What radar to buy-need help?

[Jimongee]

My wife and I sail The Great Lakes. We have a 356 Hunter. We are interested in adding radar this season. We have zero knowledge in radar. There seem to be so many choices and likewise so many price points. We don't want to waste $$ on more bells and whistles that we don't need. Any advice on what brand, functionality and or best source...that would be very helpful.
Jim n Kath on Lake. MI
SV SamiDog

 

[kimelmore]

I recently bought a Raymarine Digital with Chirp technology. It is WI FI capable which means no data wires required only power and ground. Simplifies installation. It's very easy to use. A friend who is very knowledgeable got himself a less capable model for less money and seems very happy with his decision. Since I was doing a pretty big upgrade I went full hilt. I recommend something that can display close in targets. I mounted the antenna on a pole at the stern quarter. Closer to the water line means you get a better close up image when entering a harbor etc. I can still see targets over 15 miles away.

 

[Maine Sail]

All the brands will work. Radar is more about the USER than the product. If you're not well experienced, and don't practice with the radar, it will work about as well as Rosie O'Donnell skiing Tuckerman's Ravine....... Radar is not like a plotter it takes practice.

That said right now Garmin's Doppler technology, the Fantom series with "Motion Scope" is really tough to beat for a novice. Moving targets are automatically highlighted in different colors based on whether they are moving towards you or away from you. I ran one two weeks ago and all I can say is WOW!

 

[Jimongee]

Thank you for your help. I'll do better research now..
Sail safe..
Jim

 

[Jimongee]

For Maine Sail and Kimelmore; thanks for the radar info. Do either of you have model numbers? There are so many units that maybe this info from and end user would sort it out a bit.
Either way-thanks
Jim

 

[CloudDiver]

I'm not sure which manufacturers are featuring this yet, but the new thing is solid state arrays. In the array there will be no moving parts (the spinning thing). This means greater durability, lighter weight, lower power consumption for the same scope of signal. The Navy has had this for decades, those large radar panels on cruisers and destroyers that you see on the four sides of the super structure.

 

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[Maine Sail]

I'm not sure which manufacturers are featuring this yet, but the new thing is solid state arrays. In the array there will be no moving parts (the spinning thing). This means greater durability, lighter weight, lower power consumption for the same scope of signal. The Navy has had this for decades, those large radar panels on cruisers and destroyers that you see on the four sides of the super structure.

All marine solid state radomes, suitable for a sailboat, still have rotating parts inside the dome....

 

[viper]

This past year, I got the new Raymarine digital/solid state... with wifi as mentioned. It comes in a package deal with a touch and dial/button control on a 7" MFD display. You need touch and old fashion controls when the sea is not smooth. Touch is not easy when rocking about.

Easy to use.... On sale and West Marine now for 2K.

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/raym...ession-radar-value-pack--17343351?recordNum=1

Come with a transducer , 4d Chart plotting, fish finder/depth finder, overlays of radar and charts...

Solid state uses much less power ... very important on sail boats, when engine not running.

A radar mount on mast will run 250.

regards,

Viper

 

[viper]

My Pulse solid state Raymarine Quantum also has similar collision avoidance tracking and warning capabilities and it interfaces with my AIS, giving me speed, size, type of vessel, its length , name and etc and estimated time to collision and with audible alarms if I so request.

Its all very good now. I do find that touch screen alone as mentioned in less than smooth water can be a problem...

Regards,

Viper

 

[chuckwayne]

The Navico broadband radars are all very low power, solid state arrays but they still spin. We couldn't afford a military style passed array system but this is a close second. Fantastic images, very easy to use.
However, the first question is what MFD do you have? most people integrate their radar with the chartplotter, don't need a separate display and can do overlays.
Navico is B&G, Simrad and Lowrance

 

[seadaddler]

As Mainsail said learning to use it is the biggy and use it even when not really needed and practice practice.
Nick

 

[shemandr]

Ditto on the user. You absolutely need to turn it on when it's clear as a bell to gain experience. Not just for a few minutes. For hours. We had the overlay which was nice but not exactly easy to go in and out of on the Raymarine unit we had. I can quibble about the menus but if possible you should use them before purchase to see if you think they are intuitive. Some of the features on our unit, specifically the MARPS, I never used. I just found it needed more time/attention than I could devote to it as helmsman even in clear weather. I can't imagine in fog. When you need RADAR you will probably be a bit stressed and I think it's a case of KISS. And, it took enough of my attention to look at targets that I could already perceive as a threat. I really couldn't devote so much time to the bells and whistles. Remember you won't have a navigation officer to devote all of his/her attention to the radar. It has to be easy.

 

[shemandr]

Oh and an addendum on my post: If in fog you are hearing loud horns and large engines along the ferry route you will be stressed. There's nothing like the throbbing of large diesels to sharpen your attention.

 

[viper]

Most will not be in areas clear enough to study for hours, but in harbor areas and areas with lots of buildings... would be nice, but that only is an opportunity when offshore.... in most cases...

 

[jssailem]

If in fog you are hearing loud horns and large engines

It is not the "BIG FERRIES" that have radar, AIS, and operate using the CG Regs. that concern me.
Its the silent, nondescript, small, fishing boats doing 30 knots with a 300 HP Merc on the back in the fog... that give me pause...

 

[JamesG161]

I love our Raymarine Radome. We have found it a great Boat Safety essential.

In your selection, you might consider the power draw when in use.

We also use it to track afternoon summer squalls.
1) We can see if the storm is closing on our course or not.
2) ETA of the storm front, if on our course, to prepare.
3) Storms can be detected a 48 nm on ours.

Jim...

 

[Rick D]

I replaced a 15 year old Furuno recently with a B&G 4G dome and a Zeus chartplotter/radar combo. I'm very happy, especially with the close-in target resolution and low power draw. FWIW.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

If you alzready have a CP that you're happy with, then find out which radar unit is compatible and if you go with that it will save at least half the cost overall.

 

[helmfam]

Sooooo... I have a Raymarine C-80 and no radar now. I can either add an analog radar to this system or I would have to upgrade the C-80 in order get digital radar. Is digital that much better compared to analog , taking into consideration the extra cost of a whole new chartplotter in addition to the radar? Rough calculations would probably be $1000 for analog vs $5000 for digital.