What would you do for safety on a boat, get a two-way radio or a GPS?

you need both and the bigger the boat the more you should spend

VHF ofshore radio like a CB for marine.

well are you going to out to sea…what is your life worth to you..maybe you should ask the USCG for safety tips and equipment that you will need out at sea

Well, I think I would get a radio. GPS will tell you where you are and where you need to go, but if the boat is disabled what the hell will you do with that information.

A radio will bring help….

You really need BOTH.

One will tell you where you are, the other will allow you to call for help (and tell your rescuers EXACTLY where to find you) if you do get into trouble.

Knowing where you are is relatively useless if you get into trouble and have no way to call for help, and calling for help is relatively useless if you don’t know where you are to tell your rescuers where to find you.

Get both, and happy boating!

A marine radio should be at the top of your list. A GPS would be handy if you ever go very far from your home port, or from land, or if your usual territory has shoals or other obstacles. I’d be leery about having an all-in-one unit, though. One dead battery would leave you without both units. You can get a basic, hand-held GPS for somewhere around $150-200, loaded with maps. A handheld marine radio is in the same neighborhood.

You likely spent at least several thousand dollars for the boat. These 2 items would be maybe 2-5% of the boat’s cost. That’s pretty cheap insurance. If you can’t afford these, you can’t really afford the boat, IMHO.

It depends on how far you are going out. If you are going to be out pretty far, you should get either a very powerful 2 way (so you aren’t out of range of help), or just go and buy the radio and GPS. If you are gonna be in any dangerous waters, you should splurge. That way you aren’t stuck somewhere not knowing where you are and you are regretting not buying the GPS. Good luck! Bring plenty of fresh water. Also get a flare gun.

I would definitely get both. Its your life you’re asking about!

Go for the radio. What good would it do to know exactly where you were sinking if you couldn’t call for help?

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Don’t be cheap when you’re life is on the line. Get both.

Get both, a GPS unit and a radio , if you fishing offshore make sure the radio has a good ratio ( miles) . If you want to know exactly contact USCG,for more info.

Had to pick one….Radio

then at least a classroom boater safety course

Neither is a safety item. GPS will only tell you where you are, and a radio will only allow you to call for help. Safety on the boat is everyone’s responsibility, and education is the most important safety device you can have. You can buy a VHF radio that costs less than $100 to call for assistance if you run into trouble that you can’t handle. If your boat’s that small, and you’re a novice, stay close to land and learn to read a chart so when you do call for help, you know how to tell them where you are.

If you have $300 - $400 to spend, then you should be able to buy both. Neither will save Your life. Only you can do that by being prepared if you go offshore. As others have said, the GPS will tell you where and the radio might help you call for assistance. If you have both, you can call for help and tell your possible rescuers where you are.

An expert Captain renders both unnecessery.

Get a life jacket and wear it. Neither a GPS unit or a radio will keep your head above water.

EPIRB. emergency pesronal identification radio beacon. They
r’e cheap and effective. Standard VHF radio is nice and GPS is fun.