Hello,
Anyone has experience with a Garmin eTrex Vista HCX on a kayak deck. It is supposed to be waterproof (IPX7) which means it can be immersed in water (1m for 30 minutes) and still be OK. I'm wandering if I can use it for sea kayaking without other protection.
Thanks in advance!

I don't know if I would leave mine on deck if I thought I mignt tip over, but I do plan to use it from time to time to check retlative speeds of some of my boats. I think I'm going to keep it hung around my neck and maybe lay it on my skirt when I'm using it. The lanyard is long enough so that I should be able to keep it attached to me instead of the kayak.

I often take a little radio along and tie it to one of the deck bungees. I wish it was waterproof, because every now and then a wave sneaks up and tries to drown the poor thing. I don't believe I want to test the Garmin like that, even though it is supposed to be waterproof.

I have no experience with Garmin products but for what it may be worth; my old Magellan Explorist 100 has sat on my kayak deck many times with out trouble, I even practised rolling. I tied a plastic clip to the lanyard hole to attach it to my bungies. So far, so good.

I have an E-trex Legend that resides on the deck of my kayak in a Ram Mount. It's got wet on many occasions (including while rolling) and I haven't had a problem with it in over 2 years. I do however, give it a fresh water rinse every time when I get home.

Dan

Waterproof, but not corrosion proof. I keep a Legend Cx on a Garmin suction cup mount on the deck. The suction cup is pretty tenacious on gel coat.

The GPS battery compartment is not waterproof. Salt water will corrode the terminals as well as get the buttons crusty. My first legend failed after 3 yrs. Don't know if water had anything to do with it. By that time, the rubber casing was coming loose as it does eventially on all eTrex GPS. I planned to wrap a sandwich bag around my 2nd Legend, but I always forget.

I wouldn't worry at all about fresh water, but anything that is in salt water...gps, radio, pfd, boat...should get a thorough fresh water rinse as soon as possible. If you're obsessive, take the battery cover off the gps and dry out the compartment.

The Garmins are made to get exposed to wet/muddy/freezing conditions etc. As well as using mine on kayaking trips, they have been mounted on my ATV under very muddy dusty conditions and never had an issue. Just make sure you clean it up well and dry it when you get home including the inside battery covers etc...
Always good to have a back up unit just in case too.

I use an Etrex Legend on my kayak. Once while kayaking in Georgian Bay (Great Lakes) I stopped for lunch, then relaunched only to find that I didn't have my GPS. I went back to the launch site and found the GPS on the bottom in about 2 feet of water (very clear water). It was and is fine. It is waterproof but it does not float.

If you want a GPS that will float, get a Garmin GPS Map 76CSX.

I use an eTrex Vista HCX with Topo Canada maps on my deck all the time. I put a carabiner on the lanyard and hook it to my deck bungees. I have knocked it into the water and dragged it for a few strokes many times. I have also done rolls with it on the deck. It works great. It is my first handheld GPS and I researched which GPS to buy for a few weeks. I am very happy with it. It is waterproof but I wouldn't risk leaving it in the water too long. Just make sure it is always secured to you or your kayak.

I owned an eTrex about 5 years ago, and carried it on the deck. It was fine until I did a prolonged rolling session, after which it gave up the ghost. I haven't replaced it.

I have a Garmin ETRAX Venture HC and it also has been drug in the water beside my boat for a short distance several times, Been exposed to heavy rains and mud plenty of times and is a bout 5-6 years old and still works fine. For christmas I bought a Garmin 62ST map, I have a lot of faith in there products but due to the price it does ride in a small clear dry bag straped to the deck.