Radar tower lean, aft vs fwd and radar advice

[MRWood]

Looks like a great buy! Nice find.

I believe AIS receive from your radio tied into your chartplotter is a key piece of safety equipment, anywhere on the coast. I should and do plan to upgrade to full AIS in the future too but the old boat budget is always shot to hell with keeping my existing boat afloat!

You can do the ais radio or there’s a stand alone device that hooks into your system to show the ais targets on your chartplotter.

 

[MRWood]

Here’s my radar tower. Might be a dumb question but do you think it’s aluminum, I’m thinking it is. If so what would be the best way to repaint the peeled areas.
If I switched it around to fwd lean I’m guessing I couldn’t reuse the holes for the radar as the dome would need to be towards the front of the mounting platform. Looks like lots of holes in that area already from former owner for I don’t know what. Not sure how to rectify those issues. Any ideas?

 

[InterMechanico]

In fog I run my main screen as radar, not worried about engine info as I am focused on what’s ahead of me. My second screen is gps as I find I am always turning right for some reason.
Having just radar to focus on targets on one screen saved me a collision this year as the targets are small and focusing on their movements is critical. Was 10 miles off shore and saw a target moving and getting close. I stopped and a trophy screamed by in the fog. He did not have radar.

I run a 9” as my main in dash screen. Normally for engine data while running and a second 12” for gps with just depths showing. Or split when looking for structure

Haha yes for me in the fog there’s the ever present pull towards Nanaimo.

 

[seachicken]

Here’s my radar tower. Might be a dumb question but do you think it’s aluminum, I’m thinking it is. If so what would be the best way to repaint the peeled areas.
If I switched it around to fwd lean I’m guessing I couldn’t reuse the holes for the radar as the dome would need to be towards the front of the mounting platform. Looks like lots of holes in that area already from former owner for I don’t know what. Not sure how to rectify those issues. Any ideas?

Definitely looks aluminum. Unfortunately sandblasting and re-powder coat. Holes can be filled with weld after sandblasting.

 

[MRWood]

Here’s my radar tower. Might be a dumb question but do you think it’s aluminum, I’m thinking it is. If so what would be the best way to repaint the peeled areas.
If I switched it around to fwd lean I’m guessing I couldn’t reuse the holes for the radar as the dome would need to be towards the front of the mounting platform. Looks like lots of holes in that area already from former owner for I don’t know what. Not sure how to rectify those issues. Any ideas?

Unfastened the radar mount bolts but couldn’t budge it from the roof. Didn’t want to get too crazy with it. There must be some sort of marine adhesive holding it down. What would be the best method to get it unstuck without messing up the roof. Is there some kind of solvent I could use or heat potentially?

 

[lemmy]

I'd use heat and a sharp olfa knife ...

 

[MRWood]

I'd use heat and a sharp olfa knife ...

I was thinking what the heck is an olfa knife, had to look it up. I have them and been using them forever and never realized their name, says the name right on the side . Always learning something.

 

[seachicken]

These work pretty well: https://www.amazon.ca/Automotive-Removing-Interior-Demolishing-Flooring/dp/B0DKWP7F85

They are thick enough to tap on with a hammer and you can gently pry up. I hadn't seen them on Amazon but never looked, I might get a couple more to have around.

 

[casper5280]

I have used downrigger cable tied to 2 handles and saw it back and forth

 

[M1SF1T]

Why would u go with a stand a long unit for your radar when you can use a radar overlay on your gps. You should know simard and Lowrance don't play nice together..love my Simard stuff . If you want to pop up to my place happy to show the overlay and my system.

Which units do you have?

I have a Simrad Evo3s and Lowrance HDS Live with Simrad Halo 20 radar and they play great together... full nav and transducer display/overlay/sharing/control on both units.

I'm connected with NMEA 2000 & Ethernet.

 

[MRWood]

I succeeded in getting the radar tower off. Went to Harbour Chandler and got a type of solvent that helps to unstick marine adhesives. It’s called marine formula. It helped get things started but still wasn’t easy.
I put the tower in fwd lean position and thought it looked decent. It was hard to tell as the boat is in the shelter and you can’t step back and look at it. Tried to get a pic to give some idea. It did free up room on the roof in fwd lean position
Will need to sand blast or sand down and refinish. And switch wiring hole from front to back. As seachicken said I could get top platform holes filled and redrilled.

 

[Aces]

Mainly as if one system goes down I have a back up, and my tired old eyes i like the screen as big as I can LOL that system is a great price you cant even get a dome for that and you get a bonus screen and trnsducer ill probally sell

Exactly why I run separate chart plotters running on different chips with a stand alive radar. I have the ship finder app on my phone to see where the bigger vessels are in the fog although I don’t have a lot of need for all that fishing out out of Nanaimo now. Some years on the west side I’d be running in fog for 5-6 weeks steady

 

[Rain City]

I succeeded in getting the radar tower off. Went to Harbour Chandler and got a type of solvent that helps to unstick marine adhesives. It’s called marine formula. It helped get things started but still wasn’t easy.
I put the tower in fwd lean position and thought it looked decent. It was hard to tell as the boat is in the shelter and you can’t step back and look at it. Tried to get a pic to give some idea. It did free up room on the roof in fwd lean position
Will need to sand blast or sand down and refinish. And switch wiring hole from front to back. As seachicken said I could get top platform holes filled and redrilled.

Looks perfect

 

[MRWood]

Got the roof cleaned up today. Will need to do a little gel coat repair on the small section.
Stripped the radar mount down. Now to decide if it’s worth redoing it or go with a new one. I read that you can strip the powder coating off with some kind of chemical paint stripper. Seachicken says I can get it sandblasted. Then get it re powdered or maybe some other method. Will have to figure costs out.

