Rangefinder suggestions

I have seen several mentions of rangefinders. ASD received one from his fish catching wife and said he liked it. Others have also mentioned them. I think at times it would be very useful.

Yes, I know that when under way I can use a watch, sighting compass and chart to determine distance from shore. I often will use a radar to determine distance from other boats. However, a rangefinder might be quicker and easier.

So any models that others have found to be good or features that you have found important?

Dave. Most on market are in the 500 to 1000 yard range. So I would think it would be of limited use underway. I have one, a Nikon and use it all the time for getting distances from rocks and other boats when anchoring. My eye and brain usually think things are closer than they actually are. I got mine when GI Joes was going out of business, so got a very good deal. Buy one, you will like it. Dan

I’ve really liked having this for anchoring, nice having a baseline distance measurement of land and other boats.


https://www.google.com/search?q=Nik...8822&biw=375&bih=624#lbl=OVERVIEW&pie=plaji-i

So when you do get one, you made get the option of distance in "Feet" or "yards" and Meters. She got me yards/meter. I would have preferred "feet."

I trust my depth sounder and rangefinder more than the laptop and navigation app while anchoring. Can't remember what kind it is...will check when next at boat.

My binoculars that I bought at WM have a range finder built in. Can’t say that I have used it much but at least it is one less thing on bridge having two in one.

Hey ASD, do all those Ambers make it hard to multiply by 3?

dhays said:

I have seen several mentions of rangefinders. ASD received one from his fish catching wife and said he liked it. Others have also mentioned them. I think at times it would be very useful.

Yes, I know that when under way I can use a watch, sighting compass and chart to determine distance from shore. I often will use a radar to determine distance from other boats. However, a rangefinder might be quicker and easier.

So any models that others have found to be good or features that you have found important?

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I just use the range finder that I use when I'm golfing it works fine to about 600 yards or so.... Here is a link to a rangefinder several of guys down here use https://www.mggolf.com/gps-rangefinders/#MG600 They seem to work well...

Range finders that can go a mile or two are very expensive. I've got the Nikon golf version, <$200 and works well (in yards - I'd have preferred cubits or cables ). It's limited to about 600 yards. Some of them have odd sized batteries (the Nikon is a little odd but you can find them). It'd be nice to find one that works well at night for those 2 AM drags. The Nikon works at night, but the LCD display in the viewfinder is not lit so difficult to read. But since most are made for golf, night lighting doesn't seem a priority.

Having radar on board, we've never seen the need. Fast and very accurate.

Rebel112r said:

Hey ASD, do all those Ambers make it hard to multiply by 3?

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It sure does! I have to get a calculator, then sliding beads and a long yellow piece of paper with a very sharp pencil.

Then I ask the Admiral!!

Great info so far guys. Thanks.

I have a SIG hunting range finder and it is great for anchoring and checking rate of closure without spooling up the radar. Cheaper than a new waveguide too!

caltexflanc said:

Having radar on board, we've never seen the need. Fast and very accurate.

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I feel a little silly, but it never even occurred to me to even use this tool for anchor placement purposes.

caltexflanc said:

Having radar on board, we've never seen the need. Fast and very accurate.

Click to expand...

Same here; great for distance to shore and other boats.

The one use that a rangefinder could be for is determining the distance from marine life, particularly in the age of 200-400 metre boundaries.

Conrad said:

Same here; great for distance to shore and other boats.

The one use that a rangefinder could be for is determining the distance from marine life, particularly in the age of 200-400 metre boundaries.

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That is an excellent point as I doubt I'd get a good radar return from an orca or humpback.

Hi Dave. We bought a Wosports W600 before we set out on a month long cruise to Desolation Sound this summer. I don't see it on Amazon just now, but it was a pretty inexpensive unit -- somewhere between $100 and $150.

It earned its keep MANY times over while we were anchoring. Now that we have this tool, it's an indispensable part of our kit. We didn't use it underway at all, nor did we buy it intending to. It was purely for anchoring and measuring distances from the boat to other boats, shore, and rocks. I guess radar could do the same thing, but you'd need to be standing at your radar display to use it.

Go for this piece of equipment. If you anchor out alot, you will LOVE it!

