Well, except for the fact that an AIS w/transponder might easily run $800 more than a Tri-Lens, and that - at least for the time being - there are
FAR many more boats out there running radar, than are transmitting AIS...
Yeah come to Maine where the fog is real and the boats transmitting AIS are less than 1%......
You could not pay me to not have a radar reflector in Maine, but then again I have only been using radar in the fog, in Maine, for 30+ years... I actually run my radar in clear weather too, just good practice, so I get to see the results, in the real world, with my radar, of how reflectors really work. Are reflectors perfect? No, but for the $40.00 you are simply foolish to sail aruond Maine and the Maritimes without one...
This boat had no reflector, painted no radar signature to speak of other than some noise, not using or monitoring VHF, no running lights and was not running fog signals..
This is what he looked like on radar he is the little red spec just above the 18' sounding:
BTW the two boats showing up clear as day, dead ahead of us to port and starboard, were both using radar reflectors and both were under sail like the invisible boat behind us.......