Recommend me a radar

[SimonX]

We (as part of a group of three couples) are on the brink of buying a Linssen 43.9
Its a 2011 boat and has only ever been used on inland waterways in the Netherlands and has never had a radar although it has a plotter.
One of the couples (my in-laws) envisage going into some wider waters in northern Netherlands and we will, longer term, be doing coastal and bigger rivers, so we think it sensible to have radar.
For reasons mentioned elsewhere, we also want to change the existing receive only AIS to a TX/RX type
The equipment onboard is original Linssen from from 2011, it is all Raymarine
C120W Plotter
AIS 250 AIS unit
ST6002 Autopilot Control
ST60 Tridata Display
The broker has expressed the opinion that we will struggle to get a new radar that will work with the plotter and we'd be better changing it and said that sellers often have equipment that is last generation but will still be adequate for what we need and will be supported for 5 years or more. He thought we'd probably get something for 4-5k Euros
I had a quick browse online and found this:
AXIOM+ radar pack
Will this work with the other older items? Can you suggest what AIS we should include?
This is a pretty insignificant amount compared to what we are spending on the boat but want to be sure this is all we need and wont wind up ripping the whole system to bits

 

[Elessar]

We (as part of a group of three couples) are on the brink of buying a Linssen 43.9
Its a 2011 boat and has only ever been used on inland waterways in the Netherlands and has never had a radar although it has a plotter.
One of the couples (my in-laws) envisage going into some wider waters in northern Netherlands and we will, longer term, be doing coastal and bigger rivers, so we think it sensible to have radar.
For reasons mentioned elsewhere, we also want to change the existing receive only AIS to a TX/RX type
The equipment onboard is original Linssen from from 2011, it is all Raymarine
C120W Plotter
AIS 250 AIS unit
ST6002 Autopilot Control
ST60 Tridata Display
The broker has expressed the opinion that we will struggle to get a new radar that will work with the plotter and we'd be better changing it and said that sellers often have equipment that is last generation but will still be adequate for what we need and will be supported for 5 years or more. He thought we'd probably get something for 4-5k Euros
I had a quick browse online and found this:
AXIOM+ radar pack
Will this work with the other older items? Can you suggest what AIS we should include?
This is a pretty insignificant amount compared to what we are spending on the boat but want to be sure this is all we need and wont wind up ripping the whole system to bits

I’m just changing our nav and am fitting a raymarine axiom and cyclone radar.

I’m waiting for the new dash panel and have not been to sea yet but the radar and plotter have impressed me enormously. Screen clarity, responsiveness and touch screen is iPad quality and a leap forward from the C125 I had before and that’s a generation newer than yours so you will really benefit from changing to the axiom.

Your AIS, pilot and tridata will work with the axiom so you just need the plotter and the radar. You may need some linking cables / boxes that’s all.

I’m sure the radar you linked to will be brilliant radars have come on a long way. The 4ft open array cyclone we have seems to be brilliant under test conditions.

 

[jakew009]

We (as part of a group of three couples) are on the brink of buying a Linssen 43.9
Its a 2011 boat and has only ever been used on inland waterways in the Netherlands and has never had a radar although it has a plotter.
One of the couples (my in-laws) envisage going into some wider waters in northern Netherlands and we will, longer term, be doing coastal and bigger rivers, so we think it sensible to have radar.
For reasons mentioned elsewhere, we also want to change the existing receive only AIS to a TX/RX type
The equipment onboard is original Linssen from from 2011, it is all Raymarine
C120W Plotter
AIS 250 AIS unit
ST6002 Autopilot Control
ST60 Tridata Display
The broker has expressed the opinion that we will struggle to get a new radar that will work with the plotter and we'd be better changing it and said that sellers often have equipment that is last generation but will still be adequate for what we need and will be supported for 5 years or more. He thought we'd probably get something for 4-5k Euros
I had a quick browse online and found this:
AXIOM+ radar pack
Will this work with the other older items? Can you suggest what AIS we should include?
This is a pretty insignificant amount compared to what we are spending on the boat but want to be sure this is all we need and wont wind up ripping the whole system to bits

The Quantum 2 is better than the original Quantum radar as it has doppler. They are both pretty old though released in 2016 and 2018 so suspect they will be updated soon.

I’d replace the C120W with an Axiom+ 12 and replace the AIS with an AIS700 unit if you want to stay Raymarine. The autopilot and instruments you already have will continue to work.

You don’t need to stick with Raymarine though, you could go with any brand for the plotter and radar and they will integrate with your existing autopilot and instruments.

There are ardent supporters of every brand, some people will tell you one brand is better than others but the reality is they all have pros and cons so it’s personal preference.

