Radar on a 2600SE

[iceman]

OK after seeing some scary fog here in the fall, I decided a good winter project would be to install Radar on my 2600SE. I have the aluminum Radar tower, so no problem, right?

Well, I realized that the 360 degree light required for nav is mounted on that, right in the middle where the Radar dome would work best. The Radar I'm installing is a Garmin 24HD, which has a 24" dome, and I'd like to center that fore-and-aft on the tower for support, but the light would interfere. Also, the Radar dome would block the light from certain angles, and I'm guessing that's not kosher with the USCG.

So I'm trying to figure out how to do this. Guess I could move the light, and mount it on a taller post. I don't know if there are standard mounting parts for that kind of thing?

I'd like to avoid making it too high, because I trailer the boat and need to fit under canopies at gas stations when I fill the tank. Maybe I could make it swing down like my VHF antenna does?

Anyway, I'm trying to figure this all out, and any advice is appreciated!

[seapuppy]

I've seen 26ftr's with the al. radar arch with radar and they got the anchor light mounted just aft of the radar antenna...they didn't have it hinged but it's easy to get a larger one....add a piece of flat aluminum plate to mount the light and radar antenna....just get one with a standard hinge at the base......radar towards the front part of the plate...

take pic's ...we'd like to see them...

SP

[iceman]

Thanks Steve. There's a short vertical cylinder welded to the radar tower that the light is mounted on. Guess I'll have to raise the radar dome above that so I can shift it back. Otherwise I think it will hang too far past the front of the tower.

I do see light posts on West Marine's website that are hinged, so I think that will work for me. So the biggest challenge is going to be the mounting scheme. I'll be sure and post pics when I have them.

[shrew]

Take a few pics, if possible, so we can see what you're dealing with.

Many radar arches have a slightly convex shape to them. A guy with a searay jst a few slips down mounted his off to the side and the radome tilts to one side as a result. I think you're best bet is going to be centered. The make radar mounts that have a mounting point for a light or a GPS antennae as well. There should be a large variety of light posts to choose from. I had to get a taller light post when I installed a new radar and a new 12" mount for it so the light would be above the dome and have 360 degree visibility.

[capav8r]

Hey Iceman, you actually have the wakeboard tower. The cylinder you refer to with the light on top of it is the attachment point for the tow rope. Anyway, I have a 3' VHF antenna mounted on top of mine and need to lower it to trailer. The entire wakeboard tower is hinged. If you remove the two bolts at the front of the tower, the whole thing will hinge backwards. I place a couple of foam Kuzzies under each side where it lays against the fiberglass and attach a tie down between the above mentioned cylinder and the transom mounted ski tow hook and snug it a little to prevent the tower from bouncing. Mine sits 13'3" to the top of the tower while on the trailer. It drops to 11'4" with it lowered, which is about the same height as the top of the windshield.

[iceman]

Capav8r: you're right, that's what I've got, the wakeboard tower. I have lowered it to get it under power lines in a storage lot, but I've never trailered it that way. So far I've only hit a few tree branches, but if I add a dome that's 9" high, and put it on a 5" pedestal mount to clear the tow rope attachment cylinder, there might be more to worry about. Good to know you've done OK with it lowered.

shrew: I'll take a few close up pics tomorrow. You might be able to see in Capav8r's pic that the tower does have that convex shape, so I'd prefer to mount dead center rather than have the dome angled. Looks like I have at least one option of trailering with the tower down, or at least lowering it when I pull in for gas. Of course it would be alot nicer to leave it up if I can.

I have found some pedestal mounts online. Tomorrow I'm going to take some measurements and see how it might all fit. I still have to figure out the details of the nav light replacement.

[iceman]

Capav8r: nice boat, by the way! Is that mooring cover from the factory? I had to have one custom made, and it doesn't cover the windshield.

[shrew]

Take a look at Lilly Mounts. They might have something that will work for you.

http://www.dlilly.com/products_r.htm

[capav8r]

Thanks Iceman!! Yes, that is the factory cover.

[iceman]

OK I've attached some pictures I took today. I found that there is a 12" x 13" welded aluminum plate on top, so that will make a good mounting surface for the dome. There's a solar panel there now, which I will remove. That's the plywood you see sticking out to the right and left (painted to look like metal).

You can see the Nav light that I have to clear. If I leave it as is, the dome will have to be raised at least 6" above the steel plate. I can do that but I'd prefer a lower profile.

Looking closely at the Nav light, there is the welded aluminum base, then a white plastic section, then another section of metal, and then the plastic top. I tried to see if I could unscrew some of the sections but nothing budged. Does anyone know how or if that light can be disassembled? I will need to add a new Nav light that clears the dome anyway, so I don't need it.

