Mast mounted or aft pole mount?

[JeffThompson]

Was able to obtain a radar for our boat and have begun the arduous task of mounting the same and delving into possibilities. Had originally thought that mast mount was the only way to go, then realized that an aft pole mount was infinitely easier. Obviously want to do the best thing and gain the most advantage out of the system - anyone have any thoughts, experiences or anecdotes regarding the different ways to mount the radar?? Thanks for the ideas....
PS The potential for puns is rampid (kind of like the gent from NY who decided to test his phone cameras close up option) - thanks for skipping the puns and tackling the question de jour!

 

[Michael G]

I added radar last year and I opted for the aft radar pole from garhauer. It is a great buy and makes it so easy to install. I put on the hinge base mount and modified the rail clamp to include a through going bolt that once removed will allow the radar pole to tilt back against the dock for maintenance. See the attached photos and if you have any addition questions let me know.

 

[Maine Sail]

Was able to obtain a radar for our boat and have begun the arduous task of mounting the same and delving into possibilities. Had originally thought that mast mount was the only way to go, then realized that an aft pole mount was infinitely easier. Obviously want to do the best thing and gain the most advantage out of the system - anyone have any thoughts, experiences or anecdotes regarding the different ways to mount the radar?? Thanks for the ideas....
PS The potential for puns is rampid (kind of like the gent from NY who decided to test his phone cameras close up option) - thanks for skipping the puns and tackling the question de jour!

How are you sailing? Will this system be for off shore work? Do you sail in big swells or seas?

If this is for coastal and bay sailing then a pole can suffice but in big seas you will lose targets as you dip into troughs and your effective dome height becomes about 2 feet off the water....

Our boat currently has a stern pole and I hate it performance wise but the damn thing was Awlgripped around so for now it stays.

We have had multiple mast mounts, a Questus and stern poles and nothing beats the performance of a dome mounted about 20-25 feet up the mast. If you plan to actually use your radar offshore, and want good performance, I would steer you to mounting it on the spar.

 

[JeffThompson]

Thanks for the insight into the aft mount. Any blind spots and did you notice any range sacrifice for the reception?

 

[JeffThompson]

Thanks for the reply - we will be relying on it more for ocean sailing than bay sailing. Very good point re the reception in swells. Now the challenge will be how to run the bloody cable!