Radar prices

[Mighty Sylvan]

I've been looking at Furuno 1623 prices on line and they are around $1300-$1500. Is that price for display, dome and cable? Reviews indicate this is a good entry level basic unit. Do you have one? What do you think of it?
Thanks,
MS

 

[fishwish]

I have had mine for about 5ish years. It has worked very well for me when I need it.

If I recall, I paid in the range of $1400 for mine, at a local shop (Marine Traders in Powell River). This included everything.

FishWish

 

[Mighty Sylvan]

Thanks fishwish. So $1400 for the display, dome and cable?

 

[fishwish]

Yes...it all came in one box.

FishWish

 

[JAC]

I bought Furno radar 1623 paid 1200 for it a couple years ago.

 

[juandesooka]

Seems to be about $1300-1400 online from what I can see too. This was the one I had narrowed it down to when I bought my radar 2 years ago. But ended up rolling the dice on a used Raymarine RL70 radar/chartplotter with dome ... and it worked out fine (on ebay). Having split screen radar and chartplotter is very handy. Though I guess if you have a separate chartplotter screen and room for both, that's all good too!

 

[Saxe Point]

After today John...... I want a radar........Very added bonus in the fog.....How big is that display you have?

High Five

I've often thought I'd like one too. But on a small boat like ours (DE 16), how and where would you mount the dome? Without a radar arch, which itself is probably expensive, I don't think it can be done. As an alternative, I got a small AIS receiver which is not like radar (it won't see everything out there, only those boats with AIS transponders i.e. commercial traffic and yachts), but I find it to be really helpful. It's the big ships that are the scariest anyway - they probably can't see a small boat like mine, can't turn fast, and they need a mile or two to stop. The whole setup cost me less than $200. It connects to my chart plotter and shows all AIS targets from as far away as 20 or 30 miles. It actually provides better information than radar. In addition to a proximity alarm, it shows the vessel's speed and the CPA (closest point of approach) and all the information about the vessel that you would need to contact it by radio (name, MMSI).

 

[casper5280]

I've often thought I'd like one too. But on a small boat like ours (DE 16), how and where would you mount the dome? Without a radar arch, which itself is probably expensive, I don't think it can be done. As an alternative, I got a small AIS receiver which is not like radar (it won't see everything out there, only those boats with AIS transponders i.e. commercial traffic and yachts), but I find it to be really helpful. It's the big ships that are the scariest anyway - they probably can't see a small boat like mine, can't turn fast, and they need a mile or two to stop. The whole setup cost me less than $200. It connects to my chart plotter and shows all AIS targets from as far away as 20 or 30 miles. It actually provides better information than radar. In addition to a proximity alarm, it shows the vessel's speed and the CPA (closest point of approach) and all the information about the vessel that you would need to contact it by radio (name, MMSI).

I had a 17 ft boat and just had a rack made and mounted it there worked great it was high enough that the top worked up or down and you could walk under it. Mount it as far forward as you can so it's not in the way. I had my furono for 8 years and I nought used very good radar. I bought a lowrance this time as it does not shoot any radiation and I wanted to mount it on my fly bride in front of the windshield so you could see over it.

 

[juandesooka]

I got my radar for offshore trips to Swiftsure, after a scary time in the fog in shipping lanes. AIS would work just as well or better out there ... the main danger are the big ships, and they should all be on AIS. I actually found I used my radar more inshore than expected ... for example, on the long run from, say, Walbran to Port San Juan, you can get into the deeper water and go a little faster with some confidence, because you can see what's coming, not just peering into the fog as best you can. Not a substitute for care and caution, but definitely a nice tool to add to the toolbox.

Installing a radar arch on a small boat .... nice thing too is the rocket launchers, getting spare rods and net out of the way. But you're right, not cheap.

Display: 7" monochrome, good enough and cheap.

 

[TenMile]

Some of the new broadband radar units from Lowrance etc put out less energy than a cell phone. When mounting them, unlike the systems with the magnetometer you don't have to worry about getting them above people.

That said, radar works better the higher it's mounted but with the new 3G/4G units you can get creative and fabricate a SS arch across a bimini without the worry of microwaving your brain.