Radar mount location (can of worms question)

[juneausailin]

Sven's Radome

Sven, so you have a fixed mount radome.... heeled over, have you ever noticed any degradation in performance of your radar signal or image since it is not level with the horizon? Most radars have say a 5 degree or so range which seems like you would still be ok straight ahead but possibly have a blind spot of sorts to your windward side?

Thank you,
David

Maybe it is a regional difference ? I did a spot-check during our walk around the marina this morning. I was only counting during the last part, as we were passing by the LA Yacht Club boats. There were 13 mast mounts to one pole mount. Jeff Asbury has a pole mount but his is one of the few I've noticed around here.

If it is regional I wonder what drives it ?

BTW, during the walk we also saw an odd sight ... a Vessel Assist boat sunk at the dock !



-Sven

 

[Sven]

Majority of members do their own maintenance and installs.
The cable routing and need to work up on the spar (or lower it down with attendant cost and hassle) probably tends to be more of a paid professional kind of work.

That could be it. The LAYC folks are definitely rolling in professional maintainers and craftsmen. I can't imagine how much they pay for "upkeep" on their spotless little yachts. However, I think the ratio is still close to 10:1 mastole mount in general down here. Maybe part of the reason is that most yards don't allow DIY any more and many would shy away from doing serious work afloat.



-Sven

 

[Sven]

Most radars have say a 5 degree or so range which seems like you would still be ok straight ahead but possibly have a blind spot of sorts to your windward side?

I haven't really noticed but I'd be surprised if there isn't a blind spot both to windward and to leeward. With wave action that blind spot is probably intermittent enough and that is probably why I haven't noticed it.



-Sven

 

[juneausailin]

wow

That just seems nutz to me not to be able to work on your own boat... Unfortunate if sailing is to become strictly a rich man's endeavor... what to do if out in the middle of the ocean, no tradesmen there to fix things for you.... Granted, I do get that you are talking about one location (LAYC) and not all of cali.. or is that the way all of Cali is going?

my .02,
David

That could be it. The LAYC folks are definitely rolling in professional maintainers and craftsmen. I can't imagine how much they pay for "upkeep" on their spotless little yachts. However, I think the ratio is still close to 10:1 mastole mount in general down here. Maybe part of the reason is that most yards don't allow DIY any more and many would shy away from doing serious work afloat.



-Sven

 

[Sven]

Granted, I do get that you are talking about one location (LAYC) and not all of cali.. or is that the way all of Cali is going?

Much of So. Cal.. There are still exceptions but yards that don't claim it is because of liability insurance. I know there is at least one in the LA area that does allow DIY and the one we were in in San Diego was also known specifically because it did allow DIY.



-Sven

 

[Guy Stevens]

Most California boat yards do not allow you to work on your own boat

Rant deleted!


Guy

 

[Sven]

Rant deleted!

Still went out with the e-mail notification

Driscoll Marina in Mission Bay still lets you do your own, unless they stopped that practice quite recently ?



-Sven

 

[Dave N]

So with the questus do you have any issues with the radome oscillating in chop, pumping or the likes?

No, it is very nicely and properly damped and does not oscillate in seas or a chop.

 

[juneausailin]

Pacific Sail this summer

Sven, you still sailing over to HI and then back to Vancouver this summer? Wondering what time of year you are heading back to the mainland and I guess you would do a straight shot over to juan de fuca?

 

[toddster]

I could go either way on this. For those of you with mast mounts, other than chafing during tacks, do you notice any degradation in sailing performance? I've read some grumbling about "messing up airflow in the slot," but I don't know if this is anything that a cruiser really has to worry about.

I couldn't resist a used Furuno unit that was on craigslist. Now I have to change my nav station console that I just finished . Since my mast is currently down, running cables up the mast would actually be the easiest install. But I'm not sure I want more stuff up there...

 

[toddster]

Ping? Maybe I'll flip a coin...
Related question. Radar monitor location: cockpit or nav station?

If everything connects correctly, I think radar targets should appear on the iPad, which could hang in the cockpit. So I'm leaning toward Nav Station for the main unit. Looks like this one was previously installed outside on a bulkhead though.

 

[toddster]

New data raises another question. Stern mounts: what about the noise?

Maybe it's just a symptom of the aging unit I scored from craigslist, but I tested it out last night with the dome sitting on the companionway hatch and it sounded like a little washing machine going up there. Maybe not that bad, but definitely noticeable.

 

[Loren Beach]

New data raises another question. Stern mounts: what about the noise?

Maybe it's just a symptom of the aging unit I scored from craigslist, but I tested it out last night with the dome sitting on the companionway hatch and it sounded like a little washing machine going up there. Maybe not that bad, but definitely noticeable.

Normally when you listen closely, some faint motor whining can be heard, but if you hear "gear" noises, I do not believe that's a good thing.
But..... YMMV.

Loren

 

[toddster]

Probably not the wisest purchase I've made. But it was great nerd bait. 180 hours on the clock - seems like it should have some life left in it. Gears look clean and unworn. No obvious points to lubricate, nor mention of lubrication in the manual. Maybe sitting loose on the open hatch cover just amplifies the sound...

The PO did cut the cable instead of unscrewing the cover and unplugging it. I had to make 16 tiny wire splices - not sure how I'd even know if one of them went bad during cable wrangling. Anyway, it seems to work, and displays echoes.