Where to put the phone

MarineBob

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Probably too simple a question, but where does everyone put your phone on board? Usually no pockets in the summer but want quick access for photos. I am thinking, as a pretty good sewing person. I might make a pocket that goes over the seat back with pouches on the aft side. Also thinking about a cup holder to use phone holder? My boat is a 226 seafarer. Any ideas?
 

Mustang65fbk

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I'm always wearing shorts, jeans or some sort of pants that have pockets in them to hold my phone. I will oftentimes also wear a lightweight North Face just because it has a breast pocket that has a zipper on it for my phone as it very much helps when getting into the boat from our dinghy. If pockets truly aren't an option then you could always get a phone case with a neck strap on it to wear the phone almost like a necklace if you don't want to set it down and have it bounce around while cruising. You could also get an arm band and put the phone in there, a small bag or other small container, or a fanny pack or a multitude of other options similar to that. If you're talking about specifically where on the boat to put your phone then I'd say the cupholder, the glovebox behind the steering wheel, in the overhead compartment if you have one, on the side shelf area to the right of the captain's seat or finally underneath the seat in the tackle box pull outs. They make just about any kind of phone case imaginable nowadays from shock proof to waterproof to one that floats and more.

 
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Uncle Joe

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Loads of starboard cup holder \storage trays available at Boat Outfitters. I mounted one near the helm.
 

Hookup1

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Mounted an inductive charger on the side of the helm as you enter the cabin. Phone clips securely in. Hard to see but easy to clip it out. Stays dry.

 
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JJF

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Something to consider...

Get a small waterproof camera...

It's much easier to use, always at the ready, doesn't need to be unlocked and reduces the chances of damaging your phone (or dropping it overboard).
 

MarineBob

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Something to consider...

Get a small waterproof camera...

It's much easier to use, always at the ready, doesn't need to be unlocked and reduces the chances of damaging your phone (or dropping it overboard).
I was thinking about the camera idea. Seems there are a zillion offerings these days. I was pondering perhaps mounting something like a GoPro (type) covering the back section and let it rip while we are fishing. I kind of like that idea. Neither my wife nor I are big must-have-it-at-all-times phone people so worrying about having it on our body is not at all important. I won't get started on cell phones.
 

Hookup1

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I was thinking about the camera idea. Seems there are a zillion offerings these days. I was pondering perhaps mounting something like a GoPro (type) covering the back section and let it rip while we are fishing. I kind of like that idea. Neither my wife nor I are big must-have-it-at-all-times phone people so worrying about having it on our body is not at all important. I won't get started on cell phones.
I have been experimenting with GoPro's to capture the fishing action. You need external power to the GoPro to get the runtime. Also a 400GB micro-SD card. Problem is reviewing 8 hours of video and editing out the dead time. I'm using the "Hindsight" feature that will save the last 15 seconds of video before you hit the record button. The camera is always running but overwriting everything before the last 15-seconds. You can miss some action but if you didn't see it happen you wouldn't know to look for it anyway! Also using the Max lens. Video editing with iMovie. Have a second handheld GoPro camera.
 
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MarineBob

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I have been experimenting with GoPro's to capture the fishing action. You need external power to the GoPro to get the runtime. Also a 400GB micro-SD card. Problem is reviewing 8 hours of video and editing out the dead time. I'm using the "Hindsight" feature that will save the last 15 seconds of video before you hit the record button. The camera is always running but overwriting everything before the last 15-seconds. You can miss some action but if you didn't see it happen you wouldn't know to look for it anyway! Also using the Max lens. Video editing with iMovie. Have a second handheld GoPro camera.
That sounds like what I want to do. I guess I need to do some research as to the most usable device and what features might or might not be available.
 

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Hookup, so you hit record, get your fish in the box, high fives all around, and hit stop. Does that stopping point become the new starting place for the camera to record and over write from?
 

nuclear

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Not my picture, but I put mine in that little storage area aft of the switches.

1645635841551.png
 

blindmullet

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Just a quick issue I had that could help someone else. I have a USB charging port in my switch panel. On a summer trip there was a quick Florida pop up storm. My phone was on charge and moisture was getting on the usb/charger connection. Th USB port started to smoke—-I pulled it and quickly made a small reef with the port. Learn from my oversight and keep those connections dry. That could have ended badly if I wasn’t standing next to it.
 

Mustang65fbk

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I have been experimenting with GoPro's to capture the fishing action. You need external power to the GoPro to get the runtime. Also a 400GB micro-SD card. Problem is reviewing 8 hours of video and editing out the dead time. I'm using the "Hindsight" feature that will save the last 15 seconds of video before you hit the record button. The camera is always running but overwriting everything before the last 15-seconds. You can miss some action but if you didn't see it happen you wouldn't know to look for it anyway! Also using the Max lens. Video editing with iMovie. Have a second handheld GoPro camera.
I've got an older GoPro with both a chest as well as a head strap that I can use when recording. The battery life lasts almost 2 hours per battery of which I bought a second one just in case, and the new ones last supposedly just as long or longer. I'm of the opinion that if I haven't limited out while fishing for 4+ hours then the fish either aren't there, they aren't biting, I need to change my setup or go in for a break and then come back out. Either way, 2 batteries along with bringing the battery charger with you should give you as much time as you'd ever likely need. And I like using either the chest or head strap because you can leave the GoPro on and hit the record button whenever you've got a bite. That way you aren't recording hours and hours of nothing and draining your battery even faster for no reason. You could even leave your camera off until you get a bite, turn it on quickly and then hit record in a matter of only a few seconds as well. You can also use the GoPro application on your smartphone and record it that way if you really want to mount the camera to the roof or somewhere else. Or they even make a remote that you can use to hit record for a mounted camera as well. There are a multitude of options out there at different price points, but I don't think you need a dedicated or external power source just for your GoPro.
 

