Recommend me a radar

dunedin said:
Then get the latest radar to match (if you need radar on inland waters).
Click to expand...
Not so much on the inland waterways, rivers like the Maas and Rhine then a definite plus and if they are planning on going out on the open sea.

It is only the boats that are used out at sea that have radars on them in our club, the inland only boats, none have radar.
We are looking at radar but it is not a needed item just now, later when my wife decides that she is confident enough to tackle the route to Denmark then we will put one on.
 
I have 2 Axiom plotters and the Quantum 2 Radar ..... very happy with the setup. Particularly like the ability to differentiate between targets closing on me and those heading away ..... watching squalls is also fascinating as it allows me to dodge the rain.

System looks like this ... replaced a complete Raymarine system from 2008.

1772624905503.png
 
dunedin said:
Then get the latest radar to match (if you need radar on inland waters).
Click to expand...
As per original message, the radar is for areas like the Merkemeer, IJsselmeer and bigger rivers like the Seine and Rhine as well as coastal
 
Given that you're intending to use the boat on inland waterways as well as on the wider open areas (where radar would indeed be very useful), you may need to consider the impact that the radar scanner will have on your air draft. Arranging that the radar mast can be folded down would probably be a very worthwhile investment. Folding radar masts are common on inland waterway boats in Europe, so it should be straightforward to find the appropriate fittings for your boat and a shipyard with experience to install correctly. If the mast with the installed radar scanner is heavy, power assisted folding can be beneficial.
 
Baggywrinkle said:
I have 2 Axiom plotters and the Quantum 2 Radar ..... very happy with the setup. Particularly like the ability to differentiate between targets closing on me and those heading away ..... watching squalls is also fascinating as it allows me to dodge the rain.

System looks like this ... replaced a complete Raymarine system from 2008.

View attachment 207298
Click to expand...
Wow, thats some system. I haven't even seen the boat yet to find out what is hooked up to it. Im assuming the engine as is VP and there are no analog instruments apart from a rev counter. The other Linssens we looked at had a Victron charger/invertor ( Quatro 3000 IIRC). I like the idea of having the plotter remotely on the iPad (or even the Mac). One of the Brooms we looked at had it on the TV but that seemed rather clumsy unless you are just viewing
 
Sticky Fingers said:
Given that you're intending to use the boat on inland waterways as well as on the wider open areas (where radar would indeed be very useful), you may need to consider the impact that the radar scanner will have on your air draft. Arranging that the radar mast can be folded down would probably be a very worthwhile investment. Folding radar masts are common on inland waterway boats in Europe, so it should be straightforward to find the appropriate fittings for your boat and a shipyard with experience to install correctly. If the mast with the installed radar scanner is heavy, power assisted folding can be beneficial.
Click to expand...
The mast on Linssens folds
The 45 we looked at even had it hydraulically powered.
The screens can also be folded or removed completely which may be necessary if we ever get to her ladyship's desired destination, Canal du Midi, as there are two bridges there it will only make it under with extreme care (very old arched bridges which are 3.2 in the centre but lower very quickly off centre.)
 
SimonX said:
Wow, thats some system. I haven't even seen the boat yet to find out what is hooked up to it. Im assuming the engine as is VP and there are no analog instruments apart from a rev counter. The other Linssens we looked at had a Victron charger/invertor ( Quatro 3000 IIRC). I like the idea of having the plotter remotely on the iPad (or even the Mac). One of the Brooms we looked at had it on the TV but that seemed rather clumsy unless you are just viewing
Click to expand...
I woefully underestimated how long it would take me to fit .... the boat is 600km away and I spent the best part of last year installing it all while trying to fit in holidays as well. It's still not finished ... the Lithium system and Integrel E-Power are going in now so it will have taken me the best part of 18 Months on and off.

Looks pretty though even though most of it is hidden away ...

Before:

1772633702355.jpeg1772633804039.png

During (when I wondered if I had done the right thing ...):

1772634455446.jpeg1772634478326.jpeg

After:

1772633421747.jpeg1772633494890.jpeg
 
Further to this, we are thinking of putting a stern view/reversing camera on. We had one on teh Bayliner and it was a cheap. low res thing with its own tiny tablet monitor but was pretty useful. The company adverstinsg the Radar bundle have a huge range of options ranging from 50 Euro to 2500Euro. Its tempting to go for the Raymarine one but are there beter options?
Marine Electronics Discount: Comptoir Nautique
The other issue is siteing it. On the Bayliner, it was up on the radar arch but we dont have that on this boat (the radar will be on the mast at the bow). Mounting on the hood frame will be a recipe for vibration, likewise to a lesser exent on the handrails. The only real option is on the transom and it will have to be offset due to the door in the centre. Is the angle on these thinsg wide enough for this to work?
The boat is 4.3 m beam and the swim platform about a metre at its centre
IMG_0022.jpeg
 
One of the first things I put on the boat was a rear view mirror, simple to use and at €6 very cheap, it has a suction cup it sticks to the windscreen and affords a good view back, best of all it does not need leccytricity to work 👍
My friend has a couple of truck mirrors attached to the side railings so he can see rearwards from his internal helm - which is his only helm, from the helm position they give a good view along the sides and very helpful when coming along side.
HunterZWilliamsVaart1.JPG
 
