'granny' cage for a mast radar

[D&D]

We would be very grateful for some pics of any 'granny' cages that are effectively protecting a mast radar transmitter.

Our Raymarine 18" Radome was torn off, bracket and all, by the back-winded genoa in some bizarre weather conditions (light winds all around the compass, but occassional 20kn gusts) along the OZ coast. So we are now in the process of installing its replacement...and we want to also install some sort of engineering to ensure the new radar is better protected!

Any pics out there...please?!?

[DeepFrz]

I don't know if this would have helped or not.
Scanstrut – products

[Cheechako]

Must have been a big genny with alot of overlap? hard to visualize that happening......

[D&D]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

I don't know if this would have helped or not.
Scanstrut – products

Thanks

We're looking for something a bit more, at least with some independent strength/attachment to the mast in addition to the radar bracket itself and ideally with some arrangement below the radar that will prevent the genoa from wrapping and effectively locking itself in that area.

Yes cheechako, it is a large overlapping genoa. Even so, we really didn't think it could actually grab the radar as it did. It seemed to come close a couple times -- That, in hindsight, was the clue we failed to take! -- over her first 18000nm or so including some seriously big seas, but it was finally just some bizarre light and flukey stuff that did the damage...

[Cheechako]

I'm thinking maybe just a piece of SS flat bar, maybe 2" x 1/8"? wrapped around the plastic antenna box intimately and secured to the mast...? to keep anthing from getting in the notch between the round antenna and the mast.. bridging the gap... if that makes sense. Will this interfere with the radar transmission? or you could take a few inches off that big genoa!

[Exile]

FWIW, I've resorted to furling my big 130 genny in a bit before tacking. Would love to hear more about viable radome guards, but then there's still the problem of chewing up the leech.

[Cheechako]

I just looked at the pic of your boat.... and this occurred even though you have a staysail stay? wow, I say it's a real fluke.... I would be looking at a better bracket with a wider footprint and also looking at the fasteners. How was it attached? Maybe it just had common hardware store alum pop rivets or something?

[D&D]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I just looked at the pic of your boat.... and this occurred even though you have a staysail stay? wow, I say it's a real fluke.... I would be looking at a better bracket with a wider footprint and also looking at the fasteners. How was it attached? Maybe it just had common hardware store alum pop rivets or something?

No...we don't have a staysail stay, just the big furling forestay...and no, it wasn't the attachments as the bracket itself broke. All the attachment points on the mast held secure.

Originally Posted by Exile

FWIW, I've resorted to furling my big 130 genny in a bit before tacking. Would love to hear more about viable radome guards, but then there's still the problem of chewing up the leech.

We too furl the genny a bit when there's apparent concern about fouling with the radar, although (obviously!) we didn't do so on the night of the break. So far (touch wood!) we've had no real problems chewing up the leech, although we did have the leech restitched along with some other bits of sails maintenance after our first 15,000nm or so.

We too would love to hear more (even better see more...PICS PLEASE!!) about "viable radome guards". We've seen a few in our voyages, but didn't take any photos at the time...

[D&D]

Still hoping for some pics of others installations...we know you're out there!?!

We're be embarking on a 5-month Exhibition Cruise soon so the radar needs to be sorted ASAP now. We're currently thinking of an outer ring welded onto (just below the transmitter, of course) the standard bracket, and then a cage (perhaps just 3 poles) going down from the ring back to the mast. The idea being to ensure the sail cannot wrap under and around the unit.

Any pics out there...please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[delmarrey]

Seaview makes some pretty robust stuff. >>> Mast Mount Accessories | Seaview Global

[Paul Elliott]

Here are some photos I took this afternoon, just for you! I think that the cage is custom-made for/by Pacific Seacraft. I originally had a Raymarine 4KW radar up there, but now have a Furuno 4KW instead.

[D&D]

Originally Posted by Paul Elliott

Here are some photos I took this afternoon, just for you! I think that the cage is custom-made for/by Pacific Seacraft. I originally had a Raymarine 4KW radar up there, but now have a Furuno 4KW instead.

Thanks!!

[D&D]

If anyone's interested () here is how we attempted to solve the problem. We say 'attempted' because the granny cage is as yet untested, but it appears pretty solid...and it's certainly a lot more protection up there than we had before!

[Cheechako]

it's a radar mount protecting a radar mount!

[Paul Elliott]

The problem I see with the bare radome is that it is made from fairly lightweight plastic for radar transparency. If it was snagged by a sail or spin-pole lift, etc., there could be problems. The heavy-duty protection seems like a good idea.