Re: [Paddlewise] "Waterproof" . . . VHFs

     
     The image of spending thirty minutes three feet under my kayak --- or, 
     better yet, being towed across the Atlantic behind a freighter --- 
     brings to mind the insistence of one of the Navy's international 
     customers that a piece of avionics gear, currently being developed as 
     a multinational project, be specified to withstand 52 Gs, sustained.  
     The significance here is that, while the pilot would be dead and the 
     aircraft shredded, the little GPS would know exactly where it was, all 
     the way down to water impact!
     
     It's sorta like that here.  While I agree with George Bergeron that an 
     extra margin of survivability is a good thing, I, for one, am not 
     going to be awfully concerned if my VHF dies when it passes through 
     five feet on its way to the bottom --- 'cause it's clipped to my 
     damned PFD, and I'm still in it!
     
     As far as galvanization and metal-rot, so far no sign of it, and the 
     little unit has seen a lot of salt water.  But it's also been washed 
     thoroughly after every use.
     
     Joq


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: [Paddlewise] "Waterproof" . . . VHFs
Author:  "Geo. Bergeron" <heritage_at_europa.com> at SPTC
Date:    3/7/98 10:51 PM


At 10:23 PM 3/7/98 -0500, you wrote:
     
>     And, in reviewing the Defender Marine catalog, there is a new Apelco 
>     520 VHF that is waterproof <and> submersible --- compliant with JIS-7 
>     requiring survival at a depth of one meter for 30 minutes --- which 
>     sounds pretty impressive.  (Note: the newer handheld VHFs have a 
>     "weather alert" feature which automatically indicates a severe weather 
>     broadcast in your area, a definite advantage if you're within the NOAA 
>     radio network.)
>     
>     Joq
     
        Not wanting to be a "wet blanket" here, but standard European
minimal criteria for "water resistant" is submersion at one meter for 30 
minutes. At one meter there's virtually no water pressure on the unit. 
Thirty minutes is not very long if you happen to be cast adrift in the ocean 
waiting for rescue. The Aquapac cases will keep your electronic gear 
waterproof for longer periods of time at greater depths. . . although 
neither depth nor time is specified in the Aquapac literature. 
     
        The other item I'd be concerned about with a radio is resistance to
salt water corrosion. A little bit of salt in the water really starts to 
mess up your equipment. Rust proof metals such as brass and stainless steel 
--standard marine equipment metals-- will begin to corrode through 
"bi-metalic electrolysis" when brought into contact with each other in a 
salt water environment. The metals literally form a battery and start moving 
electrons. I'd be concerned about exposing electronic gear to salt water. 
     
        Just as a comparison . . . my basic marine watch (OK, it's a knock
off of a Rolex Submariner) is water proof to 100 meters and safe in salt water. 
     
        Any emergency equipment used in a marine environment should be
waterproof for a lot longer than 30 minutes at one meter. The one meter for 
30 minute standard may be fine for a flashlight used for backpacking in the 
rain, but I'd really like to see my marine radio survive being towed behind 
a freighter on a trans-Atlantic crossing. Waterproof cases will bring your 
gear more into line with this second criteria. 
     
     
     
-------------------------------------------------------
 George Bergeron, Secretary
 OSWEGO HERITAGE COUNCIL  
 P.O. Box 1041, Lake Oswego, Oregon 97034
 Web Site: http://www.europa.com/~heritage/welcome.html
 Email: heritage_at_europa.com                                     
     
     
     
     
     
     
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