Is there such a thing as a cheap radar?

[boatmike]

Well yes! From a paranoid point of view most radars don't have a back up system anyway and they don't perform the same function as chartplotters. If you want to back something up buy a secondary handheld GPS and ALWAYS keep your position up to date on a paper chart. That way you will at least know where you are... It's unwise to rely too heavily on any electronic aids anyway. Always consider the possibility of complete electronic failure. The Raydome on the Series C will give an excellent result in glorious colour BUT the only reservation I would have would be an entirely different one thjan the one you mention. The C70 only has a very small screen. With chart and radar on the same screen it might be rather cluttered. That might lead me to either use it just as a chartplotter and buy another screen for radar or perhaps vice versa... Its all a matter of budget. Personally I prefer to keep the Radar as a Radar and the Plotter as a Plotter especially with a small screen. On that basis perhaps your strategy is good.. The trouble with all this is keeping everything within a reasonable budget.

 

[photodog]

I had the Furuno 1600 radar on our last boat, Raymarine radar on the previous to that one, and on our current boat.

While I think that the Furuno is a very good set and excellent value, I do feel that the Raymarine is a better piece of kit, with a better ability to distinguish small targets, I Dont know the figures for the beamwidth of the individual domes, but I certainly think that the Raymarine is a superior radar to the base Furuno, and If you can afford it I think that this makes better sense , as you will appreciate the better picture that it offers.

If you are wishing to have a belts and braces approach, how about adding a new Standar Horizon 180 plotter with a AIS engine as well?

Or a seperate GPS such as a small garmin to provide the info to the Raymarine kit?

Or just buy a backup HH GPS plotter?

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[pvb]

Excessively neurotic...

I reckon you're being excessively neurotic. Why do you think the Furuno is less likely to fail than the Raymarine? It would cost you almost as much as adding a radome to your C70, yet you'd miss out on the numerous benefits of the Raymarine system, including:
<ul type="square"> [*]colour radar image [*]ability to overlay radar on the chart - this is a superb feature [*]MARPA [*]better screen resolution (4 times better!) [*]better radome - narrower beamwidth (4.9 vs 6.2 deg) [/list] As you already know, the C-series has a very easy user interface, and this extends to the radar functions. One other advantage of adding radar to your C70 is that power consumption will be less because you're only using one display.

 

[rosipeter]

Blimey thank you all for your posts, especially the links. we've just decided to mortgage the dog (no, not really) and go to the boat show so i'll see if we can get a bargain on a new furuno.
Thanks again!

 

[rosipeter]

Another quick thought, with the pound being so strong against the dollar, is it worth trying to find a bargain from the states? Will it be the same item?
This will be a huge outlay for us, so I'm trying to find a bargain where I can...

 

[photodog]

No, you will still be liable for VAT, warranty will be difficult, and you may get a non CE approved set or something like that....

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[earlybird]

I'm think that the set will be the same, but I don't think that you will gain a huge amount. A couple of years ago I ordered a Furuno GPS from the US, it worked out about half UK price, but I was able to get a relative to transport it. I doubt if you will be able to do this with an item as large as a radar, and you may well be caught by import duty as well. Also, I've just done a quick google for US discount prices, they seem to be about$1150,ie £575 approx . You need to ascertain delivery/duty costs and decide if the gain is worth the hassle.

 

[MJT]

Re: Excessively neurotic...

OK, you're right, I am being neurotic! But after a few thousand miles in various boats I know if something can go wrong, with a few notable exceptions, it probably will. This has been an especially interesting thread and I appreciate the views and advice. If I go for a stand-alone radar it will be independently wired to my plotter - and to a different battery...

Martin T

 

[pvb]

Re: Excessively neurotic...

How many engines do you have?

 

[john_morris_uk]

Re: Excessively neurotic...

[ QUOTE ]
If I go for a stand-alone radar it will be independently wired to my plotter -


[/ QUOTE ]It will work better if you connect it to a 12 v supply - Oh I beg your pardon I see you are going to wire it to a separate battery.

 

[boatmike]

Re: Excessively neurotic...

Good point. Paranoia is good! I have a lot of time for Nelsons but unless you have twin engines the biggest danger is actually engine failure with a mobo. if you only have one you should perhaps think of having a long shaft outboard as back up?
There are old sailors and bold sailors but few old bold sailors...

 

[MJT]

Re: Excessively neurotic...

When I looked before Christmas I am sure there were 2 x 4 litre Cummins lumps - but I STILL miss having some flappy things up a pole! My wife is a shrink, perhaps I should make an appointment?

Good one John_Morris_UK, I walked into that but I am a newbie so things will only get worse...

 

[boatmike]

Re: Excessively neurotic...

Excellent. Sounds like a well found little boat.... Never mind the rags, the wind is always on the nose anyway don't you remember /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[alexrunic]

The only problem with AIS small boats dont have to have it. also, when on my mates boat who has AIS fitted i was alarmed by the number of large vessels that didn't have it swiched on!! aparantley it's only a requiment to have it fitted but not swiched on. this is because the big ships are worried about piracy and letting rival shipping copmpainies know where there ships are going etc.