Marine Radomes

[$iRe408]

Hello again Mac owners. My next question I have is in regards to Marine Radars. I have been reading the Radomes are preferable over the open array. Any advice to any good brands I should look into or ones I should stay away from. Also, any websites you can direct me to. Again, I will be sailing within the San Francisco Bay until I gain more experience. Then I will be traveling the CA coast.

 

[Brian D]

I think before you start asking for the "best", you need to tell your target audience where you plan on putting the radar. On the mast or on a stern pole? There is a difference in location.

This is a good start.

 

[$iRe408]

I think before you start asking for the "best", you need to tell your target audience where you plan on putting the radar. On the mast or on a stern pole? There is a difference in location.

This is a good start.

Thanks for the advice. Where would be the ideal location to mount it? I am a green pea so I am asking the experts here on the forum with experience.

I know that I should take the Coast Guard Safety course before anything else, but I am starting my research with the equipment I know I'll need too. My plan is to use this off season to study and train myself, and also to prep my boat for next Spring

 

[Brian D]

I will move this to Ask All Sailors so it will have a larger viewing. You should get some replies from owners who use radar on their boats. I don't have radar so I cannot speak with any kind of authority on the subject.

 

[DougM]

"Best" brand is somewhat a matter of personal preference. If you look at boats nearby, you will see some of everything. Very rarely, if at all, will you see an open array on a sailboat. Picture it catching a loose line and reeling it in...
Another thing to consider: what additional instrumentation will you have and how will the radar and it's multifunction displayinterface with any separate gps, or individual speed, depth, or wind indicators, or even an autopilot course computer that you plan to purchase or may already have?
Then the obvious question, why would you need radar on such a small boat?

 

[dlochner]

There are a number of questions to be asked about installing radar.

The big question, is why do you think you need radar? And why on a 22 ft boat? Where are you going to sail? Is fog a big issue?

What infrastructure do you have? Most small (22') boats only have a single Group 24 battery or maybe 2. While the new broadband radars draw very little current compared to their older cousins with magnetrons, they still draw 2-3 amps. Do you have enough battery capacity and charging capacity to make good use of a radar?

How much do you have to spend? Even a basic radar set up will cost at least $4,000 by the time you buy the radar, the MFD, the radar pole or mount and the MFD Mount.

If your objective is to see and be seen in times of poor visibility, an AIS transmitter might be a more economical choice. A Vespar XB8000 and a 7" B&G MFD will set you back about $2K, about half of what a radar set up will cost.

 

[Ken Cross]

First off, if you trailer the boat, I see the radar as an impediment to setting up and tearing down. The setup and tear down time often kept me off the water except when I had all day or longer to sail. I don't think it would be practical (but I haven't tried it) to leave a radome on the mast while you do this. Once in the water, radar would really be helpful if you are in the fog. I rarely have been out in fog because even if you can identify other boats, the radar doesn't give you any ability to control where they go. That's why visual conditions are so much better. I don't think I've ever seen a trailer sailor with radar. I'd second the AIS idea if you have the bucks to spend. Otherwise, I'd opt for an AIS app for my phone. At least with that you can see where the AIS equipped boats and ships are.

Ken