 

[Elessar]

The Quantum 2 is better than the original Quantum radar as it has doppler. They are both pretty old though released in 2016 and 2018 so suspect they will be updated soon.

I’d replace the C120W with an Axiom+ 12 and replace the AIS with an AIS700 unit if you want to stay Raymarine. The autopilot and instruments you already have will continue to work.

You don’t need to stick with Raymarine though, you could go with any brand for the plotter and radar and they will integrate with your existing autopilot and instruments.

There are ardent supporters of every brand, some people will tell you one brand is better than others but the reality is they all have pros and cons so it’s personal preference.

Agree it’s like the PC/Mac debate.

Doppler radar is great.

Why are you suggesting changing the AIS (is there no TX on the legacy one?)

 

[jakew009]

Agree it’s like the PC/Mac debate.

Doppler radar is great.

Why are you suggesting changing the AIS (is there no TX on the legacy one?)

AIS250 is receive only

 

[RunAgroundHard]

I would recommend an Emtrak AIS unit. Based on advise on here and information from YBW Emtrak make most of the internals for other brands of AIS units. Of course compare prices between Raymarine and Emtrak AIS, however, I have been very happy running Emtrak B953 through Axiom+ 12, works flawlessly. The B953 was cable only, not wifi, hence hard wired into the STNG network. I replicate Axiom+ (wifi) on my iPad using Raymarine App, so can see AIS remotely, so lack of wifi is not an issue for me.

 

[SimonX]

Agree it’s like the PC/Mac debate.

Doppler radar is great.

Why are you suggesting changing the AIS (is there no TX on the legacy one?)

We had Raymarine on our old boat, albeit a very old. (2001) and small system so am happy to use again.

The existing AIS is receive only and, as @Alicatt has posted, send/receive is becoming compulsory in Belgium where we will travel and the lock keepers on bigger rivers in France use it to time operations

 

[jakew009]

The Onwa KS200A+ is not a bad option if you want to save a load of money.

Can normally buy it for about 225/250 including shipping and vat.

Onwa KS200A+ AIS

Does basically everything even the most fancy emtrak units do (including WiFi).

The only thing it doesn’t have is an VHF antenna splitter.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I would recommend an Emtrak AIS unit. Based on advise on here and information from YBW Emtrak make most of the internals for other brands of AIS units. Of course compare prices between Raymarine and Emtrak AIS, however, I have been very happy running Emtrak B953 through Axiom+ 12, works flawlessly. The B953 was cable only, not wifi, hence hard wired into the STNG network. I replicate Axiom+ (wifi) on my iPad using Raymarine App, so can see AIS remotely, so lack of wifi is not an issue for me.

I was about to say that.

SRT, the parent company of EmTrak make the AIS700, they also make Garmin AIS and several others. I've been supplying the B953 for about £300 less than the AIS700.

 

[SimonX]

The Quantum 2 is better than the original Quantum radar as it has doppler. They are both pretty old though released in 2016 and 2018 so suspect they will be updated soon.

I’d replace the C120W with an Axiom+ 12 and replace the AIS with an AIS700 unit if you want to stay Raymarine. The autopilot and instruments you already have will continue to work.

You don’t need to stick with Raymarine though, you could go with any brand for the plotter and radar and they will integrate with your existing autopilot and instruments.

There are ardent supporters of every brand, some people will tell you one brand is better than others but the reality is they all have pros and cons so it’s personal preference.

The same supplier has the AIS700 so total would be 5500 Euro. Raymarine AIS700 transponder: SOTDMA + Splitter - Comptoir Nautique
Sound like a plan
Or the Emtrak https://en.comptoirnautique.com/receiver-ais-transponder/31161-em-trak-ais-b923-class-b-transponder-2w-vhf-splitter-672975210526.html

 

[PaulRainbow]

We had Raymarine on our old boat, albeit a very old. (2001) and small system so am happy to use again.

The existing AIS is receive only and, as @Alicatt has posted, send/receive is becoming compulsory in Belgium where we will travel and the lock keepers on bigger rivers in France use it to time operations

You may need to change your VHF for one with ATIS.

If you had a Garmin plotter and VHF you can call an AIS target with a couple of screen taps, from the plotter.

 

[PaulRainbow]

The same supplier has the AIS700 so total would be 5500 Euro. Raymarine AIS700 transponder: SOTDMA + Splitter - Comptoir Nautique
Sound like a plan
Or the Emtrak https://en.comptoirnautique.com/receiver-ais-transponder/31161-em-trak-ais-b923-class-b-transponder-2w-vhf-splitter-672975210526.html

I can still beat that by £100

 

[SimonX]

You misunderstood what Alicatt said, it's not AIS that works as you describe above it is ATIS. So you may need to change your VHF for one with ATIS.

