radar or satellite receiver?

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dale1

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Question?

I'm just getting started in off shore fishing.

should i spend money on a radar, or a satellite receiver with weather radar first??

what is the best investment? or bang for the buck?

the boat is a Grady White, 265 express, a Garmin 4212 plotter.

thanks
Dale
 
I know sirius has a marine weather package available. I would assume it updates pretty good
 
dale1,

I don't have any actual experience with the satellite weather, but if you are getting into offshore fishing I would say you want an open array radar. Several reasons, if you are heading out or coming back in during the hours of darkness or in weather or fog the radar is going to assist you in navigating the waterway and alert you of other vessels around you. Additionally, you can use the radar to find birds, which will be a big help in finding fish. you will be able to use the radar to help you see storms off in the distance and navigate around them.

I have thought about the weather system myself, but believe if you are getting into offshore fishing you will use the radar more than the satellite weather.

Now if the satellite system can give real time sea surface temps, you will need to get both!!!! LOL

Just my opinion...
 
We have both.

It's true that for running at night or in other reduced-visibility situations, there's no replacement for radar. In fact, if it's only the safety factor you're worried about, you don't even need the open array. We have the dome and it's fantastic for collision avoidance and much cheaper. Bird searching? Go open array for sure.

When it comes to weather, though, the XM is much better. You can see where the storms are, what direction they're moving, if they're growing or dying, etc. It has even given us a visual and audible alert to an approaching storm when we were beached-up on an island (storm approaching from the mainland); pretty cool.

We use both plenty, but for different reasons.
 
Grouper Duper said:
We have both.

It's true that for running at night or in other reduced-visibility situations, there's no replacement for radar. In fact, if it's only the safety factor you're worried about, you don't even need the open array. We have the dome and it's fantastic for collision avoidance and much cheaper. Bird searching? Go open array for sure.

When it comes to weather, though, the XM is much better. You can see where the storms are, what direction they're moving, if they're growing or dying, etc. It has even given us a visual and audible alert to an approaching storm when we were beached-up on an island (storm approaching from the mainland); pretty cool.

We use both plenty, but for different reasons.
Click to expand...

This^^^^

We have both and use both. But radar gets the higher priority.
 
I have a Garmin 4212 and the radar overlays are great. I have the Garmin GMR 18 radar and recommend it.
 
I have Furuno 64 mile open array. When I leave the marina, I'll have a look for weather systems in the area. There have been times when we could see some storms with heavy rain that looked discouraging, but when we pull them up on radar, could see that we could thread through and it was clear beyond them. We went between the systems and had clear skies the rest of the day. I can remember a couple times storms moved in but by watching the radar, was able to make it home unscathed, staying in the clear center via radar on a slightly altered course. You don't want to run in fog, but sometimes it just happens. My radar sees everything - birds in the air or water, other vessels, crab trap buoys, coconuts, sea turtles, whatever is in the water. I can run in the fog, cautiously but confident in my equipment keeping me out of trouble. Same deal at night - cautious but confident. I pay close attention to the weather forecast right up until I go out and then I depend on the radar.

My Marlin is the first boat I've had radar on but I've learned to really love it and can't imagine not having it. Satellite weather is a nice tool, but if you had to choose one or the other, radar is like the Swiss army knife of marine electronics.
 
I have both, first purchase would be radar. Then the weather, 30 a month, I can see weather 100's of miles away. Saved me a few times.
 
I have both on my 306 Canyon but I'd go with radar first. When the fog rolls in or when you have to come back in the dark the radar is a lifesaver. I've been in fog so thick that I'd don't know how I could have made it back without the radar. I also use it when fishing in the Gulf and I see another boat fishing a spot that I'd like to try sometime, so I overlay the radar on the GPS and mark the spot. Works great.

I also love the XM/Sirius weather. When you're offshore and out of cell phone range, it gives you access to satellite weather, lightning strikes, storm direction and much more. It has been a big help to me in avoiding storms that can pop up especially in Florida.

So bottom line, get both but I'd start with radar.
 
Go for radar first. However your 4212 capable of showing birds with the radar. I had the same outfit and when I upgraded the Garmin radar to the HD version that will show birds, my 4212 would not........so I upgraded to 8612.....hey it's just more money!
 
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