Non waterproof gps for kayaking?

I know that I use an Edge Series and its rated: Waterproof to IEC 60529 IPX7 standards. All components are submersible in 1 m of water for 30 minutes

I have had it in some bad situations, mud, water and hard drops. Guess you have to look at the ratings. For what you want it for, I think this rating would be fine. I think several of the outdoor GPS ones are rated along this level and would suit your need.
An Edge 705 would give you maps and color screen. There are other series but I am only familiar with Edge and Forerunner.

KIN

I might not have been clear. I simply can't afford any of the GPS units that are waterproof or vaguely water resistant. Checking around for the Edge 705, I see that most places are asking in the vicinity of $500. I've seen refurbished Nuvis for as low as $80. I'll take care of the water protection on my own. I just want to know if they can be used away from the road.

When you ask your question, what do you mean? So far as I can figure, if it can get satellites on land, water should be no different (unless you're under water, but then you've got bigger problems).

What do you want to do with the nuvi while kayaking? Drop a trail and re-find your car? Navigate the waters and know where the smaller islands are? Find the nearest Starbucks? The Nuvi, simply put, is not designed for that. It cannot find you the quickest route between your kayak and your car, because there's no routing data. It should be able to show you a straight line (possibly breadcrumbs?) but it isn't going to do what I think you want it to do.

Technically speaking, the Nuvi "should" work. The basic world map data would show the coast (resolution?) and it would just read you as being off of the road. But there are better tools.

You started off by asking for a cheap waterproof GPS and then went to "I can waterproof it myself".

Okay, let's address both.

Waterproof option: You're going to probably wind up paying for this feature unless you can find a good used one on the 'nets'. An option you might want to consider is looking under the "Marine" section for someone who has just upgraded their sail boat or power boat and is looking to offload their old system. Hey, it happens. retrofit that sucker into your 'yak' and you're golden.

Non-Waterproof Option: I'd still recommend sticking with a 60 or an etrex since they're designed more for what I'd imagine you want. Sure the screen's a little smaller, but you're in a small boat and you're flailing around a paddle. You don't really want something big in your way anyway. Grab one of those basic units on the low side and toss it in an "Otterbox" and head out.

Now, let's talk about when you're going to cover the front of your kayak in solar panels to charge all of your geek tools like I'm doing to mine. Hey, a guy's gotta power his toys, right?

When you ask your question, what do you mean? So far as I can figure, if it can get satellites on land, water should be no different (unless you're under water, but then you've got bigger problems).

Well, 100% of my experience is with the GPSMap 76, which is a waterproof model and was intended for what what I'm doing. So my knowledge of GPS's in general is pretty sparse. Most of the models that I see on "deal" sites appear to be geared toward auto use. They include features such as "voice-activated navigation, auto re-route, lane assist with junction view, FM transmitter", etc. The sample images usually look like this:

My aforementioned ignorance in the various GPS models makes me afraid of buying one of these. Do they only work with road maps? Do they go absolutely bonkers if they determine that they're 2 miles away from any land, flash red and keep warning you to turn around? I'm guessing they don't, but I really don't know what issues I might find.

I'm hoping that they all do essentially the same thing, and I'll just never put any of these "car features" to use.

What do you want to do with the nuvi while kayaking?

This is how I utilize my GPS now:
How fast am I going?
What's my average speed?
What does the local geography look like?
How much further to the next preset waypoint?
What direction is that waypoint in?

I'm certainly not looking for any intelligent help with navigating, other than "It's 5.4 miles in that direction."

Technically speaking, the Nuvi "should" work. The basic world map data would show the coast (resolution?) and it would just read you as being off of the road.

The preloaded maps that came with the GPSMap 76 show basic information in the water. I can see most small islands and the course of a river. That's pretty much all I'm looking for.

You started off by asking for a cheap waterproof GPS and then went to "I can waterproof it myself".

Actually, I didn't. My plan has been to self-waterproof all along.

I'd still recommend sticking with a 60 or an etrex since they're designed more for what I'd imagine you want. Sure the screen's a little smaller, but you're in a small boat and you're flailing around a paddle. You don't really want something big in your way anyway. Grab one of those basic units on the low side and toss it in an "Otterbox" and head out.

The only otterboxes I've seen are hardshell cases, but that would make using the touchscreen a little problematic. Using the soft protection (like in the link above) would probably work better.

I need glasses to read, and I find that being able to make out the detail on my small monochrome screen is often very difficult, especially when there are salt water droplets on the screen. Having a larger color screen would make things a LOT easier. I'd love to see blue water next to brown land, rather than grey water next to slightly darker grey land. Also, the difference in size between the 4.3" touchscreen units and the waterproof units is pretty insignificant. It certainly wouldn't get in the way of my paddling.

Now, let's talk about when you're going to cover the front of your kayak in solar panels to charge all of your geek tools like I'm doing to mine. Hey, a guy's gotta power his toys, right?

:) :) Tell me about it.

And thanks for all the help! I appreciate the response.

