Garmin 60CSX Waterproofness

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,075
3,371
Pestletown, N.J.
Just wanted to write a positive note about the waterproof integrity of a 60CSX.

Yesterday we returned to my slip in CM after a fishing trip and my friend and his wife were helping to offload the gear and rods onto the adjoining finger dock.
I always have the 60CSX onboard and upon tying off, I slipped it under the top flap of my tackle bag without zipping it. I was in the process of removing my other onboard electronics when I heard a splash and then my buddy yelled, "Oh No !"

The GPS fell between the dock and boat into about 4' of salt water and settled into about a foot of black goo.
My net was already stowed below deck and it took me a few minutes to retrieve it and scoop for the GPS. I had already lost a cell phone under the boat about two years ago and had no luck with a net or diving for it in the goo.

Well, I got very lucky. I got it on the first swipe and it came up covered in muck along with a few mussel shells. I rinsed it in freshwater and decided not to try it until I got it home and check the battery compartment and auxilliary jack openings. If they looked compromised I was going to do the pack in rice trick.
Once I got home I examined the compartments and all looked well. I then turned it on and everything is functional !

My biggest fear was losing all of my waypoints, including many years worth of offshore fishing hotspots and all of my woodland hunting and PBX spots.
It has been awhile since I dumped and stored or printed my points and that will be done today !
 

Boyd

Administrator
Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,892
3,046
Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
All of Garmin's handhelds are rated for the IPX7 standard which calls for immersion in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes. Four feet is about 9 inches more than a meter, but it sounds like it was probably only submerged for a few minutes. So as long as the case integrity is still good, most handhelds should survive that kind of dunk.

You don't really need to worry about the USB, data and antenna ports when it comes to submersion. The connectors are waterproof and physically isolated from the interior of the unit - the rubber plugs are just there to keep crud from clogging them. Of course, if the battery compartment door leaks, then you're in trouble.

When you say you were worried about losing waypoints, does that mean you've never backed them up on your computer? If so, run - don't walk - to your computer and do that right away. There are lot of ways you could lose that data, especially as the unit gets older. We have a current thread over at GPSReview where a 60csx is randomly losing data for example. If the unit breaks and you send it to Garmin for repair, they are not going to fix it but will just send you a refurb so all your data would be gone in that scenario too.

Nice save though - glad it worked out alright!
 

strom

Scout
Apr 24, 2004
86
1
91
barnegat. nj
hi piney, old strom here.............my son sent me a garmin etrek.......................the manual was useless............i presume it is to be used much like a compass.........................any advice on how to use it,as for example,how to set a destination............or do you just head north,following the garmin ..................yet,at my desk,it doesnt seem to point accurate north........do i have to be outside..............any hints on how to use the etrek would be greatly appreciated...........
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
26,011
8,779
Strom,

That is not a compass. The arrow is pointing to a waypoint or destination. It has been so long since I used an etrex I can't give you detailed instructions. The manual does give you the basics which is all you most likely will need. Try to read it over again and see if you can get it going.

Guy
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
26,011
8,779
Scott,

Glad to see it all worked out. That is a great GPS.

Guy
 
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