Fishing in the Fog.

If everyone (radar equipped included) just slowed down in the fog it wouldn't be so dangerous. As others have posted if your looking at the radar your not looking ahead of you.

That's the definition of distracted driving and if you hit somebody who doesn't show on your radar it is absolutely your fault.

That said the guy glued to his radar is probably the bigger boat so even if he's at fault it will probably not be him who pays the price.
 
I bet 90 to 95 % of the boats out in the fog are running without lights on. If it is foggy I will leave mine on all day if the fog is in and out. Just gives someone a bit more of a chance to see me sooner with some colour in all the grey.
 
GDW said:
If everyone (radar equipped included) just slowed down in the fog it wouldn't be so dangerous. As others have posted if your looking at the radar your not looking ahead of you.

That's the definition of distracted driving and if you hit somebody who doesn't show on your radar it is absolutely your fault.

That said the guy glued to his radar is probably the bigger boat so even if he's at fault it will probably not be him who pays the price.
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It is dangerous even at low speed if you don't have a radar reflector or radar. Do you have radar on your boat? Do you have a radar reflector on your boat?

Please don't talk about distracted driving using radar if you don't have any experience with it. Please don't talk about irresponsibility on the water if you don't have a radar reflector on your boat. The reflectors are not that expensive and they save lives.

I use my radar all the time and can look at the screen and watch where I am going at the same time quite well. It's the people with out either that are the problem. You have no business being out in an area that fog can be frequent with out at least a radar reflector period IMO.

My rig stands out like a sore thumb on radar. I have been running radar for a couple of years now and don't know how I did it with out it in some of the area's I fish.
 
Gotta agree that excess speed is a major factor but combine that with a radar that's set on auto tune mode plus a dome that's mounted too low, not canted downward to off set some of the hull running angle, a SMALL split screen display and you got a problem before Ya leave the dock. I've run radar for 25 years and the better units today (mine is a 2008 model) are so sensitive that on 1 mile range they pick up birds floating on the surface, I guess you get what Ya pay for? Back in the day we did stare down into the screen because they were not sunlight screens, now Only an idiot would constantly stare at the radar while running. I always thought that running in the fog without radar is like everyone driving at night without lights in the rain. Just like so many bicycle riders do. I often wonder how many non radar guys would be out in the fog if they didn't have a GPS chart plotter. I know that I use to stay at the dock till the fog lifted. I'm sure Profish will tell you there are way more boats fishing sooke in the fog now than when he started
 
The real killers are the guys that run full speed using their chart plotters in the fog, seen it a hundred times around Telegraph. Bottom line is chartplotters are cartoons ,out the windows and radar thats real life.
 
Sculpin said:
It is dangerous even at low speed if you don't have a radar reflector or radar. Do you have radar on your boat? Do you have a radar reflector on your boat?

Please don't talk about distracted driving using radar if you don't have any experience with it. Please don't talk about irresponsibility on the water if you don't have a radar reflector on your boat. The reflectors are not that expensive and they save lives.

I use my radar all the time and can look at the screen and watch where I am going at the same time quite well. It's the people with out either that are the problem. You have no business being out in an area that fog can be frequent with out at least a radar reflector period IMO.

My rig stands out like a sore thumb on radar. I have been running radar for a couple of years now and don't know how I did it with out it in some of the area's I fish.
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Have to agree there are a lot of boats with reflectors out there..... Everyone shoudl have one. On site note I am getting one soon,and looking at options... Just ahve to get arch designed and mounted. Maybe if you don't mind John will stop by and look at one you have...
 
Few radars will pick up a log . No responsible person runs at high speed in low visibility radar or not! Not criticising anyone but Rule Six of collision regs regarding safe speed is worth a read.
 
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Lots of valid points made so far. I have to admit that I ran for years with GPS offshore but have been running with radar for the last 5 seasons. The one suggestion I would make is practice.....practice......practice. For the first two seasons I ran my radar a lot on crystal clear sunny days and played with settings until I was comfortable with what I saw with my eyes and what showed up on my screen. I must admit I am suprised just how small of a boat it will pick up when properly set up right down to seagulls sitting on a floating log. If sea conditions are rougher than other factors come into play and what you will see but most radars can tune in as much or as little as you want to see. I'm sure with larger vessels they have the tuning to almost blank out most small sport boats as it doesn't concern them as much of a hazard? I also have never really understood the need for 16...24....0r 32 mile radars on a sport fishing boat. I personally dial my range back to 1 mile when running as that's all I'm really concerned with while under power. It also allows you to use more of your screen at a higher definition to show targets that are picked up.....but eveyone has their preferences. Speed is also been mentioned and in any adverse condition a major safety factor to consider. I for one definitely do not stare at the radar screen and only use it as a reference to pick up targets and adjust my heading around them with my GPS. After a while you can almost picture what it is you will be coming up to or passing in reference to your screen. Don't get my wrong it is far from bullet proof plan running in the fog with radar but simply another tool to try and make it safer. With most toys on boats and other recreational vehicles people usually just dont bother to learn most of what it can and can't do.....IMO Safe Boating.........:)
 
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Some really good Advice here about running in the fog,I never left the dock years ago with out radar, It's a must have anywhere where the fog could exist.One day years ago fishing Barkley sound area was fishing Whitlestone the fog rolled in like a giant wall,what amazed me was how fast it travelled, unbelievably fast you seen it coming one minute a mile away then bang your in it thick as pea soup !!!! So keep a good eye out when you see it coming be prepared to roll up and run in could be the difference between life and death.
When I got my radar system years ago I also ran it for days in clear blue weather to get a good picture of how things look on the screen you will see it doesn't pick up absolutely everything and get confident that's the best advice ... I've spent many days in the fog as I fish the west coast most of the summer another thing is have people looking all directions the more eyes the better at a SLOWER Speed,remember things happen fast !! Very fast!!!! Remember you guys with no radR and only gps running in the fog it's virtually impossible to be rescued in fog, gps co-ordinates help but searching is like looking for a needle in a haystack in dense fog not to mention if your in the water.safe boating practices are a must!!!

