Best Radar Buy

[henrystanley]

Suggestions please, for the best small boat radar package on the market.

Ta .

[btrayfors]

Best on the market?

It depends. On what you want, what you plan, size of boat, what you want to spend, etc.

Re: brands, you can't beat the Furuno radars...these are top-of-the-line. Others work and are cheaper, but customer service may be lacking or non-existent.

Do you want to integrate your radar with other instruments? Do you want/need color? What size boat?

Most people these days seem to go for color radars with LCD screens and networking.

I didn't want any of this. I wanted:

1. top quality equipment;
2. highest resolution which could be reasonably achieved on a 42' sailboat;
3. NO integration with anything...just a solid standalone radar.

Bought and installed a Furuno 1832 36-mile radar with a 24" radome and a green-screen CRT (not LCD). This model is popular with the fishing fleet and commercial boats.

Gallery :: Born Free 9/26/06 :: NavArea1

After 3.5 years, I'm still in love with it. Can pick up buoys, lobster pots, crab pots, dingies, etc. Just used it today to watch some approaching thunderstorms. It's been a godsend for navigating in fog, as in Maine fog (where we're headed again in a week or so).

Not for everyone, but it works well for me.

Bill

[sailingdog]

It also depends on what size boat you have, and how large a battery bank you've got. Small boat radar units are usually available in 2KW and 4KW antenna strengths. The higher power 4KW units generally have far better and finer discrimination and range.

Raymarine, Garmin, and Furuno are among the major players in the field. If instrument integration is important, you might want to get the same brand as the instruments you've got.

Networkable Radar units can often have multiple displays and show GPS chartplotter, depth sounder and other data on the same screen.

[camaraderie]

I can't argue with Bill's choice as it is fine equipment...but I like my radar at the helm and don't see any need in MY cruising for a 24" radome and 36 mile range.
So...my choice in a good , small cheap radar ONLY for the helm today would be theFuruno 1623...which is a monochrome LCD with 16 mile range, 15 inch dome and 6" screen. BTW...it is available right here at th sailnet store for only $1135. No where near as sensitive as what Bill has but good and reliable and will pick out the ships and squalls headed your way.
Personally though...I like my radar integrated with chart plotting and I think the new Garmin GMR18 self contained 36 mile radar-in-dome...which connects to any of their networkable plotters (like the 3206 with full US waters chart built in)...is a real price value at under $900 as an add on to their plotters.
So there's a couple more good choices you might find worth looking at.

[haffiman37]

Don't forget that radars are power-suckers. Check out demand specs and availability befor You go ahead.
What You mean by 'small' boat I do not know, but integrated systems chart/radar might be better depending on space available. The 'quality' of the radars have a lot to do whith instalation and not to forget tuning. I'm quite happy with my Raymarine RL70C 24Mile with repeater at helm and master at nav station on my 37 Jeanneau SO37. Antenna pole-mounted in a gyro-cradle. The smaller the boat the bigger the movements. Fixed antena in the mast might give quite some unstable picture in rough conditions.
The pole mount might reduce the range, but increases the quality at close range which is the most important.

[ccam]

I have an old appelco (sp) that will not fire. So I've been watching the Garmin 3200 series come down in price. The GMR radar units seem to use POE. Is this correct. How hard would it be to chase the old radar cable down the inside of the mast with outdoor Cat5e ? Suggestions?

[sailingdog]

ccam-

The Garmin Network uses a proprietary RJ-45 connection that is based on POE and 100 mb ethernet, but I don't believe it is a standard POE 100 Base-T network. Also, Cat 5e cable, even outdoor spec, isn't suitable for marine use as it isn't tinned, nor is it probably heavy enough for the load/voltage that the Garmin radome would require over that distance.

Cam-

The Garmin GMR-18 is about $900, but requires that you have or purchase a Garmin networkable chartplotter—which is a minimum of $1200 or so, and more like $1500 for the 6" size. It makes a lot of sense if you already have a Garmin network chartplotter, but less so if you don't.

[camaraderie]

Cam-

The Garmin GMR-18 is about $900, but requires that you have or purchase a Garmin networkable chartplotter—which is a minimum of $1200 or so, and more like $1500 for the 6" size. It makes a lot of sense if you already have a Garmin network chartplotter, but less so if you don't.


I think I said that. Point is...my point was that f you're gonna want radar/plotter integrated...the garmin combination is a helluva value. Adding the 3206 for $1400 bucks gives you a complete COLOR chartplotter pre loaded with all US charts and upgradable for sonar/weather overlays etc. in the future...AND a 36 mile radar for $2300 bucks. I don't think that value can be beat if you want both a chartplotter and radar at the helm.

[sailingdog]

Cam-

I was just clarifying that the $900 doesn't include the chartplotter.

[Valiente]

Originally Posted by btrayfors

I didn't want any of this. I wanted:

1. top quality equipment;
2. highest resolution which could be reasonably achieved on a 42' sailboat;
3. NO integration with anything...just a solid standalone radar.

Bought and installed a Furuno 1832 36-mile radar with a 24" radome and a green-screen CRT (not LCD). This model is popular with the fishing fleet and commercial boats.

Not for everyone, but it works well for me.

Bill

Great suggestion. While I plan to integrate my chartplotter, AIS, depth and comms information into a laptop (because I have "analog" alternatives for all of 'em), I consider the radar a different item entirely. A dedicated radar (plus the TRAINING to use it effectively), up-to-date paper charts, a binnacle compass, a clock and a VHF are a minimum in my mind for safe operation, because you can keep a watch, a good log and a DR with these items and can see both approaching ships and (often more importantly) approaching weather with the radar.

Network integration is nice to have, but is subject to "weakest link" failure (why I'll carry more than one laptop, as a single 10" Raymarine "display head" is about the price of five two-year-old laptops). A robust radar is essential: You can always take its output and hook it INTO a laptop if you want, but it is best contemplated as a stand-alone set of eyes.

I like the Kodan brand as well, although they are even more into the commercial/fishing market and NOT in the "recreational" market than Furano.