Radar mount?

[Pack66Dad]

Does anyone know where I can get one of those posts they mount radar domes on? I don't want to put a radar arch on my boat so I think its my only choice. I think it would need to be about 8 feet tall.

I have seen similar mounts on other boats but I have no idea where to get one.

[Randygh]

I'm going to Pacific Marine Exhcange in Bellingham on Feb. 18. The store has an outside "bone yard" with all kinds of stuff. Radar arches, radar posts, etc. I'll be glad to check and see what they have for radar mounts. If you feel like taking a nice drive, head up to Bellingham and check out the place. It's an incredible store of used stuff. Anything you'll find on a boat, you'll find there, but you have to dig for it.

Do you plan to mount a post behind the flybridge helm?

[Pack66Dad]

Do you plan to mount a post behind the flybridge helm?

Yes, I think so. If I can get away for the day I would like to go with you. Thanks- CJ

[Randygh]

Sounds good. If you do come Feb 18, you'll be impressed. It's quite the junk store with so much stuff, I bet you'll purchase stuff you didn't know you needed.

[SomeSailor]

Maybe we could plan a road trip. Pat and I were talking about heading up one weekend as well.

[Pack66Dad]

Sounds good. If you do come Feb 18, you'll be impressed. It's quite the junk store with so much stuff, I bet you'll purchase stuff you didn't know you needed.
hehehe.... I'll bet your right :) I love searching through slightly used "boat treasures".

[Gary Brewer]

Had mine built by Al Book. His shop is in Burien Phone #206-478-4073

[Go Aweigh2452]

Dang, I sold a hinged radar mount on Ebay a few months ago... I think it went for $50 or $75? It was worth a few hundred. Try Ebay...

[Papa Charlie]

Definately try Ebay. That is where I go a brand new unit for my 32 for $75 from the manufacturer. Thing originally sold for several hundred, but was a display model.

[Go Aweigh2452]

but was a display model.

Good one, even if you did not intend it to be... well, I thought it was funny...

[Pack66Dad]

Well I had to bite the bullet and buy a radar arch. Got a nice one for a good deal from Atlantic Towers at the boat show. I also got a sweet little 4" extension platform to set the radar dome on from a guy in Everett. Very nice workmanship and a great price (only 50 bucks), compared to what WM is asking for the same thing I felt like I was stealing.

[Getaway]

Does anyone know where I can get one of those posts they mount radar domes on? I don't want to put a radar arch on my boat so I think its my only choice. I think it would need to be about 8 feet tall.

I have seen similar mounts on other boats but I have no idea where to get one.

I just had one installed on my boat yesterday with a Garmin 18 on top of it. The pole was NOT cheap! It was 8 feet tall and we cut it down is it is above our heads and with the boat on the trailer the top of the Garmin to the ground is 12 feet. I believe the pole was cut to 5'8" long/tall. It attaches to my railing.

If you can get a setup used you'll save a lot of money. My setup came from Seaview out of Lynnwood. I have model RM8148.

There are not any boat bone yards in the Portland area that have anything you would want to buy, 99.9% of it is for REAL OLD boats and most is in bad shape.

Good luck on your search.

Mark

[SomeSailor]

I just had one installed on my boat yesterday with a Garmin 18 on top of it. The pole was NOT cheap! It was 8 feet tall and we cut it down is it is above our heads and with the boat on the trailer the top of the Garmin to the ground is 12 feet. I believe the pole was cut to 5'8" long/tall. It attaches to my railing.

Got any pictures? It would be neat to see how you mounted that.

[Getaway]

Got any pictures? It would be neat to see how you mounted that.

Here's my first try. I've never posted any pictures here. Click on the thumbnails to enlarge.

My Weight Dist. system thanks to Doug correcting me about being able to have a WD system with surge brakes.

The my rails are 7/8th in size. The middle mount is welded to the rail and attached to the boat to make the rail more secure. There's a long stansion that is attached to the top just under the radar and that is attached to the side of the boat.

The top of the Garmin to the ground with the boat on the trailer is 12 feet so I don't worry about bridges. I can't lower this system and being mounted on the starboard side, I have to watch for trees on country roads so I don't knock the Garmin for a loop.

The pole was 8' long and was cut down to 5'7". It is above our heads when we are standing in the cockpit. It's also above our bimini when we have that up and it looks a lot better with the bimini up. It was a lot cheaper going this route than with a full arch.

I had to add 5 degrees front-of-boat Offset so everything lines up just as though the Garmin was in the middle of the boat.

Took the boat out yesterday for our first of the season shake down and everything is fine and the Garmin works like a charm. Now no more worries about fog this July/August when we're in your neck of the woods around the Islands and Canada. Last week of July, first week of Aug.

[Randygh]

That is a nice, clean-looking installation. It should be very solid with the three braces.

[Go Aweigh2452]

looks awesome!!!

[Getaway]

That is a nice, clean-looking installation. It should be very solid with the three braces.

Randy the brace that's secured to the boat above the "W" in "Getaway" is welded to the rail. That brace REALLY shored everything up.

