Floating VHF radio

The floating Icom unit is great as long as it is leashed on your pfd where it belongs..with you when you enter the water. Unless Icom redesigned it don't leave it in the charger past the Green Light fully charged indicator....it will fry the middle contact and weld it to the charger. Maybe they changed things...hope so. Just trying to help.....not knocking the unit. We switched to the Icom M72 unit.

+1

I originally started with the ICOM M34 floating handheld unit.  My first one sunk on me, after I was being careless and dropped it overboard while trying to land a fish.  The tiny, little, aluminum carabiner I put on it (to clip to pfd) was enough to sink it.    Also, the M34 just didn't perform as well as other radios.  I was constantly missing conversations, but hearing them on other peoples VHF's around me.  I since switched to Standard Horizon.  I think their new line of inexpensive VHF's are a really good deal.  And I wouldn't count on floating to save your VHF.  Just tether it to  you PFD and you will always have it with you!  Extended warrantys on electronics for kayaking are a really good deal too.  And I will never buy a Cobra product, because I don't trust them.  The SH HX150 with an extended warranty is going to be my next VHF. 

Also, there was another time that I was OTW and O2B rolled up on me and saw my VHF wasn't leashed and gave me a friendly reminder.  Now every time I pick up my VHF I remember him saying that, and leash it to my PFD immediately 

I had the icon and I bet its still floating out past the Golden Gate 

yup floating does no good if you dont know it hit the water.  Right Nathan? 

I had the icon and I bet its still floating out past the Golden Gate 

yup floating does no good if you dont know it hit the water.  Right Nathan? 

good point.

to make a VHF light enough to float means the manu has to compromise battery size, so I've heard the "floating" radios don't function as well or as long OTW.

Go for a small handheld waterproof radio, then leash it. I used a fastex buckle and zip-tied one half to the radio, and the other half of the buckle to my PFD shoulder strap. I just clip it on & go. After over 5 years I haven't lost it yet.

I had a good size ling in my lap up at Albion on tourney day. Ling bitch slapped me and overboard the vhf went. Broke off at the clip.

I had a good size ling in my lap up at Albion on tourney day. Ling bitch slapped me and overboard the vhf went. Broke off at the clip.

Ouch!

Go for a small handheld waterproof radio, then leash it. I used a fastex buckle and zip-tied one half to the radio, and the other half of the buckle to my PFD shoulder strap. I just clip it on & go. After over 5 years I haven't lost it yet.

+1. I've had my Icom M72 for quite some time now. It doesn't float so always tethered to my pfd. I picked up a heavy duty retractable leash from outdoor pro shop and so far hasn't failed me yet. It has the quick release connection option also.

Radio-wise, I wouldn't go cheap on one device that can decide if you live or die when shit hits the fan. Battery life is one thing you should consider also. My Icom was good for 3 days (without recharging) at Albion and was still fully charged when I got home. Some radio with extra features like GPS can drain your battery quickly. I noticed that on some friends' VHF. There's always pros and cons to everything. Buy wisely.

The Standard Horizon HX851 beeps and strobes when it falls into the water.

I had the icon and I bet its still floating out past the Golden Gate 

yup floating does no good if you dont know it hit the water.  Right Nathan? 

I have the standard horixon 851, love it ,it has gps on it as well.

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Ling bitch slapped me and overboard the vhf went. Broke off at the clip.

LOL...

Floating is always a good choice I dropped my floating VHF last year on the seabass grounds and my first thought was ohhh crap, if looked like it was sinking, sank about 1 foot then popped up under the yak...

I'm glad to see all the positive comments RE Standard Horizon. I'm on my 2nd in roughly 4 yrs, and it's not working right either. Plus they took months to repair this one - and the repair didn't take. So my own experience with SH is not good so far.

I've never wanted to depend on the floating feature so I appreciate the comments on getting a waterproof one & keeping it clipped. I've always done that anyway, so it makes sense to me.

Thanks all.
Bill