SSB or Ham on a CP-16?

[compac_landlubber]

Hello everyone,

I'm totally new here and though my name implies otherwise, I do love the open water and sailing. Grew up sailing on the St. Lawrence River and some of the Great Lakes (Ontario, mostly) and never stopped loving it. I am currently without a boat, however and I'm looking at something like the CP-16 to putter around on for a day up to maybe 5 days of sailing and camping sailing. I am currently on the coast of NC and would like to make some longer journeys up and down the East Coast as vacation allows.

Anyway, enough about me. I am wondering if anyone has put an SSB in their CP-16. Is there enough room? What radio fit and where? I'm thinking about something like an old Kenwood TS-50S. Can you get the batteries to supply enough juice for such a radio? What about antenna type/placement and/or tuner placement power? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[Craig]

If you can find a good place for a deep cycle battery(or two!) power is not a major problem. Re-charging  is more of a challenge. If you have access to shore power each day....easy Won't go into other re-charge options here. I don't have the power draw of the TS-50 handy but transmit power is what will draw down your battery. Some of the newer radios have a lot less power consumption. Operating QRP(low power) will greatly extend battery life. The antenna system is probably the greatest challenge. Any good mobile antenna will work(Outbacker is one of my preferences) IF you have a decent ground/groundplane. and a good place to mount.  Check out this:  http://www.theensign.org/uspscompass/compassarchive/compassv3n4/v3n4_amateur.htm  Google search will bring up a lot of great info!   73 de W3GF