radar

[KenMcCulloch]

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Is there a recommended course for radar or a sea school that anybody can recommend, not just to tick an RYA box.
Just about to fit the radome (when I can get the mast down) and hoped to do a course with SWMBO.
Thanks

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The RYA small boat radar course (or whatever it's called) is very good and worth doing. You will learn about the benefits of a stabilised display, parallel indexing and loads more. Using radar is not all that difficult but there are quite a few pitfalls and the course will make you aware of the limitations of your set as well as its potential.

 

[Slowtack]

Came with the boat, only needed to use it in bad fog once in 3 seasons but wouldnt be without it. Current prices are very reasonable for basic systems . Interfacing with GPS so that your waypoint and route show on the radar screen is a good idea.

 

[CPD]

Personal choice at the end of the day but I have one, sail mostly single handed and wouldn't be without it on longer trips.

 

[charles_reed]

Rated just below compass and depth sounder and above chart-plotter,vhf, AIS etc.

Particularly useful for the single-handed sailing yacht, where there's a shortage of eyeballs for keeping watch.

Make sure it has guard zones/alarms, is viewable from the cockpit and has the largest screen you can accommodate/afford.

My Raytheon 10X has been utterly invaluable during the 16 years it's been fitted and I'm just awaiting the marketplace producing a chartplotter/AIS/radar compatible unit - mainly due to lack of space round the navigatorium - to replace all three.

Unfortunately you don't know what you're missing if you don't have it.