[Minnewaska]

I've not used the Furuno wireless radar. Interesting that I've known no one who has. I just installed a new Raymarine radar that can do either, hard wire or wireless. The installer said it would be ridiculous not to hard wire it. I fully agreed. Wireless may be a nice backup, if the network connection goes bad.

I can say, with certainty, once you've sailed in limited viz with modern radar, you'd never go back.

Smack, as we all know, was not banned over this topic. He was banned, because he was an instigating &$$(-)*!#.

 

[Minnewaska]

Furuno First Watch is under $900 now

I really wonder how many have been installed. I still do not know of anyone who has one.

I was crossing the Gulf of Maine this past summer and a big unforecasted thunderstorm, maybe 30 miles across, came off New Hampshire and crossed the Gulf west to east. Without radar, I would have either not known it was there, until too late, or not been able to monitor and adjust speed and course to come around the back side (which is what we did).

Radar is a must in my book, without internet access. If close enough to shore (few miles) to get an internet signal, there are ample apps that allow radar access.

 

[Minnewaska]

Wireless seems appealing...

Since they all require a wire for the power, I really don’t get why the data needs to be wireless. I’d be worried about wireless interference, right when I‘d want it to work the most (ie big storm). Last I heard the wireless data from the Furuno had to be viewed separately and not overlaid on a plotter, but maybe that’s been improved by now. What do you find appealing?

 

[Minnewaska]

maybe solar with a battery?

To be a wise guy, you still need a wire to get to the battery that is presumably now mounted next to the radar. Can't see how that's desirable over running a longer wire to the house batteries. Not to mention the added cost of solar and a charge controller and the weight of all the above.

Honestly, I truly don't understand why the wireless feature is attractive other than maybe as a backup. Then again, no one seems to have one, so that may be self evident.

 

[Minnewaska]

Wireless feature is attractive because there's a huge difference between getting power to the unit and running a cable to the nav station, forward bunk, aft cabin and the helm.

I see your point now. I'd run a data cable to the plotter, so the actual navigator has reliable use of the radar. Then add wifi to the network, so you can see it anywhere aboard on your tablet (I'm not sure what network or nav you have). The latest generation Raymarine Axiom plotters already have wifi as a built in feature and there is a companion app. I wonder how well the Furuno radar transmits through the deck of the boat too. Who knows. Haven't found anyone that owns one.