Radar or no radar?

[Dooglas]

I agree that a chart plotter and AIS have become the "go to" electronics. On the other hand, my home waters are Oregon, Washington, and BC. Fog is common, fishing boats without AIS are common, and recreational boats without AIS are common. I find integrated radar and chart display to be a very valuable tool. Most all radars these days also have ARPA (target tracking ability). Darned if I know why you would choose to do without these capabilities in places where poor visibility situations are common. And, in this day and age, integrated systems such as those by Garmin are quite modest in cost, compact, and easy to use.

[deblen]

Originally Posted by Franziska

I can understand the fishing boats which do not send out their position to some extent.

Still I'd be surprised if they do not have an AIS receiver and would not radio a vessel visible by AIS or radar when its approaching them too close.

It's in their interest as well as yours not to hit each other.
Especially if legally they are required to send out an AIS position but choose not to.

The current Canadian AIS regulations & I'm willing to bet that USA is same or similar.
Note: AIS is NOT currently required on MANY vessels of less than 150t up to 500t!!
IMHO-AIS will never come close to radar as a SAFETY aid until ALL vessels over 5T (8M/30ft) are required to have an operating AIS txcvr before departing dock.
At present,it is no more than a "novelty" aid on pleasure boats < 65ft. IMHO. I get the same info from Google "Marine Traffic" on my smartphone-for free.
https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais...44.645/zoom:12

[Mike Banks]

I had a fairly large radome situated on its own mast. I hardly ever used it--and it took up useful space in the coach house.

But one day I did need it--and I am glad I kept it. My next vessel will certainly have a Radar--but not necessarily such a powerful one as the last set. If you have a fractional rig, set the scanner on the forward side iof the mainmast below the forestay and above the jib halyard pulley.

If you have room on top of the main mast, that is a good place too. One of the best places on a ketch is atop the mizzen above the triatic stay.

My $0.02.

[David M]

Have as many tools in your navigation toolbox as you can. The more the better.

[Scott Berg]

I always say you need a compass and a GPS, a chart and a chart plotter, a lead line and a depth sounder, and a pair of binoculars and a Radar... Radar is a critical tool for the long distance cruiser. Do some not have one? Yes, but I won't go into unknown or foggy waters without one.

[Locquatious]

We were sailing from Gorda to St. Martin one night. A ship was crossing our path. Not sure, the lights are bright and can't focus on them. Is that white over white over white?
We turned on the radar and there was the barge way out of sight. We changed our heading to miss the cable.
I wonder does AIS inform about a tug with a long tow?

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Locquatious

We were sailing from Gorda to St. Martin one night. A ship was crossing our path. Not sure, the lights are bright and can't focus on them. Is that white over white over white?
We turned on the radar and there was the barge way out of sight. We changed our heading to miss the cable.
I wonder does AIS inform about a tug with a long tow?

Buy one and you'll find out..

[Marathon1150]

It took only one particularly foggy crossing of Rosario Strait (Washington State, USA) to convince us that radar is essential. More recently we have found radar to be very helpful while in Mexico for calibrating electronic charts using the offset to be sure that we were where we should be on the chart rather than on land, which is what the non-calibrated charts typically said.

And, most recently, radar was essential for spotting oncoming squalls at night on the passage from Mexico to French Polynesia. Dodging them or avoiding the main body of the squall made life on board much easier and safer.

We have an AIS transponder and it is always on while on passage. But as others have noted, not all boats have AIS and not all boats with AIS have a transponder.

[deblen]

Ask yourself :


1.Do you trust your life fully to the other vessel's bridge watch?


2.Are you sure that all vessels in your vicinity are transmitting,receiving & (most importantly) continuously watching their AIS data?


3.Are you sure your AIS is x-mitting & that all vessels in your vicinity are receiving you?


4.Can you always see all other vessels & hazards with your naked eye whenever & whereever you travel?


If the answer to any of the above is no,then I suggest that installing AIS in your vessel will not change the answer(s) to yes.


Radar allows YOU to have control over the above.IMHO


Len

[Dooglas]

Originally Posted by Mike Banks

I had a fairly large radome situated on its own mast. I hardly ever used it--and it took up useful space in the coach house.

But one day I did need it--and I am glad I kept it. My next vessel will certainly have a Radar--but not necessarily such a powerful one as the last set. If you have a fractional rig, set the scanner on the forward side iof the mainmast below the forestay and above the jib halyard pulley.

The current radar configurations do well with a smaller dome. A backstay mount is an alternative to consider as well as above the forestay on a fractional rig.

[waterman46]

Originally Posted by Franziska

I can understand the fishing boats which do not send out their position to some extent.

Still I'd be surprised if they do not have an AIS receiver and would not radio a vessel visible by AIS or radar when its approaching them too close.

It's in their interest as well as yours not to hit each other.
Especially if legally they are required to send out an AIS position but choose not to.

To depend on fishermen who are overworked, tired and busy with their gear, to find time to speak on radio to a small
sailboat, is pure foolhardiness.

[Dooglas]

Originally Posted by Franziska

I can understand the fishing boats which do not send out their position to some extent.

Still I'd be surprised if they do not have an AIS receiver and would not radio a vessel visible by AIS or radar when its approaching them too close.

It's in their interest as well as yours not to hit each other.
Especially if legally they are required to send out an AIS position but choose not to.

In my area (PNW) most fishing boats are under 65 feet, not maintained or equipped as well as you would hope, and are undermanned. Most do not have AIS. When fishing most pay little attention to the electronics they have, and you certainly can not expect them to make warning calls to you. When making coastal passages in fog or at night, I monitor my radar closely. At all times, I keep an active look out.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Locquatious

I wonder does AIS inform about a tug with a long tow?

Sometimes but not always, depends if the tug crew have input the data properly. Might be pushing as well. Will often alert you about survey vessels so you can keep well clear.
AIS towing question - Ocean Navigator - October 2011
That aside ais is not radar and radar is not ais, though people keep comparing the 2 like they do the same thing. Hard to think of any reason not fit at least an ais receiver these days, cost and power consumption is minimal then it just keeps spitting out accurate useful info about nearby boats and increasingly nav marks in some of the world.
Radar is great as well

[hpeer]

I’ve seen a lot of towing guys in my AIS. We were sailing in the Delaware River with much commercial traffic. I have NEVER seen an AIS indication that they were towing. And the barges are frequently very poorly lit and there is much shore light to hide what lights they have.

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by Locquatious

We were sailing from Gorda to St. Martin one night. A ship was crossing our path. Not sure, the lights are bright and can't focus on them. Is that white over white over white?
We turned on the radar and there was the barge way out of sight. We changed our heading to miss the cable.
I wonder does AIS inform about a tug with a long tow?

Depends on which AIS units are in use......

Some of the vessels owned by the company i work for are fitted with the older Furuno FA-150 Class A AIS which does not have any towing information input, we also have some of the newer FA-170's which do allow for inputting towing info such as towing ahead/astern/alongside, however, either way you will not get a figure or numerical length of tow if that is what you are after, you will still have to rely on the Lights & Shapes......

FA-150


FA-170