Posted by Steve Dashew (August 3, 2007)
Ultimate Radar Mast
We’re anchored in Gowland Harbor on Quadra Island, across from Campbell River in British Columbia. The harbor is pleasant, and most important, our Verizon cell phone and broadband Internet connection are working. We’re here for a few days staying connected, catching up on a backlog of work.
We can’t, however, spend all day online. At some point we usually take a tour in the dinghy. This time took us to a small marina to see if there was anything of interest. We mainly saw powerboats, plus a pretty Vancouver 27 at anchor; and there was one sailboat with the nicest looking radar mast we’ve ever seen.
Foxtrot is a 69-foot (21m) sloop, designed by Bob Perry, and built by Philbrooks. We’re not sure of the provenance of this radar mast, but it is well thought out and aesthetically pleasing.
Radar masts are hard to execute well. They are typically covered with a series of antennae in addition to the radar – in this case, ten.
The outboard (aft) end has an eye integrated into the design for lifting heavy objects – outboards or overboard crew come to mind. There are also a pair of speakers, and lights for the swim step and aft deck.
The stern light is high, where it has a better chance of being seen by an overtaking vessel. Note the access panel in the bottom of the aft-facing arm.