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I've got an older GoPro with both a chest as well as a head strap that I can use when recording. The battery life lasts almost 2 hours per battery of which I bought a second one just in case, and the new ones last supposedly just as long or longer. I'm of the opinion that if I haven't limited out while fishing for 4+ hours then the fish either aren't there, they aren't biting, I need to change my setup or go in for a break and then come back out. Either way, 2 batteries along with bringing the battery charger with you should give you as much time as you'd ever likely need. And I like using either the chest or head strap because you can leave the GoPro on and hit the record button whenever you've got a bite. That way you aren't recording hours and hours of nothing and draining your battery even faster for no reason. You could even leave your camera off until you get a bite, turn it on quickly and then hit record in a matter of only a few seconds as well. You can also use the GoPro application on your smartphone and record it that way if you really want to mount the camera to the roof or somewhere else. Or they even make a remote that you can use to hit record for a mounted camera as well. There are a multitude of options out there at different price points, but I don't think you need a dedicated or external power source just for your GoPro.
Continuous power is easy and cheap. Are you actually doing your recording this way?
 

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Hookup, so you hit record, get your fish in the box, high fives all around, and hit stop. Does that stopping point become the new starting place for the camera to record and over write from?
We started using this setup last summer for the MidAtlantic and White Marlin Open on the big rig. Don't want to make things complicated. Camera over the cockpit seating "runs" all day in "hindsight" mode with a 15 second pre-record. Camera is always "on" but not saving all the footage. When an event occurs all you have to do is touch the "record" button. When the action done someone touched the "record" button again to stop recording and reset the "hindsight" mode. A handheld camera is available to capture other views. I'll see what I can do to put a video up somewhere.
 
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Mustang65fbk

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Continuous power is easy and cheap. Are you actually doing your recording this way?
Yes I am, as stated above in my previous post a couple different times. Around here, if you start out fishing at around 5:30-6:30 in the morning you can oftentimes limit out within an hour or two, depending on the tide as well as how many people are out fishing with you. I'm one of those guys where if I don't get my limit within 4-5 hours then I'll maybe try fishing somewhere else instead, but more often than not I'll go back in to the cabin for a break and to make up a late breakfast or lunch. After 4-5 hours of fishing you've missed the tide, of which the best fishing is typically around the tide change, and if no one else around me is catching anything then it's pretty indicative that the fish either aren't there and/or aren't biting. As much as I love being out on my boat fishing, or just being out on the water in general, I'm not going to spend the entire day out there if nothing is biting. Also, around here if you miss the tide or the "bite" then the next tide change can and more than likely isn't going to happen for another 7-8 hours. If the morning tide is at say 6:30 am then I try to be out there and ready to fish an hour before at 5:30 am as the saying goes that the best fishing generally occurs between "an hour before to an hour after the tide change." If I'm out fishing at 5:30 am and haven't limited out by 7:30, or an hour after the tide, then the next tide change will likely be around 2:30 pm. If I were to fish an hour before and an hour after the afternoon tide then I'd be done fishing around 3:30 pm and that would be 10 hours of fishing. Which I don't have any desire to do, especially if nothing is being caught.
 

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got this guy at autozone, simple modification to mount to helm. original design is to mount to vent in car. holds my iphone nicely. put a usb charging port just inside the door going to the cabin. so far so good
 

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Fishtales

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Small waterproof bag kept just inside the cabin door on the shelf above the microwave. The Fusion stereo head has a nice internal location to connect and hold a phone, but once I got the newer larger phones, that was out the window....
 

Fowl Hooked

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Phone goes in a RAM mount that's attached to the stuffing tube pipe that runs up into the overhead electronics box, it can be seen in the right side of this photo. It's a protected area and stays dry, easy cord length to a charging port, can be used in the bracket or easily grabbed if need be. The RAM mounts are pretty modular with a ton of base options and then different cradles. I had the base and arm from an old application and just bought the new x mount that is spring loaded and adjusts to a variety of phones and cases. The setup is a little bulky but I like how easily it adjusts for viewing angles and how rigidly it holds position once set. Phone is very secure.
 

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Scot Smith

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I never keep my phone or wallet on me when on board, my concern is an unexpected “ emergency” while fishing or whatnot and I am leaning over gunwale bye bye phone - I have lost many glasses this way - I keep both in side board cup holder area, plenty convenient and will stay dry unless we sink