Radar Reflector - which one

BruceK

BruceK

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OK, so my boat is under 15m but regulations say I should nonetheless carry a radar reflector just in keeping with the spirit if nothing else, and there really doesn't seem to be much else. Words such as "as practicable" "encouraged" abound. Personally I'd have thought I carry enough metal on my boat including an aluminium radar arch of significant proportions that will dwarf anything I could dangle on or from it in terms of m2. And how daft is it going to be for me to stick a reflector greater than 4.2 meters above sea level when the height of the radar arch is only 2.5m above it, I'm not a rag and stick jobbie. I thought about going for one of those octahedral collapsable units, but honestly, all the tests point to the sizes I could fit to the boat as just playing lip service, which is not surprising given the wording of the directive. Should I just get a cheap and cheerful collapsible unit to play lipservice or is their something discreet that works and can be tucked away somewhere that also doesn't call for a second mortgage?
 
I went through exactly this dilemma a couple of years ago.
Reading all the reports on passive reflectors shows them to be useless unless they're quite large.
And I simply didn't have room for a large reflector.
Which led me to the conclusion that the only way was to fit an "active" reflector - much smaller, more effective but of course loads of £££ compared to a passive jobby.
For the same £££ as an active Sea-Me or the other one radar reflector I could have an AIS transponder, which not only tells people where you are but what heading, speed, name and size of vessel.

So that's what I ended up with.

Opinions vary on whether active reflector or AIS transponder is "better" but that's the conclusion I came to.
Your decision may be different!
 
I haven't been run down either and I am sure I light up pretty well on radar without, but the local harbour and estuary rules take the SOLAS directives to heart. £50k fines for entering or leaving without working Nav lights or switched on at dusk, radar reflector etc. Haven't heard of anyone clobbered or booked yet but I sure as hell don't want to be the first for either.
 
I have one of those tubular things - must get around to fixing it .
Surely you can't fall foul of the authorities if you have a radar reflector of any sort .......... and its fitted somewhere reasonably high on the boat.
 
Well therein lies the interpretation of such words as biggest reasonably capable etc etc. Anything reasonable is lip service to the directive because they simply dont meet the ISO standard or starts getting expensive if they do but you cannot mount them high enough to meet the directive so still fall foul. It's a load of poppycock if you ask me. Lip service it is then.
 
Think I'm with Jez on this one, any research that I have done shows them to perform pretty poorly if at all.

My one fell off in high winds in SCM last winter and I doubt I will bother replacing it, if other boats cant see all the other bits and electronics I have on my boat, radar and AIS etc., but I wait to be convinced.....
 
Think regulations say that you should carry and use when conditions warrant.

We had similar situation ... but a bit taller than you with a SS arch, so carry plenty of angular metal to give radar signals .... so went the cheap collapsible route (most pilot boats and fishing boats up here have one of those strapped up somewhere). We did have a suitable bracket available, so did fix this to reflector and mounted on the arch as we had the space. (arguably not at the optimal "rain catcher" angle)... Pragmatic, cheap and in the spirit of the regs...
 
Some years ago one of the mags tested numerous passive reflectors, and basically the results were not good. In fact, the conclusion was that they might lead to a false sense of being seen and so cause more resulting issues than not having one.
I have an echomax, as I don't have a radar arch anyway.It is not mounted very high, but has a flashing light if it detects a radar signal. That is not the say that same vessel received then receives the bounce back from the ecomax I guess, but I had to be in a pretty remote part of Brittany before it stopped detecting something. In fact I called them and asked if the thing was working or the flashing light was playing up, as it almost never stopped flashing...
 
chuzzlewit said:
Google "Qinetiq radar reflector test" and you will know all. Get an active reflector.
Click to expand...

Yes, I like the statement on page-1: "Finally, it is essential for yachtsmen to be aware that, notwithstanding the type of radar reflector fitted, in certain circumstances their craft may still not be readily visible on ships’ radars and thus they should always navigate with caution."

Buy a radar reflector and throw caution to the wind.......

Just kidding, any device that even slightly improves your chances of being seen can only be a good thing. Passive or active, there is always a risk even with good planning that you could get caught, if that coincides with a potential collision event. My assessment is: Likelihood very low - Severity very high. Remains low on my list of priorities.....
 
The main limitation to passive radar reflectors is the much diminished return at more than (say) 10 degrees of heel which most sailing boats would normally be at, one way or another. I would have thought a mobo did not heel so much so a passive radar reflector would be worth having?
 
I have a collapsable aluminium jobbie. It lives in the bottom of the wardrobe! I have not been run down yet and neither has the wardrobe! LOL

I boat on the North Norfolk coast and thankfully on the rare occasions I get out to sea, fog is very unusual.... as are other boats for that matter.
I do have an AIS transponder, but will probably carp myself the first time it comes in foggy, drop the anchor and break out the trumpet.
 
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