what is this attached to teh back stay??

[johnnyandjebus]

Hello all

The link below will take you to a picture of a falmouth cutter 22. Attached to the back stay, in the picture is... Well I don't. Can anyone school me on this?

Mijita, FC #5

Thanks,
John

[tommays]

radar reflector

[johnnyandjebus]

tommys

Thanks, I suspected as much. I am more familiar with the round soccer ball type.

John

[roline]

It is a radar reflector, but not well installed. They were intended to be installed vertical. This model works but others are better performers. Practical Sailer did a review yrs ago. You might be able to find a copy of it for review.

[merlin2375]

flux capacitor...

[preservedkillick]

I recall reading tests of this reflector, and the test showed that it was largely worthless. Too bad, I'd love to have something compact and tidy as this is. I don't keep a reflector up full time, but haul up a Davis raincatcher to my spreaders when needed and the think is a nuisance.

[paulk]

RORC did a study, as did USSailing, of different radar reflectors and their effectiveness in various situations (angles of heel, etc.). The "soccer ball" type, made out of intersecting circles of aluminum, seemed to be the most effective in both studies. People appear to purchase the "flux capacitor" type because it offers less windage. Of course, if it costs more, it must be better, no? Who cares if USCG (who ran the studies with US Sailing) says they're not much good. Racing rules may require them to carry a radar refector and so they may not care how well it actually reflects radar beams. If, as is mentioned above, it has to be mounted "vertically" in order to be effective, exactly when would that occur on a sailboat? I laugh each time I see them. I'm surprised to see one on the Falmouth Cutter above, since if they were concerned about windage they'd remove the boom gallows. In San Francisco's famous fogs I'd certainly want to be seen on radar, and I'd use a "soccerball" type.