Important Safety Information

[walldog]

Nudibranch and Willie's Tug have been traveling together in Canada and Alaska in all types of weather including fog. I use my radar in clear weather also to stay in practice, to check vessels in sight that may be crossing, etc. Traveling together as we were, I used radar to determine speed of my buddy boat, so I could adjust my speed as necessary to stay together. I could not help but notice that Nudibranch had a very pitiful radar target on my screen. I found out that I had an equally poor reflection on Nudibranch's radar screen. I thought we had a radar reflector installed under the stack. Wrong. I pulled my stack off today and discovered that we do not have a radar reflector. I picked a radar reflector up today here in Prince Rupert and now it is on Willie's Tug. My firm suggestion to all of you is this: Check your boat and make sure you have a radar reflector. If you do not, run, do not walk to the nearest marine supply store and purchase one. You will not show up well and may be overlooked in a situation that could be critical. Our Ranger Tugs do such a poor job of reflecting radar, that I could not keep Nudibranch as a target consistently. I kept losing her as a target and she would be in plain sight. A small cost to be sure we are doing all we can do stay safe.

 

[knotflying]

That radar reflector is like the Lock Ness Monster. Some people say we have them and others say we don't. I guess we are in a situation described by one of our greatest Presidents, Ronald Regan, 'Trust, but Verify".

 

[sheral]

Wow who would have thought? Thanks for the heads up! :shock:

 

[CAPTCRUNCH]

Speaking of radar, I wonder if the majority of tug skippers run theirs constantly when underway. The USCG NavRules FAQ includes this:
11. Am I required to have Radar? Radar is not required on vessels under 1600 GT (33 CFR 164.35), however, Rule 7 states that proper use shall be made of radar equipment if fitted and operational. In other words, whoever has one must use it. The Navigation Rules are not meant to discourage the use of any device, rather they expect prudent mariners to avail themselves of all available means appropriate...as to make full appraisal of the situation (Rule 5), e.g. the use of radar. At issue is whether the use of radar is appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and that is a determination made by the Master; and, ultimately decided by a trier of fact.

Should you be in a collision how would a judge/jury rule on your contention that the use of radar was impracticable (due to electrical drain, crew shortages, etc.)? Also, if a collision does occur, then there was obviously a risk of collision beforehand. Could the determination of that risk have been made sooner with the use of radar? It is difficult to answer such questions because the circumstances of each case are different.

More importantly, remember that Rule 7 specifies that assumptions shall not be made on the basis of scanty information, especially scanty radar information

I wonder what that boils down to in the real world.

 

[walldog]

If you have radar you should use it. If you do not you are not using all of your available resources for safety. JMHO.

 

[baz]

So Herb, where did you mount your newly aquired radar reflector ?

 

[Crewdog]

A good discussion.

Last year crossing the Gulf Stream with the Bahamas Rendezvous, I noticed that the little dots on the radar screen would come in and out as the targets would roll one way and our boat would roll the other direction out on the open ocean.

Couple this with an occasional adjusting of the radar sensitivity to compensate for screen blanking in a rainstorm, and it would be real easy to lose the other tugs.

Do most folks adjust their radar sensitivity while underway?

As an aside, has anyone considered using a radar target enhancer such as:
EchoMax

 

[walldog]

So Herb, where did you mount your newly aquired radar reflector ?

I wanted to simply put it in the empty stack, but there was nothing to mount it to in there. It was raining and I could not use anything to stick it to the surfaces. I could have just left it loose, but then it would have slid down to the lower level and I wanted it as high as possible. So I threaded it on the halyard for the flag on mast. This positioned it just below the radar unit. Even with the radar unit, it would have blocked reception some to the rear. (I tried it out there).

When Ray and I were running together, I did try adjusting the gain and sensitivity of my radar to try to enhance his target. He was still a very small target and even in very calm seas my radar would lose him unless we were very close. In rougher conditions, he would have been lost in the clutter to begin with.

 

[Crewdog]

Here's an interesting article about various reflector types, to keep the discussion going:

http://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/filebank/reflector_performance_ym_june.pdf

 

[Andrew Custis]

Herb,

Nudibranch has a radar reflector in his boat and you are saying it doesn't show well. Sounds to me like it sometimes gets a poor return whether or not it is installed.

Thank you,

Andrew Custis

 

[REO6205]

This is a great thread. I'm not a Ranger owner...not yet...but I'm the guy who might be out in the fog with my tug and barge trying to figure out a dim and vague target on my radar.
I know all of you check your radar but how many have verified what kind of target you present to others? Please check this out. I have enough gray hairs already and at this stage of my career...almost over...I hate surprises.
Thanks.

 

[CAPTCRUNCH]

Too bad there isn't a radar equivalent to Sea Tow's automated VHF radio check service. How-do-you-see-me, etc.

 

[baz]

On many State highways there are statute mile posts so that auto drivers can check their odometer readings are 'reasonably' accurate. With this odometer service in mind it would be good to have a similar radar service check in boating areas.

I leave it to someone else to work out the technical/political challenges for this but obviously it would need some form of feedback to the boat's Captain, say via a download from the internet of their radar signature details matching their MMSI number.

 

[CAPTCRUNCH]

Given that radar visibility is a matter of public safety (which must be why the USCG thinks it is OK to impose the use-it-if-you-got-it requirement), it would seem appropriate for all maritime agencies to encourage/facilitate radar visibility checks with their vessels. Around here, we see radar-equipped USCG, Marine Police, Harbor Master, etc. boats just about each time we're out. I'll hail the next one I see and ask how they see me. Certainly will be the first time I've tried to draw a radar cop's attention!

 

[bradcarolR29S]

An interesting subject with much food for thought. Sharing some of our recent experience, we have been out on the water in the company of many Ranger Tugs and Cutwaters this summer. I have always seen a strong return from them. I know for certain that some of these have had radar reflectors and others not, yet I do not think we are seeing any difference in signal strength. From this experience and reading the comparison studies on the reflectors, I have to question the efficacy of the small octahedral units. The upshot is we will be adding one of the standard size tri-lens units to Ilio Kai.
Brad and Carol