SCAMP Masthead Radar Reflector / Floatation

[SVLastTry]

A large part of my coastal and inland sailing area is the Intercoastal waterway. Now that I have SCAMP 347 I need to purchase and mount a new radar reflector. At the same time I am looking into floatation for the masthead or the sail spar. Does any current SCAMP owner have suggestions on radar reflectors or masthead/spar floatation that could be mounted on a SCAMP?

Regards,

Jude SCAMP #347
Mermentau River @ Lake Arthur - Louisiana, USA

[Timo]

Here is a do-it-yourself masthead floatation solution:

http://www.wayfarer-international.org/W ... tation.pdf

There have been few radar reflector tests which conclude that passive radar reflectors aren't that effective. Still, the octahedral ones are popular among dinghy sailors.

[pocketyacht]

Sounds like you have a complete boat. If so this tip isn't helpful, perhaps for others building a spar. When I build hollow birds mouth spars I loosely bunch up aluminum foil and place it inside the mast before final closure. This has been tested and lets show the spar itself becomes an effective radar reflector.

[stevecanaga]

Howard -- on the trick with the aluminium (or is it al-u-mini-um?) foil, are you putting the foil in the entire mast or perhaps just at the top portion? Asking for my build. thanks

[pocketyacht]

Steve
Just seeing your post. I put loosely crumpled up foil in all the mast above the cabin top.

[Lachie88]

In my cruising around Asia, I never relied on my radar reflector. In conversations with cargo ships passing by sometimes they saw me others they didn't. The most effective was a pen laser which I would flash across the bridge whereupon the cargo vessel would acknowledge my existence and would find me on the radar in good weather, heavy weather not on the screen. Costs b all and very good.

[Winter_Hawk]

I first read of the idea of crumpled aluminum foil in the mast in one of the books by Lin & Larry Pardey. They said they did it after finding that the normal radar reflectors didn't work very well. What I remember, they talked to various commercial vessels later who said the foil gave a consistent, fright blip on the radar screen.

Unfortunately, this won't work with an aluminum mast....