Thinking of adding radar/chartplotter to my 290. Wondering how many with this size boat have found radar to be necessary/useful enough to justify the substantial expense? I have ST-30 speed and depth, and ST-4000 autopilot. Leaning toward the Raymarine SL70CRC single station (at helm) color radar c/p, to be connected to the other 3 via Sea Talk.
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Daniel Jonas
Our 290
We have radar and dual chartplotters. Radar/chartplotter is at the nav station and chartplotter at the helm. Both color, hooked together with HSB. We have ST60's and a 4000 also. If you ever get into a low visibility situations, it really does not matter how small a boat you have. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije)
We have radar and dual chartplotters. Radar/chartplotter is at the nav station and chartplotter at the helm. Both color, hooked together with HSB. We have ST60's and a 4000 also. If you ever get into a low visibility situations, it really does not matter how small a boat you have. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije)
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Palmer King
How often will you need radar?
Radar or not to radar depends on just how often you expect to be in low visibility or need to see over the horizon. Here in Florida, serious fog for any length of time is rare. Storms are either too large to avoid, or you see them way ahead of time, and can circumnavigate. And, you're going so slow, you have plenty of time to avoid most obstacles (just stay away from close quarters until visibility improves). I opted to make sure the other guy sees me and bought a radar reflector and ran it up the mast. Makes me look bigger than I am, and easier to spot. Personally, I'd rather put the difference in money in a poor man's sonar (fishfinder). Makes navigating those unfamiliar channels a lot easier and safer.
Radar or not to radar depends on just how often you expect to be in low visibility or need to see over the horizon. Here in Florida, serious fog for any length of time is rare. Storms are either too large to avoid, or you see them way ahead of time, and can circumnavigate. And, you're going so slow, you have plenty of time to avoid most obstacles (just stay away from close quarters until visibility improves). I opted to make sure the other guy sees me and bought a radar reflector and ran it up the mast. Makes me look bigger than I am, and easier to spot. Personally, I'd rather put the difference in money in a poor man's sonar (fishfinder). Makes navigating those unfamiliar channels a lot easier and safer.
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Daniel Jonas
It does depend
If I sailed in Florida, I might find it slightly more difficult to justify the radar...maybe. But I sail in San Francisco Bay where fog is common and vessel traffic and currents are even more common. The question came from New York, where I presume conditions might be similar. I have been in severe fog (barely see the front of the boat) just once without radar. That was enough to justify the expense. Where I sail, waiting out the fog is not really much of an option. If the current doesn't take you somewhere you do not want to go, then perhaps a radar equipped and fast moving ship constrained by draft will off you by surprise. If your radar reflector made you large enough you will have the additional pleasure of hearing the five blasts of his horn, but perhaps not knowing exactly which direction to go. GPS can sure help keep you out of the deep water channels, so maybe you get run down by something a little smaller instead, the ferries don't take much draft. It also can keep you off the rocks. So, I would spend the money on that before a fishfinder. In a low vis situation, I'm not really interested in where the fish are, ok maybe the whales. My order is something like this for electronics and safety. VHF, backup VHF, radar, depth sounder, gps. It may seem odd to put the gps last, but frankly, if you think about the worst situations you can be in the order makes sense. Communication is critical, so two. Radar will keep you off the rocks and let you know what is out there, particularly big stuff. It also can tell you where you are when in proximity to things you want to not hit. So in the critical situations, it is multipurpose. Gps will keep you off the rocks, but does nothing to identify that large ship moving towards you. Besides fog (very low visibility) we also get conditions offshore, and even in shore, where visibilities might be significantly reduced for several days. I've sailed a few miles off the coast all day long without seeing land. So conditions are important, as are your options when those conditions occur. I think a good test is to sail out into your nomal sailing area, then close your eyes and imagine that all you get to see is the compass. Feel comfortable? Got Radar? That's what it felt like to me caught in that fog. I knew how to navigate, knew how to ded recon my way out of it, and I did. But it was very uncomfortable not knowing what else was going on around me. The radar went on our new 290 prior to the mast hitting the deck on delivery. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije)
If I sailed in Florida, I might find it slightly more difficult to justify the radar...maybe. But I sail in San Francisco Bay where fog is common and vessel traffic and currents are even more common. The question came from New York, where I presume conditions might be similar. I have been in severe fog (barely see the front of the boat) just once without radar. That was enough to justify the expense. Where I sail, waiting out the fog is not really much of an option. If the current doesn't take you somewhere you do not want to go, then perhaps a radar equipped and fast moving ship constrained by draft will off you by surprise. If your radar reflector made you large enough you will have the additional pleasure of hearing the five blasts of his horn, but perhaps not knowing exactly which direction to go. GPS can sure help keep you out of the deep water channels, so maybe you get run down by something a little smaller instead, the ferries don't take much draft. It also can keep you off the rocks. So, I would spend the money on that before a fishfinder. In a low vis situation, I'm not really interested in where the fish are, ok maybe the whales. My order is something like this for electronics and safety. VHF, backup VHF, radar, depth sounder, gps. It may seem odd to put the gps last, but frankly, if you think about the worst situations you can be in the order makes sense. Communication is critical, so two. Radar will keep you off the rocks and let you know what is out there, particularly big stuff. It also can tell you where you are when in proximity to things you want to not hit. So in the critical situations, it is multipurpose. Gps will keep you off the rocks, but does nothing to identify that large ship moving towards you. Besides fog (very low visibility) we also get conditions offshore, and even in shore, where visibilities might be significantly reduced for several days. I've sailed a few miles off the coast all day long without seeing land. So conditions are important, as are your options when those conditions occur. I think a good test is to sail out into your nomal sailing area, then close your eyes and imagine that all you get to see is the compass. Feel comfortable? Got Radar? That's what it felt like to me caught in that fog. I knew how to navigate, knew how to ded recon my way out of it, and I did. But it was very uncomfortable not knowing what else was going on around me. The radar went on our new 290 prior to the mast hitting the deck on delivery. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije)
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Mike Putegnat
What price peace?
In the last two months I have twice been overcome by fog while returning from offshore into a narrow channel. I have the Raymarine radar chartplotter arrangement. While the radar was very reassuring, I found that the chartplotter was the most important factor for navigating our way back in...and a keen ear. Still, even on a clear night that radar safety zone that predicts and warns of collision course vessels may make the going more peaceful. My take is this: Sailing is supposed to be fun, and only occasionally terrifying. If you've got the bucks, buy the radar/chartplotter.
In the last two months I have twice been overcome by fog while returning from offshore into a narrow channel. I have the Raymarine radar chartplotter arrangement. While the radar was very reassuring, I found that the chartplotter was the most important factor for navigating our way back in...and a keen ear. Still, even on a clear night that radar safety zone that predicts and warns of collision course vessels may make the going more peaceful. My take is this: Sailing is supposed to be fun, and only occasionally terrifying. If you've got the bucks, buy the radar/chartplotter.
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Chuck Wayne
radar
ditto for us! the raymarine radar/chartplotter proved itself on our shakedown cruise to maine where we hit unexpected pea soup- I wouldn't buy a boat without it. BTW, in Florida I found radar extremely useful even in good weather because it lets you see openings in the coastline, especially in the mangroves, that aren't visible to the naked eye
ditto for us! the raymarine radar/chartplotter proved itself on our shakedown cruise to maine where we hit unexpected pea soup- I wouldn't buy a boat without it. BTW, in Florida I found radar extremely useful even in good weather because it lets you see openings in the coastline, especially in the mangroves, that aren't visible to the naked eye
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