How often do you use your radar?

[Richard Carlisle]

The boat has original RM E-120, DSM-300 sounder, AP and open array radar. It all works most of the time. AP drifts off course when following a track, but it is so time consuming to input a track on the MFD, that sort is a non issue. Sounder sometimes goes blank. I cycle Bridge power and it comes back up. Radar display looks more like an 80’s Atari video game display. Not accurate enough to trust in close quarters.

The plan is to replace it all with Garmin or Simrad starting with the MFD’s and sounder. I am considering ditching the radar completely and mounting the star link HP dish in its place. How often do you actually need the radar. On boats I’ve had that had it, I’ve never actually needed it. The few times in 30 years I did need it, I didn’t have it and just followed the plotter.

A few friends that captain larger yachts say that the cheaper 24 mile dome radars are useless. You need 72 mile open array to ID small objects accurately and in this day and age larger boats all have AIS.

I think I would get much more use out of star link than radar, and the perfect mounting spot for the star link is where the radar mounts. If I did a mast I could put them both centerline on the arch, but that increases air draft quite a bit. Been asking myself how often we will be running at night or in poor visibility and the answer in probably never.

What do you all think?

 

[ranger58sb]

How often do you actually need the radar. On boats I’ve had that had it, I’ve never actually needed it. The few times in 30 years I did need it, I didn’t have it and just followed the plotter.

A few friends that captain larger yachts say that the cheaper 24 mile dome radars are useless. You need 72 mile open array to ID small objects accurately and in this day and age larger boats all have AIS.

We always have radar ON. It's our third watch stander, right behind me and the Admiral. (Helps to learn it that way, too.) Aside from that basic alerting function, the several times we've needed it, we REALLY needed it. Twice on Delaware Bay in heavy fog, couldn't see the front of the boat. Several times in heavy rainstorms and often on gray, rainy days. Almost always during night transits.

I suspect the 24NM models are fine for collision avoidance, coastline comparison to charts, etc. Seeing birds at 72NM? Not my priorities. OTOH, our radars have been in the 64 and now 72 (I think) ranges and we could see our planer boards about 75' off the quarters, so I don't have ground truth on the smaller units.

Can't speak to Starlink utility. Our boat came with a KVH dome and Direct TV, useless for us. I'd been intending to trash the dome, but some have said a Starlink "Dishy" antenna might fit nicely within... so I'll give the dome a few more months thinking about it. I haven't discovered much of a use for Starlink, either, though.

-Chris

 

[ZZ13]

The boat has original RM E-120, DSM-300 sounder, AP and open array radar. It all works most of the time. AP drifts off course when following a track, but it is so time consuming to input a track on the MFD, that sort is a non issue. Sounder sometimes goes blank. I cycle Bridge power and it comes back up. Radar display looks more like an 80’s Atari video game display. Not accurate enough to trust in close quarters.

The plan is to replace it all with Garmin or Simrad starting with the MFD’s and sounder. I am considering ditching the radar completely and mounting the star link HP dish in its place. How often do you actually need the radar. On boats I’ve had that had it, I’ve never actually needed it. The few times in 30 years I did need it, I didn’t have it and just followed the plotter.

A few friends that captain larger yachts say that the cheaper 24 mile dome radars are useless. You need 72 mile open array to ID small objects accurately and in this day and age larger boats all have AIS.

I think I would get much more use out of star link than radar, and the perfect mounting spot for the star link is where the radar mounts. If I did a mast I could put them both centerline on the arch, but that increases air draft quite a bit. Been asking myself how often we will be running at night or in poor visibility and the answer in probably never.

What do you all think?

I have it on all the time I am using the boat. For two reasons. One is so I learn and continue to remember what it’s showing me. The second is I use it as my rear view mirror to see if any boats are coming up behind me.

 

[370Dancer]

If you run the same 5-10 miles all the time, your chart plotter will show you the way, especially if you have captured tracks previously. However, a chart plotter will never tell you what is in your way right now. So, depending on your environment, you may need the low vision help. Plus, you can always add the scanner back in later should you decide to actually go somewhere. That's what I think.

 

[Jus Cruisin]

As soon as I'm out of the marina. I shut it down on the Clinton River and Black Creek.

 

[Golfman25]

Think it depends on where you boat. If you’re in an area where conditions can change quickly, then it could be useful. We can get fog rolling in here on Lake Michigan. This year several days have been hazy, so it can help there too.

I replaced my old open raymarine unit with a 24 inch Garmin frantom dome. Does what I need. Nice new 8610 mfd as well, fit in the old spot almost perfectly.

 

[Creekwood]

Depends where you boat, how you boat, and also what time of day/weather.
I use mine all the time when running the boat. Mine is old school Raymarine small dome with overlay on my C80 chartplotter. It helps me spot other boats, including kayakers so I can plan my course in advance. When fishing (trolling for salmon) I can see exactly where other boats around me are on the bottom contours (again to plan my trolling path). In fog or after dark its "necessary" for safe boating IMO. I can also see the path of oncoming rain squalls and storm fronts and decide if I should move or let it pass.

As for distance, I think mine may even be only 12 mile, which is plenty for the use I have. Given where the horizon is relative to the height of my radome, I doubt any more than 24 mile would be relevant.

