Nav Rule Question on the Use of Radar on Sailboats

[Slayer]

I am an attorney and am pretty skilled at cross examining witnesses. At the negligence trial after a collision when the radar wasn't used the examination would go something like this:

"You had radar on your vessel didn't you?

And that radar was operating, correct?

And you know how to operate the radar?

And radar is caple of detecting other vessels in the vicinity of your own?

Your radar is capable of detecting a vessesl similar to the one you collided with?

Had you been monitoring your radar, you would have detected the other vessel before the collision, correct?

But you weren't monitoring your radar were you?

As a matter of fact, you didn't have your radar on did you?"


That is just off the top of my head, but get the picture?

[Boasun]

I've noticed that a lot of boats have their radar repeater installed at the chart table and not near the helm. This means that in order to use said radar, you will need someone who is savvy on the use of radar and is willing to sit down below and watch the screen.
But if you are single handing the boat or a couple standing separate watches, they can't be running below decks every few minutes to view the radar screen.

[DRFerron]

Originally Posted by Boasun

But if you are single handing the boat or a couple standing separate watches, they can't be running below decks every few minutes to view the radar screen.

Then given how the law reads, it might be in their best interest not to have it installed at all.

[billyruffn]

Originally Posted by Boasun

.
But if you are single handing the boat or a couple standing separate watches, they can't be running below decks every few minutes to view the radar screen.

Boasun, that's what autopilots are for --

Night watch -- one watch stander awake
Autopilots ON, boat's on course at six knots.
Quick scan of the horizon.
Duck below -- hit "transmit", let it settle, look at 8 miles (three scans), 4 miles (three scans), 2 miles (three scans), 1 mile (three scans). Hit "standby". Pop back up to the helm.
Quick scan of the horizon.
Elapsed time 90 seconds... distance traveled 300 yards).
Ten minutes later....repeat the above. (Distance traveled since last radar check ~ 1 nm).

Now, if you're in the fog or you can't see the horizon...you reduce boat speed, but the process is the same.

The exercise keeps you young.