Re: [Paddlewise] PaddleWise- Waterproof? VHF, West Marine cases

From: ralph diaz <rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com>
Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2001 16:07:02 -0500
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jay G" <jaymtb_at_amigo.net>

> I'm wondering if anyone has had a Standard HX 350S fail due to leakage.
> I was on a kayak  trip in Baja recently between Bahia de Los Angeles and
> La Paz.   We have had more fronts/storms/and rough water this year than
> is usual, resulting in going in and out in surf on north facing beaches,
> and  being in breaking waves a good deal of the time etc.  I had a
> Standard HX 350S and a Garmin GPS 12 in West Marine "Aqua Safe" cases.
> Both cases  leaked, allowing the Vhf and GPS to get wet.  The Vhf case
> actually developed a small split, allowing the VHF case to flood.

I have had no problem with my HX350S and it is indeed waterproof enough to
hang overboard for a few minutes (for the helluva it) or wash by placing it
in a bucket of water for a few minutes.

A couple of questions:

1.  Given that you were in Baja, I am taking a stab that you, because you
were away for several days from recharging abililty, were not at the time
using the NiCad rechargeable battery pack but rather the secondary AA
alkaline battery pack.  If so, then the radio, any VHF radio, will leak as
none of the alkaline packs are truly submersible beyond a split-second
immersion, if that.  The companies all admit this.

2.  If you were still able to operate on the charge of the NiCad pack and it
leaked, here is a guess.  The radio is submersible for x amount of time at x
amount of feet.  But if were resting in water long enough, and it would have
been in a flooded VHF plastic case, then possibly eventually water seeped
into it.

ralph diaz
--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter
PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024
Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com
"Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag."
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Received on Wed Feb 28 2001 - 13:06:34 PST

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