Is radar like the extinct typewriter?

[Pizzazz]

Originally Posted by Nammy

On to the technical part! I found a box that I could disconnect the pong screen from via a connector type thing inside said box. What am I looking for to replace that old monitor? Can I find something nmea2000 compatible? What's THAT gonna cost? I want simple but, clear and easy to read.

Assuming you have an analog dome, you can get a color LCD display second hand for about $300. If you want chart overlay, nmea 2000 connectivity and MARPA, then you need something like a Raymarine C80 for about $500. Anything used over $500 is not worth since you can get a good modern new radar system for about $2,000. Just find our what radome you have and Google it.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Pizzazz

Assuming you have an analog dome, you can get a color LCD display second hand for about $300. If you want chart overlay, nmea 2000 connectivity and MARPA, then you need something like a Raymarine C80 for about $500. Anything used over $500 is not worth since you can get a good modern new radar system for about $2,000. Just find our what radome you have and Google it.

There is very little, almost zero, compatibility between MFD's of different generations, and older radars. The Raymarine C series, for example, cannot be used with the Pathfinder radars. That is because the "dome" does not contain the electronics of the radar set -- they are in the box, either separate or more often integrated with the display unit.

What he's calling a "pong screen" is no doubt an old CRT display. There is no chance his radar will work with LCD displays of different generations, or indeed any LCD scren, unless perhaps it is the very first generation of Raytheon Pathfinder for which both CRT and LCD screens were briefly offered at the same time.

[Stuarth44]

Originally Posted by Nammy

So, I just bought Oasis, my Westsail 32 and, I'm busy making her safe for "Chasing Captain Fatty". I just bought a vhf radio with AIS. I have a nice Garmin plotter with downvu(fun little addition). The boat had working radar until I tore out the most ancient monitor I've ever seen. It looked like a game of pong... Do I even really need radar? Can I run something modern from the antenna that is nmea2000? I did some minor research and most ppl seem to like it but, not need it. Advice please! On a side note. My fridge is beautiful with a huge cold plate in it. The compressor unit is nowhere to be found. I'm mostly concerned with power draw but, price is always a close second. Anyone have a used compressor unit taking up space? Is bigger better? Should I throw it all out and start new? I would go without but, I need to keep some medical supplies cool.

Sent from my VS985 4G using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

if you ask a REAL SHIPS CAPTAIN
HE WILL TELL YOU THAT RADAR IS THE LAST THING TO QUIT, you try going up the ENGLISH channel at night,v without, in fact it is illegal to run a ship without

[Pelagic]

I think the first thing the OP needs to get "working" is the operational knowledge of how to use and appreciate the errors and limitations of a radar......otherwise it is just a pong box

[MarkJ]

Stupidly the OP doesn't say where he is, nor his intentions. But including Fatty in his post probably means a tropical circumnavigation.

On mine there was 2 hours of fog in 30 000 nms.

You don't need a Radar.

If someone is staying in a fog bound area the choice may be different.

But with all troll posts there is little detail so they can attack your thoughts.





Marm

[UNCIVILIZED]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Stupidly the OP doesn't say where he is, nor his intentions. But including Fatty in his post probably means a tropical circumnavigation.

On mine there was 2 hours of fog in 30 000 nms.

You don't need a Radar.

If someone is staying in a fog bound area the choice may be different.

But with all troll posts there is little detail so they can attack your thoughts.





Marm

Did you pull in somewhere every time it got dark or started raining, over the course of the trip? And what other tools are there which let you check if you're neighbors are dragging down on you in an anchorage when weather blows in, especially at night? Ditto on fixing your position in that anchorage that's poorly charted/incorrectly charted under those same conditions?

And I'd love to know of other tools that warned me when I was getting close to obstacles that don't have AIS or other electronic warning aids. IE; small fishing boats, debris, containers, etc.

Plus, as has been stated, there are definitely times when glancing at the radar beats going on deck by anyones standards.

