Navigating in Fog

[starcrafttom]

Others have covered the main points why to have radar ( I cant think of one good reason not to have it) but heres my two cents. radar is like toilet paper in the woods, yes you can live with out it,but why would you. OR not having radar is like hiking bear country with out a gun, when you need it, you need it NOW!!! and you may not live with out it. You see I may be wrong about needing a gun in the woods or the city. but if Iam wrong I still live ,If your wrong you die.

"to era is human, to forgive is divine, nether is marine corp policy"

[dogon dory]

Sorry, Folks - Post Deleted By Author

[El and Bill]

Ken --
We don't go out in bad visibility or cruise at night -- period. However, it's inevitable that a fog or nightfall will catch you sooner or later and it has us. Then, without a radar, you're in danger. Night's not as serious since other boats usually have lights. But, navigation can be tricky since a collision with a nav. mark or log can be serious (and even radar doesn't usually pick up a log).
So, if you are cruising in country that has frequent fog, having a radar is prudent. You don't need a 5k fancy superimposed job -- if your reason for radar is for the rare need to have extra safety in low visibility, a stand-alone radar (relatively inexpensive) will do the trick. Also, it is a navigation backup to your chartplotter should it have an electronic failure.
Radar on a 20-foot boat? Bloody right. You're on that boat (and maybe your wife and kids) and you need to see through the fog on a 20-footer just as much as when you're on a 40-footer.
We use our radar just about once a week -- not that we need to, but to stay sharp with its use. We've only needed it three times -- but man did we need it those times! One of those three times the radar safety zone warned us of an 'intruder' approaching through thick fog with its insistent beeps; once was at night in a narrow, sinuous channel with six-inch shoals on both sides, studded with nav. marks not on the chart -- for seven miles at night. The third time was in a sudden pea-soup crossing a channel in Alaska studded with cruise ships.
No problem for us mounting the radar antenna on the cabin roof -- our inflatable dinghy fits right over it, and it doesn't affect the radar ability at all -- in fact, it helps secure the dink.
So -- do you need a radar? If you are in an area where fog is common, my answer would be, "Yep." It is a major safety factor. Sooner or later we all get caught in fog. Do you need a fancy superimposed radar on the chartplotter. Nope -- since we rarely need to use the radar, and it draws a lot of power, we wouldn't want the radar and chartplotter on at the same time most of the time anyway, let alone superimposed. Two separate systems give us reliability -- in case of failure we can navigate safely with either one, using our paper charts with the radar.

[TyBoo]

E & B -

Now you know I was only joshing with the 20-something foot boat comment, don't you?

But Dusty was not joshing when he taught us that if you have radar, you are required to use it while underway. Here's a direct quote from the Captain:

[dogon dory]

Sorry, Folks - Post Deleted By Author

[starcrafttom]

"do boats under 20 ft need radar". yes and heres why. My folks are looking for a 40 ft boat right now and have looked at about 30 boats in the last few weeks. All used and all on the puget sound. MOST do not have radar. so these are the people that are motoring around in the fog with you. I have seen many boats in the fog trying to get back to port with out radar. I can see and avoid them because I do have radar. Never trust your fellow man to do he right thing. Be prepared to deal with morons and your life will be better. Its a lesson I learned while riding motorcycles in my youth. The first time we got caught in the fog we did not have radar, lights, or a horn. I did have a hand held gps but without back ground map. we nearly got hit by a big boat and he did not have radar ether.