Radar is now redundant ?

[BB7]

With a large screen displaying GPS location on a super detailed chart, and AIS streaming from every other vessel, I wonder if Radar is now an outdated and redundant technology?
I have radar, but very rarely use it since the GPS chart is better.
Will soon be speccing up a new boat, and wonder if Radar is worth having.

Thoughts from your experience ?

[Pete7]

What about fishing boats that turn their AIS off so competitors can't see were they are fishing? or even rocks?

We don't have radar but we are coastal sailing in well charted waters and always have someone on watch.

Pete

[BB7]

Fair point re fishing boats, thanks. Rocks are charted adequately, and radar wont find them anyway. When you are sailing at night do you rely on the radar?

[sailingunity]

I've used it from time to time to track storm cells that were nearby, to see if they were approaching or not. Also when exiting a harbor in dense fog, I was able to see the markers (though admittedly, the charts show this too). I don't have functioning radar anymore (the chartplotter crapped out) and I've gone back and forth on whether to get one.

[rslifkin]

AIS and radar both serve somewhat different purposes. Depending on the situation, each one can tell you information the other can't. Radar and a chart also don't provide the same information.



Basically, radar tells you about objects that aren't charted or broadcasting AIS. AIS tells you more info than radar for stuff that's broadcasting. And a chart is the "what's where" base layer to work from.

[Mike OReilly]

In my travels, there are far more boats out there without AIS than with. Maybe if you're only in rich, urban areas, it might make sense to ditch the radar. Not so in most of the rest of the world.

Besides, AIS doesn't see through fog. It can't track storm cells or fronts. It doesn't show most nav. aids.

And on top of that, I would never rely solely on a chart plotter to know where you are. A chart plotter is a projection of your location that is at least twice removed from reality. It's a great tool, as is AIS, but everyone should understand their limitations.

[pcmm]

+1 what Mike said!!

AIS is still very much a novelty and not yet at a stage where “everyone has it”

Where I am so few yachts have it that it’s a surprise when my Chartplotter goes off to warn me that It’s got a “hit”

[Clivevon]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

In my travels, there are far more boats out there without AIS than with. Maybe if you're only in rich, urban areas, it might make sense to ditch the radar. Not so in most of the rest of the world.

Besides, AIS doesn't see through fog. It can't track storm cells or fronts. It doesn't show most nav. aids.

And on top of that, I would never rely solely on a chart plotter to know where you are. A chart plotter is a projection of your location that is at least twice removed from reality. It's a great tool, as is AIS, but everyone should understand their limitations.

+1...

[flightlead404]

Originally Posted by sailingunity

I've used it from time to time to track storm cells that were nearby, to see if they were approaching or not.

I am using it (learning to) for exactly this, and using MARPA functions to track the storm. Only sort of half works because MAPRA will track a specific cell, but a thunderstorm is usually made up of numerous cells that move independently, sometimes break off and go a different direction, and the life of a t-storm cell is 20 minutes whereas a storm may last much longer.

[Dave Lochner]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

In my travels, there are far more boats out there without AIS than with. Maybe if you're only in rich, urban areas, it might make sense to ditch the radar. Not so in most of the rest of the world.

Besides, AIS doesn't see through fog. It can't track storm cells or fronts. It doesn't show most nav. aids.

And on top of that, I would never rely solely on a chart plotter to know where you are. A chart plotter is a projection of your location that is at least twice removed from reality. It's a great tool, as is AIS, but everyone should understand their limitations.

This has been my experience too.

[rbk]

All rocks are most certainly not charted, neither are sea cans, logs, small fishing boats, small recreational craft, dinghies, boats at anchor and so forth. I’ve also gone over 600mph in our sail boat (according to the chart plotter) when satellite coms glitched and dropped one satellite for another. Happens quit a bit in northern latitudes.

[canyonbat]

In the fog or in the dark, Radar shows what is out there and, with a good chart, where you are. AIS and GPS show what is theoretically out there and, again, theoretically, where you are. If you know for certain that you will never be sailing in the dark or in fog, like here on our local lake in AZ, radar is probably not needed. Otherwise….

[philiosophy]

Going in and out of the Touamotos it's very Important. Collision avoidance in Fog. Many vessels have it turned off. I had Mexican Ferry's that either didn't have it or just turned off twice. A Chinese Factory fishing vessel running illegal Gill Nets was not transmitting AIS. Of course some people go to bed and depend on their alarm to wake them.

[Dave Lochner]

Originally Posted by rbk

All rocks are most certainly not charted, neither are sea cans, logs, small fishing boats, small recreational craft, dinghies, boats at anchor and so forth. I’ve also gone over 600mph in our sail boat (according to the chart plotter) when satellite coms glitched and dropped one satellite for another. Happens quit a bit in northern latitudes.

Wow! 600 mph, I want to see that boat.

On our trip down the ICW this fall we were amazed by how well we were traveling over land according to our chart plotter on several occasions. And then there was the time our keel must have grown as we aground in 8-9 feet of charted water, since we normally draw just under 5 feet.

When we are in a crowded anchorage or want to check our position in an anchorage we use the radar to establish our position and measure distance to other boats and structures. Particularly handy in areas with anchoring restrictions, such no closer than 400 feet to a pier. In really tight anchorages we'll take a photo of the screen as a reference.

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by BB7

With a large screen displaying GPS location on a super detailed chart, and AIS streaming from every other vessel, I wonder if Radar is now an outdated and redundant technology?
I have radar, but very rarely use it since the GPS chart is better.
Will soon be speccing up a new boat, and wonder if Radar is worth having.

Thoughts from your experience ?

Oh no, NOT out dated at all.
Relatively few boats have AIS, small fast boats, can be seen by Radar, even in most Bad weather conditions.
Weather, can be seen as well , but not by AIS.
Certainly Not Outdated.
Boatyarddog