Radar

BruceB · 18 December 2007, 23:49

How practical is Radar in a small rib? I see it is available for around £650 from furuno. just how high does the radome need to be either on a pole mounted on the console or on an a Frame at the stern?
I am tempted simply because of the "gadget" factor if it can be reasonably mounted in a safe practical location.

jwalker · 19 December 2007, 00:22

I'm a radar fan but the radomes are heavyish and I could see one on a single pole not being satisfactory. If on a rear A-frame, head height might be a problem. You could have a consol frame though.

codprawn · 19 December 2007, 02:31

Spend the money on night vision or a thermal imager instead!!!

Andy Gee · 19 December 2007, 07:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by BruceB

How practical is Radar in a small rib? I see it is available for around £650 from furuno. just how high does the radome need to be either on a pole mounted on the console or on an a Frame at the stern?
I am tempted simply because of the "gadget" factor if it can be reasonably mounted in a safe practical location.

In my experience the little sets are really not very good on a rib unless you are in fog etc and going at displacement speed and can get the dome mounted at a good height.
HTH
Andy

Mollers · 19 December 2007, 08:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

Spend the money on night vision or a thermal imager instead!!!

C'mon Codders, now that is cobblers. Night is no issue ya numpty owing to nav lights, ambient light etc, etc.

Serious fog is a major issue and a gadget strapped to your swede is not what you want. We were caught in less than 10m visibility earlier this year with no radar, it was not funny. Falmouth coastguard had to giude us in from 6m at about 4knts out to avoid anchored shipping. Buy a radar.

havener · 19 December 2007, 08:56

We run radar on the two big Deltas and find it extremely useful, providing you bear in mind a few limitations -

Wherever you mount it, it will always be comparitively close to sea level. So don't go and buy the best 48 mile range set you can find!

The jury's out on the health issues, but from a simple balance and safety point of view we sit ours on a console A frame, not at the stern. I'm interested that the new RNLI Atlantic 85s have gone for a stern frame mount.

Learn how to use it properly. You will get extra sea clutter due to your lack of height, and interpreting a screen is the most important bit of having the kit!

But I'd definately put it on the priority list.

Simon

Cookee · 19 December 2007, 09:11

On a 5 - 6 metre RIB? I would put the money towards a bigger boat first! Unless you can combine the display with the GPS etc it would need too much room on the console, but even then I would seriously question the use you would get out of one on a boat that size. The question you should ask yourself is when would you really need it?

A GPS can get you out of trouble in a foggy/dark situation, and unless you're going to be crossing shipping lanes in the dark I personally think it would be a big expense, get in the way and be too much on a boat that size unless you are getting a bigger boat?

Mollers · 19 December 2007, 09:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cookee

On a 5 - 6 metre RIB? I would put the money towards a bigger boat first! Unless you can combine the display with the GPS etc it would need too much room on the console, but even then I would seriously question the use you would get out of one on a boat that size. The question you should ask yourself is when would you really need it?

A GPS can get you out of trouble in a foggy/dark situation, and unless you're going to be crossing shipping lanes in the dark I personally think it would be a big expense, get in the way and be too much on a boat that size unless you are getting a bigger boat?

Prior to getting caught as we did I'd have totally agreed with your comments Cookee, But not after not being able to see beyond the front of the boat. GPS is next to useless. It'll show you land or marked obstacles and nothing else. We had to move at such a speed that if we ran into an anchored ship we wouldn't do any damage. GPS couldn't tell us that it was there.
If you're a fairweather day tripper then don't bother, but if you're into reasonable distance passage making, seriously consider it. Size of boat etc. are valid points.

jwalker · 19 December 2007, 10:53

I find myself agreeing with Mollers.

I don't understand Cookee's point about boat size, fog is fog and dark is dark.

