Radar System: YES or NO? - Do you really need a radar cruising the Med?

[petem]

The original question is entirely dependent on how you plan to use your boat.

In 6 years of pottering up and down the Spanish coast, we've never needed radar nor AIS. I think we've only once been caught out by a small patch of mist, that we could see coming a mile off and we were able to take appropriate shelter before is affected us.

 

[MapisM]

Do you really use or need a radar cruising the Mediterranian / France / Italy / Croatia?

Plenty of people cruised the Med (and beyond) without a radar, and they still are.
In fact, I came across a few of them who, with less instruments than you will find on some big boats tenders, crunched a helluva lot of miles!
So, if the question is do you really NEED it, the short answer is patently no.
Then again, if the question is do you USE it, occasionally I did.
But not because of any strong need: more a case of if you've got one, why not play with it a bit...?

 

[Carsten64]

since 12 years sailing the med in summer....AIS is really good but Radar never used ......i like ais to identify and call a contact esp the commercial carrier to check if they see me and where to pass.....