Why...

[Captain Jeffry]

Can someone give me a decent answer as to WHY people put Radar screens below? I can sort of(not really) understand why a chart plotter is below at the Nav station...but the radar? Are they planning on having 3 peole up for each watch in a fog or restricted visibility ? One driver, one lookout, one below changing range on the radar? Come on poeple. Cockpit instruments!!!

[S/V Illusion]

Out of the weather because, traditionally, radar displays were not waterproof. I doubt you will see below deck radar displays on contemporary boats

[mbianka]

Jeff:

Never made sense to me either. My boat has the radar screen on a swing out arm that swings into the companionway area when I need to use it. I can see it from the helm. Though not as convenient if I have to hit the buttons to change things. But, better than having down below because I mostly single hand the boat and being able to see it at the helm is a big plus. I do have the AIS and chartplotter units right at the helm which is where they make the most sense IMO too.

[Captain Jeffry]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

Out of the weather because, traditionally, radar displays were not waterproof. I doubt you will see below deck radar displays on contemporary boats

Yes, I understand that from 25-30 years ago. Plus the old units were the size of a Blk&Wht TV. No. I am talking about 'contemporary' boats. I deliver many many sailboats each year, and see even more in and around my travels. Incredible. At least 40% are below deck. They figurte the C/P should be at the nav (wrong) and since they are generally the same unit, they leave the cockpit bare of electronics.

[Greenhand]

Originally Posted by Captain Jeffry

Yes, I understand that from 25-30 years ago. Plus the old units were the size of a Blk&Wht TV. No. I am talking about 'contemporary' boats. I deliver many many sailboats each year, and see even more in and around my travels. Incredible. At least 40% are below deck. They figurte the C/P should be at the nav (wrong) and since they are generally the same unit, they leave the cockpit bare of electronics.

This s what happens when designers don't consider why they were put below in the past. Now, it is just tradition.

[Kettlewell]

Well, on a bluewater boat all those instruments attached to a steering pedestal become awfully vulnerable in bad weather. I know a bunch of people who stand watch offshore from an inside steering station or even down below at the chart table, watching the radar. Day to day exposure to sun, rain, and the elements will degrade even the most weatherproof instruments, plus they are more vulnerable to theft out there, catching a jib sheet, etc. Some are very hard to read if it is bright out. Numerous reasons why someone might prefer to have it down below. Inside a pilothouse with an inside steering station is probably the ideal spot.

[Cheechako]

I've had them below out of the weather, most were visible from the companionway, albeit not that great though. You could see a strong target though... then check it out closer. For me, the autopilot is steering most the time and I'm navigating etc, so doesnt matter where it is , BUT, you do need to see it when entering a blind area where the radar is your savior for sure. I've yet to have a non CRT radar though.

[Vasco]

Mine is at the chartplotter, in the cockpit. For those that remember, radars were always hard to see in daylight and all had hoods over the crt. I guess keeping it down below on a small vessel is a holdover from those days.

[ArtM]

I always thought it was so the crew could be below deck on passages... I just assumed that, and didn't give it further thought.

In fact, I always thought that was the purpose of having a radar... so you wouldn't have to be on deck to watch for ships.

Further, don't those things have proximity alarms on them? I figured this was so a single hander could get some sleep while crossing on autohelm.

[Captain Jeffry]

Originally Posted by ArtM

I always thought it was so the crew could be below deck on passages... I just assumed that, and didn't give it further thought.

In fact, I always thought that was the purpose of having a radar... so you wouldn't have to be on deck to watch for ships.

Further, don't those things have proximity alarms on them? I figured this was so a single hander could get some sleep while crossing on autohelm.

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Radar is not only for other traffic. You may need it to get into a smallish bay, harbor or follow a coast line. OUTSIDE is SAFER! Also shifting in and out of various ranges is critical and should be done very often!

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by Captain Jeffry

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Radar is not only for other traffic. You may need it to get into a smallish bay, harbor or follow a coast line. OUTSIDE is SAFER! Also shifting in and out of various ranges is critical and should be done very often!

Ok thanks - good education for me. I had never considered this as an application - I assume you're talking about night, or bad visibility?

[Captain Jeffry]

Originally Posted by ArtM

Ok thanks - good education for me. I had never considered this as an application - I assume you're talking about night, or bad visibility?

Yes. The helmsman should have control of navigational aids including a VHF in the cockpit. A 'slave' unit below decks is always a good thing if there is room and dinero

[stevewrye]

Heck, seems individual radar screens are a thing of the past. Not saying this is good but that is where the market is going. We will have our two chart plotters that talk with each other, one in the nav station and one at the helm. From those two devices we can see radar and AIS seperate or overlay. Again I'm a little nervous about this and will take some getting used to.

Example how we might use this setup: crossing the English channel shipping lanes with heavy traffic. One of us at nav station and AIS on the screen and one person at helm chartplotter with radar overlay or just radar on screen. With our boat setup both of us can have a visual as well as doghouse has a 360 degree visual.

It has got to be better than the old days when most boats had radar below.

[hdra]

I much prefer having the radar/plotter below. Offshore the windvane or pilot is driving the boat, and most watch-keeping is from the protection of the companionway - it's pretty easy to poke your head below and take a look at the plotter and radar. Having it back on a huge pod at the helm requires you to move aft, exposing you to weather. Coming into very tight quarters it is nice to see it from the helm, but in 99% of conditions I would rather not have it as a distraction right in my face, as even on "night mode" and with a very dim screen they tend to wreck night vision. Keeping electronics below is better for the electronics too (even with waterproof ones, I had a raymarine display crap itself in the cockpit from heavy spray). The one exception is navigating in heavy fog, but in those cases I almost always prefer to have one person on dedicated "electronics" watch while another person is keeping a visual and audio lookout. Still, in a single-handed/shorthanded situation having the swivel-arm to allow the plotter to be seen from on deck is a nice perk.

[Captain Jeffry]

Originally Posted by hdra

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Yes, I hear ya. Still, if you watch from under the dodger the display is well aft not hurting your visoin. I sometimes employ a dark shirt over the top. If it's an oldish radar and you have multiple bogies a constant in and out of range is critical. That means another crew must help below instead of sleeping for their watch. 1% of the time is worth having access to your electronics on watch. Sorry, not buying the inconvenience of vision or getting out in weather. If it's rough, and you don't have wind vane steering, you're driving to save the pilot. A/P won't hold if you need to go below for a couple minutes. Why waste good sleep hours of another crew when clearly it's more efficient in the cockpit. They have really slick removeable units now on cool brackets wehn your not using the boat