SSB Grounding

[jvbarrac]

I'm new to the world of sailing and the cruisersforum alike. I bought an 82' Bayfield 29 a few months ago and have been preparing it for a year long Caribbean adventure. Our current project is single side band. We bought an Icom 710 and AT 130 tuner yesterday and have been considering setup options. We have been trying to decide whether we want to hoist a wire up the topping lift or buy a cheap 28 ft antenna. The man who sold us the 710 also has an antenna that he will sell on the cheap. We are certainly cost conscious cruisers and would prefer a cheap permanent solution like a whip (even if it will occasionally be in our way.) That being said, we were wondering if the experienced cruisers on the forum would have any other objections to it. In addition to an antenna, we are trying to figure out the grounding system. I was considering building a small contraption that would bolt to the transom and have a hinge joint that would allow it to be lowered into the water during transmission. I picture this thing hinging on the transom and lowering into the water about four feet or so. It may be made of aluminum tubing or pvc and will be covered in copper foil. An 8 gauge wire will connect this grounding device to the radio. Thanks in advance to anyone who comments, we really appreciate your suggestions and look forward to becoming apart of this awesome community.