Kawini said:

Hi Dave. We bought a Wosports W600 before we set out on a month long cruise to Desolation Sound this summer. I don't see it on Amazon just now, but it was a pretty inexpensive unit -- somewhere between $100 and $150.

It earned its keep MANY times over while we were anchoring. Now that we have this tool, it's an indispensable part of our kit. We didn't use it underway at all, nor did we buy it intending to. It was purely for anchoring and measuring distances from the boat to other boats, shore, and rocks. I guess radar could do the same thing, but you'd need to be standing at your radar display to use it.

Go for this piece of equipment. If you anchor out alot, you will LOVE it!

Click to expand...

Where are you standing when using your rangefinder ? A long way away from your radar?

As for the "spooling up" issue, why would it be off entering an anchorage?

I can stand wherever I please on my boat when I want to use the rangefinder, and that's the beauty of it. We found it particularly useful for stern tying in Desolation Sound where the distance between the stern and the shore needs to be monitored continuously as winds and tides change. If I'm stern tied somewhere and that rock in back of me looks closer than I want it to be while I'm standing in the cockpit, I pull out the rangefinder and can get the distance accurately and immediately. No need to go to the PH, start up the electronics, etc. I point and I press a button and I have my distance.

I used radar for many years to do range finding. Sure, it can be done. And, if it works for you, you should definitely continue to function that way.

I think that Dave is saying that he has heard that a rangefinder is useful, and I am confirming that fact. For around $100 Dave can get a piece of equipment that can be used by ANYBODY on his boat (including everyone on his crew who might not know how to use radar) to get an accurate and immediate distance from ANYWHERE on the boat without starting electronics. It sounds like it's not for you Caltex, and that's OK too.

Kawini said:

I think that Dave is saying that he has heard that a rangefinder is useful, and I am confirming that fact. For around $100 Dave can get a piece of equipment that can be used by ANYBODY on his boat (including everyone on his crew who might not know how to use radar) to get an accurate and immediate distance from ANYWHERE on the boat without starting electronics.

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Damn good point! (Geez, another gadget i have to have!)

Codger2 said:

Damn good point! (Geez, another gadget i have to have!)

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Its never ending. LOL

Kawini said:

Hi Dave. We bought a Wosports W600 before we set out on a month long cruise to Desolation Sound this summer. I don't see it on Amazon just now, but it was a pretty inexpensive unit -- somewhere between $100 and $150.

It earned its keep MANY times over while we were anchoring. Now that we have this tool, it's an indispensable part of our kit. We didn't use it underway at all, nor did we buy it intending to. It was purely for anchoring and measuring distances from the boat to other boats, shore, and rocks. I guess radar could do the same thing, but you'd need to be standing at your radar display to use it.

Go for this piece of equipment. If you anchor out alot, you will LOVE it!

Click to expand...

Great info. One of the things I was wondering was if some of the less expensive would work. Ranging on a rock, buoy, or boat has got to be a lot easier than ranging on a deer in the trees or a green on a fairway.

Might be beneficial to take a quick read on the difference between golf and hunting versions as there is a difference.

https://rangerexpert.com/golf-vs-hunting-rangefinders-the-differences/?amp

dbles said:

Might be beneficial to take a quick read on the difference between golf and hunting versions as there is a difference.

https://rangerexpert.com/golf-vs-hunting-rangefinders-the-differences/?amp

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Now I understand the differences related to hunting or golf, but maybe I'm too thick to see an advantage of either in boating. An anchorage is fairly open so I would think the "golf" version would be fine. Yes??

Dave,
Last spring I bought this rangefinder LW600PRO 600 Yards Digital Rangefinder Scope with LCD Screen Perfect for Golf Hunting 5 Mode-Ranging/flagpole lock/Golf distance correction/Fog/Scan

from Amazon.ca for about $140 Can. I really like the side screen as it makes reading the distances really easy. You can just look through the viewfinder instead, but the screen is much clearer. Also, this device is rated at max range of 600 yards. I have measured several boats at over 800 meters. When do you get "over performance".

After one year of use, I am really happy with it. Apparently it uses a specific battery, but mine has lasted the full summer (and we were out for almost 100 days), and I used it quite a lot.
Hope this helps,
Tom