wrote in message
...
On Tue, 01 Feb 2005 10:40:34 GMT, it's true! wrote:

Ahoy, I'm considering one of two budget radars for my portly 23'
sailboat. I can support it with a 220ah battery setup, one 70w solar
panel and a 12hp diesel. (30 yr old Yanmar, I don't know the amp
output).
The Furuno 1621 states 36w (3amps) for operation and 8w (.6amps)
standby. Not sure what standby is. About $1200usd
Anyone have figures for the JRC MkII? Anyone have real world figures,
experience or best guesses? About $900.
I have some questions as I have never owned a radar.
1)
Do either of these have some kind of alarm that will buzz if an
obstruction appears within x distance of my boat? There is something
called watchman mode on the Furuno but no specifics are given.
2)
Is there another dedicated device which will draw less power and be
less complicated that might serve as an alarm for approaching tankers
less than 5 miles away for example?
I guess my 25 yr old Passport radar detector won't work for this?
I got caught in dense fog last summer so I definitely want the radar
but I'm also interested in a separate device if the radar sucks too
much battery.
Thanks and smooth sailing.

I have a Furuno 1623 on my sailboat. I have two 100ah batteries and the
only
source of charging is what comes with a 1992 Yamaha 9.9 HP electric start
outboard. That's not much! Your solar panel probably puts out more in the
course
of a week of sailing then my outboard, which I don't use much.

I generally only use the radar when visibility is reduced, such as fog,
rain or
night. The display is not permanently mounted, so this is legal. When not
in
use, I disconnect the display and put it away. The whole notion that you
are
legally required to run radar at all times if you have an operational
system on
board is a bit over-hyped any way. If you are involved in a collision and
were
not using a fully functional radar at the time, it would hurt you in court
as
they determine how much blame to allot to you. Otherwise, it's not like
there
are radar cops out there who will write you up or give you a ticket
because they
boarded your boat and your radar was turned off.

I have my display mounted on a square of starboard plastic, so that I can
set it
on the seat near me, regardless of which side of the boat I'm on, as I
have a
tiller, not a wheel. You need the display to be close to you at all times,
as
there is a fair amount of button pushing that needs to be done from minute
to
minute when actively using the radar. If my boat had wheel steering, it
would
make sense to mount the display permanently at the pedestal. I have seen
folks
mount the display on a swinging articulated arm in the companion way, but
I
can't imagine how they make any use of it that way. It looks clever until
you
try and use it.

When I will be running the radar for extended periods, I sometimes run the
outboard in gear at slightly above idle just to be safe. That seems to be
more
than adequate to keep up with it. I have never had a problem with not
enough
power. I have never had to hook into shore power or otherwise recharge my
batteries during a sailing season from April to November. I am, overall,
pretty
conservative in my electrical use. I use it for VHF, which I monitor, (but
don't
yak on like a dopey CB'er), radar, and various running lights as needed.
When
stopped for the night, I use cabin lights sparingly, preferring an oil
lamp or
candle. I also constantly recharge rotating sets of AA NiMh batteries that
run
my GPS and my camera, and I also charge my cell phone. I do not have
refrigeration or a microwave.

Two things really made me select Furuno over the less expensive JRC. One
was
that I noticed that ALL the commercial boats seem to favor Furuno by a
huge
margin, and the other reason was that the Furuno display was simply
brighter and
better.

Be aware that the mounting system you choose may cost as much as the
radar! I'm
not kidding. If you are a coastal sailor, don't worry about getting your
dome as
high as possible off the water. In close quarters, it's far more
preferable to
have it low, so you can see objects closer to your boat. You don't really
need
to see 16 or 24 miles except maybe when looking for clouds and storms off
in the
distance. They are so high above the water that you'll see them regardless
of
how high your antenna is mounted.

If you have not used radar before, or it's been awhile, make sure to use
it
during good visibility as much as possible so you can compare what is on
the
display to what is out there and relative position to you. There is a
definite
learning curve associated with being able to understand what you are
looking at.
Frequent practice is mandatory, even after you feel you are pretty good at
it.

Also bear in mind that radar is NOT a substitute for maintaining a proper
eyeball and ear watch at all times, regardless of warning systems or
anything
else.

BB

I have seen folks mount the display on a swinging articulated arm in the
companion way, but I
can't imagine how they make any use of it that way. It looks clever until
you
try and use it.

Most folks these days have autopilots. Its simple enough to go forward and
have a look at the radar. I don't think on most occasions you need to study
it as closely as you would a chart and the gaurd zone will tell you if
someone comes close. I actually find it somewhat distracting to have
something at the helm, like my chartplotter, that I can study intently.