RADAR UNIT !

[Highlander]

For though,s who have purchased & installed a radar unit was the cost worth it , how often do u use it !, would u recommend to do it again if u had a choice , now that u know if it is actually an asset or not , with all the logs I see floatin around out here was just wondering if its worth spendin all that cash ! undecided & still pondering deeply in thought !

J

[C Buchs]

I’ve got radar on mine, but I’ve never used it. I bought my boat out of Olympia, WA. The PO sailed the South Puget Sound. I’ve heard that fog is a problem there, but I don’t need it here. I think it will be a decision based on where you sail. I think you’re in BC now. What does some of the MacGregor Yacht Club of BC guys think?

Jeff

[Bayou]

Check out furono 1st watch wireless seems like it might be worth it

[Gazmn]

I've had one or another but have never Needed it. My PO had a low level JRC. I went Raymarine magnetron, pathfinder & digital HD & have now switched out to Broadband 4G from Lowrance. Raymarine just came out with their Quantum Chirp solid state. The advantage of solid state radar is no warmup, instant on & low power consumption; & close quarter radar detection. If you have the money and room I think it's a good investment.

I use the broadband day & night because of low consumption, less radiation than a cell phone, & chart overlay - Very kewl good for traps & crowded harbor mooring balls while coming in. Train by day, proceed with caution by moonless night. If you have a chartplotter that works with one, you're halfway there. Radar unit should be $1-2K. Also good for blind spot behind sail; prudent sailing is cheaper

A log may not peak out enough. Slow but steady & vigilance are again much cheaper.

But if you love gadgets & have the cash...
Cha ching

[Highlander]

Gazmn

I was watching a lowrance 4G Broadband unit on u tube , the guy noticed something floating ahead of him in the fog it turned out to b a tire & steel rim just floating around in front of him so he was able too steer around it !
Raymarine chirp radar unit I,m told is about 1 yr more advanced ahead of the competition & as I already have raymarine wind & auto pilot that was the unit I was leaning to ,
thx for the input

So as I,m retired now & plan on living on the boat more a radar unit might b more feasible if I get got out in the fog half way on a trip

J

[Gazmn]

There's really no bad choice out there John.
I have a Raymarine E7D and just bought new autopilot for it. I threw in with Lowrance for an additional chartplotter & radar before they came out with their Quantum Chirp system

I waited... & waited, finally pulled the trigger. & then - Tada Quantum...

The way I look at it I'm firmly planted in two camps and will just see who comes up with what next.

Or I can get another boat

[Highlander]

Hi Greg

I was hoping to get more feed back on this from more guy,s as I know there r more out there on this site who have radar !

I,m lookin @ the ES97 Digital sonar or ES98 Chirp sonar with Quantum Radar

Still lookin for feed back

J

[ris]

We have no radar. We do have a radio with an AIS receiver. In traveling for about 9 months continuously, we once traveled in fog for about 3 hrs but we could see about 50 yards. We also got held up in a lock and had to travel about 3 miles in darkness. We traveled very slow both times and would not choose to do either again. We are about having fun and traveling in the fog or darkness is no fun. We have talked to a lot of people including those who travel and live on their boats full time and most do not have radar or it came with the boat and they simply do not use it. I know some parts of the country have a lot of fog but it is no fun to travel when you cannot see. Just know that you really have to know your radar because it will put things on the screen that are not there, known as false echos. Sumner and Chinook have traveled more than most on this board and they do not have radar. If you just want one and have the money get it if you want. But there is simply no need to have one. It is way to easy to stay anchored when it is foggy or stop and anchor before it is dark. Having stress on the water is no fun. Try going on a boat with radar and see if you like it.

[C Buchs]

Check out this site: http://www.sailingred.com/?s=radar I follow them on Facebook and remembered this article about them installing radar on their .

Jeff

[cptron]

Check out this site: http://www.sailingred.com/?s=radar I follow them on Facebook and remembered this article about them installing radar on their .

Jeff

That was some good reading. I like the way they write and tell the story.

[Phil M]

Yes that is quite the website they have there. All done on MacGregor!

[rsvpasap]

I have a Raymarine Q24C and a Seaview SM-18-R Mast Mount. I'm new to the boat and last year was a busy year for mods (wheel-pilot, a97 mfd, bwy enclosure, solar, hot water, shower in head, kicker mount, shore power, bottom paint, windlass/bow-roller/mantus-35, learning to fiberglass, etc.), and the ice forced me out before I got to work on the radar. Over the winter, I have run the cable from the mast step through the 26x headliner and back to the pedestal, which experience indicates is by far the difficult part of the job.

The Q24C and SM-18-R combined weigh less than 20 lbs. If the mast can handle three headsails, or an admiral in a hammock, it should be fine. Plus I really don't want a stern-pole ... shade on the solar panels, more weight aft. I mostly sail Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, but I have spent a fair amount of time in your general area (Everett, Anacortes). The fog/haze, the amount of boat traffic and all those trees that keep falling in the water. You are the expert, but if you're spending more time overnighting, starting early, ending late, radar seems prudent.

I know of only two detailed examples online of mast-mounting a radar on a Macgregor

1. R.E.D. - already noted. They mounted it just above the spreaders, but based on their site, they don't trailer much, so once they hook it up, it seems to stay hooked up for the season.

2. Rich Johnson https://goo.gl/IAICNL
The details are here (opens a pdf): https://goo.gl/7O1DTV
Here is a photo: http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/36844

The photo indicates he mounted his only maybe four feet above the deck to facilitate taking on/off for trailering, putting it on after raising the mast, and to allow one to go without the radar if it's not needed. Obviously, it could be mounted 2-3 feet higher (as high as one can reach) and still get all of those benefits.

[apsaunders]

The PO installed radar on our 26M. We've owned the boat for 4 years and have never used it. There are too many other toys I would rather have than radar.

[Highlander]

The PO installed radar on our 26M. We've owned the boat for 4 years and have never used it. There are too many other toys I would rather have than radar.

Have u checked out my boat Mods ! there r not many toy,s I desired that r not already installed on my boat " mind u their r a few that some guy,s on here have I,d love to have also" but my priorities first lol
Would u mind telling me where ur sailing grounds are ?
do u do long cruises ?, or r u day or wk-end sailor,s !
just trying to get as much helpful advise & info from sailors who have them on there boat & who spent the money on an investment & did they think it was worth the cost !
I know Gazzman had a reg. radar & up-graded to Lawrence 4G Broadband & now Raymarine has come out with their new Quantum Radar which is the newest & comes with free "Auto Routing" check it out really amazing stuff no need to plan ur route , the older systems would route u over the shortest route then u had to check it over to make sure ur depths & all other stuff would b safe for ur boat , with Auto route u put in ur boat info depth & beam , mast height, eng. power etc , it takes all this info into account including tide info ! when calculating ur course warns u ahead of time about any hazardous objects like bridges etc !
So getting all the best advise or opinions from others on this site is also a great investment
Anyway would appreciate any response info from u & other,s

J

[Highlander]

Well I bit the bullet as I can no longer get Map up-dates for my Lowrance 10" Globalmap 6500

J