Beware of sinking submersible VHF!

[CarinaPDX]

Waterproofness tends not to be an enduring characteristic: the various seals and o-rings have a limited life, and any abrasion can shorten it further.

When in Bonaire I decided to go diving with my Nikonos V camera, "only" a few years old at the time. It never made it through the dive before salt water intrusion shorted the IC. It turns out that to maintain waterproofness the easily accessible seals need to be cleaned and lubed frequently (I had done that) and replaced every year IIRC. But the inaccessible ones also need to be replaced regularly, and that is done by a service facility. I hadn't done either so I was SOL. It does seem odd to me that the small PCB was not coated or otherwise protected from leakage, when leakage is a frequent problem.

Caveat Emptor...

Greg

[hellosailor]

luc- You are going to make the same mistake all over again. There is no such thing as a "waterproof" radio and in fact if any company advertised one like that in the US, they'd soon get a letter and a fine from our Federal Trade Commission. Equipment may be advertised and sold only as "water resistant" to a specific depth or rating (i.e. 30 minutes at five feet) unless, like a golf ball, it really can sit on the bottom for years without any change. And as any Rolex or Omega repair shop can tell you, anything with water resistant seals, o-rings and gaskets, still has a limited life. Those seals must be replaced every year or three, will decay if soapy water or grit gets on them, and often are only guaranteed for static use--not against water intrusion if you actually operate the knobs and buttons while they are wet, or the water is spraying, like a sink or shower. The devil is in the details. Ugly vinyl waterproof [sic] pouches are still a great way to keep water out, and radios floating.

[44'cruisingcat]

I have a pair of "waterproof floating" binoculars. They only float if the neck strap with the big float on it is fitted. Without that they'd sink like a stone.

[tkeithlu]

I used to work on an island with lots of opportunities to drop radios in salt water. The first step was to tie cords from radios to clips that went on people's belt loops, because lots of physical activities (getting out of a truck) can peal a radio clip off your belt. The cords were long enough to allow transmitting, but held the radio above a worker's feet when the radio fell off a belt. With waterproof radios, that also meant that if the worker went in the water, that radio went no deeper than the worker. Given that human PDFs were not required, this may leave some question as to the relative value of workers and radios in the minds of management.

[tkeithlu]

I've found that "200 meter" Casio watches are fine for diving at 100 feet as long as you don't press any buttons below 2-3 feet.

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I doubt very seriously that you can buy a radio that is waterproof.
Several years ago I bought a rather expensive Luminox dive watch, I wore it on my 12 yr old Daughters check out dive to 60' if I remember right, upon returning to the surface I found it had flooded.
Upon contacting Luminox I found out that it was water resistant to 200 meters, but not water proof.
I guess it resisted and lost? A few hundred dollars later repair job and it now resides in my dresser.

Rolex guarantees their watches to 100 meters, but does not call them water "proof"; only water resistant. And they should be pressure tested periodically due to seals getting old. My submariner is now about 60 years old and my grandson uses it as a dive watch. However, my 10 year old daughter did manage to drown the watch years ago by leaving the crown open(not screwed down). Expensive repair. However if you are going to cruise the world, a good Rolex will be invaluable. They are rugged, water resistant, and will withstand almost anything except a 10 year old girl.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by maine50

Check out Standard Horizon Hand Held VHF's- most float and 3 year guarantee on waterproofness.

I have an HX-870 that is brilliant I have tossed it into the water to demonstrate the strobe a few times. Keeps on ticking great radio


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[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by reed1v

Rolex guarantees their watches to 100 meters, but does not call them water "proof"; only water resistant. And they should be pressure tested periodically due to seals getting old. My submariner is now about 60 years old and my grandson uses it as a dive watch. However, my 10 year old daughter did manage to drown the watch years ago by leaving the crown open(not screwed down). Expensive repair. However if you are going to cruise the world, a good Rolex will be invaluable. They are rugged, water resistant, and will withstand almost anything except a 10 year old girl.

I have an old Rolex Daytona my mother gave my Father when he soled in the 60's but it stays in a deposit box as an heirloom, but I have no doubt of it being waterproof


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[StuM]

Originally Posted by reed1v

However if you are going to cruise the world, a good Rolex will be invaluable. They are rugged, water resistant, and will withstand almost anything except a 10 year old girl.

Alterntively a good Casio with one or two spares tucked away will be a LOT cheaper and just as useful.

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by reed1v

They are rugged, water resistant, and will withstand almost anything except a 10 year old girl.

Or a good pickpocket, or a thug with a knife. Please, if you are going to cruise to developing countries leave the expensive jewellery, or simply expensive-looking fakes, at home. Diamond rings included: if you can't slip it off they can just cut off the finger instead. I realize this can sound alarmist, but these incidents do happen. Unlike Rolex watches and diamond rings I have never heard of anyone having their black plastic Casios stolen.

Greg

[donradcliffe]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

Or a good pickpocket, or a thug with a knife. Please, if you are going to cruise to developing countries leave the expensive jewellery, or simply expensive-looking fakes, at home. Diamond rings included: if you can't slip it off they can just cut off the finger instead. I realize this can sound alarmist, but these incidents do happen. Unlike Rolex watches and diamond rings I have never heard of anyone having their black plastic Casios stolen.

Greg

I did hear of one man who was driving in Caracas with his window open and a gold Rolex on his wrist. Not only did he lose the watch, he lost his hand too.

OTOH, my wife's Casio was stolen off her wrist by a bunch of kids in Aden. She took their picture and they crowded around to see it themselves displayed on the digital camera. They were so gentle she didn't realize the watch was missing until they left.

[zeehag]

ok so waterproof means you might be able to realistically use it in rainstorms. but only iff you have a shelter to hide under while using that radio.
submersible means donot drop into real water. bilges and toilets inclusive. MIGHT work in rainstorms.
nicad means you can use for 6 months if lucky. mimh means longer life--mebbe 10 months. then buy new battery.
when your main radio quits, there is NO handheld that will cooperate with ye.
yes i have broken even icom unbreakable handheld radios....

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by zeehag

when your main radio quits, there is NO handheld that will cooperate with ye.

I have an old Icom VHF whose batteries have long since died, and the battery pack replacement price is obscene. But I have the 12V adapter that attaches where the battery goes, and I have used this for when the mast is down (going through canals). It won't help in a liferaft but is a useful backup aboard. I also have an adapter that allows the handheld to use the masthead antenna, which works well.

Greg

[a64pilot]

I have an HX 851 that I am very impressed with, it's been it the water a few times and I regularly rinse it off in the sink when it has been wet with salt water

[Don1500]

Originally Posted by lucseawalker

If you have a Entel submersible portable VHF radio or consider buying one, be aware that these radio sink like rocks. Read on to learn from my own experience …

Submersible does not mean water tight. If you have one out on your cockpit, make sure you have it covered because rain will intrude. Also keep it shielded from the sun or the LCD will burn out and you won't be able to read it. (This pertains to bulkhead mounted versions.)

As for hand helds, I have never found one that replaced yelling for long distance communication.Wouldn't trust one as far as I could throw it, and I can communicate further than that without a hand held VHF.