Minimum Radar For Heading Offshore

Rain City

Rain City

Crew Member
Hey guys I have a gen 4 Lowrance HDS 12 which came with a big radar setup on a tower which I hated. Sold it all when I bought the boat and am now ready to consider something new (to me). I'm going to install it on a bracket on the brow of the boat so it will sit below the upper helm and just above the lower. I understand that I will only get forward detection but I'm fine with that. I have AIS and a reflector stowed in the coomand bridge forward storage locker. I would only be using this for running out on a trip I'm hoping to do next summer. Maybe Tuna, fingers crossed. So I'm looking for something "good enough". Something smaller ideally. Any thoughts? Commander 30, just in case you're new here ;)
 
This is the mount that I had made up. Because the Lowrance Radars don't throw off any radioactive waves they can be mounted lower. Picks up all targets fine and it would be rare that someone would be sitting there when in use. I have a Davis radar reflector that I mount on a pole that sits a little higher.




Radar Mount.jpg
 
casper5280 said:
This is the mount that I had made up. Because the Lowrance Radars don't throw off any radioactive waves they can be mounted lower. Picks up all targets fine and it would be rare that someone would be sitting there when in use. I have a Davis radar reflector that I mount on a pole that sits a little higher.




View attachment 57427
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Ah nice that's exactly what I was thinking. Good call on moving the reflector up as well. Could just do that when making a run out.
 
I guess in the two seconds of research I've done the Halo20 really is the smallest and simplest one. Is there really any downside to that one? I’ve been boating the inside for 10 years now and have yet to need Radar. This would be for the one trip a year I'm hoping to do on the outside.
 
Rain City said:
I guess in the two seconds of research I've done the Halo20 really is the smallest and simplest one. Is there really any downside to that one? I’ve been boating the inside for 10 years now and have yet to need Radar. This would be for the one trip a year I'm hoping to do on the outside.
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There’s one on here for $1400 new warranty replacement l..... can’t go wrong with that one imo especially the price
 
Don’t know how to turn the pic but this is what I built for mine. Mounted an 8 inch light bar below just to fill the space a bit. Powdercoated aluminum with some foam against the fibreglass. Radar is 3G and works well.
 
only forward detection?

example last week in the smoke- 12 tuna boats ripping in from the grounds in the smoke, same bearing, one boat stops in the group for a leak break and has zero idea that 2 swells back a boat is almost on top of them.
 
Thunder21 said:
Don’t know how to turn the pic but this is what I built for mine. Mounted an 8 inch light bar below just to fill the space a bit. Powdercoated aluminum with some foam against the fibreglass. Radar is 3G and works well.
Click to expand...
Looks nice. I guess I was hoping for something a little lower profile. Not sure if that's possible.

trophywife said:
only forward detection?

example last week in the smoke- 12 tuna boats ripping in from the grounds in the smoke, same bearing, one boat stops in the group for a leak break and has zero idea that 2 swells back a boat is almost on top of them.
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I get what you're saying but having the huge tower just isn't an option for me. The scenario you're presenting is obviously possible but with AIS and some situational awareness I'm guessing it's mostly avoidable?
 
IMHO. I would never have a forward facing radar. Never.

The reality for small faster boats in fog conditions you want to see who is coming at you from all directions. A short range radar is fine, you don’t need a long range radar but I would want 360 degree detection.

I have almost been hit a few times by ignorant boaters and being able to sound an air horn has been critical.

Furuno makes nice smaller radars if you want to separate your chart plotter from the radar. I like to be able to fine tune the gain on my radar to suit the weather and sea conditions.
 
Redfisher said:
IMHO. I would never have a forward facing radar. Never.

The reality for small faster boats in fog conditions you want to see who is coming at you from all directions. A short range radar is fine, you don’t need a long range radar but I would want 360 degree detection.

I have almost been hit a few times by ignorant boaters and being able to sound an air horn has been critical.

Furuno makes nice smaller radars if you want to separate your chart plotter from the radar. I like to be able to fine tune the gain on my radar to suit the weather and sea conditions.
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Funny I just assumed a lot of guys ran them that way. I have zero experience out there though...
 
make a receiver to mount it temporarily on a vertical pole,, no need for a tower.. plug and play.
 
trophywife said:
make a receiver to mount it temporarily on a vertical pole,, no need for a tower.. plug and play.
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I think that's the play here. I'll really only need it for THAT trip and it's easy to mount to all the rails I have up top. Thanks man.
Is radiation a thing? Some stuff I read says it's not. If I could mount it lower down it could easily go on the upper helm dash even.
 
Don't rule out modified speed cruising in the dark as a thing you might want to do in future. Might as well do it right.
 
tubber said:
Don't rule out modified speed cruising in the dark as a thing you might want to do in future. Might as well do it right.
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Just not worth it to me at all. Too much **** in the water. There's nowhere I can't wait a little longer to get to. Radar wouldn't change that for me.
 
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