If you had a Garmin plotter and VHF you can call an AIS target with a couple of screen taps, from the plotter.

I clarified this with him
Post in thread 'Linssen Boats - good or bad?'
Linssen Boats - good or bad?

The VHF is ATIS compatible

 

[Alicatt]

Yeah the VHF radio has to be ATIS for inland waterways, that has been so for some time now,

The new implementation arriving on 1/7/2026 is AIS + VHF as the preferred method for operation of the locks and bridges, however there will also be a Waterweg App that you can use on a smartphone.

From what I have read you have to have the App running though out your voyage, whether in the background or not I don't know, the Waterweg are looking for beta testers just now but I have not applied as I will be using AIS+VHF which works great.
I have used that on the Dessel canal, you give a call at the first lock/bridge and the bridges open as you approach them, next sector change VHF channel and give a call and same thing happens, once you get within a few hundred meters of the bridge/lock the lights change and then the bridge opens once you are there. The Dessel is a little used narrow canal where they were trying out the system.

I use an EmTrak 953

 

[Sticky Fingers]

What a great system (provided it works), seems well thought out. I suppose it does depend on everyone having it.

 

[Alicatt]

On the Day Skipper course the boat was fitted with all Raymarine, I think the radar was a Quantum, and the MFD was a Hybrid Touch
Was very easy to use and we did need to use it in the poor conditions we were out in, marking targets and getting a plot on their course to deconflict our path,

 

[SimonX]

On the Day Skipper course the boat was fitted with all Raymarine, I think the radar was a Quantum, and the MFD was a Hybrid Touch
Was very easy to use and we did need to use it in the poor conditions we were out in, marking targets and getting a plot on their course to deconflict our path,

View attachment 207290
View attachment 207291

Looks like the boat we are training on has the same setup we are talking about buying

 

[Sticky Fingers]

That boat’s for sale and they’ve bought a much newer replacement. I did quite a few courses on FD, I’ve also crewed for others doing their Yachtmasters. IMHO the Raymarine electronics were good enough, but not the latest standard at the time. They may have been upgraded by now, certainly needed it.

The new boat might be in service by the time you do your course.

Great training school by the way.

 

[Alicatt]

We were on Timeless, a Botnia Targa 35, twin D6 400hp on DP out drives
On the above pic we were doing 21-22 knots into a choppy sea on the Clyde, Storm Emma was forecast to hit later that day, so we cut our trip short only going as far as the Kyles of Bute rather than the full circumnavigation of the island we had planned the day before. Coming back we were doing 25knots with a following sea with about 1m to 1.5m waves any slower and the waves were pushing the stern around, not scary or that, just took more effort to keep her straight, at 25knots we were just overtaking the waves and I could plot a course through them. Flat out the boat can do around 40knots, very nice boat but would not like to do a week long cruise on her.
Weather was so bad that we never used the flybridge on the open water, only when manoeuvring in the marina.
We had bring our own biscuits...

By coincidence this was the yachtmaster course out on their jolly the following week from us doing the day skipper


This is the same location from when we did the course, looking from Timeless to the shore


Edit: this was the view on the way back, exiting from Loch Long into the Clyde

between the darkness and low cloud/fog it took the three of us to keep a look out for our marks and waypoints.

 

[dunedin]

We (as part of a group of three couples) are on the brink of buying a Linssen 43.9
Its a 2011 boat and has only ever been used on inland waterways in the Netherlands and has never had a radar although it has a plotter.
One of the couples (my in-laws) envisage going into some wider waters in northern Netherlands and we will, longer term, be doing coastal and bigger rivers, so we think it sensible to have radar.
For reasons mentioned elsewhere, we also want to change the existing receive only AIS to a TX/RX type
The equipment onboard is original Linssen from from 2011, it is all Raymarine
C120W Plotter
AIS 250 AIS unit
ST6002 Autopilot Control
ST60 Tridata Display
The broker has expressed the opinion that we will struggle to get a new radar that will work with the plotter and we'd be better changing it and said that sellers often have equipment that is last generation but will still be adequate for what we need and will be supported for 5 years or more. He thought we'd probably get something for 4-5k Euros
I had a quick browse online and found this:
AXIOM+ radar pack
Will this work with the other older items? Can you suggest what AIS we should include?
This is a pretty insignificant amount compared to what we are spending on the boat but want to be sure this is all we need and wont wind up ripping the whole system to bits

We had a similar generation E90Wide plotter on our boat from the same era. Decent kit but very dated now - and things like the AIS vectors are much inferior to more recon kit.
I would - and did - sell the C120W on eBay and replace with a current generation plotter. Much better software and avoids constraining the other kit.
All the basic speed depth etc will work fine with the new plotter.
Then get the latest radar to match (if you need radar on inland waters).