[Stuarth44]

In the 19 seventies I was second engineer on a tug in the North Sea ecofisk field
When I got sick of looking after the 6000 horsepower engines I would go onto the bridge and get tuition in radar
The traffic up there was unbelievable what people don't seem to realise is that if it says 36 mile radar it doesn't necessarily mean it is such what council a.is kilowatts to punch through all the s***
So buy a radar that your power system will run and make it as powerful as possible otherwise it is just a bloody toy and useless as tits on a bull

[valhalla360]

Nice to have but not necessary.


Comparisons to commercial operations are not applicable. A Maine lobsterman goes out fog or no fog every day. A cruiser has choices to pick their weather.


VHF, depth sounder, maybe an autopilot (or self steering) if you do long passages. While I can't see living without a GPS/Chartplotter, even that isn't strictly necessary but they are so cheap and easy to come by hard to argue against them. After that there are many devices that are nice to have but not needed.


We did the one and a half times around the Great Loop and only one time did I wish I had Radar and even then, it was a simple matter to move out of the channel to a little side cove clear of shipping.

[MarkJ]

For a tropical circumnavigation buy a bigger dinghy outboard before Radar. One u will use every day. One you won't need on your whe circumnavigation.

By the way, as it cumpolsory to have AIS in Thailand, all circumnavigations will have it anyway.

But if you want to buy both go for it.

But don't buy Radar first.

[Stuarth44]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

Nice to have but not necessary.


Comparisons to commercial operations are not applicable. A Maine lobsterman goes out fog or no fog every day. A cruiser has choices to pick their weather.


VHF, depth sounder, maybe an autopilot (or self steering) if you do long passages. While I can't see living without a GPS/Chartplotter, even that isn't strictly necessary but they are so cheap and easy to come by hard to argue against them. After that there are many devices that are nice to have but not needed.


We did the one and a half times around the Great Loop and only one time did I wish I had Radar and even then, it was a simple matter to move out of the channel to a little side cove clear of shipping.

Of all the posts I've ever seen in Aries any form whatsoever that is the most startling statement I have ever seen and quite ridiculous have you ever been cruising in the Pacific Islands or making around 4 at night or during the passage between jFijiand Vanuatu radar is absolutely necessary
At 70 years old and with many ocean packages have had to leave me I know reading your post you obviously have done very little offshore cruising or more to the point in jaw cruising where it is more necessary again especially on a rocky Coast in bad weather I went heavy traffic and that's all I have to say about that you really should post some experience and not about something you were guessing with sorry about that
and typos sorry have one hand now

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Stuarth44

Of all the posts I've ever seen in Aries any form whatsoever that is the most startling statement I have ever seen and quite ridiculous have you ever been cruising in the Pacific Islands or making around 4 at night or during the passage between jFijiand Vanuatu radar is absolutely necessary
At 70 years old and with many ocean packages have had to leave me I know reading your post you obviously have done very little offshore cruising or more to the point in jaw cruising where it is more necessary again especially on a rocky Coast in bad weather I went heavy traffic and that's all I have to say about that you really should post some experience and not about something you were guessing with sorry about that

Yes, oh salty leader. If you say so sir.

[packeteer]

imo, radar is nice to have, but it's not a panacea. a mate of mine has a newish b&g 4g radar, it still misses many things

[Numawan]

Currently doing a trip round the North Altlantic. Started this summer in Belgium, I am currently in Lisbon.

I have an AIS transponder which I found very helpful to track traffic in the Channel (which I crossed twice this summer). Also had a very difficult night (with fine rain reducing visibility to almost nothing) approaching La Coruna, but AIS was sufficient to keep track of numerous fishing boats in that area.

I don't have a radar and don't feel the need to install one.

[Pelagic]

Each to their own level of comfort.....why did your night need to be difficult??

If coasting and I step onto the bridge of a ship or my own sailboat...I look at my chart plotter position...scroll the cursor to get gps distance off of whatever is abeam then use the radars VRM to confirm the same.

If 2 different technologies agree and confirm the same thing....I am a happy man and this is a habitual habit that most professional mariners practice.

[Numawan]

It was a difficult night because the wind was very variable (5 to 25 kts), and of course on the nose, because the rain was reducing visibility to less to 1 NM, and because there were a lot of fishing boats around.

A picture of my AIS screen that night ...