Stand alone radar choice (Lowrance 3g radar)

[Peter]

Looking for a new radar for the yacht, more money to spend. Looking to spend up to £2000 for a stand along radar, although looked not many found, only the Fururno 1715 radar although not given a good write up. Was also looking at the Raymaine C120 and radar bundle package, as this would give an additional chartplotter, but told these items where going "cheap" as the products where going to be discontinued, getting rid of old stock. Also suggested to me was the Lowarance HDS7M and 3g radar dome as a bundle, which would come within my price range so intrested.
A couple of questions, are Lowarance any good as a manufacture with respect to reliability/service as I have no experiance of Lowance products, and do the 3g (broadband) radars work?. Any answers let me know, Or any other recommendations for a radar system.

Thanks

Peter

 

[Neeves]

I can commend Navico's 3 (or 4) G radar. Its not much use beyond about 18-20nm but if you have a sailing yacht that's possibly acceptable. Very good close range target identification (you can see your bow and the dinghy moored to the transom) - so very good in dense fog or mist. No warm up, low power on standby, and lower power, in comparison to pulse radar, when in use. (3G uses slightly less power than 4G, 4G has slightly greater range). We have a sailing cat and the low power usage and close range target identification (inside the blind zone of pulse radar), no warm up (so instant on) are the real winners. it works well in rain. If you need to see at 24nm - do not buy!

I'd hesitate to recommend Lowrance, we have never used any of their equipment, we have the Simrad NSS (with 3G). But I would go for the B&G Zeus Touch, best thing since sliced bread, for a sailing yacht. But Zeus Touch and Broadband 3G (or 4G) combined might be outside your budget. I'm in Oz, so UK prices are unknown. We are happy with Navico here, but cannot comment on Navico service in the UK. The kit is easy to install (other than the radar cable up the mast, the radar cable has the flexibility of a game fishing rod, and needs patience)

A cautionary note - when you lock yourself into the new chart plotter (and radar) you start to lock yourself into the rest of the manufacturer's kit, so if you need a new autopilot, wind gear or depth sounder its easier to go with the same as the chartplotter, MFD, that you have - so you would need look at the implications - if your current autopilot goes down will you be happy with Navico etc.

If you have access to America's Practical Sailor they have done reviews of the NSS, a comparison of 3G and 4G and are about to publish a review on Zeus Touch. You could also look at Panbo, but they seem a bit biased.

good luck

Jonathan

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Lowrance have a good reputation here in the UK for mid range priced products.... I had a Lowrance plotter for a long while, and it was excellent...

 

[prv]

I can commend Navico's 3 (or 4) G radar.
[...]
I'd hesitate to recommend Lowrance,

Fairly sure Lowrance, Simrad and B&G are these days all just brands used by Navico - they're the same company.

A cautionary note - when you lock yourself into the new chart plotter (and radar) you start to lock yourself into the rest of the manufacturer's kit, so if you need a new autopilot, wind gear or depth sounder its easier to go with the same as the chartplotter, MFD, that you have

I believe NMEA2000 compatibility is much better these days, so you shouldn't be locked in to one manufacturer's kit - although you may choose to have matching stuff for aesthetic purposes! Of more concern to me would be that you tie yourself to a particular flavour of electronic chart.

For what it's worth, when I considered almost the same question a few months ago, I came down in favour of the Lowrance kit, the HDS7m and either the 3G or 4G radar (think the 4G was still new at the time so not many details or prices around). In the end I decided to keep the existing classic Raymarine setup for a few more years, but I'm sold on the benefits of broadband radar for my purposes.

EDIT: Meant to say something about "standalone" in particular - you're unlikely to find this nowadays. The only units I've seen have been aimed at commercial use, with prices to match. At the leisure end, it is assumed that people will want to use a single screen for both charts and radar. Even if you want them separate, it may well be cheaper to use a plotter set permanently on radar mode, rather than a truly dedicated device.

Pete