Posted by mike_c_f35ck (mike_c_f35ck@…>)
Larry,
I have a European F33 ck, named F35 overhere. I suppose you don’t
have wishbones and wraparound sails. I have, so I designed a
stainless pole that’s mounted on the stern. It leans backwards 7
degr, exactly in line with the transom. The top 2 feet are vertical.
There are flanges to connect the 2 pieces. 2 flanges with 5 rubber
shock-absorbers connect the Airmarine windgen. with the pole. I have
no radar on it yet, but that can be done easily. I had to shorten my
mizzen wishbone 4 inches.
Read the interesting piece below about mounting a radar low or high:
Posted here by Lenny on February 28, 2003 at 21:39:20:
I have a F 36 ketch with a JRC mounted on an Edson mount on the
mizzen mast. When we got the boat this was a big concern, however, it
seems to have been done well and there are no problems with it. One
fellow I know with an F36 sloop in Newport, RI made a custom
mast “gripper” mount that went most of the way around the mast, not
of course over the sail track, and clamped on sufficiently to hold
the radar, much like my Garhauer boom vangs mount to collars.
However, that said, I much prefer a stern mount as I had on my Ranger
33. There are many reasons for this. The only reason not to do it is
if you absolutely want maximum range from your unit, and you must
consider all you give up to get this dubious benefit. First, a stern
post gives you the best close-in radar coverage that you can have-
bear with me here. Radars are blind for 50 feet- so if you mount it
high on the mast you will not see things low in the water for much
more than 50 feet since the beam (usually 12.5 degrees below the
horizontal and 12.5 above) won’t intersect the water’s surface for
quite a distance out. Many salesmen told me to mount it above the
steaming light on the Ranger- about 28’ up. However, by diagramming
it on a photo of my boat I found that a radar mounted 10’ above the
waterline would just clear the cabin and bow and intersect the water
about 20’ in front of the boat. So- there was my 50’ minimum range.
Why is this so important? Well, when sailing up a small channel into
Oyster bay the small private bouys showed upon the screen right to
minimum range-then showed up in my red/green running lights. Entering
a crowded anchorage at night I could easily avoid anchored boats and
find a “hole” to anchor in. Sailing into the sand hole at Lloyd’s
Point you enter a small channel between a headland on the beach and a
breakwater which is low in the water. My radar installation showed it
clearly. You will still see big things at max range since they have
height to make up for the height you lose, and you will still see
weather. Also note that the horizon distance from 10’ up is about 4.5
miles if memory serves me correctly and from 20’ up it is only about
another mile. I got a lot of good info from a book by a fellow named
West on radar. Additionally, as I did, you can put a deck light on
it, a dinghy motor hoist, and lots of other stuff including and most
important in my mind, a tilting mechanism which so many people ignore
(and my Freedom doesn’t have yet). Why is this so important? IF you
heel 12 degrees or more one side sees water, the other sees birds and
airplanes- not much help if another boat is converging with you! Many
ignore this safety hazard since fore and aft is unaffected. Lots of
companies make good stuff now that is not expensive, like Garhauer
Marine, but I made all my stuff, only having a little welding done
that I could not do.
If you want further info please feel free. By the way, I originally
thought I’d want to change out the JRC to a “better” unit but I have
been very satisfied with it.
— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “Larry Powers”
<lapowers57@h…> wrote:
I have a Freedom 33 and want to mount a radar antennae and wind
machine on
my mizzen mast. I would be interested in hearing from anyone who
has
already done this. What kind of mount do you have, how did you
attach it,
if it was custom made who made it?
I also considered a seperate pole mounted on the stern but this
looks to me
a more complicated option due to the mizzen boom overhanging the
stern. Has
anyone done this on a 33.
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