plotter.

Thanks,

 

[tommays]

Re: Manual for GPS

While the bay is well marked and you can find your way around with a paper chart i have found that a GPS with a current chart chip gives me a LOT better idea were the water is shallow


And it is shallow all over the bay , i find my prop repiars are down to almost nothing NOW as compared to no chartploter


And you would be supprised how offen and fast a fog rolls in from the ocean


http://www.si-tex.com/html/support.html

 

[traderdavel]

Re: Manual for GPS

Thanks Tommays - where on the South Shore do you go out of?

 

[tommays]

Re: Manual for GPS

If i use the power boat it would be out of Heckscher State Park it is a great ramp with wash down


I am going to mainly use the J24 sailboat this year and it is Northport harbor BUT in the past i have kept in a marina in the Patchoghue area as it the deepest part of the bay and the boat draws 4'

 

[traderdavel]

Re: Manual for GPS

I'm out of Harbor Crab. I was just reading something from the US Army Corp of Engineers (June 2006) saying that the "Minimum depths in Channel Entering from Seaward" and I see that in the middle of the channel the minimum is 3'1", - this can't be right, can it? If I can figure out how to post the pdf, I will.

 

[tommays]

Re: Manual for GPS

YES It could be correct a DEEP spot in the great south bay is 8' to 12' and a whole LOT more of 1 'to 2'


You have deep water east of the Robert Moses bridge to Bellport were it gets a bit dicey and you need to really watch the channel