Tight lines
Billydoo
 
Obviously everyone here agrees how dangerous it is to navigate in the fog however I think it is a little extreme to think that everyone out there must have radar! This morning when I left for work in my car it was pea soup and I didn't even hesitate to start my commute. I had to navigate parked cars, cyclists, and a pedestrian that felt it was to far out of his way to go to the crosswalk! I don't have a gps in my car and I surely don't have a radar and I'm pretty sure my employer would find it unacceptable if I called and couldn't drive to work because there was fog. I fully agree that everyone should have a radar deflector and after spending Thursday out in the fog it will be my top priority to make sure I get one ASAP! As for the radar… I would love one for my 16' boat however I am discouraged with the cost and don't think I will ever get one as my intentions aren't to go offshore or navigate in places other than ones I am familiar with. I think we have all (myself included) become too dependant on our electronics and feel that if everyone just uses common sense and practices safety first we should all be able to navigate the fog radar or not! Remember if you don't feel comfortable out in the fog its probably best you don't take your boat out!
 
nheknayr said:
Obviously everyone here agrees how dangerous it is to navigate in the fog however I think it is a little extreme to think that everyone out there must have radar! This morning when I left for work in my car it was pea soup and I didn't even hesitate to start my commute. I had to navigate parked cars, cyclists, and a pedestrian that felt it was to far out of his way to go to the crosswalk! I don't have a gps in my car and I surely don't have a radar and I'm pretty sure my employer would find it unacceptable if I called and couldn't drive to work because there was fog. I fully agree that everyone should have a radar deflector and after spending Thursday out in the fog it will be my top priority to make sure I get one ASAP! As for the radar… I would love one for my 16' boat however I am discouraged with the cost and don't think I will ever get one as my intentions aren't to go offshore or navigate in places other than ones I am familiar with. I think we have all (myself included) become too dependant on our electronics and feel that if everyone just uses common sense and practices safety first we should all be able to navigate the fog radar or not! Remember if you don't feel comfortable out in the fog its probably best you don't take your boat out!
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Hey there your comparing driveing a car in the fog to being on the water wow major difference whens the last time anyone pulled over to the curb out in the ocean and you live in Victoria, a lot of water traffic there and surrounding g areas, I wish you all the best of luck with your gps you are really takeing a big risk.thats all I have to say

Tight lines
Billydoo
 
No kidding, huge difference between cars and boating...BTW, google 120 car pile up in fog...the evidence is pretty clear. On land or water, fog is a major issue.

I believe there should be an addition made to the collision regulations stating that no vessel can leave port on days where there is fog unless equipped with radar and radar reflector. I might even be prepared to go so far as making AIS mandatory. I appreciate the cost of these items, but they are a small price to pay for your life.
 
I don't think I could ever get comfortable with motoring around the south island waters in thick fog at 20+mph, even with radar. There will always be the guy out there in a small fiberglass boat without a radar reflector, not to mention logs, dead heads, crab traps. Radar can't see everything and everyone. Slow down and be alert.
 
Well although it made sense when I wrote it I can see my analogy didn't have the effect I had intended. lol! All I was really trying to say is that although I don't have all the electronics in my truck I can still navigate it in heavy fog by being extra cautious and slowing down to the appropriate speed etc. I take navigating my boat EXTREMELY serious and would never ever want to do anything to jeopardized mine or any fellow boater's life. As a matter of fact I am going to start saving for a radar and an arch since I do feel that strongly about safety on the water! It may take a while but searun is actually right when he says "they are a small price to pay for you life".
 
I gotta agree with Searun, safety and caution should be priority one! Driving my pickup in the fog isn't all that bad because I know most of the other drivers can usually see some of the lines on the road and we all have an idea of what direction everyone else is travelling based upon the rules of the road. Granted, Bikes and pedestrians can be the exception to this controlled environment. I can't remember the last time I drove in the fog with multiple cars coming at me from many different directions with their headlights turned off! However with pleasure boats in open water it's an environment of go any direction you want, whenever you want, without regard to speed limits. That's why we all find it so appealing. Most of us have had the big pucker moment out in the fog, sometimes caused by radar equipted boats and some by GPS charterplotter boats or sometimes just by being ourselves! If you haven't had your moment, you can be assured it's out there waiting for you. I just hope you don't have the kids on onboard when that time comes. You can rest assured I will have my Radar on watching out for you this wknd.
 
profisher said:
I bet 90 to 95 % of the boats out in the fog are running without lights on. If it is foggy I will leave mine on all day if the fog is in and out. Just gives someone a bit more of a chance to see me sooner with some colour in all the grey.
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Exactly what I do. I am also amazed at why most other boats don't.
 
image.jpg

It wasn't until I installed radar that I realized how important a good reflector is. Fibreglass sport fishers have a terrible signature. It's ugly but can be put away when it's clear out.
 
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