Alicatt said:
One of the first things I put on the boat was a rear view mirror, simple to use and at €6 very cheap, it has a suction cup it sticks to the windscreen and affords a good view back, best of all it does not need leccytricity to work 👍
My friend has a couple of truck mirrors attached to the side railings so he can see rearwards from his internal helm - which is his only helm, from the helm position they give a good view along the sides and very helpful when coming along side.
View attachment 207985
Click to expand...
Yeah, i've seen a few with truck mirrors on here
 
Raymarine cameras integrate very well with the Axioms, but of course it’s an expensive option. You might want to wait until you’ve had the boat for a few months, to see whether you actually need the camera. Helming from the upper deck I would expect the visibility to be very good, although if your boat has an internal helm then the visibility from there would definitely be more compromised and in that case you might find a camera would be helpful maybe you want to put on the list for the Winter refit.
 
Sticky Fingers said:
Raymarine cameras integrate very well with the Axioms, but of course it’s an expensive option. You might want to wait until you’ve had the boat for a few months, to see whether you actually need the camera. Helming from the upper deck I would expect the visibility to be very good, although if your boat has an internal helm then the visibility from there would definitely be more compromised and in that case you might find a camera would be helpful maybe you want to put on the list for the Winter refit.
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No internal helm, only upper deck. Its more a case of "if we are going to be fitting the radar and the new plotter, what else do we need?"
Although this can get very expensive when you see things like this: Garmin
(Only available as factory install though)
And,, hey, I have to find something to spend money on, the ladies have a list a mile long. For example, the boat has a really neat slide out glasses rack under the stairs but a couple of the sets aren't complete - so she measured every glass in IKEA to find ones that fit!
I have been looking at tenders, outboards and davits but I think that is definitely a "later" thing. I cant envisage anything on current plans for this year by any of the couples that would that would need it
 
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SimonX said:
Further to this, we are thinking of putting a stern view/reversing camera on. We had one on teh Bayliner and it was a cheap. low res thing with its own tiny tablet monitor but was pretty useful. The company adverstinsg the Radar bundle have a huge range of options ranging from 50 Euro to 2500Euro. Its tempting to go for the Raymarine one but are there beter options?
Marine Electronics Discount: Comptoir Nautique
The other issue is siteing it. On the Bayliner, it was up on the radar arch but we dont have that on this boat (the radar will be on the mast at the bow). Mounting on the hood frame will be a recipe for vibration, likewise to a lesser exent on the handrails. The only real option is on the transom and it will have to be offset due to the door in the centre. Is the angle on these thinsg wide enough for this to work?
The boat is 4.3 m beam and the swim platform about a metre at its centre
Click to expand...

Having owned two aft cabin boats of a similar design I think that you will get sufficient view astern from the helm and won’t need a camera. That said I virtually always had the rear canopy section rolled up when we went out so if you have it closed the view might not be be so good.

Our Hardy has no real rear view from the wheelhouse helm so I fitted a reversing camera from this outfit similar to this

It has a decent wide angle and I have the monitor at the chart table across from the helm and it helps with seeing what is behind us, particularly when on inland waters. The camera is mounted on the mast, which I see isn’t an option for you. I reckon it would be fine on the rear guardrail or perhaps at the base of the rear guardrail next to the gate or maybe on the transom under the top step - issue here is drilling a steel hull and creating a potential corrosion risk.
 
Tapo C460 Battery-Powered 4K Security Camera with Magnetic Base

These come as a magnetic base, but I think it refers to the camera mounting to the base with magnetism and maybe the base still requires conventional fixing.

I can recommend the Tapo range. They are easy to configure, seem very reliable. & battery life is good on the rechargeable ones. Maybe 2 weeks or more. I've seen 3 weeks on one at work.

The view should be wide enough for a transom use.
What I'm intending to do......
I'm thinking of one of these cameras and 2 bases on 2 locations on the boat ( for me it will be down the sides, as my Flybridge helm is in the middle, and sometimes I don't want to keep leaving the helm to see whats happening. )
I intend to grab and position the camera (probably the wife will ) anytime I feel we may need it approaching a berth.
I will have already worked out portside to or stbd side to. I generally just want to see I'm nicely parallel not necessarily the distance from the dock. I'll keep it inside, and have an ipad for the view when required.
You could have a base on the transom thats inconspicuous and just attach the camera when you think it would be useful.

I have a reversing camera onto a large plotter but actually dislike using it.
It's a good view but I just can't make it work for me in anything other than dead calm with no current.
To look at that single view and decode it while other variables are occuring is beyond me. I can't manage the divided attention between the screen and reality.
It's probably made worse because I'm always standing when manoeuvring and the screen probably works if I was sitting and only using that, a bit like in a car.
I fully wired mine, and had to drill the boat to fit it, and it's fine as it's wired to both plotters but that's because a good wireless one wasn't available when I did the work.
 
Oh, I forgot to mention, of the camera/app combinations I've experienced (if not conneting via wires to a plotter) the Tapo is one of the better ones. (I have a few)
 
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