Radar Pole Options

[Thepipdoc]

I'm thinking of fitting radar to my 27 foot Sea Ray Sundancer but this particular model wasn't constructed with the radar arch that the earlier and later models have.
I've looked at fitting an aftermarket stainless steel arch but I'm not convinced it will look right, (although if anyone out there has done this already I'd appreciate it if you could post some pics) so as an alternative to a traditional radar arch I was considering fitting a pole.
What do you reckon it would look like - good or naff?
Any pics of examples would be greatly appreciated ( I've looked at the interwebnet and every example I can see is fitted to a yacht and not a motor boat.)
Thanks

 

[Wiggo]

You're quite right, pole mounts seem to be exclusively a ragboat thing (possibly because it doesn't matter if they're ugly). A pole would just look naff on a mobo, unless you went for a funky Cranchi style thing.

I can't see any sensible way you could get any kind of arch other than a stainless one (without it either being mind-numbingly ugly or expensive), so the answer is either off the shelf or custom stainless.

 

[Thepipdoc]

You're quite right, pole mounts seem to be exclusively a ragboat thing (possibly because it doesn't matter if they're ugly). A pole would just look naff on a mobo, unless you went for a funky Cranchi style thing.

I can't see any sensible way you could get any kind of arch other than a stainless one (without it either being mind-numbingly ugly or expensive), so the answer is either off the shelf or custom stainless.

Thanks for your comments..... do you mean this type of fancy Cranchi pole?
I'm thinking this looks reasonably OK....!!

 

[moonraker 36]

built my own radar arch
it's made from pole dancing pole's!!
fold's down too.

 

[Thepipdoc]

built my own radar arch
it's made from pole dancing pole's!!
fold's down too.

Pics of it's previous use would be nicehttp://www.ybw.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif

 

[moonraker 36]

it look's good smell's even better!

 

[gjgm]

Another option is fit AIS. Yes, I know its not a perfect replacement for radar, but I assume you have a plotter and so know where the land is, and the other concern I have is being run down by a big ship. Those you can see on AIS (and about a million sailing boats too, it seems).OK, you dont get the smaller stuff, but at least they a small and manoeverable.

 

[Wiggo]

Thanks for your comments..... do you mean this type of fancy Cranchi pole?
I'm thinking this looks reasonably OK....!!

Hadn't seen that one, but yes. The pic I posted was an older Cranchi CSL28 and had a similar but forward facing pole. The challenge would be how to attach securely to the floor. Otherwise, Atlantic Towers or similar - http://www.atlantictowers.com/at_sub/products_s_ra.html - or get someone locally to make up something similar.

 

[Channel Ribs]

Perhaps have a look at broadband radar? The low emissions mean you have much greater flexibility in where you put it.

 

[gjgm]

I was browsing into this over the w/e , in fact. Raymarine (and I m sure others) have installation advice on their web pages. Two points. f course, it needs to be installed at some height above sea level to be much use , and perhaps more alarmingly, there are guidelines for distance (and non line of sight) of your head !
Scanstrut seem to be the saily approved guys, but I m guessing you would have to fix this on the stern somewhere, and then given the angle a motor boat runs at (maybe less in fog, though), I suspect it needs to be quite tall. Question is, do you want to run about with that all the time (its a fair weight bouncing about on a pole), or is it practical to have a pivoting installation . All seems to get very messy.