Radar or not

D

DPF

New Member
May 4, 2010
116
Lake Erie
Boat Info
2007 32 searay sundancer
Engines
350 mags
I just puchased a 2007 32 Dancer and can't decide if i really need a radar eletronics or just GPS. boating in the Great lakes. My question is do you look at the radar screen enough to make it worth the money?
 
Depends on how you intend on using the boat and if your area is prone to fog. I did without radar for several years and it does impact on how you use, or not use, your boat.
 
If you like to boat at night and/or find yourself out in foggy situations often (fishing or cruising with a care-free attitude), get Radar. I don't go out at night and I don't get into fog situations so note the lack of dome or array on my arch. One point to realize - GPS is NOT a substitute for radar. You need to see where you're going with GPS or you'll wind up on land or in another boat's cockpit. Radar, in conjunction with GPS, can literally be your eyes on a moonless night or in pea-soup.
 
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As the other post say, Depending on if your going to be going at night and if the fog rolls in.... The couple of times you do use it maybe well worth it. since I assume you already have an arch ( we had to get one) it not to expensive. There are some stand alone units for 1,250 to 1,500. If your GPS does not have the input for the radar.
JG
 
In my area......I would not go out without it......In fact, I would not get a boat without it.....It extends my cruising at night and in fog in an already shortened season.......It allows for me not to cancel plans 3-4 days a year (at least).......It allows me to go!
 
I would highly recommend it. You never know when you are going to end up in fog or unexpectedly delayed into the evening on a cruise. Radar makes a world of difference for collision avoidance in limited visibility. I would also recommend taking a radar class so you know how to use the information presented. I took the Starpath online class and found it very worthwhile.
 
My suggestion:

If you are going to be more than a dock queen that only ventures beyond the break wall on clear, calm, sunlight days then get radar, have it working and learn how to use it.

Have you used radar before?

If not, you may want to read this post…..
http://clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4754
 
I wouldn't be without it. Too many times clearing the harbor in the dark and having a flashlight flickering at me as I'm about to plane out. Also in the dark and fog, coming into port is a lot easier and safer.
 
I had it on my last boat and found it to be more of a distraction than a help... I used it once in the fog, but found the Chart plotter much more useful... At night I like to look out and not down at the radar... I always thought that I should have bought a pair of night vision binoculars rather than the radar...
 
Radar gives you a tremendous safety advantage. I know folks that say they don't go out at night, or don't boat in foggy conditions, but what about those times when you don't have control of your situation like when the wind direction changes and sea fog blows over you, or when you hit a submerged object and have your day extended because you have to come home on one engine at 6 kts instead of your usual 24 kts.

Just last Wednesday we entered our lagoon only to met by a ton of smoke where a local landmark was on fire. We got to within a mile of our slip and had to run the rest of the way to our marina using radar and plotters. Here is a video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLT07z-8SXo&feature=related

The marina is on the same property, just next door.


You just never know what you will encounter on the water and having radar gives you more options and better control of those options. In the case of this fire, I was able to get to the marina and tie our boat off in the travel-lift haul out slip until it was safe to go back to our regular slip. Without the radar, we would have had to take a transient slip several miles from home or anchor out for the night. As it was, we got the boat home at about dark and slept in our own bed. Options..........

Also, having radar is only part of the equation. You must also know how to use it and how to interpret what you are seeing on the screen and that takes experience and practice.
 
Think of it this way, a GPS will tell you were a nav aid shoud be relative to your position, and radar tells you were it actually is so you don't hit it! And at night or in fog this does help...
 
If you do a lot of boating on Lake Michigan you will find it affords a considerable safety advantage. I remember running from Milwaukee to Grand Haven without radar and encountered heavy fog and a large ship that was on the oppositve heading. We both had our autopilots on and passed way too close for comfort. I bought radar after that experience.
 
Lots of opinions. I'm a radar guy - in the flying business. Been strapping on a flying radar for 18 years. I don't have a radar on my boat. The perfect boat for us didn't have radar. Could have used it a couple of times, but never missed a day out because of not having it.

I've cruised in fog. You need to be very diligent and know how far you can see ahead. Look for each marker and keep track of how far ahead you can see it. Picture the next guy coming at you head on. Leave enough room to avoid that collision, and then some. 99.9% of the time, I probably wouldn't turn it on except to keep proficient at using it. I'm sure my next boat will have it, but it is not a show stopper by any means.
 
Radar is a great back up navigation tool. I lost my GPS one time and was able to compare my radar screen to a paper chart to figure out where I was. Again, hazy with limited visability and 15 miles offshore. There is a lot of time spent cruising Lake Michigan when you are unable to see anything beyond 2-4 milles. You can also lock on to light houses with your radar image and auto pilot. I do this a lot when approaching inlets. I usually set it up 10 or so miles out so I have a real time image of where I'm going and switch to that from the chart plotter. And, you can also overlay the radar on the chart which I do a lot as well. Like others have said, it depends on how you boat.
 
I added radar this year, and if I use it once or twice this season to avoid a dangerous situation while my family is onboard, it was well worth it.
 
Get the radar--you will never be disappointed that you spent the money. I live in an area that gets fog only in the spring, but I boat a lot at night. Having the radar allows you to expand your boating times and feel safe doing it.

Here's a radar shot (overlayed on top of the GPS screen) of my boat going under a freeway bridge. I was out one morning and the fog closed in. I was midway between my marina and my destination and felt confident continuing on to the destination. As you can see I'm moving at 5.7kts.

P1010033_overlay_resized.jpg

Here's a shot of what I could see over the bow. Zero, Zip, Nada, Zilch. I couldn't even see water in front of the boat. Without the radar I would not have felt confident moving but I also would not have wanted to anchor in the river.
P1010024_2.jpg

Having the radar will improve your confidence level but also make you a safer boater and guarantee a higher probability of having a safe day on the water.
 
I run with the radar on always. All the above is true about limited visibility, but I also find that on clear days at cruise speed you can't see the 15 foot fishing boat dead ahead. The radar picks it up so you can avoid it. The fishermen assume you can see them, but you close fast on the small boats and if distracted you are on them in a flash!
 
Thanks for information. Sounds like all you who have it, use it. So you answered my question. I have only used GPS but at this point I will be spending the extra money and purchasing the radar kit as well. Thanks for the information. My new to me 32 dancer does not have it but will.
 
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