I have the Garmin 305, bought on ebay for a couple hundred dollars. It's a great toy.

I got it mainly for lightweight paragliding and it will last a weekend of flying on a single charge.

It's certified water resistant so it's fine for getting wet but it's not certified for diving or stuff like that. The standard says it can be submerged to one metre for up to 40 minutes.

I've used it a few times surfing and kiteboarding and SUP. When lie-down paddling a surfboard the signal from the heart rate monitor doesn't get through. It comes back as soon as you sit up. The track log for surfing is a little pointless because you just go back and forth in the same place. Lots of scribble.

For SUP or kiteboarding or paragliding it is perfect. You clearly can see the little loop you go through at the end of a reach where you gybe on a kiteboard. You can customise the display so it shows whatever numbers you want and then analyse it all on the track log.

It's a bit running centric and running talks about pace and laps and stuff. You need to use cycling or other to get speed readings on the display.

The supplied Training Centre software is pretty crappy. It works ok and you can plot speed and heart rate and stuff. There's any number of free programs available for download and you can plot stuff in Google Earth if you want.

The newer version looks more like a wrist watch. It has less battery life and requires you to touch various spots of the watch to work the buttons. The 305 is a little clunky but it's easy to operate.

Hey piros
I'm always up for a paddle if you need another car at the other end. I've only got my 11'6 for now but you're a bit older than me so it should be about even paddle
its been 2 weeks since i have even been on the water supin so keen as if not doing kite lessons i'm there.

Jacko

Do GPS Units register 1.3 knots accurately?

Garmin have a 405 as well but a mate of mine has checked it out and swears by the old model 305 , so that backs up Greg to a T, THANKS

Paul if this wind sticks around we will be on for 2morrow morn but the forecast is for it to drop for Saturday if thats the case we drive out to sea by boat and paddle back.I'll keep in touch.

GregW said...

baldrick said...

Do GPS Units register 1.3 knots accurately?

Yes.

Why do you ask? What are you trying to measure? GPS are more than accurate enough to measure the difference between just cruising along and sprinting and head wind and tail wind paddling ... which just happens to be 2.4 kph or 1.3 knots.

Domestic GPS are very accurate when measuring speed over a period of time and in an open location. The software is smart enough to ignore momentary jumps in position.

They're not accurate at all for instantaneous measures or positions when you are stationary and reflections and blocked signals from buildings and trees and hills stuff them up very badly. I strongly recommend you do not paddle through trees or buildings.

That would be good if we could paddle through buildings.

I'd paddle from one class to another at skool