Too Small for Radar?

[Agrady208]

While tied up at Town Point for the boat show this summer, a guy noticed my boat (Grady White 208) and commented "That boat's too small to need radar". I smiled to myself knowing my boat fishes the same bay and coastal waters as the big boats, but wondered...maybe other small boats are missing out on a key part of boating safety.

Since having the 2KW Ramarine Radar installed and C80 display, I have been amazed at what I can see on the water... now that I know where to look. At night, it is a whole new world as most boats, shore, pilings, and bouys appear on radar though totally invisible without. Like most, mine can overlay the radar image on the GPS map etc to confirm the target's location, but that is not the point.
I think our small boater community could benefit from your observations of radar and why (or why not ) it could be important to a small boat operator. Let's assume they already know it is important to have GPS and VHF Radio.

What safety use/value have you found with radar that might help a small boat owner decide to (or not to) make the decision to invest in radar?

Charlie
On the "Ms Cait"

[BigJim]

If you have a place to mount one and can afford it, I think it is a useful piece of equipment.

[Bayrunner]

NO Boat is too small if you are going to venture out there!

[timber]

To small for radar??!!!! I got to be the smart a$$ on this one. I wonder if the guy that said that has at the very least ever been out on a boat, forget owning one

[bottom scratcher]

Avoiding a collision one moonless night off Oceanview with a boat without running lights is enough to have made me appreciate it.

[racn35]

If I had the mounting space I'd put one on a canoe !

[pipewrench]

Don't know about you guys, but it is nice being able to see the knuckleheads that run around WFO in the fog. Can make the difference between having a good day/nite or a bad one...MY2CTSW

[MichaelW]

GPS tells you what should be there. Radar tells you what is there! Did everything I could to get run over by three hovercraft one night. Doubt it wil happen now that I know what 60 yellow flashes a minute means and a good radar giving relitive bearings.

[Brandon]

I think if you can afford radar and have a place for it putting it on your boat is an absolute no brainer. I have been trying to figure out how I can get it on my 21 Parker. I think the only way to really make the boat look right is a small t-top and I am considering it. Once you run a boat at night or get caught in the fog and have radar you will never run a boat with out it again.

Brandon

[27 sailfish]

The prices have dropped and the units are much smaller now.RADAR is no longer just for the "big boys".If you can afford it-it's worth every penny.The better units can spot birds and when trolling it really helps avoid other boats.For night fishing-it's a no brainer.

I've "brought back" four boats once in the fog.They did not have RADAR and did not want to risk crossing the shipping channel.I felt like a mother duck but we all got back in safe.At the dock-they all thanked me and were amazed when I told them we passed about a dozen other boats-that they never saw.

No boat is too small-I think the smaller boats get more benefit from it.Easier for a "little" boat to avoid a tug then the tug avoid the small boat without RADAR who bludders into it's path . Skip