Radar Mounting: On Mast or Stern Pole ?

[Resolve78]

Hello All,

What are the benefits and draw backs on mounting the radar on the mast or mounting it on a stern pole ?

I recently bought an older "new to me" boat that has its radar dome mounted up the mast, with a bar around it protecting it from the sail. As the radar is rather old, along with the other navigational electronics, I will be upgrading them this spring. My new boat is a 42ft Sabre, and I sail primarily along the Maine coast and into Canada.

My prior boat had the radar on a stern pole whereupon I added a hoist for lifting the dingy outboard motor to its rail mount.

Several question in particular include:
Is the radar weight up the mast a considerable issue ?
How does the swaying of the high mast mounting impact upon the radar image?
Understanding the higher the radar is, the further is "sees", but does it also loose the ability to find things closer in front of the boat, i.e. lobster pots ?
What other considerations should I be addressing when upgrading the systems?

Thank you in advance for your thoughts and expertise,
Resolve78

[a64pilot]

Since you already have a mount on the mast, I’d go with that and save the considerable expense of a pole.
Both work, and work well.

[Steadman Uhlich]

A previous discussion thread on the topic of placement of the radome.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...dar-62270.html

I don't own one, but I happen to like the gimbal mounts (mast, pole, or backstay).

Good luck on your decision.

[Paul L]

The horizontal resolution of the radar will make more difference than the mounting position. To get narrow hr in a dome system you need a 24in model.
Mounting low gives better close in resolution, while still being able to see far off thunderstorms.
Weight in the rig is never good.
Gimbling is unneeded complexity.

[RaymondR]

The boat I recently purchased came with a radar which, because the screen is mounted at the nav station, has very limited utility when I mostly needed it.

I mostly needed it when entering anchorages after dark using a chart plotter. The radar would have assisted in identifying anchored vessels which don't have anchor lights on or moored vessels, which are not required to have them. I am also curious as to how much better it might detect many of the small targets one finds in anchorages and harbors if the antenna is mounted lower to the water.

I thought about leaving the antenna up the mast and just moving the display but that will require considerably more cable. I also thought about upgrading to a broadband unit which will display on the MFD at the helm position.

I have decided to retain the existing unit and relocate the antenna to the transom and the display to the helm position in order to evaluate functionality before spending any money on upgrading (It might also get rid of an annoying rattle in the mast and I will be able to reuse the existing cable)

Having now had experience with both radar and AIS I tend to the opinion that AIS is more practical for identifying largish ships since it provides heading, speed and call sign identity and the radar as a position check and in identifying unlit hazards.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Resolve78

My new boat is a 42ft Sabre, and I sail primarily along the Maine coast and into Canada.

Hello Resolve
I prefer about 1/3rd up the mast as in my boat seen here


It makes for easy wiring runs with other cables.

Generally the higher the better for line of sight Range, and more control of sea clutter.

But that is also a function of the power of chosen radar and the understanding of the operator to manually Tune.
(Calculator here) http://members.home.nl/7seas/radcalc.htm

Angle of heel works well at that height, so no need to gimbal, but in reality in Fog or entering a harbour at night, you are not heeled well over and moving fast.

[J Clark H356]

I have 2003 Raymarine Pathfinder 2KW analog Radar on mast. I can see within a boat length and have a 24 NM range. In practice, if you can see 12 mikes, that is long enough when cruising. I have a stern mounted pole with a KVH sat antenna and hoist for my dinghy motor. When I change our Neymar electronics, I’m going to change to a stern mounted pole so when I go back to Florida with the mast down, i won’t have to jury rig my radar. Stern pole gives you enough range and the dinghy hoist for outboard is essential.

[Minggat]

Went through the same choice a few years ago. Stayed with it on the mast. Happy with that choice for a couple of reasons.

1. Very rarely use the radar anyway. With AIS, even less now.

2. My solar panels are happy to not have to share the space on my stern arch. (A pole on the stern can't compete with a stern arch for versatility).

[Yngvepau]

I just put a B&G 4G radar on a 10ft radar pole on the ports transom. I have a Tartan 3700 and absolutely love it. I “sailed” it from San Diego to Seattle and it worked absolutely perfectly.

[contrail]

Originally Posted by J Clark H356

I have 2003 Raymarine Pathfinder 2KW analog Radar on mast. I can see within a boat length and have a 24 NM range. In practice, if you can see 12 mikes, that is long enough when cruising. I have a stern mounted pole with a KVH sat antenna and hoist for my dinghy motor. When I change our Neymar electronics, I’m going to change to a stern mounted pole so when I go back to Florida with the mast down, i won’t have to jury rig my radar. Stern pole gives you enough range and the dinghy hoist for outboard is essential.

Meaning to be helpful with this specific radar here. I hope you are very careful with the automatic settings, if you use them at all. And DON'T use them with your alarm on a short range. There is a design glitch, known to Raymarine, which they are not interested in correcting on a discontinued technology. It's why I don't touch their radars, even to this day, although the new ones are way past that glitch. Terrible corporate response.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Resolve78

Hello All,

What are the benefits and draw backs on mounting the radar on the mast or mounting it on a stern pole ?

I recently bought an older "new to me" boat that has its radar dome mounted up the mast, with a bar around it protecting it from the sail. As the radar is rather old, along with the other navigational electronics, I will be upgrading them this spring. My new boat is a 42ft Sabre, and I sail primarily along the Maine coast and into Canada.

My prior boat had the radar on a stern pole whereupon I added a hoist for lifting the dingy outboard motor to its rail mount.

Several question in particular include:
Is the radar weight up the mast a considerable issue ?
How does the swaying of the high mast mounting impact upon the radar image?
Understanding the higher the radar is, the further is "sees", but does it also loose the ability to find things closer in front of the boat, i.e. lobster pots ?
What other considerations should I be addressing when upgrading the systems?

Thank you in advance for your thoughts and expertise,
Resolve78

If you are outfitting with a new G4 radar mount it on a pole. You obviously sail in a lobster trap area so I would guess anything you can get marking them would be more valuable than picking up a mile or two in distance. JMHO

[fatherchronica]

We have mast steps, so we prefer not having a radar in the way. Manacame with an old radar on a pole, but I built an arch that incorporated the radar on an extension pole to starboard and a wind generator to port and solar panels in between. It ruined the looks of Mana to me, but it really works well for us, and my wife and lots of other folks like the looks of it. I have had many people ask to come aboard to see it up close. So what do I know.

[rbrentp]

Went through the same thing. Talked to a couple of riggers, the Radar makers - about four of them (bought Garmin to match everything else), and people who did both. I moved mine from the mast to stern arch when the rigging was done. Reasons:

Less cable in the mast, and the radar has two.
It is a sailboat - guesstimate was I might lose a mile or two on distance settings. Could not see the advantages moving at ten knots.
Better discrimination close in - again - at sailboat speeds in the Gulf a lot more threats close.
No worry of sail catch. I had the little bumper to help the sail slide. Riggers said it still wears on the sail.
Easy to get to.

So big storms rolling in at 30-40mph give 3-4 minutes less warning. Everything else is upside. I only seem to use it at night or in fog coming into an anchorage where I tie it into 3D and can see most of what is there.

[a64pilot]

However a pole is big $$$, and he already has one on the mast.
I’m pole mounted also, so I’m not defending my position, just think the gains may not be worth the bucks is all.

[Resolve78]

To All,
I thank you for your comments as I still ponder which way to go. There are good points to leaving the radar at the mast, and good points for putting it on the stern. I wish it was a simple answer !

Resolve78