Does anyone have a permenately attached "blipper" on their mast or do you use a radar ball - or trust in being a big enough target. Not sure fiberglass boats are very good radar targets. I am thinking about having a blipper installed - but cost a couple hundred dollars and adds ever more wieight aloft. Any comments welcome. Ed
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Blipper
Ed, We have a blipper installed on our 356. No way for us to know what that looks like to everyone else. We can tell you that some boats do not show up very well on our radar. Usually the sailboats do ok, but some of the smaller 14'-18' runabouts are hard to spot. Would be interesting to see how two identical boats, save for the blipper would appear. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije II)
Ed, We have a blipper installed on our 356. No way for us to know what that looks like to everyone else. We can tell you that some boats do not show up very well on our radar. Usually the sailboats do ok, but some of the smaller 14'-18' runabouts are hard to spot. Would be interesting to see how two identical boats, save for the blipper would appear. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije II)
Hi Ed, a seasoned sailor friend who had a ...
radar blipper told me it was a waste of money, that the standard reflector was just as effective. Terry
radar blipper told me it was a waste of money, that the standard reflector was just as effective. Terry
radar reflectors
Ed, this is a question like economics-you know, ask 10 economists a question and you get 11 different answers- After a lot of frustrating research, and no definitive answers, we opted for 2 of the small mobri reflectors,one on each stay above the spreaders. this setup meets orc rules, and has less windage and weight than the bipper, and we know we show up well. After last year's Hunter rally in York, ME, we were heading south past portsmouth where a large barge was anchored, and he was keeping a very active radar watch, steering oncoming boats away from his location. He could see us quite clearly.
Ed, this is a question like economics-you know, ask 10 economists a question and you get 11 different answers- After a lot of frustrating research, and no definitive answers, we opted for 2 of the small mobri reflectors,one on each stay above the spreaders. this setup meets orc rules, and has less windage and weight than the bipper, and we know we show up well. After last year's Hunter rally in York, ME, we were heading south past portsmouth where a large barge was anchored, and he was keeping a very active radar watch, steering oncoming boats away from his location. He could see us quite clearly.
US Sailing Radar Reflector Test
This referenced article is about tests that were done on radar reflectors an it has some conclusions that are interesting. For example, size does matter. From my personal experiences, sailboats and motor boats without radar reflectors just don't show up very well at all on radar - very poor targets. The aluminum masts, rigging, toe rails, and other metal items do not reflect very much signal at all. Big wood barges don't reflect hardly at all (thinking of those rock barges moored just south of the Tacoma Narrows bridge!). link: http://www.ussailing.org/safety/Studies/radar_reflector_test.htm#The%20Reflectors%20Tested
This referenced article is about tests that were done on radar reflectors an it has some conclusions that are interesting. For example, size does matter. From my personal experiences, sailboats and motor boats without radar reflectors just don't show up very well at all on radar - very poor targets. The aluminum masts, rigging, toe rails, and other metal items do not reflect very much signal at all. Big wood barges don't reflect hardly at all (thinking of those rock barges moored just south of the Tacoma Narrows bridge!). link: http://www.ussailing.org/safety/Studies/radar_reflector_test.htm#The%20Reflectors%20Tested
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