Do you run your radar, helming on the fly?

[asteven221]

Anyway is it safe practice? Or is it likely to heat up my cold beer!!! Or worse....

My radar sits in the usual place on the radar arch, which on a Sealine F44 is quite high compared to some flybridge boats. So far I have not had a need to use it unless I have been downstairs.

I am just about to set off on holiday and will likely want to use it with a guard zone set to keep an "eye" out for approaching fast ferries and suchlike.

Am I being a bit paranoid or is it actually dodgy/dangerous to have it running whilst helming from the flybridge?

 

[Ripster]

We have a Raymarine system and this says not to run the Radar when on an FB helm. But I guess it depends where your scanner is in comparison to where you are. On ours it would be right in front and only about 4ft below when we are sat down. Anyway we don't do it. This is an analog system - not sure if digital is different.

 

[Chill]

Anyway is it safe practice? Or is it likely to heat up my cold beer!!! Or worse....

My radar sits in the usual place on the radar arch, which on a Sealine F44 is quite high compared to some flybridge boats. So far I have not had a need to use it unless I have been downstairs.

I am just about to set off on holiday and will likely want to use it with a guard zone set to keep an "eye" out for approaching fast ferries and suchlike.

Am I being a bit paranoid or is it actually dodgy/dangerous to have it running whilst helming from the flybridge?

Back in the 80s we had a Princess 38 with an open radar, my brother worked on military systems and got a commercial microwave tester to check. All ok on the flybridge. There was more microwaves coming from the tv at home!

Chill

 

[jfm]

I do but I'm comforted by the fact it is quite high (the high radar is one reason I bought Sq58, because I do quite a lot of night work on the flybr, in the Med, where it's warm enough)

The power output is low. Radars may be quoted as 2kw or 4kw or whatever, but that's just peak and their average output is way lower, and then your body absorbs whatever angle it subtends (say 20deg if you're close) over 360, so that's 1/18th of a small number.

The warnings not to do it are probably litigation-scared manufacturers

The radiation is not ionising. Analogue/digital makes no difference

I made a post asking the same question in 1999, so it will have been lost when the old forum data was lost. One person replied that they had a friend who had been running a big old industrial strength radar on his bench while repairing it, and after an hour had sunburn on his stomach!

 

[BrendanS]

I made a post asking the same question in 1999, so it will have been lost when the old forum data was lost. One person replied that they had a friend who had been running a big old industrial strength radar on his bench while repairing it, and after an hour had sunburn on his stomach!

It's quite fun searching the old threads, even though they don't go all the way back. Remember some of the names in these! There was one where Kim was going to get the magazines on the case, but I don't think anything ever came of it, and I can't find that particular thread either.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7830&highlight=radar+safety

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13435&highlight=radar+safety


http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28010&highlight=radar+safety

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28010&highlight=radar+safety

 

[hlb]

Yep, the topic has been running for donkeys years. All I can say is, I used to get a bit of a head ache, if the radar was running, when on the fly. Bit silly really as the only screen is down below.

It's years since I needed the radar. But then you dont need it till you do.

 

[jfm]

It's quite fun searching the old threads, even though they don't go all the way back. Remember some of the names in these! There was one where Kim was going to get the magazines on the case, but I don't think anything ever came of it, and I can't find that particular thread either.

Tee hee. Those are blasts from the past. ChrisP, TR7v8, etc. And I never knew Gludy had a Princess (before his Squadron 59 I guess)

 

[BrendanS]

Yes, what did happen to TR7v8, he always had some interesting posts going on

 

[spongie]

A bit worrying... I dont have a flybridge...


I only have about 4 feet between my radar and my head on my boat, with only two thin skins of plywood between us...

 

[timbartlett]

You might find this interesting http://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/electronics/hazardous_to_your_health/index.aspx

 

[MapisM]

Short answer, no, never.
And my radome is 4' or so above the upper helm station, separated by 2 s/s sheets, so it would be totally harmless.
But I don't even have the radar screen on the f/b. And neither I miss it, nor I see the point in helming from upstairs in any condition when a radar is required.

 

[DAKA]

Anyway is it safe practice? Or is it likely to heat up my cold beer!!! Or worse....

My radar sits in the usual place on the radar arch, which on a Sealine F44 is quite high compared to some flybridge boats. So far I have not had a need to use it unless I have been downstairs.

I am just about to set off on holiday and will likely want to use it with a guard zone set to keep an "eye" out for approaching fast ferries and suchlike.