[shrew]

Thanks for he pics. That makes things much clearer. The bulb needs to be replaced on that light somehow, there is simply no other way around it. I also don't see any fastening system on there. I'd expect some type of fastneing system such as a an internal drive head, like a square or a Allen. I assume you tried to just unscrew the lense for the bulb? You could have a couple of screws going from the top down underneath the lense of the light.

Here is something else to think about. You need a white light that can be seen in all directions. However, nowhere does it state it has to be the same light visible from 360 degrees. Manufacturers try to make a single light that adheres to CG standard because it is cheaper from both a materials and time perspective. You could use that as a stern light and add a second to comply with 360 degree visisbility.

Just a thought.

[iceman]

Shrew,

I've got an update. I was able to get the top plastic dome off by twisting. It has an o-ring and a plastic interlock. That exposed the lower black plastic section which has the bulb, and also 2 screws that are removed with a hex key. After taking that off, I was left with a top section of aluminum, then the plastic, then the lower aluminum welded to the tower. I can't tell for sure but I believe the aluminum sections are one piece (although I can't figure out how they got the center plastic part on).

The height of the aluminum cylinder is a hair under 4". I found a radar mount that is 4" high, so that's pretty tight, but I can shim it up with a 1/4" aluminum plate if I can find a place that can fabricate something like that. It's pretty straighforward.

So for the dome I think I'm OK, and I'll only increase the vertical profile by about 8 inches: 10" (dome) + 4" (mount) - 6 inches (original nav lite).

I'm still working on the replacement 360 degree nav light. I'm looking at a clamp that would go around the 2" tower tube, and a 20" light pole that I think would attach to that. The dual 180 degree idea is a good one, I'll think about how that might work also.

[shrew]

I suspected that the lense was removable and the fasteners were internal. That part makes sense. What is interesting is that the white plastic piece is the EXACT same diamter as the as flange on the aluminum portion of the mount. In addition that platic piece looks very much like a spool. Earlier in the thread this was referred to a ski/wakeboard tower. Is the loop-end of the tow rope supposed to use that plastic spool like a 'towing/padeye' normally would? Obviously the plastic and aluminum piece weren't born that way. (LOL). So it must be affixed somehow. I doubt they used adhesive alone and suspect some kind of mechanical fastening.

This can't be a unique problem. I would call US Marine Tech Support and see what they say about installing an extension to the light post. They may sell something for that already.

[iceman]

I agree it's confusing, but it seems like maybe the aluminum comes apart into two halves somehow and is milled to accomodate the plastic spool. To add to the confusion, I've attached a photo from the Maxum Owner's Manual supplement which shows the use of a tow rope, but the cylinder has no light and the top part is very short! It looks like a different configuration, but as far as I know this wasn't an option.

I don't plan on using it for towing anything, so I'd just as soon take it apart to lower the profile. It does seem worth a call to US Marine - maybe I'll give that a try.

[shrew]

Awesome, so you verified my other suspicion that the plastic spool piece IS used for the tow rope portion. There is a tremendous amount of force being placed on that plastic spool when towing a skiier. That spool must have a substantial means of affixing itself to the aluminum post on the tower. I wouldn't at all be surprised if there is some internal fastening system. I see the cap in the pic you provided has a phillips head screw. It looks like it would either hold the cap in place, or run all the way through to the aluminum fame. My guess is the light fixture afixes to the same exact way.

Have you tried to completely remove the existing light? Keep us informed, I'm very curious.

[iceman]

After I removed the plastic dome and the black plastic base, all I would have had to do was cut the wires connected to the base to remove the light. I couldn't see anything obvious that would allow me to disassemble the aluminum-plastic-aluminum piece below that, so I'm for now assuming I'll need to leave it intact, and the radar dome will have to clear it.

I have parts coming in for a new 360 degree light, but I'm not exactly sure how I'll make it work. Depends on how the wiring needs to work, and if mounting holes line up. The idea would be to mount it on one of the tower tubes and run the existing power wires over to it somehow.

So I think it's all coming together. There's always some chance for Murphy's Law to kick in, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed...

[iceman]

Update: I emailed US Marine customer support, and here is their response:

"I have not removed the plastic spool from this arch but I would imagine it either threads down into the welded on flange or there is a molly type fitting accessible down through the bulb cover to allow it to be removed. As far as the welded on flange it would need to be cut off and a aluminium patch welded back into place. These modifications can be done by a local aluminum fab shop.

All your questions have to do with modifying something we did not have the design intent to modify when we purchased it. We are sorry if we can not provide more in dept information. "

So unfortunately it doesn't look like the assembly details are available anymore. When I remove the light, I don't see any fasteners, so I will try once more to "unscrew" the top part underneath the light assembly.