I wanted to be able to lay the whole thing down while on the highways but could not mount it so that would work out. The long brace bar is screwed and 5200 3M to the side of the boat and there isn't a flat spot above where the mast is mounted now that would allow the system to lay flat. It would stick out at an angle to the right when it should be straight up because the deck is angled outwards so water would flow off.

[Getaway]

looks awesome!!!

Thanks Doug.

And thank you for setting me straight about weight distribution systems for surge brakes. The system sure makes it nice for driving WITHOUT white knuckles :)

I relocated the Garmin Chartplotter from where it was mounted. I could not flush mount it to where we looked at above the cup holder, there isn't enough free space depth wise. I used a ball and swivel and mounted it in about the same spot only outside of the dash instead of flush. It worked out just fine and no more looking down at the unit.

I was looking at a Garmin CFS 10, this tells you the fuel flow from 2 gph up to 50 gph and reports it back to the 740s chartplotter via a NEMA 2000 network. It was selling for $200. I was thinking about picking this unit up. I'd like a Flowscan like you have but I don't have the dash space to mount the darn thing.

[Pack66Dad]

We started installing the Radar yesterday. I had my mechanic and his helper installing the arch while my electrician was there installing a new charger/inverter. I was hoping to get it all done in one day but it appears I was a little over ambitious with my schedule. The electrician is coming back today to hopefully finish wiring up and actually mounting the radar dome. Here are some pictures from day one:

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f392/pack66dad/Radar%20Arch/IMG_0356.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f392/pack66dad/Radar%20Arch/IMG_0358.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f392/pack66dad/Radar%20Arch/IMG_0360.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f392/pack66dad/Radar%20Arch/IMG_0364.jpg

[Getaway]

That's what I wanted, enough room for a TV antenna and other things like some spot lights but not enough $$$ in my pocket.

Audrey and I are looking forward for our July/Aug. vacation in the Islands and Canada and didn't want to get stuck in a fog bank with only a chartplotter.

Last year we launched from Port Orchard. Our last night was spent in Bermerton. I woke up at 06:00 and we were fogged in without radar. I made breakfast and when we were finished and all cleaned up, the fog had lifted. We were LUCKY!

Things will be different this year!!

You have a nice looking boat and setup. Now you'll be able to not only spot other boats but watch the weather, birds on the water where the fish SHOULD be and a few other things.

Enjoy!!

[Go Aweigh2452]

Sweet looking arch Pack! You can probably see the edge of the earth where everyone falls off at that height... (jk)...

[kwb]

Last year we launched from Port Orchard. Our last night was spent in Bermerton. I woke up at 06:00 and we were fogged in without radar. I made breakfast and when we were finished and all cleaned up, the fog had lifted. We were LUCKY!

You really wouldn't do Bremerton to Port Orchard without radar?

[SomeSailor]

You can nearly spit that far. :)

[Pack66Dad]

Day two of this adventure did not go well either.... The Radar dome, anchor light and TV antenna are mounted on the arch now, that's good.
The fact that I need a network expansion hub and a gyro fluxgate compass http://www.smileyvault.com/albums/forum/smileyvault-wtf.gif to make the radar show up and overlay on both displays, not so good.

I also forgot to mention the Extreme Bilge Heater installation..... it keeps blowing the breaker http://clubsearay.com/images/smilies/013.gif Seems I got the biggest baddest version of the Extreme Bilge Heater so we need to get a larger breaker for that circuit.

Hopefully day three will be the final day, I'll let you know.

It was getting a bit dark when I went to the marina so the picture is not great but you can see the radar dome and TV antenna.
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f392/pack66dad/Radar%20Arch/IMG_0392.jpg

[Getaway]

You can nearly spit that far. :)

I couldn't even see across the bay or what ever you call it there. I believe we were in eagle harbor, what ever the place is called across the way from the ferry pier. Plus I can't pee, oops, spit that far!!

Coming back from Victoria to Port Townsend the winds were up, small craft warnings, you couldn't see where the waves were coming from the water looked like it was boiling, and the fog started to come in. I was 7 miles from PT but couldn't see the light house or the shore ahead of me or to my right. I knew it was there because my Garmin let me know the distance. Just call me chicken, :) I don't want to get run over by a ferry or a container ship.

I'd do an emergency dive but I have a heck of a time getting those vents open.

[Pack66Dad]

I couldn't even see across the bay or what ever you call it there. I believe we were in eagle harbor, what ever the place is called across the way from the ferry pier. Plus I can't pee, oops, spit that far!!

Coming back from Victoria to Port Townsend the winds were up, small craft warnings, you couldn't see where the waves were coming from the water looked like it was boiling, and the fog started to come in. I was 7 miles from PT but couldn't see the light house or the shore ahead of me or to my right. I knew it was there because my Garmin let me know the distance. Just call me chicken, :) I don't want to get run over by a ferry or a container ship.

I'd do an emergency dive but I have a heck of a time getting those vents open.

I don't blame you one bit!

If the weather is not good or its really foggy and I'm at a nice safe dock, I'm staying until it gets better. I know I have all the safety stuff on my boat (AIS, Radar, GPS......) but thats for when you accidentally get caught in fog or bad weather..... to help you get to a nice safe dock.