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Lu:

Easy one:   I'd buy:

1. a Uniden QT-306 Depth Sounder .............................. $119
2. two inexpensive GPS units (e.g., Magellan GPS 2000XL).......  300
3. an Astra IIIb sextant.......................................  450
4. either a good nav calculator or a used 486 laptop w/PC Nav..  200

                                                        Subtotal.......$1069

Taxes and accessories (e.g., external GPS antenna and mount, power cords,
adapters, nautical almanac, spare batteries, etc.) would add another
$200-300.

I would not hesitate to buy USED equipment in good condition to further
reduce costs.

Two GPS units are essential for redundancy.  So is the sextant (preferably
with a backup).  The nav calculator (e.g., Celesticomp) or laptop with PC
Nav make the navigation chores MUCH easier and much faster...a safety
factor.  The inexpensive Uniden digital depth sounder works like a
charm...I have one on my Catalina 22 (its performance seems to rival the
Datamarine sounder on my 42' sloop).

The $1,000 in my humble opinion is too constraining for a voyage of the
type you posed.  I'd scrape, beg, borrow or steal another $1,000 or so and
add -- at a minimum -- a wind speed and direction indicator, maybe a better
GPS unit, a backup (Davis plastic) sextant, etc.

Another $1,000 or so would allow you to add a good (used) HF/SSB ham radio
and both mobile whip and wire (dipoles, backstay) antenna system.  I assume
you already have VHF; if not, that's critical, including a VHF handheld.
At sea, the VHF handheld and the 2nd GPS should be in the emergency grab bag.

Cheers,

Bill

At 10:46 PM 7/27/99 -0700, you wrote:
>My previous post on sextants (which also included some opinions on money
>well spent and not well spent) made me think of a question which will stir
>some pretty strong thoughts and opinions:
>
>You are planning a leisurely trans-Pacific cruise (let's say San Francisco
>to New Zealand and back), which will take 2+ years.  Your boat is already
>equipped with a knotmeter.  You are on a tight budget and have figured you
>can spend no more than $1000 on additional navigation gear.  You can equip
>you boat any way you wish -- GPS, Loran, or any variety of celestial gear.
>(you neither own nor can afford a laptop computer)
>
>How would you spend your $1000??
>(for prices, let's use the current West Marine catalog)
>
>Cheers, and let's go at it!!
>
>Lu
>
>PS - Opinions on a budget of only $500 would also be interesting!
>

   

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