Radome position

[Hunter34]

Finally I am ready to install the Radar this weekend.
Duralac, Monel rivets, Lazy tongue and scanstrut are all at the ready but I am still undecided as to exactly where to mount the radome.
Obviously its going on the mast but I am not sure whether to mount it on the front of the mast or the side (just above lower spreaders).
Its the JRC1500mk2 which has the larger radome so I am a little worried that the foresail may knock the thing off the mast though I notice that most of the other boats in the marina have the radome pointing forward without any guard so I guess this cannot be a common occurence? (or is it)
I only use a 110 on a furler with a chute when the wind is light so I guess there would be less chance of it catching the radome than say a huge Genoa.
If I decide to go for the sideways option is the larger cross section of the mast likely to produce a blindspot.
Also the boat has well swept back spreaders so if I do mount it sideways the main still cannot touch it when running.The only thing that puts me off mounting it on the side of the mast is it looks a little odd.

What say all you wise folks?

Thanks

Andrew

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[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

Rather than from a purely aesthetic consideration I would be worried about the offset weight 16ft of so up the mast. The 1500 radome is approximately 5kg, add the weight of the scanstrut and it will be an appreciable counter balance on your mast.

I have the raymarine equivalent and sail with a 145% genoa, so far I have not seen a problem with the sail making contact with the dome which is mounted around 20" above my crosstrees. I have though had running rigging wrap around the wrong side of the dome which is not a big problem if you expect it, all my running rigging is external.

I would definitely mount to the front of the mast unless you have a really important reason not to. I suspect two things, if your genoa was going to make contact with the radome it would also make contact with the crosstree which would be much worse and if it did the dome is fairly rounded to such a degree that the sail should just roll across it!

Just my tuppence, not based on fact but personal experience of recently fitting a radar.

Have fun with the lazy tongs!

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

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[salamicollie]

Like Topcat I also have a large (150%) genoa and a JRC1500 at the cross trees - no problem tacking, and like topcat halyards occ get caught as the do on the radar reflector...

No real reason not to fit on the front of the mast, though I have seen some fitted on the side, but this gives you a fairly serious deadzone

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[discovery2]

I would consider it better to site the radome on the front of the mast, to avoid a 'blind spot' to the side.

There is a sailing boat in our marina with the radome sited on the starboard side of the mast, only because the radome mounting interfered with the furling gear/track fitted to the front of the mast.

David

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[Hunter34]

Thanks guys

I just wanted a little reassurance before I fix this thing to the mast.
Looks like its going o the front of the mast then.

Andrew

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[MarkJohnson]

Re: Thanks guys

I have recently fitted the Radome on the front of the mast, so far there has been no problems with the genoa.

Also the radar seems to pick up objects behind the mast OK.

Mark J

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