Best GPS for hazard's on Lake Powell

[Thomas K]

Well I had a rock strike on Powell over Labor Day weekend. It just missed the hull by inches but almost ripped my outdrive clean off. We were able to make it back to the trailer okay but man that was scary.
I'm looking to get some GPS now that I can use to avoid doing that again. I have never used a GPS system before. What would you guys recommend for hazard avoidance and being able to adjust for changing lake levels? Thanks

 

[Jonas Grumby]

Did someone mark all shallow water obstructions? If not the gps won’t help.

 

[92562]

Well I had a rock strike on Powell over Labor Day weekend. It just missed the hull by inches but almost ripped my outdrive clean off. We were able to make it back to the trailer okay but man that was scary.
I'm looking to get some GPS now that I can use to avoid doing that again. I have never used a GPS system before. What would you guys recommend for hazard avoidance and being able to adjust for changing lake levels? Thanks

I don't know if there is one but as someone who has boated there for 39 years I can tell you that the lake was at a different level each time. The lake levels change so often only the largest of hazards have buoys on them. You just need to boat with your head on a swivel.

 

[Gramps]

the best hazard system on Powell is either brown or blue eyes

 

[Thomas K]

I don't know if there is one but as someone who has boated there for 39 years I can tell you that the lake was at a different level each time. The lake levels change so often only the largest of hazards have buoys on them. You just need to boat with your head on a swivel.

We were heading directly into the setting sun. No way of seeing a color change in the water.
I have seen some maps with the lake topography at 10' intervals. The site says you can pick your water level for current conditions. Wondering if anybody has used them

LAKE POWELL

Lake levels of 3550' - 3700'. For Tablets, Smartphones, Computers, GPS receivers. FREE trial maps available.

lakepowellgpsmaps.com

 

[Thomas K]

the best hazard system on Powell is either brown or blue eyes

Well I have neither blue or brown eyes.

 

[paradise]

Well I had a rock strike on Powell over Labor Day weekend. It just missed the hull by inches but almost ripped my outdrive clean off. We were able to make it back to the trailer okay but man that was scary.
I'm looking to get some GPS now that I can use to avoid doing that again. I have never used a GPS system before. What would you guys recommend for hazard avoidance and being able to adjust for changing lake levels? Thanks

Navionics App is the best for Powell that I have seen. It’s never going to be perfect but you can set the lake level to its current level and it issues their bathymetric studies of the lake to show you as much of the bottom structure as possible. I wouldn’t trust it to within a foot but it’ll show you where the shallow spots are. We use it every time.

 

[DaveH]

hazzrds at Powell are ALWAYS an issue.

i have to wonder what the NPS is up to. last trip out i saw many hazards that were not marked, but clearly needed to be. i saw someone get killed, by hitting a high spot...much the same conditions as the OP, glare with a slight chop and you couldn't see the hazard. the wake tractor had someone in the front of the boat, hit the hazard which tossed the passenger over the front of the boat and was run over. sad deal, just bad circumstances, no alcohol involved. but cant help but wonder if the NPS was doing their job and marking these things if that life would have been saved.

back to GPS, i have a portable Lowrance GPS which I erase my tracks at the start of each trip. you then put your own danger waypoints at hazards, let the gps record all your boating so you have a clean trail to follow back if you had to run the lake at night.

GPS is great and all but isnt two feet accuracy and can actually be off by quite a bit. so use with caution.

 

[paradise]

hazzrds at Powell are ALWAYS an issue.

i have to wonder what the NPS is up to. last trip out i saw many hazards that were not marked, but clearly needed to be. i saw someone get killed, by hitting a high spot...much the same conditions as the OP, glare with a slight chop and you couldn't see the hazard. the wake tractor had someone in the front of the boat, hit the hazard which tossed the passenger over the front of the boat and was run over. sad deal, just bad circumstances, no alcohol involved. but cant help but wonder if the NPS was doing their job and marking these things if that life would have been saved.

back to GPS, i have a portable Lowrance GPS which I erase my tracks at the start of each trip. you then put your own danger waypoints at hazards, let the gps record all your boating so you have a clean trail to follow back if you had to run the lake at night.

GPS is great and all but isnt two feet accuracy and can actually be off by quite a bit. so use with caution.

Have you tried the navionics app?

 

[DaveH]

Have you tried the navionics app?

ive seen it, never directly used it for my boat.

but at the end of the day, any app, dedicated GPS system, whatever, is only as good as the GPS antenna/receiver in its ability to MOST accurately calculate vessel position. it is for this reason systems that use EXTERNAL GPS antennas will always outperform a GPS system that uses an internal antenna and why systems that have an internal antenna provide a connection for an external antenna.

 

[paradise]

ive seen it, never directly used it for my boat.

but at the end of the day, any app, dedicated GPS system, whatever, is only as good as the GPS antenna/receiver in its ability to MOST accurately calculate vessel position. it is for this reason systems that use EXTERNAL GPS antennas will always outperform a GPS system that uses an internal antenna and why systems that have an internal antenna provide a connection for an external antenna.

Fair enough, and I certainly won’t argue that you shouldn’t be using it for navigating through rocks at night or anything like that.

That said, I found the iPhone GPS to be incredibly accurate with a view of the sky, and I find the app to be very useful To steer clear of whales. I am far more concerned with the accuracy of the bathymetric data verses lateral deviation/error from the GPS.

Based on your description of the accident you saw it could’ve certainly prevented that from happening.

At the end of the day it’s never a bad thing to have another tool in your toolbox Out there.

 

[Nanu/Nanu]

Ive got navionics on my phone as well but i don't use it to navigate. I use it to track myself. Garmin i believe uses the navionics program for their marine gps units as well.

Whats nice is that if i spot a hazard and mark it on the map. I believe i can allow it to be public and it will be updated to anyone elses map so long as they have good cellular connection or satellite connectivity.

I believe navionics updates their maps daily also so your map is up to date with the most current water level.

But like i said i haven't used it in the navigation capacity enough to say yeah all these are truth. Ive just used navionics to track our trips.

 

[mesquito_creek]

Navonics and a working Depth gauge…

 

[Thomas K]

I just picked up a Lowrance Elite fs 9 with the new c-map reveal card. The 3d shaded relief really sold me on it. I just turned it on yesterday and I need to learn how to work the thing but so far I like it.