how important is a radar on a lake erie boat?

[camaro_z28]

I'm new to bigger lake boating, and shopping for my new (to me) sea ray. I have seen some great lakes boats for sale have radars, but most dont. I was wondering how useful this option is to have? Its not a deal breaker for me if a boat doesnt have it, but I also have to look at cost of adding it in the future if its a great benefit. Like I said, it new to this so dont take it too hard on me:grin:.

 

[katricol]

So you are stuck in some serious fog and you want to go home....wouldn't it be nice to know if anythings in front of you as you slowly proceed sounding your horn/bell everyminute ???? Oh and then you stay a little later than you wanted....and it's dark, but you want to go home....nice to have radar "see" what's in front of you. I wouldn't be without it and use mine all the time.

 

[Gofirstclass]

Camaro, I have radar on this boat and had it on the prior two, and I almost always boat on the Columbia and Snake Rivers.

It's not so much of whether it's necessary on the waters you boat on, but whether it's necessary for the KIND of boating you do.

Let me try to explain. Most of the boat owners I know don't go out if the weather is bad and if they're caught out in bad weather they sit tight. They also don't like to boat at night. Radar would probably be a waste of money for them.

My Galley Wench and I boat in all kinds of weather, at night, in fog, rain, etc. For us, it's NICE to have but not a requirement. We'd still go out if we didn't have the radar, but we definitely feel safer having it. Here's an example of a day we went out and got caught in a heavy fog. This shot was taken when I was about 5-6 boat lengths from a narrow inlet into the bay where our yacht club is.

Here's what I was seeing on the radar/plotter screen. The purple "blobs" are the radar image superimposed over the plotter screen. The long line the extends from the bow is the "lubber line" and it shows the direction the boat is facing. The angled, shorter line is my actual direction of travel. The two are different here because of the river's current (left to right in this picture). I could see my position, heading and actual course over ground on the chartplotter, so was the radar really necessary? Probably not, but it sure made me feel better about being out there that day.

If I were you I wouldn't let not having a radar be a deal breaker. Chances are, depending on the year of the boat you are considering, the radar may be very old and not anywhere near the quality of the new radars. If you and your wife/family will probably only be boating on nice days I wouldn't bother replacing it. If you, like us, plan to boat in all kinds of weather then the radar is very nice to have.

 

[Presentation]

My reply is radar will do you no good ……until you have it AND learn how to use it.

From my limited personal experience, many recreational boaters that have radar do not know how to use it.

I posted about my radar learning experience here


http://clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4754

 

[jmunro123]

We are in a similar situation as. We are on Lake Huron and use the RADAR occasionally. I practise with it more than I actually use it for any real need.

Could you get away without it. Very likely yes. Is it nice to have? Yes, but the key is knowing how to use it. On our 340 I had no idea until about 2 months after getting the boat.

 

[expressboy]

GoFirstClass,
Great description and example of the use and need for a radar! That inlet in particular with the fast current is a SUPERB reason to use a radar, the radar helps to show the drift of your boat as the relative bearing changes because of current. We had our old 50'trawler up there this summer and I was shocked how much current and how narrow that inlet was and that it serviced such a large marina... If there ever was a place that needed a flow diversion wall that is the place!.We left our boat at CIYC for the summer and based out of there. We absolutely loved the upper Columbia and Snake rivers... but we don't tell anybody.... we want to keep it the way it is!
EXPRESSBOY

 

[Gofirstclass]

Expressboy, did you come to RYC for a bbq one Friday night while you were in our area? If so, we met there. Nice to see you on here.

The Columbia actually flows a lot more water than the Mississippi does. Part of the reason is the depth, but it also is a good size river as you know.

I've seen the current on the Columbia running as high as 4 kts. That doesn't sound like a lot until you're crabbing your boat sideways to get through a tight spot like the one at our club. Current speed is easy to calculate because you subtract (or add) your speed through the water from your speed over ground.

The Snake River, right downstream from Ice Harbor Dam can run as high as 7 kts in the spring when they're spilling lots of water. The river is very narrow there and the water really pics up speed. Makes for a fun trip up river when it's running like that.

If you're familiar with the sheltered bay at CIYC, then you know where I keep my boat. I'm out near the end of the first dock you see when you come around the tip of Clover Island. No current to contend with there, only some gusty winds. That's a lot easier to handle when docking.

 

[Gunn]

I've owned my "new" boat for about a month now. It came with a Garmin radar setup. I would have -never- purchased a radar as an add-on due to the expense. And I wasn't looking for a boat with radar. Just got lucky.

And in the few trips we've taken, I've been learning to use it, all on nice afternoons. I love it! Last night was the first time I actually used it to help me navigate. We went out for an afternoon cruise, our first trip into the Chesapeake Bay. The sun just set and we were about 45 minutes from home. So the last twenty or so minutes were in pretty much complete darkness.

The radar was great. While we pretty much had the river to ourselves, the radar did pick up fish pound nets that we had passed on the way out, but could no longer see on the way back in. These nets are not lit, nor do they appear on a GPS map. We frequently go out in the afternoon and stay until sunset so this will dramatically increase our time on the water and our safety too. Now I'm spoiled and wouldn't want to be without it!