From what you replied, I think I'd stay away from the "car only" GPSr units. I know you'd like the larger colorful screen, but they're mostly not set up for waypointing and arbitrary routing. Some have a "Foot Mode" which let you take the unit from your car and walk the streets, but then those are mostly address based, straight line courses that tell you how far in what direction to get where you are going. Sure you can mouse over to where you want to go and just hit enter, but the ones I've seen and used don't do "breadcrumbing" to get you back.

The Otterbox reference was really just a company I know which makes waterproof solutions. I know they so a deal for the ipod touch (which I use) which is a touch screen and I know that they are durable for those knocks and jarrings which one can encounter in a kayak. Go with whatever company you're comfortable with, but don't skimp. A lot of those bags can dry-rot (especially with salt water) and will degrade in the sun to give you that lovely not-so-waterproof seal after time goes by.

If you can stomach the screen size, the Garmin ETrex Legend HC or HCx and the Garmin Vista HCx have a very bright, color screen with earth in yellow and water in blue. They breadcrumb your path. You can load multiple waypoints for navigation. They will give you the bearing, speed, direction etc.. The "vehicle" mount can even be altered to accommodate your kayak with a little re-engineering (I put mine swinging down and toward me from the center of the opening in my yak so the unit is between my knees, in the shade for better visibility, and out of the way from my paddling... plus it is inside the kayak so I can invert my boat and toss it on top of my vehicle without knocking my mount loose.). PLUS, these units are ALREADY WATERPROOF!! (and if you solar power them when you go, you can continuously run the backlight feature making them even easier to see with your impaired vision.)

Now those units I named sit around $200-$300 new, but from time to time, with a little savvy, you can find one used for less. I'm currently looking at a few on ebay for around $100 or less. I have used those units in both the states as well as here in Japan and at least there in the states they are spot on accurate. The use out here is a little sketchier, but they'll get you close.

You're going to go with what you choose, and that's okay. I'm just trying to let you know some options I've tried and found to work in similar situations (I use my Garmin units while kayaking to geocaches), which I think would work well for your application.

You can fix your trusty 76. A little searching on the interwebs will turn up some nice DIY solutions to fixing it.

A Nuvi is just plan inadequate for your purposes. The majority of them ONLY display street level data and are specialized at providing driving directions and helping you locate various POIs. There are now one or two that can handle topo maps and have a higher waterproofing rating as well as a better battery, but they're still not going to be quite what you're after (and they are still not cheap). A regular Nuvi will only get you about 2hrs tops on the battery, anyway. And that's what you're likely to find in the refurb market. No waterproofing, no basemaps for off-road use (they won't flip unless you're attempting to navigate somewhere....the map will just not show anything where you are), no compass screen, no page showing your map coordinates, none of that.

You need an outdoor receiver. If you still opt not to fix your 76, you still need to buy an outdoor receiver. They're not all super expensive. The only diff between the 76 and others is that the 76 floats. All the other outdoor receivers have the same waterproofing rating. You also don't need one of the newer touch screen models. Others work just fine and would better suit a limited budget.

You can fix your trusty 76. A little searching on the interwebs will turn up some nice DIY solutions to fixing it.

I think I found a specific page that you're talking about. Detailed instruction with photos and everything? I actually opened my unit, and although my printed circuit layout was very similar, it wasn't exactly the same as what was in the photo, and I'm nervous about doing the work. However, we've got a long winter coming up, and that might be a good project.

CSMDAD and MTBIKERNATE, thanks for all the good info! Glad I asked, and I guess I'm best off not getting one of the units designed for cars. I'll be patient and wait for a good deal on a color unit made for off-road.

CSMDAD, I didn't notice you're from Japan. I'm in Boston, but I watch a lot of your TV. Just finished Buzzer Beat, and I watched Boss and Atashinchi no Danshi before that.

I fixed it!!

I spent some time strategically poking around the battery compartment and discovered that the positive lead on one of the batteries was just barely making contact with the connection on the GPS. I bent the connection out so it was a little more accessible and now I can bump it and it doesn't shut off. Good thing, cause I've got a major trip coming up tomorrow.

There you go! Yeah, a lot of the sites detailing the repairs use slightly different models, so YMMV on matching up with the pics. On an older out-of-warranty unit it's silly not to attempt a fix on your own...if all else fails you can pay Garmin to do it.

Glad you found your problem and came to a solution. It really sucks to use the wrong tool for the job. You don't realize how much until you end up doing just that.

You can use a Nuvi off-road. I do it for my master's thesis...but then again it's still plugged into a truck for power and shelter from the elements. But I have saved a few waypoints (mostly to force me to remember places I SHOULDN'T go (like the truck-sized hole I found in the middle of a field one day when I nearly dropped my rental truck into it or the place I got my truck stuck in the mud out of cell reception and miles from nowhere). But I would never use that Nuvi hiking unless I absolutely had to and could do my task before the battery died, had weather protection for it, and could live without a coordinate readout.

Woot

Hey, good job on the fix. I often tell my wife (who gets this cute little worried face when I crack open something electrical, "It can't get any broke-r than broke, right?"

Awesome that you were able to fix it.