Radar helps to answer all three of the
vital situational awareness questions:
1. Where am I?
Radar detects and displays landmass, navigational aids
and helps confirm visual references.
2. Where am I going?
Radar assists in staying on course by overlaying navigational data and
helps to stay within channels and variable range markers.
3. What is around me?
Radar detects surface targets and obstacles like other vessels,
land mass, navigational aids, AIS and MARPA.
Generally there are two main types of radar: the open array and the radome.
Open arrays have a rotating arm that is constantly turning, like on a Navy ship.
Open arrays are best for large powerboats with radar arches or pilothouses.
Radomes, with the moving parts inside an 18″ or 24″ dome, offer better mounting
flexibility where space is limited. Radomes are best for the walk-around fishing
boat, RIB, small cruiser or sailboat. They also use less power than open arrays, an
important consideration for long-distance cruisers.
Lowrance only sells RADOMES.