New depth sounder transducer for furuno network

[MapisM]

This means that in a busy place (anchorage, whatever) you see distinct targets from quite a long way away, not a load of blobs that have merged together into a single big blob.

Mmm.... So far I only heard the narrower beamwidth argument mentioned for better spotting very distant groups of birds, which often fly above big fishes, hence attracting anglers.
Apparently, the higher discrimination of open arrays can make a difference, in this respect. No first hand experience on how relevant such difference actually is, but as a matter of fact most sportfisherman boats do have open arrays, even those which only go out in glorious FL sunshine and have zero need to use the radar for collision avoidance, so I suppose there must be some truth in that...

...But in anchorages?!?
I've yet to find a Med anchorage where you can be interested in anything else than tracking the movements of any boat worryingly close to your bow, which might become dangerous PDQ, if her anchor drags.
Which btw is exactly the kind of usage which came in handy when I overnighted on BA in an F8 just out of PV, after you reached us with the Capelli in the afternoon.
But for that purpose, even the cheapest and smaller radome you can find is as good as a 6" open array!

Mind, of course I don't disagree that high power, digital, open array radars are better that lower power, analog, small radomes in all respects, but it's basically a horses for courses matter.
In my experience, many boaters tend to see big open arrays as an indicator of a "proper" boat - and in this sense, I agreed with N_H that it might be a factor upon resale.
But 'fiuaskme, for any given boat size, I'd rather go out in poor conditions and low viz with a stable, heavy vessel and a small radome, than with an express cruiser and a big open array...

PS: yep, I remember the 12 vs. 4 kw discussion, wasn't it related to Raymarine, hence M1?
And I actually suggested the 12 for heavy rain monitoring IIRC, but mainly because the cost difference was not much. Not in the context of a Sq78, that is...!

 

[BartW]

...But in anchorages?!?
I've yet to find a Med anchorage where you can be interested in anything else than tracking the movements of any boat worryingly close to your bow, which might become dangerous PDQ, if her anchor drags.

there were a few occasions that I arrived at a bussy anchorage, after a night dive, one was during FDC1 remember
and indeed sometimes some boats merged in to big blobs on the radar screen,
but that was not the main concern; I found it hard to work out the position of each anker of the neighbours, and the relevant turning circle of each boat,
in case of a wind direction change during the night
I'm not sure that a narrower beamwith would help me much with that, I believe a bit more practice with such situations would be more usefull,
but when late at night, I usually am in a hurry to get the ancher down, not to anoy neighbours too much with my manouvering, during their fabulous evening at anker.

nevertheless,
I would like to get at least one extra Furuno Navnet2 plotter screen, and I saw a few deals on ebay, in combination with a open radar antenna :encouragement:

 

[jfm]

Yup to all that MapisM - I'm not fighting/arguing hard because while a 4/6 foot open array is a better thing than a 2foot radome it is as I said not life changingly better. It is just a nicer toy really. Like a boat

In relation to anchorages, I said it allows you to discriminate targets from further away. As matter of geometry a radar with even 10 degrees of resolution (yuk) can generally discriminate two target anchored boats if they are only 20m away from your bow. In contrast Captain 1.8 degrees can see how busy the anchorage is from a mile away (I accept binoculars would do that in daytime of course)

This is like arguing that a Fiat Panda is ok for shopping. Sure it is, but an M5* is nicer

The 4/12 discussion was actually Garmin - Match1 was all Garmin 7000. But no worries Yes you suggested 12kw for weather not general nav, and I took your advice, and repeated on M2

*Just sold mine, this last weekend, to a friend. Still weeping a bit

 

[BartW]

*Just sold mine, this last weekend, to a friend. Still weeping a bit

and what have you purchased next ?
I can't convince myself to replace the 7yo GL by just another GL

 

[jfm]

and what have you purchased next ?
I can't convince myself to replace the 7yo GL by just another GL

Haha, nothing. These days all my time is in central London or SofF. The M5 just had its annual service and I noticed I had done only 3000km in one year, ALL of which was driving to Fairline during the build of M2 and to Ipswich (E coast UK for M2 sea trial and handover. I have not used the car at all since April, except to take it for its service work. So, while it was a beautiful machine, so good that I never bought another car in 8 years, logic said it had to go, because it just sits in an underground garage with battery going flat. If my circs change I will get another car. So, the only car I own now is a dented diesel Clio parked in Port Vauban

Good going with the GL @7 years. If there is nothing better, there is no point in changing it. Once you get into boats, which cost more than Veyrons, the appeal of having a new car every year or whatever kinda disappears and they become functional utility items like washing machines!

 

[MapisM]

The 4/12 discussion was actually Garmin - Match1 was all Garmin 7000. But no worries Yes you suggested 12kw for weather not general nav, and I took your advice, and repeated on M2

Since I would have sweared that we discussed Raymarine stuff, I just googled for that post.
Not that it really matters, but just as a sanity check for my own memory, you know...
And guess what, Raymarine it was, 'cause the thread is 5 years old, no less! Doesn't time fly....?
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthrea...ine-components-12kw-vs-4kw-radar-ST60-or-ST70
Otoh, there's a bit of hit and miss with my memory I must admit, 'cause I would have said that you moved to Garmin with M2... The above thread was obviously related to one of your 58s.
Btw, interestingly, you quoted a reply you got from Raymarine where among other things they say that 6nm usage would make little difference at that range between the 4kw and the 12kw.

Re. cars as utility items, I couldn't agree more.
The road tender which I leave permanently in Sardinia is a '98 Ford Escort wagon.
Bought 2nd hand for 1300 Eur, never had anything else than fuel and oil, and running just fine, also when loaded like there's no tomorrow.
Makes your Clio a posh car in comparison... Not to mention BartW's GL!
Apropos B, check out the Land Cruiser V8 as a possible replacement for the GL.
You might get tired of the GL well before it's worn out, but with the big LC your sons might get tired of it, if you see what I mean.
I've had many German cars, but since I bought my Lexus I had to reconsider them all.