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THE MAINE COAST » Cruising the Maine Coast » Fog Talk () 1 Vote(s) Show: Today's Posts  :: Show Polls

Author	Topic
rnichols Posts: 5 Registered: February 2003	Re: Fog Talk Fri, 11 April 2003 14:45 Fog is a great challenge. A few things I have discovered while navigating in the fog, particularly with radar and gps... - Practice with your radar during non-fog conditions. See what boats within your view actually look like on the screen. Particularly learn the difference between waves and boats. - You don't need 48 mile radar. The important distance is the last 1/4 mile. - Not all boats show up on radar. I've seen pretty good sized sailboats that don't appear at all. You should have a radar reflector on your boat. There are some nice ones made by Mobri that can be in place at all times. Even an anchored/moored boat should have a reflector. - Lobster boats tend not to have reflectors so they don't show up and they also tend not to watch their radar (if they have it) but instead go full speed towards their destination. I try to listen for their engines. - If you're navigating with gps, buoys can pop up very quickly in front of you. The error on the gps combined with the error of the buoy positioning could lead to a collision. Navigate a reasonable distance away. - Navigating around lobster buoys in the fog can be very disorienting and you can end up going in a completely different directly. Keep a good check on your course. - Small power boats without radar tend to "draft" behind ferries (such as Vinalhaven and North Haven) in the fog, following them across the bay. These boats do not show up on radar and, if you're in a power boat, can be hidden below your bow by the time you get close enough to see them. - Make sure you can stop or avert a collision based on the distance you can see and the speed your going. [Report message to a moderator]

	Subject	Poster	Date
	Fog Talk	Iceman	Fri, 04 April 2003 16:33
	Re: Fog Talk	Curtis Rindlaub	Mon, 07 April 2003 16:42
	Re: Fog Talk	rnichols	Fri, 11 April 2003 14:45
	Re: Fog Talk-We are still in the dark without radar.	Tom Young	Tue, 15 February 2005 12:28
	Re: Fog Talk	Highlander	Mon, 26 March 2007 21:14
	Re: Fog Talk	pretax	Tue, 27 March 2007 13:10
	Re: Fog Talk	pretax	Tue, 15 February 2005 14:56
	Re: Fog Talk	Joe CD MS 300	Wed, 04 April 2007 19:48

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