Tom

 

[expressboy]

"The Snake River, right downstream from Ice Harbor Dam can run as high as 7 kts in the spring when they're spilling lots of water. The river is very narrow there and the water really pics up speed. Makes for a fun trip up river when it's running like that.

If you're familiar with the sheltered bay at CIYC, then you know where I keep my boat. I'm out near the end of the first dock you see when you come around the tip of Clover Island. No current to contend with there, only some gusty winds. That's a lot easier to handle when docking."

My previous boat sat at the foot of the CIYC ramp from the 15 of July till the end of September... I do recall seeing your boat!
When I tried to make the last reach below Bonneville at the end of June the current flow was over 8.5kts ( top speed of the previous trawler! ) I sat dead in the water 3/4 mile below the dam at red line for 15 minutes trying to get over the section the tug skippers call the "push" ! finally turned and headed down river at 16kts to seek shelter and to lick my wounds. My new boat will lessen the impact of the current issue... at the cost of fuel!... but they say you can't take it with you so I might as well enjoy it!
I look forward to meeting you next summer!
Expressboy
Also we should keep quiet regarding how nice it is up the rivers.... we don't want the secret to get out!

 

[Gofirstclass]

I know the stretch below Bonneville you're talking about. It does get fast in there!! Yup, I remember seeing your boat there. I wondered who it belonged to.

If you're coming up again next summer give me a shout on here. We'll get together and toss one back.

 

[sbw1]

All of the Great Lakes are big enough to warrant the need for Radar. If you travel for any distance, you will eventually need it. I traveled for years with just a Loran and spent a fair amount of time searching for pier heads that would have been obvious but for the lack of a radar. Been using it for 25+ years and would never go back. It's also very useful when finding your way home on rivers and small lakes in inclement weather. If you never do that, then you would only need it when the weather changes unexpectedly. That happens on the Great Lakes fairly often as you know.

 

[Henry Boyd]

A couple of things I picked up from taking a couple of radar classes;

1) Radar is helpful in letting you know where you are in the fog or dark. Radar is even more useful in helping you see OTHER boats in the dark and fog. They may not have radar and be able to see you.

2) If you have radar it should be on, even if only on standby, at all times the boat is moving. This is a liability thing. Boats (and owners) have shared liability in the event of a collision. If you were to be involved in a collision with the radar off, you would be deemed to be partially at fault because you were not taking all reasonable care and vigilance to avoid an accident.

Having the radar on, and being in a collision does not automatically penalize you either, because it is recognized that the operator has many tasks to do and can't be viewing the radar 100% of the time.

Henry

 

[Lake Erie Boater]

I will give you my opinion as a basically a Lake Erie "fair weather" boater as I have a wife, kids and therefore just don't go looking for trouble in respect of our lake.

My boat came with its radar. My previous boat did not. And while we enjoyed the lake without radar for years, I did not know what I was missing. Over the past 3 seasons of ownership of this boat, I have gone from occasional use "just to see if it works" to spinning the scanner at all times just as soon as we leave the marina. While mandatory is too strong for the Lake Erie pleasure boater, having radar is an awesome tool to supplement even the avid and most alert skipper. Even in the most beautiful summer day, I find myself scanning the horizon for traffic and with the most faint glimpse of a boat, buoy or whatever, going right to the radar screen to confirm whatever is out there. Heck alot of the time, I was even watching the radar first and then confirming by sight as my confidence with it as a navigational tool grew.

In my 20 plus years on Lake Erie, I have never been out in fog so I will leave its use in such conditions to others here who have.

Lastly it has expanded my boating time in that with its use, I find myself going out in the evenings, or even after dark for a ride. Last summer we did several trips over to Kelleys, or Put-In-Bay in the night just simply because I couldn't get out of work sooner on a Friday. Before getting to know the radar, this is something that I really wouldn't contemplate for the safety of my family. Instead we would wait until Saturday morning and daylight. While these night trips can certainly can be done without radar, it is a great tool to use and as I said feel much more comfortable with that extra set of "eyes".

As others have said here, if you have it, spin it. Not only is it required as a prudent skipper, you will benefit tremedously from the extra piece of mind while on the water. I am always looking for "them" as so many of "them" aren't hardly paying attention to "us".

 

[jpk33]

The other "upside" to radar is it gives your vessel a "larger" signature (picture) on other boats radar (helps them see you). Additionally, trolling fishing boats are easily visible, as is their direction/speed/and any potential collision course as you make your way. The key, as others have said is to LEARN how to use it BEFORE YOU NEED IT!

 

[boltman]

Camaro, I'd never buy a great lakes boat without Radar, Come On it's a life saver and it's very easy to use...Chart plotters can be wrong and well Chart pltters cannot see Bouys in the dark, nor Fishing boats in the morning or evening....Get Radar No matter what, if you like Living a long life...

 

[chucksberg]

I run the Western Basin of Lake Erie at night quite a bit at night without Radar. My GPS keeps me honest when the air is heavy enough that you can't see the usual lights you become familiar with. I have never experienced heavy fog on that lake but I guess it could happen, in that case I would wait for it to burn off. I agree Radar is a good useful tool but there are enough things that Radar won't catch that keep me off plane if I can't see. I have pretty good night vision and I turn off the helm lights at night.