Is there a GPS device that will guide me to MY way-points in a lake ?

[swbca]

I am installing a slalom course in the middle of a large lake. The course has sub-buoys 6 feet down that I have to find every day to attach surface buoys.

I want a device where I can save about 8 locations. Then guide me to each location when I select it (just steer the boat to the dot on a screen)

What is best simplest way to do this ?

Is there a phone app that can do this ? I looked at a GPS hiking app and i didn't see anything like this.

Also, what is accuracy of consumer GPS . Recently, I checked a GPS device designed for car race tracks and GPS coordinates shown for several random landmarks matched up within a 3-4 feet with Google sat photos.

 

[Nuvi-Nebie]

Virtually any walking / hiking GPS unit will store a Waypoint that can then be used to navigate back to the same spot, they quite often have a button called 'Mark' or 'MOB' (Man Over Board) which will store your current location and a Goto Waypoint feature which will point to that location

You can also store Waypoints on a smartphone as they all have built-in GPS, you may need two apps. to store waypoints and goto waypoints, there are also apps. that will perform both functions, take a look at GPS Waypoints and Handy GPS

The problem you may have is accuracy, when searching for a geocache you are delivered to a general area by the GPS and then you use other pointers to get you to the exact location, however on water you have no other pointers, both dedicated GPSs and smartphone apps. can perform GPS averaging, where the GPS is placed at a location for some time and many measurements taken and averaged into a single (more accurate) location, if you can fix a GPS to a surface buoy for a period of time you will get a better measurement

 

[swbca]

I Installed the GPS Waypoints Navigator on my Android Phone. After setting my current location as a Waypoint, (in the middle of a big parking lot ) later when I follow the Arrow back to my Waypoint, its always off about 20'.

A year ago, I way using an AIM Solo racing GPS speed and lap-timer device to compare Google Satellite Coordinates on discrete landmarks visible from Satellite. I checked several landmarks and the Coordinates displayed on the AIM SOLO were always within 5 feet of the Google Coordinates. Can't use this device to find a Waypoint because it does not have any GPS navigation features.

Are there any GPS navigation devices that are accurate to 5" or so.

 

[Nuvi-Nebie]

Are there any GPS navigation devices that are accurate to 5" or so.

The short answer to your question is no, your 20 feet is about as good as it gets, there are methods of getting more accuracy, but they involve techniques such as dual band/frequently receivers (this is different to dual constellation receivers e.g. GPS + Glonass), RTK, inputs from external receivers, post processing etc.

You may have seen a guy on a construction site carrying around a long pole with a white box on the top, this is a survey GPS such as the Trimble, these devices can do what you want but cost possibly $5000, Garmin do now sell the dual band GPSmap65 which is the most accurate unit they sell but getting someone to tell you how accurate it is isn't easy, my guess is no getter than 5 feet

 

[swbca]

The short answer to your question is no, your 20 feet is about as good as it gets, there are methods of getting more accuracy, but they involve techniques such as dual band/frequently receivers (this is different to dual constellation receivers e.g. GPS + Glonass), RTK, inputs from external receivers, post processing etc.

I have a XGPS160 SkyPro Dual Reciever that I use on the track with a bluetooth connection to my phone that runs a GPS laptimer app the uses this external receiver. Are their GPS Navigation phone apps that can use this Dual external receiver, or are there other GPS devices that can work with this Dual receiver ? .

 

[Nuvi-Nebie]

In this case DUAL is the maker's name, although it also had dual constellation (GPS + Glonass) it doesn't have dual band/frequency, here is it's spec.:-

The Bluetooth NMEA can be used by smartphone apps. BUT I don't think it will be any better than the GPS you already have in your smartphone

 

[swbca]

In this case DUAL is the maker's name, although it also had dual constellation (GPS + Glonass) it doesn't have dual band/frequency, here is it's spec.:-

View attachment 680

The Bluetooth NMEA can be used by smartphone apps. BUT I don't think it will be any better than the GPS you already have in your smartphone

Thank You !