It is hard to please all people all the time...
For me I'd like the following features;
Waterproof without a pouch
Wrist sized
Clear display
Race start timer
24 hour battery
Optional extras
Memory card is optional as long as it has sufficient internal capacity
Bluetooth
Audio feedback - seems popular but I can never hear my GT31!
Vibe feedback
Most of the time we know the best tack for a speed run, so mast mount above the boom, or on it, could also be good..
Also my GT31 froze twice recently so I could be in the market soon!!!!
........Also my GT31 froze twice recently so I could be in the market soon!!!!
There are a number of well documented reason why this sometimes happens. The best solution is to make sure you GPS has plenty of time to get a good fix and download all the Almanac data it neds before you use it, especially if you have traveled any moderate distance since last use. At Luderitz we set up our GPS's on the Hotel balcony for half and hour the day before we sailed. Then we had not issues. others who did not do this had units freeze.
Some firmware versions are more prone to this freezing. If yours does it more than once, think about updating the firmware to V1.4
(...snip a bunch of stuff...)
Never used a gopro?
No, I've never used a gopro. But I don't get your analogy anyway. Would you prefer to use iPhone video than a goPro? What is better, to use a device designed for the purpose, or to use a 99c app on a $500 general purpose device?
Can we have accurate altitude? Not the it matters for sailing but I'm guessing that for skydiving accurate altitude is required so maybe BlowFly FlySight has it.
As far as audio jacks are concerned is it not feasible to use blue tooth headphones? That's another device I know with it's own set of problems but it could be optional and no jack is required. (I think. I don't really know)
Just been reading about the Pebble watch in relation to yachting navigation and thought it might be useful to this discussion. This is the Pebble watch article www.panbo.com/seanav-app-now-with-ar-gofree-and-pebble
It seems to be open source, have reasonable battery life, has Bluetooth connectivity and has vibrate alerts. You could then have the gps datalogger base unit sealed and installed on your helmet and if you want live readout then connect the Pebble watch via Bluetooth.
Not sure if it would suffer the same drowning issues that others have raised with sports watches though.
So what is the current status of this (or any other) GT31 replacement?
I haven't seen any posts discussing it since the above - have I missed something?
If a new person wants to start speed sailing right now - what GPS would they need to buy? Are new GT31s still available or just second hand ones?
So what is the current status of this (or any other) GT31 replacement?
I haven't seen any posts discussing it since the above - have I missed something?
If a new person wants to start speed sailing right now - what GPS would they need to buy? Are new GT31s still available or just second hand ones?
New are getting light on. Only one outlet in WA had any a week or so back. Yes it is a concern, decission time for the guru's in the system I think.
Reading on the weekend about Aust hi tech firm, Catapult Sports, that makes the devices worn by footballers, basketballers etc.
Should we (as a consumer user group) be approaching them to develop a device with GT-31 functionality
Just in the GPS Team Challenge alone there are 1300 registered sailors (total international)
Most of whom use a GT-31 or similar
And it is 10Hz
They have a great name too - very apt for our sport.
Good one, Dave ![]()
Maybe we can get the other Dave aka 'Katapult' to negotiate ![]()
Na , can't use KAtapult, thats the new KA speed sail range specifically designed for sailing in water that is a bit too shallow for your fin.![]()
Would be very interested in an alternative device. Had the GT31 Deep freeze again the other day after loading the firmare back on for the second time. It appears the mistake I made was not going to watch "the Hobbit" before I went for a sail after switching it on.
Surf Sail Australia still have good stocks of the GT31. We also have more on order from Locosys, they are still producing it seems.