I run a 30’ aluminum water taxi locally here at night. We cruise at 23 knots with twin outboards. Radar and chart plotter on of course but our main tool for night running is good LED lights on the bow and cabin. This taxi runs through a rocky area with lots of log drift around at times. Radar for me is most useful in fog and the west coast in the summer has it so it’s a good tool for out there.
Minimum Radar For Heading Offshore
- Thread starter Rain City
- Start date
Rain City
Crew Member
I'm assuming you move the cooler though?
Rain City
Crew Member
I'd feel better with outboards running at night for sure.
casper5280
Crew Member
Yes, no cooler up there. That picture was just cropped, we were tied to the dock in a remote bay on the westcoast and needed more deck space at the time.
noluck
Well-Known Member
i ran into this exact situation in Bamfield heading out one morning, one guy high speed and no radar, i altered course as i seen him coming. glad i had my radar
brutus
Well-Known Member
Nice to see the idiots coming at least
fishin solo
Crew Member
Radar is a great option to have.... a definite must if fishing on the WCVI imo. With the way fishing regs have been changing for the worse every year you may find yourself over on that side more and more so definitely a great investment. Personally I would Try and figure out a way to do a permanent mount as wires don’t like to be bent twisted and pulled around all the time. Seeing behind your vessel is a must imo. Way way to many idiots out there motoring around clueless in the fog..... had 2 close calls last season in Barkley same scenario almost exactly as noluck described. Anyways just my opinion 
I made a pole to mount mine on. I made the outside out of 1.5" aluminum pipe. The inside pole is 1" aluminum pipe. I bored out the 1.5" aluminum pipe to accept a piece of 1.25" PVC pipe. I cross drilled the pipes for some pins. I can now raise or lower it as needed. Will try to get pictures when I can.
CBsqrd
Well-Known Member
Don't underestimate how much you'll use your radar for increased situational awareness even in good weather. I use mine all the time. Case in point: If I'm leaving North Vancouver and heading across English Bay towards the North Arm, and there are couple boats coming out of False Creek (or West Van, or... ), I fire up the radar and a couple taps later I have the targets selected and have info on the other boats' speed, heading, closest point of approach, time to closest point of approach, etc. Newest ones will do all this for you and colour code the targets for coming towards or going away from you.
Problem with AIS is only about 2% or less of sportfishing boats have a transmitter - that's based on about 200 boats at Sandheads in early September and only about 3 with AIS transmitters that I saw. Might be more (or less) in other places.
Agree 100% with others who have recommend mounting higher and getting a 360-degree view.
Problem with AIS is only about 2% or less of sportfishing boats have a transmitter - that's based on about 200 boats at Sandheads in early September and only about 3 with AIS transmitters that I saw. Might be more (or less) in other places.
Agree 100% with others who have recommend mounting higher and getting a 360-degree view.
wolf
Well-Known Member
Totally get it higher so you can have 360 why limit your self and like others said its not you,, its the other clowns out there running full bore looking down at the gps not paying attention...
Example this year at whiffen spit guy got so turned around I see him on radar as hes behind me and to my side hes doing donuts almost hitting the shore I stopped and said where are you going???? he says possession .. ok do you have a compass? gps?? uymmmm NO he says to me I said well ill take you to there ... dropped him off and I went other way....
Rain City
Crew Member
Jesus
Plenty of info says that to avoid frying your brain, mount RADAR above head-height, (on your boat this would be an arc on the bridge) which about 99% of the installs I have ever seen do.
Add the gear you will need & pretty soon a 2 week Tuna trip somewhere WARM sounds cheap. Iv'e been on 4-5 Tuna trips; hooking-up on bait is fun, listening to the SCREAM of the reel is fun, then the fish stops & imitates a sheet to plywood while you wrench it in. I'll take Dorado any day of the week.
BryceWCP
Active Member
I messaged that guy the day it was posted and haven’t heard back from him. I’m looking for a 3G /4G myself
casper5280
Crew Member
Right from the Lowrance Manual
FMCW = Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave The scanner transmits a ‘rising tone’ (Tx wave) with linearly increasing frequency. The wave propagates out from the transmitter retaining the frequency it had when it was transmitted. If it reflects off an object, it will return to the receiver, still at the frequency it had when originally transmitted. Meanwhile, the transmitter continues to output an increasing frequency. The difference between both the currently transmitted and received frequencies, coupled with the known rate of frequency increase, allows a time of flight to be calculated, from which distance is calculated.
Additional benefits of FMCW radar are:
Safety
• low energy emissions. 1/5th of a mobile phone
• safe operation in anchorages and marinas
• instant power up. No warm up required
Last edited:
Rain City
Crew Member
But everyone I ask says you'll toast your brains
Is there a chance that you get full 360 view even with it mounted with an obstruction behind it?
casper5280
Crew Member
https://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/electronics/can-your-radar-really-hurt-you
My setup works fine, full 360 view. Have tested it several times and test mounted a couple different ways before building this one.
My setup works fine, full 360 view. Have tested it several times and test mounted a couple different ways before building this one.
Now all of that said, we at Power & Motoryacht absolutely recommend that you treat radar with the same respect you always have and give this powerful system the wide berth it deserves. But rest assured, you’re not exposing your family to any dangerous radiation levels simply by using a revolutionary navigation tool, provided you install it and use it according to manufacturers’ specifications.
There are some things to think about when working with your installer. Basically you want the radar to be mounted above head height and over the highest point where you and your crew spend time on your boat
From the same article casper5280 posted.
I guess if your brain is already fried it goes into "selective reading & comprehension mode" while filtering & rejecting that which you would rather not believe. Whatever.
There are some things to think about when working with your installer. Basically you want the radar to be mounted above head height and over the highest point where you and your crew spend time on your boat
From the same article casper5280 posted.
I guess if your brain is already fried it goes into "selective reading & comprehension mode" while filtering & rejecting that which you would rather not believe. Whatever.
