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I PURCHASED A 07 WELLCRAFT COASTAL (232WA). THE DEALER INSTALLED A GARMIN 440. I LIKE ALL OF THE FUNCTIONS, BUT THE SCREEN COULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIGGER. I FISH INSHORE AND MAYBE A WRECK 5 TO 8 MILES OFF SHORE. DO I REALLY NEED A RADAR? AND IF SO, WHY, AND WHAT ADVANTAGES WILL IT GIVE ME. ARE THERE ANY OTHER ELCTRONICS THAT SOMEONE ELSE SUGGESTS THAT COULD HELP WITH MY FISHING. ANY COMMENTS APPRECIATED.
Well that's a matter of personal preference and degree of safety. If you got stuck in fog, it would be critical to have radar AND a good radar reflector in my opinion. If you're close to port and monitor weather carefully you could be fine without it.
DO NOT be one of those guys (I was one of them years ago before I knew better) who cruises out into pea soup fog with your GPS because you are determined to get wherever you are going.
Last summer I was heading out in thick fog. I had a vessel on the scope that would have T-boned my port side if I did not stop. Out of the fog emerges a guy in a 22' center console looking straight down at his hand-held GPS. He never even looked up to see what was around - he never saw me. Unreal....
Fog, rain, night, snow, or dropped your glasses over the side, (assuming you still have near vision) Radar is good. But radar is expensive, requires some skill, and is a little over the top on a smaller boat. Its not a substitute, because it won't let you see another boat, but satellite weather, either XM or Sirius, will show you what you don't want to run into in the way of weather. Trade your 440 for a 440SX, subscribe to XM ($) and be safer.
Is your radio wired to your GPS? Well, it better be!
__________________ If it ain't broke, I haven't played with it.
Welcome to THT. What ReelNauti is referring to in your post if you type in all caps the assumption is you are yelling. Getting back to your question if you use your boat often and can swing it get the radar. There is no substitute, all it takes is one incident to set you back financially, ruin your boating season or worse someone gets hurt. In closing when you buy your radar unit use it in good weather so you have a feel of whats happening. If you wait for bad weather to learn how to use it, it will not be effective.
Nick
Quote:
ReelNauti - 1/18/2009 10:27 AMWHY ARE YOU YELLING AT US?
IMO, it depends on where you are. In the northeast where fog is more common, I'd consider that next. However, down here in FL, I'd go with a good sonar to find bottom structure, if you don't already have it. Radar wouldn't even be considered since I only see fog a few times a year in winter, when I'm not fishing much..
I certainly agree that Radar may be desirable if you are in an area with high incidence of fog or run at night a lot. On the Gulf Coast I have only used Radar at night. I ran a WA about the same size as yours for 5 years with no Radar and currently have an 18 footer with no Radar, although my larger boat has Radar.
For the same cost, I would consider buying a larger (6" to 8") screen combo chart plotter by Lowrance--with broad band or new High def fish finder and keep the Garmin for a second GPS chart plotter. You can use split screen on the Lowrance for fishfinder and large scale chart plotter, small scale chart on the Garmin. The Garmin is only 4" with relitatively low resolution.
Personally I don't see any reason for the satellite weather--I can see storms by eye (if I happen to have the boat with radar, I use it to tack rain). It is rare that you can outrun weather. But each of us has our own opinion based on our experiences.
Guys thanks for the feedback. And yes, I will stop yelling (SORRY). I have not been to a reck yet, so I was wondering if a radar would provide a better view of the bottom. Thanks again.
For short runs offshore you should not need to spend the money on a radar unless you are up in New England some place where there is always fog.
Spend you money a good VHF radio that has DSC function and wire it to your GPS.
You should have an 8 foot antenna for offshore runs. Buy the best there is, don't go cheap on your antenna.
Guys thanks for the feedback. And yes, I will stop yelling (SORRY). I have not been to a reck yet, so I was wondering if a radar would provide a better view of the bottom. Thanks again.
May I suggest the Coast Guard Aux. boating course. This will do you more good for you than a radar right now. Contact your local Coast Guard office for information on the class.
__________________ USCG 100 TON MASTER
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Palm Beach 161
1984 Mckee Craft 14'
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Bimini
"Many times life gives you the test, before you learn the lesson!"
WHAT ELECTRONIC DO I NEED NEXT??? 
