What’s your required electronics aboard a 31 hunter

[rgranger]

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on RADAR. My next cruising boat will definitly have RADAR. I've been caught out twice in fog and both times white-knuckled it back into port. Yes I could follow the gps but on more than one occassion a channel marker appeared out of the gloom just feet away from my bow. And straining my half-deaf ears listening for distance engine sounds all day drove me nuts. I probably would not use it often but when the fog rolled in I would be very happy I had it.

 

[dlochner]

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on RADAR. My next cruising boat will definitly have RADAR. I've been caught out twice in fog and both times white-knuckled it back into port. Yes I could follow the gps but on more than one occassion a channel marker appeared out of the gloom just feet away from my bow. And straining my half-deaf ears listening for distance engine sounds all day drove me nuts. I probably would not use it often but when the fog rolled in I would be very happy I had it.

If you sail where fog is frequent, radar is a Godsend. The new radars are more energy efficient and accurate even at close range. We have a B&G 4G radar that can "see" the mast on the boat (the radar is located on pole at the stern). In the past year we were caught in fog twice and was able to travel and stay in the channel because of the radar.

We also use the radar to measure distances when anchoring. No more guessing how far off the shore we are or how far away is the neighboring boat. Just fire up the radar and measure the distance.

The radar is also on during bright clear days so we can learn to associate the radar images with the real images. Recently we were crossing a small lake and the buoys did not seem to be in the correct places. With the radar image overlaid on the chart we could see that they were in fact not in the charted positions.

In the end, radar is useful, however, except for fog it is not as useful as a chart plotter, ais, or speed/depth/wind. The most useful electronic device we have is the autopilot.

 

[kappykaplan]

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on RADAR.

I have radar on my boat - nice addition for the occasional fog we get on the river & bay.

 

[jssailem]

Good question @rgranger.
Radar is a wonderful feature to improve your sensory awareness in vision limited environments like fog. Various things seem to appear out of the gloom and not all of them appear on radar.
May 4th 2017 this stealth boat showed up 75 yards from my starboard mid ships, doing 30 plus, out of the fog. Did not show on radar (basic analog, no dopler). Was not on the AIS.

That is my buddy @LeslieTroyer with his Catalina 36 in the back ground. Thank God he was there.

Nothing will stop the fool not adhering to the Coast Guard ColRegs of slow speed, lights and a horn or bell when moving in limited visibiltiy. I was just lucky not to die and my boat only sustained minimal damage. Note the light on the fishing boats starboard bow. Yes it is missing. Ripped off as it struck my stern pulpit.

Sailing in fog is work. Your mention of the channel markers suprising you. I'd encourage you to not venture close to channel markers while in the fog. They are magnets for other boats with autopilots. They follow the channel markers as if they were white lines on a highway. Better to chart your course to give them some space so you are not on their line.

Radar is great to identify land masses (when tracking on a chart) and the bigger boats. It is the fleas that can bite you.

 

[rgranger]

Good question @rgranger.
Note the light on the fishing boats starboard bow. Yes it is missing. Ripped off as it struck my stern pulpit.

I also note that the fishing boat had RADAR ...

 

[jssailem]

Yes.
But to work, there needs to be someone skilled to use it, and someone at the helm to stear the boat around obstacles.
None of the above, I believe, were in place at the time of the event.