Adding radar - on pole or arch?

[lustyd]

Hmmmm, confused! I understand fishing boats - they do NOT want to be found on AIS. You previously stated you use Plotter and electronic navigation, not traditional nav - Why do you need to do 'the old way' and find a lighthouse? You aren't looking for the 'confirmation of position' because GPS may not be correct?

I explained at the time, there was a 10 degree compass variation in the area so I overlaid radar on the plotter. Traditional navigation with a compass and chart would have had us on the rocks very quickly at 10+ knots in the strong currents. We couldn’t see the land, lighthouses or any other feature and turning back wouldn’t work in those currents so I was glad to have such a capable system.

 

[SaltyC]

I explained at the time, there was a 10 degree compass variation in the area so I overlaid radar on the plotter. Traditional navigation with a compass and chart would have had us on the rocks very quickly at 10+ knots in the strong currents. We couldn’t see the land, lighthouses or any other feature and turning back wouldn’t work in those currents so I was glad to have such a capable system.

???? But your gospel GPS is irrefutable? So Radar is superfluous.

 

[lustyd]

???? But your gospel GPS is irrefutable? So Radar is superfluous.

I never said that. Are you trying to start a fight or something?

 

[Babylon]

Probably very good, but for me it would have been a bit of overkill. Almost all my fog adventures have occurred while motoring in calm conditions, so any loss through heeling would not have mattered much.

True, and overkill perhaps, but it was of most use 4hrs into a Channel crossing heeling under sail when forecast fog patches become in reality much denser fog. I was short handed, just me and a very seasick chum, so having counted half a dozen black blobs marching steadily down on our port bow I dumped all valour and turned back.

 

[Dockhead]

You can hang it from the backstay as one poster suggested. Those backstay mounts are normally also gimballed, another benefit.

I would not personally want my radar lower than about 10m above the waterline, and you should not ruin your boat (and her upwind ability) with one of those ghastly solar arches, in my humble opinion.

 

[johnalison]

You can hang it from the backstay as one poster suggested. Those backstay mounts are normally also gimballed, another benefit.

I would not personally want my radar lower than about 10m above the waterline, and you should not ruin your boat (and her upwind ability) with one of those ghastly solar arches, in my humble opinion.

As I said, the backstay mounts are really only suitable for larger craft where the stay is beefy enough and there is enough space between the stay and the sail, though many are fitted with a support from the deck. I agree about arches' looks but I suppose if you want solar panels they make sense. The chap who bought my last boat fitted an arch, but that wasn't his worst crime; he renamed it Miss Piggy.

 

[dunedin]

……

I would not personally want my radar lower than about 10m above the waterline, and you should not ruin your boat (and her upwind ability) with one of those ghastly solar arches, in my humble opinion.

It is a matter of priorities - a lot of other things will “ruin .. her upwind ability” a lot more than a solar and radar arch - eg a long keel, bilge keels, furling mainsail, baggy genoa etc. An efficient modern boat with good laminate sails will slice upwind far faster with a solar arch than most other boats without one.
Radar high up on the mast has most adverse impact on windage and stability, but not noticable on our boat unless racing against an identical sistership.

 

[lustyd]

I suspect the radar stability debate dates from when boats were generally less stable. Quite a bit of received wisdom in yachting is dated, but very hard to change.
Even the furling sail debate I’d argue isn’t as clear cut as many suggest. Slightly less efficient for “spherical chickens in a vacuum”, but infinitely adjustable reefing can keep the right amount of power and heel set more often than slab reefing ever could, and the slowest boat of all is the one where crew fell off the foredeck while changing sails!