Fog - Drive from Up or Down ?

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solent_hazard

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7 Jun 2003
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So chaps - a question to the wise men of the sea out there - my Flybridge boat of seaworthy design is of course fitted with a Radar - more or less as standard - but with the console only downstairs where visibility is relativly poor what should I do when I meet a pea souper ? drive from below and snarl the lobster pots or upstairs without the benifit of the Radar ? Cant even put a man at each station cos the micowaves will zap the poor chap up top (at least it did fry my mobile) ?

Any Ideas ?

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Three things, the microwaves wont zap the bod upstairs. There was a thread about this recently. If you're worried about lobby pots, then the bod would be better on the bow anyway. Down below, you may be below the fog, it often doesn't come down to sea level and the radar is there.

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No. The radar wont fry you. Dont know about the phone!! One up and one down is best. Other than that it depends where you are. But radar will usually pick up lobster pots. We were coming from Scilly this summer in fog. The danger there was from shipping. It was crap outside anyway, so stayed downstairs and watched the ships on radar, so we could make decisions whilst they were miles away.

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn
 
Definitely drive from where ever you can see the radar screen. You should be going slow enuf in fog to be able to stop for pot markers and lines.

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Definitely helm from where the radar is but I think helming, scanning the radar and keeping a lookout is too much for one person. I get the SWMBO to drive and keep a lookout whist I concentrate on the radar and you have to be able to communicate so I dont think one up, one down is any good either. I dont think you gain anything from staying on the flybridge anyway, you get cold and wet, disorientated by the whiteness and you wont hear any fog signals above the noise of the engines anyway. However, if helming from below good wipers are a must and, if possible, demisters are good idea also

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Ah but I have intercom. Yes you can see bugger all from downstairs. Bu can seeships. Miles away. Dependes on whats the imporyant thing to look at.

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn
 
Thanks for all the excellent Ideas - will try at next oportunity, Incedentally I find two way radios excellent for keeping in contact with crew on board - ie ordering tea !

Thanks

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