Sandy
Well-known member
Brilliant... there are a lot of people who are not and their way of problem solving is very different.
Radar – is it worth it on a 40 year old 30 footer?
- Thread starter JohnDL
- Start date
john_morris_uk
Well-known member
I’m afraid not. I worked for Michael Dunsmore when he was working on measuring noise side bands of X band sources. This man: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/WO2004074823.html
This is the central issue.
I suspect the OP's achilles heel is the fear of setting off due to imagined dangers, the radar is just another excuse to spend another season in a boatyard or within the Solent.
My advice is to cast off, clock up experience by heading to the CI in May when there is a good chance of fog. The radar fitting debate can be postponed until winter 18/19.
JohnDL
New member
That is a rather large assumption and completely wrong, I was out of the Solent single handed within a few weeks of acquiring the boat in June - as soon as a few key things had been done, like fitting an autopilot and sorting out decent slab reefing. And have since been round the island, down to Swanage etc. Not lengthy trips as I have not had the time, but each one testing out something. Apart from short trips I'll be off single handed to the west country in May, and if the weather gods are very kind possibly even the Scillies.
I started sailing round the CI over 40 years ago without any significant electronic aids - that is when I wasn't too busy with RORC races, ton cups, Coaching and other things.
If, as is likely, the radar thing happen (probable sourcing of a second hand scanstrut helping to ease the decision) it will be done and dusted by the end of January.
Perhaps you are projecting your own problems on to others.
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Babylon
Well-known member
If you do go for radar, my logic (at the time I fitted mine) was why spend a pot of money on kit that only works properly if one is upright most of the time (ship or motorboat), rather than pointing down to the depths and up to sky (as a fixed radome would spend a lot of time doing on a yacht's mast)?!
So I bought the Scanstrut gimbal unit designed to fit the front of a mast, but as I wanted it on a stern-pole I got a local fabricator to run me up a simple, inexpensive custom s/s pole which clamps to the top pushpit rail and has a flange that bolts to the aft cockpit seat. The diameter of the top bit is wider than the rest of the pole to simulate a mast section so the 'claw' bolts on correctly (from memory 3" diameter to pole's 2"). All much cheaper than Scanstrut's pole or backstay offerings. My guy even welded on 'eyes' so I could brace the pole if necessary, but this has so far proved unnecessary even in rough seas.
So I bought the Scanstrut gimbal unit designed to fit the front of a mast, but as I wanted it on a stern-pole I got a local fabricator to run me up a simple, inexpensive custom s/s pole which clamps to the top pushpit rail and has a flange that bolts to the aft cockpit seat. The diameter of the top bit is wider than the rest of the pole to simulate a mast section so the 'claw' bolts on correctly (from memory 3" diameter to pole's 2"). All much cheaper than Scanstrut's pole or backstay offerings. My guy even welded on 'eyes' so I could brace the pole if necessary, but this has so far proved unnecessary even in rough seas.
lw395
Well-known member
It looks that that is going to be shining right at the crew when the boat is well heeled to starboard.
Babylon
Well-known member
The photo is deceptive, the pole is high enough. Even at extreme angles of heel (which my Vancouver 27 simply refuses to do), the death-rays will only ever strike a crew hanging about on top of the coach-roof, which he/she/it has no business doing while we're in 'radar conditions'. Down in the cockpit or even standing up in the companionway its well clear. 
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Prasutigus
New member
So what? It's totally harmless.
lw395
Well-known member
Don't undersestimate the vertical beamwidth of a typical yacht radar. 25 to 30 degrees to 3dB ( half power ).
lw395
Well-known member
That's what we tell the 'other ranks'.
Prasutigus
New member
Better watch out for that uppity "sea-lawyer" who passed GCSE Physics
JohnDL
New member
Don’t bother, he is not going to be told. If he wants to loose even more brain cells let him be.
JohnDL
New member
yes, looks a decently high pole and on a small boat (no offence intended!) with a short cockpit the angles look good. And as you imply, best to shut down when people are forward.The photo is deceptive, the pole is high enough. Even at extreme angles of heel (which my Vancouver 27 simply refuses to do), the death-rays will only ever strike a crew hanging about on top of the coach-roof, which he/she/it has no business doing while we're in 'radar conditions'. Down in the cockpit or even standing up in the companionway its well clear.
View attachment 68196
View attachment 68197
P.S. I see we are both C.A. Members
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lw395
Well-known member
Look on the bright side, it may have stopped him breeding already.
JohnDL
New member
Better watch out for that uppity "sea-lawyer" who passed GCSE Physics
Actually an HNC in electronic engineering and if I could be bothered to pay the dues I. Eng, MIEEIE. But that wa a long time ago so why bother.
JohnDL
New member
that’s what they told us rankers "what might happen".
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Prasutigus
New member
Charming, a Happy New Year to you too.
There still isn't any evidence that cruising yacht radar can cause illness though. Nada. Zilch. Sweet Fanny Adams. That's because it's harmless.
oldmanofthehills
Well-known member
I can only agree about the need for display to be visible to the helm if at all possible. For instance I am appalled that some boats seem to have depth gauges and chart platters below deck. Do they only ever navigate in close quarters with an extra crew member on watch permanently at the navigation station below deck? I have built a semi-pilothouse and so can readily mount more displays there, but most marine kit is weatherproof enough to be mounted under the sprayhood at least, and swingout mountings by the washboards are also possible if a bit intrusive when going between cabin and cockpit.
johnalison
Well-known member
We each have different ways of managing our sailing, and different boats lend themselves to different approaches, so there is little point in trying to lay down the law for operating procedures.
lw395
Well-known member
Indeed.
Sometimes even on a two person racing dinghy, there is much to be said for the helm sailing the boat while the 'crew' gathers the info and even makes many of the decisions.
Not everybody is a singlehander and not all singlehanders man the helm constantly.
There are boats with the converse problem, where only the person steering has proper access to the displays. I find that worse, personally.
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