Radar reflector review

[Catigale]

From a sailnet post - interesting stuff - they end up only recommending the active radar repeater type basically (run about 1000 USD)

Hot Forum Discussions
Radar Reflectors and You
MiVelero started a forum thread recently with this post: "After reading the coments on the "Sailing in the Fog" forum and recomendations for radar reflectors, I found a report called "Performance Investigation of Marine Radar Reflectors on the Market," along with a report on the tragic sinking that prompted it.

Report here

Three sailors died after the big ferry Pride of Balboa apparently ran down the 26' yacht Ouzo early one morning near the Isle of Wight.The testers concluded that only the Sea-Me active reflector delivers a strong enough radar return to even meet the ISO 8729 standard, and some perform so poorly that they aren't worth carrying because they'll only give you a false sense of security.

I guess we remain specks in the ocean ... it sucks to be the little fish."

[bastonjock]

perhaps sailmakers ought to include metalic strips in the sails,that might work

there apear to be no cheap solutions to the problem,i think ill hold off for a year and look into one of those raymarine chartplotter/radar/ais combos

[Captain Kimo]

After a harrowing experience on the Chesapeake Bay one night and early morning in thick fog, I convinced my brother to get a passive radar reflector and mount it on the mast of his 36 foot Beneteau and later on his 43 foot Beneteau. He did. It is the one mentioned in that study as:

Echomax 230
The Echomax 230 reflector comprises a vertical stack of three aluminium corner arrays enclosed in a plastic case. It relies upon interactions between each of the arrays to produce large peak responses. This reflector is only one supplied which has been type approved to ISO8729 [1].

The study in 1995 showed the Davis Echomaster having good reflective properties (when in the "Double Rain Catcher" position) as well and it can be broken down for storage. This reflector is probable the most reasonable to have on board a Macgregor. I gave him one of these to cover the stern radar reflection as the Echomax only provide radar reflection forward. Hopefully we will have time to hoist the Davis Echomaster with one of his spinnaker halyards and loop it over the topping lift so it hangs correctly.

http://www.ussailing.org/safety/Studies ... 0Emergency

Couple of other observations from that night/early morning fog experience.

1. Relieve the bow look-out often. Make sure the look-out is covered with warm clothes and foul weather gear. Fog bits right through you in the open on deck.
2. Have look-out make the 2 minute horn blasts to keep busy and alert.
3. All sounds are amplified in the fog so don't judge there distance by the apparent closeness of the sound. Only the glow of a navigation lights (beacons and lighthouses) are dependable for direction.
4. Try to stay out of high traffic channels if possible. GPS chartplotter /GPS paper plot a must have and sounding to fix your position. When cutting across shipping channels, sending in the blind radio report on VHF Channel 16 of your vessel name, new course, speed and intentions a good idea as suggested in the SailNet article. Be ready to flash a strong light beam to reflect off your white main sail, if it is up. In most fog conditions you are motoring and the wind is weak, so having the main up does not cause a steering problem.
5. Try to find a safe anchorage out of traffic to anchor till fog lifts. This we did anchoring to the left of the entry to Deltaville marina at the 10 foot depth reading.

[eric3a]

..

[richandlori]

In any Marina...take a look at how people have their reflectors hanging....because most don't have them in the right orientation....

[Lease]

I have never been in the situation of needing one, being mostly a lake sailor.

Scary though.

It seems odd that there is no convention to use aircraft-type transponders?

[Night Sailor]

You have to wonder if skippers read the instructions that come with passive reflectors. Like richandlori, I see probably 90% of hung reflectors in the wrong oriention, or masked by other equipment. Even on transocean boats.

[richandlori]

It seems odd that there is no convention to use aircraft-type transponders?

There is on larger ships...so with a AIS receiver...you can see boat name, heading, speed, and lots of good info....

http://www.capjack.com/category/Marine- ... ceiver.cfm




This radio receiver is specially built for marine environments for the intended use of deciphering Automatic Identification System data. Most commercial vessels are required to have an AIS transponder that transmits information about the vessel and its movements. The system is designed to assist vessels with identifying the traffic around them and to help with marine safety and collision avoidance.

The SR162G is a full-time dual channel receiver designed for recreational and professional use, and also includes an integrated GPS and an external GPS antenna. It can be used with computer-based navigation solutions using a standard RS232 serial port interface.

The AIS receiver requires a VHF signal. If you want to use your existing VHF antenna then we have a VHF Antenna splitter. No antenna? Then look at the small VHF portable Antenna

[Night Sailor]

On small slow boats being sailed prudently for conditions, but without redundant systems, it seems the safest bet is to not rely on electronics to see what is near you or broadcast your position, but to be plainly visible to larger faster vessels, against sea or weather scatter, by passive means. Then you hope that someone is actively watching those blips and sector lines. Cruising logs indicate that real life conversations at sea upon vessel encounters show a small sailboat can appear to be as large as a large one on radar if the passive reflectors are set up right, and the radar is tuned correctly.

[Francis]

a few people have mentioned the right orienation of a radar reflector, but they don't say what it is. So what exactly is the right orientation? Since I hardly sail in places other than lakes, when I do get an opportunity to do so I have a reflector up on my left spreader. Is there something else that needs to be done to hang this reflector? And where else should you hang one on a mac?