Radar used or not?

[Cheeky Girl]

Looking at the web cam yesterday while working .

I was aware of how many boats had a radar then wondered should I spend £2-4k to get one but then I though how ofter would I actually use it.

How often do people actually use it?

My sailing area is the Clyde and the West coast.

 

[pvb]

Hardly ever! But, when it's needed, it's well worthwhile.

 

[PilotWolf]

But you need to
use it in good conditions too so youre comfortable when you need it.

W

 

[RupertW]

I have never used radar in a long time cruising and it has rarely felt high up my priority list. But that may be because at the time I could spend enough on boating to buy one I had moved my sailing to warmer climes where fog very very rarely happens. If I was still sailing on the UK South Coast I might think differently.

 

[RAI]

In fog, of course. At night, if you sail in waters where fishing boats operate without lights.
It needs practice, adjusting the radar settings.
Watching squalls is interesting too.
Add AIS to the screen for even more situational awareness.

 

[RJJ]

We've had our boat 2 years. I switch on the radar a handful of times a season to see if the screen is what I expect and to remind myself of the controls.

We've actually used it once when sailing through a small fog bank. There was a boat to avoid, which didn't have AIS, and we were very glad of the radar.

It's not just about fog. You can have reduced visibility in heavy rain.

If you're happy to stay in port whenever fog or other reduced visibility is a possibility, then you're fine without it.

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

I only remember using the Radar a couple of times. Last time it was some 6 years ago when approaching the Needles early morning in heavy fog and busy with cargo shipping, sailing yachts and small fishing boats. When you are in fog, the radar is a must.

 

[Jamie Dundee]

All the time. Not necessary in good visibility but useful to be comfortable with settings and understanding what it’s showing you when the going gets crappy.

 

[RichardS]

I would go for an AIS transceiver as a first step. It's a lot cheaper than radar, is easily self-installed and you may well find that it satisfies all your needs.

Richard

 

[pvb]

I think that the radar/chart overlay is one of the easiest ways of making sense of radar images. As others have said, it takes practise, but it's worth it.

Regardless, radar isn't foolproof. I well recall coming out of Dover early one morning to find myself in thick fog. With the radar on, I crawled along for a while. Then I saw a little dinghy pass close by, with several guys fishing. It hadn't registered on the radar, and a few metres the wrong way and I'd have run them over. Whatever is in these people's heads to go out in a tiny dinghy in thick fog?

 

[pvb]

I would go for an AIS transceiver as a first step. It's a lot cheaper than radar, is easily self-installed and you may well find that it satisfies all your needs.

AIS is passive; it relies on other boats transmitting AIS in order for you to be aware of them. Radar is active; you should be able to see most significantly-sized boats regardless of whatever they're doing.

 

[RichardS]

AIS is passive; it relies on other boats transmitting AIS in order for you to be aware of them. Radar is active; you should be able to see most significantly-sized boats regardless of whatever they're doing.

None of that means that AIS won't satisfy the OP's requirements ..... and at far lower cost and less hassle. After I installed my AIS, I permanently deleted radar from my boaty wish list.

Richard

 

[pvb]

None of that means that AIS won't satisfy the OP's requirements ..... and at far lower cost and less hassle. After I installed my AIS, I permanently deleted radar from my boaty wish list.

The OP didn't specify his requirements.

 

[Jamie Dundee]

AIS doesn’t show land/many ATN/boats without transponders. Best solution is AIS overlaid onto radar overlaid onto chart. You will need an electronic compass to overlay radar onto chart though.

 

[michael_w]

I love my radar just like the echo sounder it's completely up to date. ie it shows the actual rather than what the cartographer thinks there is!

Poor visibility is not necessary. Try approaching Brighton Marina at night. It's a mass of lights, yet radar makes it clear. On our first approach to Rompoot Sluis where there is a dog-leg on the way in turn on the radar and it easy.

I've been into Whitehead Harbour in Nova Scotia twice and never seen the shore.

Problem with it, it isn't plug n' play. It need s tuning like a musical instrument and interpretation, which comes with practice.

 

[Blueboatman]

I have used my radar twice in earnest in what, 12 years? But I was very pleased to use it ?
Otoh as a sailing boat, it is windage, weight and complexity aloft . And a bit of power although less with modern machines.

None of which answers your question really , I’m sorry .

But when you are sailing onto a beach in fog and looking for the two groins that are the 50m wide drying harbour entrance channel , and you are definitely ‘ there’ by gps yet not trusting that you might actually be sailing up the beach 52m either side of the groins ... then -THEN-radar is really rather worth it , I can assure you .
And it shows if there are any other craft about , either angling in or coming out ?

 

[RichardS]

The OP didn't specify his requirements.

Two of my key requirements are food and water. Do you need me to specify them .... or would you be able to infer them from the fact that I am clearly a human being?

Now, the OP is the owner of a sailing vessel and she is asking about radar and how often people actually use it so it only takes a similar stretch in imagination to infer what she believes her requirements might be.

However, in the context of my phrase "None of that means that AIS won't satisfy the OP's requirements", it is clearly explicit that AIS might, or might not, satisfy the OP's requirements without me needing to specify what those requirements might, or might not, be as I am obviously leaving that assessment up to the OP.

Richard

 

[pvb]

Two of my key requirements are food and water. Do you need me to specify them .... or would you be able to infer them from the fact that I am clearly a human being?

Now, the OP is the owner of a sailing vessel and she is asking about radar and how often people actually use it so it only takes a similar stretch in imagination to infer what she believes her requirements might be.

However, in the context of my phrase "None of that means that AIS won't satisfy the OP's requirements", it is clearly explicit that AIS might, or might not, satisfy the OP's requirements without me needing to specify what those requirements might, or might not, be as I am obviously leaving that assessment up to the OP.

That's rather a stretch of imagination. Even for you.

 

[capnsensible]

AIS is passive; it relies on other boats transmitting AIS in order for you to be aware of them. Radar is active; you should be able to see most significantly-sized boats regardless of whatever they're doing.

Yeah, radar is heaps ahead of AIS. Regular practice and it's a very useful tool. But it does depend on your style of sailing as you,point out.

Familiar waters, daylight hours? Not really necessary. Coastal cruising? Getting in the zone. Especially for those gazillions of boats without AIS. Well offshore or tropical sailing? Dogs doodahs for rainsquall dodging.

If I'm on a yacht that has it fitted, I'll use it. Don't see the point of it just sat there! Unless, like today sailing my own radar fitted yacht I'm in very familiar waters on a lovely sunny morning. ?

 

[pvb]

Unless, like today sailing my own radar fitted yacht I'm in very familiar waters on a lovely sunny morning. ?

Lovely sunny day in England today too! Been lying out in the garden on sunloungers, dipping in the pool, having nostalgic thoughts of beach bar lunches in Spain.