Budget friendly radar recos?

[ohmytodd]

I'm going to have enough budget left in my skip top project to pull the trigger on radar, something that's been on the list for a while. My Lowrance Elite unit isn't radar compatible, and I'm quite happy with it overall. I wouldn't use the radar very often so I'm researching standalone units with dedicated displays.

Anyone have any experience or impressions of the Furuno 1623?

https://www.thegpsstore.com/Furuno-1623-22-kw-Radar-P125.aspx?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8bT885L26gIVCB6tBh32KgsVEAYYAyABEgI4OvD_BwE

[ATGEP]

Furuno makes great radars and I am sure it will work great.   Having the radar overlay a chart is a really great feature and makes interpreting what you see much easier.  Is it a buoy or a boat?  If you overlay a chart you get the rest of the picture.  I have a lowrance HDS setup and I am very happy with the performance.  My VHF also picks up AIS and that gets overlayed.  More than once this year I was able to determine a tug had a barge in tow based on all this data. I guess my point of the ramble is you can get standalone radar which is 1940's situational awareness or for x dollars more, you can have an integrated solution.   Another option is a wifi dome to a tablet. Not sure if the radar can overlay charts but it might be something worth looking at.  https://www.boatersland.com/furuno-drs4w-firstwatch-wifi-dome-only-no-cable.html?gclid=CjwKCAjw34n5BRA9EiwA2u9k3ztauAP9tuPOzUTEAfbNeSnYN_2GVnEw90Jj82Kcz4qmlIvl6lSJVBoCbAwQAvD_BwE   

The photo below is from a few weeks ago crossing over to the San Juans. The bouy, shoreline , AIS target (triangle) bottom left is the ferry and the other targets I was tracking were fishing boats.  My radar is the old 3g unit and the least capable of the modern units. With this picture, I am confident, I wont create a hazard to others or be run over by someone running flat out.

[GregE]

Todd, radar/ chart overlay is The way to go

[disposable]

Modern stuff is sweet and surely better. For me, I only need radar when crossing the shipping lane in thick fog (maybe 2-3x/year max, and in this scenario I'm only worried about giant tankerships, so 2kW is plenty), though it's kinda cool to sleep with a near-range alarm in crowded anchorages (I end up powering off most nights but it's a good piece of mind should wind or dumbasses appear scary enough). For these simple tasks, my salvaged Furuno 1622 is plenty; your needs will vary. I would definitely upgrade if budget allowed, but I have many other upgrades higher on the list.

[croaker stroker]

I have the Furuno 1623. Works great. I bought it used (barely) for $700.  I see them offered all the time for between $400 and $700.

https://www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/threads/used-furuno-1623-radar.750987/#post-5179326

If you buy a used one, try to check the hours on it because the magnetrons only last so may hours. (I think 3000 ?) They get less powerful as they are used. I would avoid one used on a commercial boat.

I can easily navigate using my GPS and radar. The radar can pick up Sea Gulls sitting on the water and lobster buoys.

Boats are very easy to spot and avoid. (Study the "rules of the road"). Particularly the one that tells you to pass "port to port" with an oncoming vessel.

I seldom use my radar because I avoid going out in thick fog, but when I must it is sure nice to have.

I have the Simrad GO9 which could be paired with a broadband dome. But the inexpensive Furuno works fine for as often as I use it.

[ohmytodd]

I have the Furuno 1623. Works great. I bought it used (barely) for $700.  I see them offered all the time for between $400 and $700.

https://www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/threads/used-furuno-1623-radar.750987/#post-5179326

If you buy a used one, try to check the hours on it because the magnetrons only last so may hours. (I think 3000 ?) They get less powerful as they are used. I would avoid one used on a commercial boat.

I can easily navigate using my GPS and radar. The radar can pick up Sea Gulls sitting on the water and lobster buoys.

Boats are very easy to spot and avoid. (Study the "rules of the road"). Particularly the one that tells you to pass "port to port" with an oncoming vessel.

I seldom use my radar because I avoid going out in thick fog, but when I must it is sure nice to have.

I have the Simrad GO9 which could be paired with a broadband dome. But the inexpensive Furuno works fine for as often as I use it.

Thanks fellas, CS - I'm scooping up that one on BD.

[croaker stroker]

Hope it works out as good as mine did. 👍🏻

The only complaint I have is mine came with too much cable.  I am pretty good at splicing, but I hate to cut a perfectly good working cable. (If it ain't broke, don't fix it !)

I do enjoy spending other member's money.  🤑

[headduck]

I have the 1623 as well. Place it on a mast if the fog hits.

Only needed it once...I choose days a bit more carefully than others may. Have owned it for nearly 5 years .. but when we needed it, was worth it.

Was surprised it picked up much smaller targets than expected, birds, buoys etc.

Got beat around in the cuddy for a few years (wrapped in a blanket in a tote) and worked flawlessly.

Pretty simple and robust.

[Kimbrey]

Stand alone is great as it keeps your plotter clean.
Hard to go wrong with Furuno....really hard.

I'm contrary to everyone on radar/chart overlay as I feel the charting obscures targets at times.  But....I'm old school and have been staring at radars for many years so I'm able to recognize what I'm looking at.  I'm also a N up type of person but that'd probably take a heading sensor which would lead you into an autopilot.  Win, win!!!!!

[lloyds]

I had a 1623 on my c dory and liked it a lot when I needed it but the newer ones with color sure produce a lot more detail.

[ohmytodd]

Thanks for all the feedback, fellas. Given the $400 price tag on the older 1623 I'll give it a whirl and see how it does. Arriving Friday.