 

[wolf]

Your second pic is one of the main reasons I hate powder coating it just doesnt seem to work.

Seachicken says I can get it sandblasted.

Do that and any fab shop will have that acid wash, ive used it a few times and it cleans it up and stays (looks) clean ... its weird and cool stuff to watch it do its thing..

 

[Sharphooks]

Hard to tell if flipping your radar mount around like that will give the dome a different attitude relative to the horizon. IF it does and you want more forward-lean, you can always shim it from the rear as you probably already know.

I would definitely spiff it up with sand blasting and marine paint…yes, powder coat has its downsides, especially after re-drilling or tightening bolts which knick the finish and start the bubbling process.

Meanwhile, I’m all in with Ship Happens when it comes to radar overlay. I think it’s an over-sold technology because there’s too much visual information going on on the screen to properly pay attention to your spatial awareness relative to other boats and land masses. I run radar on one screen, chart plotting on another. That has saved me from several near-collisions because you can hyper-focus on the painted return signals on the radar screen and not get side-tracked by depths and bottom contours and tide info and everything else that comes with over-lay. And as Aces mentioned, that dual screen move gives you redundancy in case you have issues with one of your MFD’s

AIS is a great technology to fine-tune your spatial awareness relative to other boats but should only be considered as an add-on supplement to radar, not a substitute for it, but I figure you’re well aware of that.

I look at radar as the most important piece of equipment on my boat, not only for collision avoidance but for navigating, especially in tight quarters threading a rock garden in the fog.

At the risk of sounding snobby, yes, I am brand conscious when it comes to radar. I yanked the Garmin Fantom 18 that came with my pre-owned boat off the wheelhouse roof two season ago and never looked back. That Navico dome almost made me plow into two boats in Johnstone Strait in thick fog…it simply did not paint a target when there was a target. The first was a sailboat with a very slender hull….. but….still a boat that I missed by a few meters as I passed by. The sailboat skipper didn’t have radar at all so it was the blind leading the blind

I ended up springing for the good stuff and I’m really glad I did.

To quote Lorenzo Bandini, a Formula 1 driver for Ferrari— Your life is on your tires. Always get the best tires.

I’m thinking you could say the same for your radar.

 

[MRWood]

Hard to tell if flipping your radar mount around like that will give the dome a different attitude relative to the horizon. IF it does and you want more forward-lean, you can always shim it from the rear as you probably already know.

I would definitely spiff it up with sand blasting and marine paint…yes, powder coat has its downsides, especially after re-drilling or tightening bolts which knick the finish and start the bubbling process.

Meanwhile, I’m all in with Ship Happens when it comes to radar overlay. I think it’s an over-sold technology because there’s too much visual information going on on the screen to properly pay attention to your spatial awareness relative to other boats and land masses. I run radar on one screen, chart plotting on another. That has saved me from several near-collisions because you can hyper-focus on the painted return signals on the radar screen and not get side-tracked by depths and bottom contours and tide info and everything else that comes with over-lay. And as Aces mentioned, that dual screen move gives you redundancy in case you have issues with one of your MFD’s

AIS is a great technology to fine-tune your spatial awareness relative to other boats but should only be considered as an add-on supplement to radar, not a substitute for it, but I figure you’re well aware of that.

I look at radar as the most important piece of equipment of my boat, not only for collision avoidance but for navigating, especially in tight quarters threading a rock garden in the fog.

At the risk of sounding snobby, yes, I am brand conscious when it comes to radar. I yanked the Garmin Fantom 18 that came with my pre-owned boat off the wheelhouse roof two season ago and never looked back. That Navico dome almost made me plow into two boats in Johnstone Strait in thick fog…it simply did not paint a target when there was a target. The first was a sailboat with a very slender hull….. but….still a boat that I missed by a few meters as I passed by. The sailboat skipper didn’t have radar at all so it was the blind leading the blind

I ended up springing for the good stuff and I’m really glad I did.

To quote Lorenzo Bandini, a Formula 1 driver for Ferrari— Your life is on your tires. Always get the best tires.

I’m thinking you could say the same for your radar.

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Thanks for the info sharphooks, all noted and appreciated. Too late for the Navico (although your old garmin isn’t Navico) as it’s on order. I’ll do lots of practicing with it in clear weather and make sure I can see the skinny sailboats. If not then I’ll need to change
Always nice to see some Seasport pics, she’s a beauty. Is that the 26 or the 28?

 

[MRWood]

The package just arrived

 

[Sharphooks]

Good move on the radar…Simrad get’s high marks. Does your new Simrad offer Doppler? It’s def not a gimmick…very helpful in crowded boat sitiuations.

That Seasport is the 28. I had the 26 for several seasons but was not happy with the head being on the port side at deck level….made for visibility issues when tacking in a fleet or navigating through a crowded harbor. The 28 has the head at water level…huge improvement for visibility etc.

 

[MRWood]

Good move on the radar…Simrad get’s high marks. Does your new Simrad offer Doppler? It’s def not a gimmick…very helpful in crowded boat sitiuations.

That Seasport is the 28. I had the 26 for several seasons but was not happy with the head being on the port side at deck level….made for visibility issues when tacking in a fleet or navigating through a crowded harbor. The 28 has the head at water level…huge improvement for visibility etc.

I believe it does have Doppler. (Just checked and the Doppler tracking is on the halo20+ I just have the halo20)
Just getting the unpacking sorted out to see what I have . It’s a bit of a mess.
Your 28 is sure a nice boat. It’s giving me 9 footitis lol.