Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 13-11-2010, 12:55   #1
Registered User

Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Atascadero, Calif.
Boat: 1992 Gemini Catamaran
Posts: 28
Radar for Sea of Cortez

I am refitting my 3200 Gemini Cat for a year of crusing in the Sea of Cortez. I need to get radar. I will be installing a standalone AIS unit to track large vessels but I would like a short range radar for smaller vessels and land when I am underway in fog or the dark. What is a good radar unit for this application. Thanks all
__________________
Wayne
1992 Gemini Catamaran
Morro Bay, Calif.
wstu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-11-2010, 13:35   #2
Registered User

Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Whangaparaoa,NZ
Boat: 63 ft John Spencer Schooner
Posts: 956
Don't want to be rude, but we sailed for several years in the Sea of Cortez without radar, no problem.
I'd spend the money on a really big awning.
__________________

dana-tenacity is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-11-2010, 14:27   #3
Registered User
 
senormechanico's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2003
Boat: Dragonfly 1000 trimaran
Posts: 7,145
You don't need to get fancy. Most of the time our radar was off, but for night crossings of the sea, we used the 4 or 8 mile ranges, although it was nice to see predawn squalls on the Eastern shore about 20 miles away.

I agree, a good canopy is more important.
__________________
The question is not, "Who will let me?"
The question is,"Who is going to stop me?"


Ayn Rand
senormechanico is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-11-2010, 13:39   #4
Registered User
 
svcambria's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Mexico (currently)
Boat: Panda 40 - S/V Cambria
Posts: 573
Four to eight miles is a good seek range for radar, but also 1, 1/2, and 1/4 miles for trying to find the landmarks in a dark and stormy anchorage - especially the ones that act as range markers. Found radar also useful for trying to work out the antics of the shrimp boats as they dance around you. Not very useful for finding dark pangas which are either wood or fiberglass.
I had a Furuno 8 and then a 16 mile LCD radar with the monitor mounted in the cockpit that worked out well. Now I have a 36 mile Furuno so I can see mountaintops far far away...
Large vessels in the upper Sea are essentially the Santa Rosalia/Guaymas ferry and the ore boat that goes to San Marcos Island (near Santa Rosalia). Anything else is usually Navy of one stripe or another and presumably they see you...
Bring sunbrella or nursery cloth and a grommet kit to make shade.
Michael
svcambria is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-11-2010, 13:51   #5
Registered User
 
svcambria's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Mexico (currently)
Boat: Panda 40 - S/V Cambria
Posts: 573
Actually, for the "Sea of Cortex" - it's all in your head...

Michael
svcambria is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-11-2010, 16:09   #6
Registered User

Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Atascadero, Calif.
Boat: 1992 Gemini Catamaran
Posts: 28
No offense taken dana-tenacity, I mostly want it for the next two years which I will getting the boat ready and sailing the Morro Bay and southern Calif area which can be very foggy at time. And yes on the shade, I already have a design for shade, LOTS of shade. Any recommendation on a brand radar?
__________________
Wayne
1992 Gemini Catamaran
Morro Bay, Calif.
wstu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-11-2010, 22:41   #7
Registered User
 
Islander's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 166
I have a JRC 1500 on mine, nothing fancy but it does the job and is cheaper than an equivalent Furuno or Raymarine.

Mounted low on the mast, just under the baby stay it works well on near objects like buoys etc., and is great for finding space between boats in anchorages. Still works well out to 12 or 16 miles.

Cheers.
Islander is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18-11-2010, 13:03   #8
Registered User

Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Atascadero, Calif.
Boat: 1992 Gemini Catamaran
Posts: 28
Anyone else have a recommendation. I have a JRC VHF and am happy with it but it appears they are not doing low end radar units anymore.
__________________
Wayne
1992 Gemini Catamaran
Morro Bay, Calif.
wstu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18-11-2010, 13:16   #9
Registered User
 
rebel heart's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,185
Images: 3
The furuno brand is what I've had good experience with. I'm in a lot of the same waters you'll be moving around in; I generally leave it off, but some people use them a lot. In the fog you'll be motoring (fog around here generally equals <1 knot of wind) so your ears will be useless to hear other vessels from the engine noise. It's probably one of the only really nice things about radar is when motoring, and then the power consumption isn't that bad.

My $0.02.

If you have a willing crew putting someone up on the bow to listen and look can be helpful, and they won't be deaf from the engine. There are a lot of fisherman and various skiffs along the coast that don't register on the radar.
rebel heart is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18-11-2010, 13:26   #10
Registered User
 
beowulfborealis's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 89
That brings up a funny experience I had there once. I was fishing out of Loreto with a guide and we set out before sunrise. It was pitch black and the water was like glass. The captain of the panga kept pulling out a butane lighter and flicking it as we shot across the water at about 25 knots. I kept wonder what the heck he was doing that for when out to port I saw another flickering lighter. These guys were using the lighters as navigation since they didn't have any running lights.
beowulfborealis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18-11-2010, 13:34   #11
Registered User
 
rebel heart's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,185
Images: 3
Quote:
Originally Posted by beowulfborealis View Post
That brings up a funny experience I had there once. I was fishing out of Loreto with a guide and we set out before sunrise. It was pitch black and the water was like glass. The captain of the panga kept pulling out a butane lighter and flicking it as we shot across the water at about 25 knots. I kept wonder what the heck he was doing that for when out to port I saw another flickering lighter. These guys were using the lighters as navigation since they didn't have any running lights.
I've seen guys with flashlights duct taped down. A single, small, crummy flashlight that I wouldn't use to read a book with.
rebel heart is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
radar, sea of cortez

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Crew Available: Sea of Cortez Sailor steveinmexico Crew Archives 0 21-05-2010 09:20
WA to Hawaii to Sea of Cortez chkrhntr1945 Families, Kids and Pets Afloat 16 05-04-2008 14:46
Sea of Cortez Terry Fallis Other 9 07-09-2007 16:56
Sea of Cortez - places to see Redbull addict Pacific & South China Sea 28 12-04-2007 12:44
Sea of Cortez Weather Terry Fallis General Sailing Forum 6 08-11-2006 09:06

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 08:25.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.