It used to be that radar was only for big boats, but recently technological developments and dramatically lower costs have made radar a great navigational aid for boats as small as 18 feet. In simplest terms, radar sends out a signal and waits for it to be reflected back. It then calculates the time and bearing of the reflecting surface and paints an image of it on your screen. This gives you a chart with a bird’s eye view of the surrounding waters. Regardless of fog or darkness, you can now see objects around you, including land mass and weather fronts. Radars have many features, one of which is an echo trail of objects as you cruise on. As you slip off course due to wind, tide and current, you have all kinds of information available to help you know your position, stay on course and avoid collisions. The only problem for boaters is how to interpret the data and how to use it in navigating.

Radar isn’t without issues. It sends and receives only straight line signals, so due to the curvature of the earth, it will not see near-ground objects at a distance. For example, if your radar is 20 feet high, an object must be over 1000 feet high to be seen from 50 miles away. The normal effective working range of a radar system is 2 to 6 miles. There are longer-range systems available, but they may be ineffective at close range. Radar also depends on a surface large enough to reflect the signal. The narrow mast of a sailboat may need a large reflector mounted upon it to ensure being seen. But the advantage of radar is that it provides a captain with all kinds of excellent information to aid in navigating, both in fair and foul weather. The system can provide location and identification of objects, land masses and weather fronts as well as show range, current position, heading, way points and waypoint bearing. However, the big question is, do you know how to interpret and use the information?

If you are considering purchasing a radar, have one but don’t know how to use it, or are experienced but want to know more about how to use all of the available features, then I have a deal for you. The Peace River Power Squadron is conducting a radar seminar that will cover all of these situations. The class is a two-hour session taught at the YMCA section of the Bay front Center on Retta Esplanade Sept. 14. The class runs from 1300 to 1500 hours (1 p.m. to 3 p.m. for you nonmilitary folk) and the cost is only $10 per person. In addition to the included notepads, a 200-page illustrated manual may be purchased and taken home for ongoing reference. If you want to know all about radar, I highly recommend you call 941-637-0766 or E-mail Education Officer Ron Ludvig at ronaldludvig@comcast.net to sign up. This is one time it is good to be considered “batty,” so join the growing fleet of responsible boaters in ongoing boating education. As the United States Power Squadrons tell us, “Boating is fun … we’ll show you how.”

Bill Hempel is the Assistant Safety Officer for the Peace River Power Squadron and a member of the USPS national marketing committee. Contact him at billmarl@comcast.net.