My first radar was on a 6.5 Humber and it was a wee Koden set with a radome just 12" diameter. I was hooked. My second set was a Raymarine 2kwatt and in comparison with the Koden it was disappointing. I upped the sytem to a 4kwatt scanner and it came to life again. So, if you go ahead, I'd recommend you attempt to get a trial of the proposed system cos they do vary.

You say you are tempted by the gadget factor. Not a good reason. Take it seriously, it will be your friend.

Diver · 19 December 2007, 11:45

Hi,

My radome is fitted on top of aframe at the stern. It could be mounted a bit higher, but then the easy way I have done it, would not be possible. I never run it with people standing up, so everybody sit down and never for hours abd hours. Or turn it on for a short while, to see if anybody is closing and then shut it down again.

The Baltic sea is dangerous. Fog can come out of no where and with divers still in the water we have to know what is around us, and of course have a "safe" passage home, so we take the risk of some "heat":-)

With these compromises, its really nice to have and I would not live with out it!

Henrik

Mollers · 19 December 2007, 12:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diver

Hi,

My radome is fitted on top of aframe at the stern. It could be mounted a bit higher, but then the easy way I have done it, would not be possible. I never run it with people standing up, so everybody sit down and never for hours abd hours. Or turn it on for a short while, to see if anybody is closing and then shut it down again.

The Baltic sea is dangerous. Fog can come out of no where and with divers still in the water we have to know what is around us, and of course have a "safe" passage home, so we take the risk of some "heat":-)

With these compromises, its really nice to have and I would not live with out it!

Henrik

I am disgusted! Photo one is cruel and degrading! I cannot believe you put that hat on that poor guy.

BruceB · 19 December 2007, 14:24

I can't buy a bigger boat as I don't have room for storing anything larger than the 5.8m I have just ordered, in fact to get it in I will have to remove the drawbar each time to get it in.
Console room is not an issue, a full width side by side console has been purchased.
The gadget factor is a good enough reason for the fact that as a non commercial user these boats are toys. It doesn't mean I wouldn't learn to use it properly but it is still a toy rather than a tool.
The price of £650 is less than I paid for my plotter and charts so it isn't really that expensive and wouldn't get me much of a bigger boat!

Poly · 19 December 2007, 14:36

Bruce - for £650 is the display completely waterproof

BruceB · 19 December 2007, 14:58

It says it is and is suitable for small open boats, its a Furuno.

Simon B · 19 December 2007, 15:11

Henrik,

Did you eat the wolf fish? Was it visible on th Humminbird SI unit? The bait seems "out of box thinking" but effective

K&S · 19 December 2007, 15:13

hi, for what its worth, we have been wondering the same thing and have compromised with AIS wich was cheaper and will provide more information than we had previously which has got to be safer.

It would have been nice to have installed a proper radar but the cost versus the amount of actual use could not be justified in our case.

Diver · 19 December 2007, 15:37

Simon:

Of course we eat what we catch! No I could not see it on the Humminbird, but I could see the wreck on whitch it lived...

By the way. Has just handed in my Lowrance LCX 110, with radar.. My 2. GPS - antenna ceased to work yesterday, so now I trade it all in for a Garmin...!

Henrik

gtflash · 19 December 2007, 15:38

as someone who has been lost in the fog with less than 100ft visibility i have to say, if your planning on cruising anywhere that is populated by commercial craft or ships and ferries id reccomend it!! the strange thing about fog is the sound carries for miles so you can hear the traffic and even the wash from boats but have no idea how close you are!! Red jet and the oriana are not fun to hear when you cant see past the end of your nose!! and thats just in the solent!

Mollers · 19 December 2007, 15:58

I love a radar when 'I've been drivin' all night, my hand's wet on the wheel
There's a voice in my head that drives my heel.'

BruceB · 19 December 2007, 16:04

I will buy it but I am not sure where to put the radome where it will be safe, Don't fancy the console a arch route but not sure how high and far away it needs to be for safety. I can't find online instructions to get installation details...