Radar deflector
- Thread starter jorgefife
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I keep a foldup deflector( http://www.landfallnavigation.com/sd152.html ) in my "safety" locker. When required( at sea at night ) it goes up the flag halyard, right under the spreader.
Jorge,
to try to answer the rest of your questions, you don't have to leave it up permanently, but it's wise to have it up whenever visibility is bad or you're in a shipping channel where other ships will use radar. If you look at the instructions for the Davis ( the most cost effective reflector) you'll see the description of the raincatcher position-it's the orientation where one of the "cups" is facing up and the others face out towards the horizon. a little harder to set up but it's the way it works best.
Chuck
to try to answer the rest of your questions, you don't have to leave it up permanently, but it's wise to have it up whenever visibility is bad or you're in a shipping channel where other ships will use radar. If you look at the instructions for the Davis ( the most cost effective reflector) you'll see the description of the raincatcher position-it's the orientation where one of the "cups" is facing up and the others face out towards the horizon. a little harder to set up but it's the way it works best.
Chuck
The tetrahedral radar reflector (like the Davis) is sometimes called a rain catcher because that is how it should rigged to be most effective - in a way such that one of the corner "pockets" would collect rain. When oriented in the raincatcher position, the tetrahedral reflector presents the most reflective surfaces to a radar beam, making your boat a good "target" on the other ship's radar. Because this type of radar reflector is a bit big, it is usually onlly hoisted up the mast in conditions of poor visability.
Up here in Foggy Nova Scotia, I have two Mobri radar reflectors permanently attached to the shrouds, just above the spreaders. The Mobri is a sort of elongated terahedral reflector inside a 2 inch diameter plastic tube. It doesn't work as well as the Davis, which is why I use two of them. Other vessels with radar tell me my boat makes a pretty good target.
Radar reflectors in southern waters don't get much use, but when you need one, you really need one! Even a boat like ours doesn't show up very well on a big ship radar.
Up here in Foggy Nova Scotia, I have two Mobri radar reflectors permanently attached to the shrouds, just above the spreaders. The Mobri is a sort of elongated terahedral reflector inside a 2 inch diameter plastic tube. It doesn't work as well as the Davis, which is why I use two of them. Other vessels with radar tell me my boat makes a pretty good target.
Radar reflectors in southern waters don't get much use, but when you need one, you really need one! Even a boat like ours doesn't show up very well on a big ship radar.
Thank you all
Now I know a little more about boats and sailing, thanks to you good people
I will see if mine folds, but quite a bit of fog around my marina so this device earns it's keep then
I never noticed any attachments, I will see how it hangs. I assume from both ends
Now I know a little more about boats and sailing, thanks to you good people
I will see if mine folds, but quite a bit of fog around my marina so this device earns it's keep then
I never noticed any attachments, I will see how it hangs. I assume from both ends
My opinion is that radar reflectors are a waste of time and money unless you have a wood mast. In my nine years in the navy as an operations specialist (radar man) we would always pick up sailboat masts before the lookouts could see them. This was true when we told them where to look. An aluminum mast gives a huge return on radar. It is true on the raymarine radar I have on Midnight Sun. Just my thoughts. Sometimes the warm fuzzy feeling you get from something that makes you feel safe is worth it. That is why I carry a liferaft.
Blaise
Blaise
while on a delivery we contacted a ship by radio and announced or intention to stay clear, he was polite and asked where we were exactly. i said off your port bow, dont you see me on the radar? his response was " I'll go turn it on and take a look"!
Kinda told me what i need to know.
Kinda told me what i need to know.
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