C-Dory 22 Accident

[hardee]

I tried to look it up a week or so ago, but didn't come up with anything more than the update from December 21st. I'm interested in the accident too if anyone has any more information...

Likewise. I would love to hear a first-person account, maybe in time. There are way to many unknowns so far.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

 

[Marco Flamingo]

The lesson to learn from that photo is that color, whether gray, or light colored bottom paint, white, or something else DOES NOT SHOW UP with any contrast to it's surroundings.

Years ago I was looking for deck paint and thought about reflective paint. A friend's father worked for the county road crew and had access to white and yellow reflective paint used for center lines. It was too thick and didn't look like it would flex enough. But the idea still seems good for either the deck or the hull. A white reflective stripe or gel coat would just look white during the day. Blue would be blue, yellow, yellow etc. It wouldn't be obvious much at night without a light focused on it. But even a little flashlight at night would show the hull a mile away. Maybe there's a down side.

The picture is a good recommendation for red bottom paint even if it doesn't match your topside color scheme.

 

[hardee]

Mark, you are right about the reflectivity. And I have thought along that line as well. In this photo, that bright sport in the bottom left quarter is the SOLA Reflective patch on one of my PFDs.



I know of at least one C-Dory that had installed the silver portions of the red/silver trailer marking reflective tapes (short sections), on multiple surfaces around the boat so it would reflect from almost any angle.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

 

[thataway]

I have put the 3M retrospective tape on the Radar domes of the last 3 boats I have owned. It really shows up with a light at night.

 

[hardee]

I have put the 3M retrospective tape on the Radar domes of the last 3 boats I have owned. It really shows up with a light at night.

Bob. I thought about that and then wondered if the reflectivity might have any adverse affect on the radar, going out or coming back. Any Idea?

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

 

[ssobol]

I have put the 3M retrospective tape on the Radar domes of the last 3 boats I have owned. It really shows up with a light at night.

Won't help much if your boat is capsized like in the recent accident.

 

[thataway]

No adverse effect on the radar--I put the strips down low so the area less likely to be in the beam. But even a metal mast (Sailboat) right next to the radar goes not have any serious effect.

 

[hardee]

I have put the 3M retrospective tape on the Radar domes of the last 3 boats I have owned. It really shows up with a light at night.

Won't help much if your boat is capsized like in the recent accident.

I like that idea, and strongly prefer to keep my radome out of the water :roll:

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

 

[B~C]

that's a good strategy Harvey. I don't think the radome transmits so well when submerged......i wonder how it would do as a fishfinder? I like the reflective tape idea, i wonder if it would also increase the size of your radar reflection.

The possibility of a trying to escape a submerged cabin has led me to use manual inflating life jackets

 

[hardee]

Ken, Thanks. Mostly I just don't want to spill peanuts all over inside my boat :roll:
I did some vacillation before I bought the auto inflate Mustang PFDs, considering that very issue. My logic, (such as it is) was, is that I was much more likely to fall into the water from the boat, or dock, that from having the boat go upside down. Since mostly single-handing, I know I am taking my chances, and staying out of running parallel with big waves is easier to prevent than a slip off the gunnel going forward to clear an fouled anchor.

As to the radar reflection being increased, I doubt the tape would do that (I think it would have to have metal content for that.)
I know it is hard to see in that photo, but I have one of the round,(8") multi disc reflectors that Barry (C-Cakes) made up and sold. I have done some checking and it increases the size of my return by about 4 times. Mine is always tied on my aft arch/rack at the junction of the upright and cross bar.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

 

[Peter & Judy]

I too have reflective tape on my boat and every two feet on the antenna's. I am considering one of those tube like radar reflectors that are often used on sail boats. I would mount this on my radar arch next to to the back of the radar dome. I was wondering if anyone had thoughts if this would affect the radar and how effective would it be at increasing my visibility on other radar on other boats?

 

[Hunkydory]

Peter & Judy



I have & used on several SE Alaska cruises a Davis Reflector. They are about a foot in diameter, mount easy on a handrail & collapse into a small package & have a very good reputation for radar reflection. The reason I quit using the reflector is the mounting interfered with the dingy being stored on the cabin roof. This photo shows the Davis reflector mounted on the handrail in 2007 near Haines, Alaska. At that time & others when using the reflector, I was towing full time during the cruises, a motorized kayak called a Mokai, so the top was open for reflector or other use.

 

[C-Green]

I too mounted a reflector similar to but a bit smaller than Hunkydory's. Mounted it on a pipe on the roof hand rail using a clamp the same as I used for my VHF antenna. Pipe also doubled as a burgee mount. I considered the reflector a wise (and cheap) investment when crossing shipping lanes in Lake Superior. Reviews of the tube shaped reflectors that I've read were negative. I think they are just a vertical series of small 3-plane round reflectors. To get a visual of how they work, set two mirrors at 90 degrees to each other and look at either one and you'll see you are always looking directly at yourself, ie your line of sight is directly back at you; the same for the radar transmitted waves - they reflect back to the same spot they originated at. Kind of simple wave theory but rather magical.

Jay

 

[NORO LIM]

I mounted a Tri-Lens reflector. (I mounted the all-around light on the same stalk.) The reflector had excellent reviews at the time I bought it, about 15 years ago. Unfortunately, I think they are no longer made. I don't know if there is anything equivalent available today.