Am I being a bit paranoid or is it actually dodgy/dangerous to have it running whilst helming from the flybridge?

In my opinion the waves arent an issue unless you are thinking of sitting a pregnant woman in front of the scanner for several hours a day.

The benefits of playing with the radar in fine weather ready for use in the fog are very valuable, it is no use having a radar ready for use if you dont know how to use it.

 

[spongie]

Cheers Tim,

Thats a very reasuring website!

Still may move my radar

 

[jfm]

nor I see the point in helming from upstairs in any condition when a radar is required.

Warm mediterranean night in August, 25degrees C?

 

[Hurricane]

The power output is low. Radars may be quoted as 2kw or 4kw or whatever,

I seem to remember that SOMEONE has ordered a 12KW radar.

May you wont need a FB BBQ - just hold the sausages up above your head and they will cook themselves.

BTW - mine is ALWAYS running - as required by regs.

 

[Wiggo]

In my opinion the waves arent an issue unless you are thinking of sitting a pregnant woman in front of the scanner for several hours a day.

Do pregnant women ruin the radar picture, then, or something?

 

[MapisM]

nor I see the point in helming from upstairs in any condition when a radar is required.

Warm mediterranean night in August, 25degrees C?

Been there, done that. But with no radar!
See, there are nights cruises and nights cruises.
When weather/moon/visibility/temperature allows, f/b helming is substantially comparable to helming in daylight.
I even turn off the instruments lights in those conditions...

Otoh, coming to think of it, there is one circumstance when I could use a radar on the f/b: when anchoring in small bays (even in daylight). That's the only moment when I'm "forced" to go down 'cause I don't have the radar screen upstair.

 

[jfm]

.
When weather/moon/visibility/temperature allows, f/b helming is substantially comparable to helming in daylight.
I even turn off the instruments lights in those conditions...

Yup, though sometimes you dont have luxury of moonlight so it is pretty dark

Turn off instrument lights? How do you see if machinery has low oil pressure, or rising temperature, or if your fuel burn rate is suddenly wrong?! And, sans radar and moonlight, if you see a steaming light and a red sidelight you have no idea for a while whether it's heading towards you with only 10deg difference in your courses or 110degrees!

Back to radar: it's worth remembering that the only thing that keeps your head out of the radar beam is vertical height separation, not being shielded by the flybridge floor or coachroof. Most floors/roofs are wood or GRP, which is radar transparent. Take your average 4-50foot sports cruiser with the roof shut - it's easy to think you're not in the radar beam but the GRP roof is radar transparent and the crew's heads are as close to the radar beam as I am (or you are MapisM on the azzurro) on a flybridge with a mast. So what keeps people ok and cancer free is the fact radar radiation isn't ionising and radar (at these power levels) just isn't dangerous (as per Tim's link above)

 

[Hurricane]

Turn off instrument lights? How do you see if machinery has low oil pressure, or rising temperature, or if your fuel burn rate is suddenly wrong?!

I'm with MapisM on this one.
IMO, at night you have to have as many lights as possible switched off to protect your night vision.
Even the lights from the instruments in their weakest intensity is too bright whe you get away from coastal light polution.

We always put a towel ofer the lights so that a quick peek and you can see/record anything. But you have to be carefull lifting the towel. Once one of the throttle levers caught in the towel as it was being lifted and desynchronised it resulting in one engine "running down" to tick over. The whole thing happened in a matter of seconds but I was below and it didnt do much for my heart rate at the time - some 80 miles from land!!

 

[MapisM]

Turn off instrument lights? How do you see if machinery has low oil pressure, or rising temperature, or if your fuel burn rate is suddenly wrong?!

LOL, fuel burn rate? All I've got to monitor it are sight gauges in the e/r... And with 4 thousands liters, at 23 l/h average burn, you can easily guess how often I look at them!

Re. machinery instruments, well, I do turn the lights on, every 15' or so. Besides, I trust the alarms to work, if and when needed.

But actually I very rarely helm from upstairs at night, because I only do that when the visibility conditions are perfect (flat sea, clear moonlight). In those (rare) circumstances, the distinction between daylight and night is academic, because as I'm sure you know it's possible to spot anything at night as clearly as in daylight. Provided that no other lights are around, to protect the eyes night vision, as also Hurricane said.
Otoh, in pitch black nights, I loose the interest in staying upstair, even if it's warm enough, because you can't see better than from the main helm anyway. And if nothing else, downstair I'm nearer to food and wine...