 

[ttmott]

Your style of boating will dictate the need for radar. For us we do a lot of open ocean traveling with distances away from sight of land. Aside from the obvious night time travel needs our primary purpose is for weather watch and that really requires the longer range radar.
More than once there is a gaggle of small boats in the middle of nowhere drifting and fishing. The radar allows us to alter course well before we get there so we can efficiently change the track and circumnavigate.

 

[mrsrobinson]

The boat has original RM E-120, DSM-300 sounder, AP and open array radar. It all works most of the time. AP drifts off course when following a track, but it is so time consuming to input a track on the MFD, that sort is a non issue. Sounder sometimes goes blank. I cycle Bridge power and it comes back up. Radar display looks more like an 80’s Atari video game display. Not accurate enough to trust in close quarters.

The plan is to replace it all with Garmin or Simrad starting with the MFD’s and sounder. I am considering ditching the radar completely and mounting the star link HP dish in its place. How often do you actually need the radar. On boats I’ve had that had it, I’ve never actually needed it. The few times in 30 years I did need it, I didn’t have it and just followed the plotter.

A few friends that captain larger yachts say that the cheaper 24 mile dome radars are useless. You need 72 mile open array to ID small objects accurately and in this day and age larger boats all have AIS.

I think I would get much more use out of star link than radar, and the perfect mounting spot for the star link is where the radar mounts. If I did a mast I could put them both centerline on the arch, but that increases air draft quite a bit. Been asking myself how often we will be running at night or in poor visibility and the answer in probably never.

What do you all think?

Radar came on my boat, I do leave it on for the same reasons others have stated on this thread. I'm a river boater, who may occasionally go out on the Chesapeake Bay, I can see land on both sides and have never seen fog on the river. My radar works good enough so I'm not going to upgrade it.

I did get stuck out at night once in a storm on my last boat (lost an engine), which did not have radar. I followed the track home at hull speed cruise. It worked, but radar would have made me feel more comfortable.

 

[Pirate Lady]

I swear i read somewhere that if you have radar, by law, it must be on whenever operating boat. Would explain why i see radar turning when in a 6mph zone.

 

[Richard Carlisle]

Thanks guys. You all making a decent case for having radar. We would mostly be Chesapeake Bay and east coast Norfolk to Sandy Point, NJ. Maybe a bucket list trip to Maine. If I got up in the morning in the fog, I would just stream something good on Star Link and wait it out. Damn shame the the perfect spot for both the radar and SL happens to be the same spot.

We are in Ft Pierce, FL right now waiting out a potential storm brewing in the Gulf. Marinas north of us are not taking transient reservations until the storm fizzles or passes.

 

[jmauld]

I only use mine when I‘m out at night. But I’ve seen it miss a boat that was right in my path, so I don’t put much faith in it. I trust my eyes above all else. If I can’t see then I anchor until I can.

 

[Richard Carlisle]

So semi-related question. Do any of you DB captains have Star Link and where did you mount it. Saw a couple boats with it mounted to the bow rail, but not crazy about a new hole in the deck to pass the cable.

I guess on mast so it sits just above the radar makes the most sense.

 

[FootballFan]

If I woke up and was socked with fog I wouldn’t leave the dock either.

fog sometimes just show up…

 

[Woody]

I always run the radar, night or day.

 

[mdolesh]

I have a related question...on our boat, with a walkthrough windshield, do I need to be concerned with people accessing the bow when the radar is running? I would like to have my radar on all the time as well but I have always been worried about this.

 

[Creekwood]

Thanks guys. You all making a decent case for having radar. We would mostly be Chesapeake Bay and east coast Norfolk to Sandy Point, NJ. Maybe a bucket list trip to Maine. If I got up in the morning in the fog, I would just stream something good on Star Link and wait it out. Damn shame the the perfect spot for both the radar and SL happens to be the same spot.

We are in Ft Pierce, FL right now waiting out a potential storm brewing in the Gulf. Marinas north of us are not taking transient reservations until the storm fizzles or passes.

The problem is that you sometimes run into fog that isn’t there when you start. If you are heading up to New England you will want radar.

 

[Richard Carlisle]

The problem is that you sometimes run into fog that isn’t there when you start. If you are heading up to New England you will want radar.

Exactly. Two times I had to come in to Portland harbor back in the 90’s in the fog on GPS. Clear when went out. The harbor was docked in when we got back 4 hours later. Looks like I’m replacing the radar with the rest of it.

Thanks for the input guys.

 

[370Dancer]

I swear i read somewhere that if you have radar, by law, it must be on whenever operating boat. Would explain why i see radar turning when in a 6mph zone.

It's in the COLREGS

If you take a boat to sea then you need to follow the 1972 International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. Rule 5 (Look-out) says “every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate”. Rule 7(b) (Risk of collision) states “Proper use shall be made of radar equipment if fitted and operational, including long-range scanning to obtain early warning of the risk of collision and radar plotting or equivalent systematic observation of detected objects.” Summarizing, if you have operational radar fitted, you should be using it as a part of your watch-keeping and collision prevention activity.

 

[northern]

When we go north it can be foggy. We try not to run in fog. But when we do we turn it on. The problem is fast sport fishing boats. They mostly do not have radar and do not slow in fog. They have come within 20 feet at 40 MPH once one went between us and the shore when we were anchored. He almost ran into a rock face.