USING RADAR FOR COLLISION AVOIDANCE

Periodically cycle through the ranges and don’t leave it just on long range. Zoom in to only three miles in busy shipping and even closer when tracking a vessel of interest.

Leave the sensitivity and clutter settings on auto. Modern radars handle them well.

If you want to look through a rain cloud, alter ‘rain clutter’ control very briefly, then revert it to automatic every time. Use a split screen with radar on dual range, or radar and chartplotter lined up alongside, or radar ‘overlaid’ on the chartplotter. Experiment with this before you hit fog.

Consider setting up an alarm zone to help you detect contacts.

If your radar display is below decks, have a tested system for communicating to the helm. Some yachts use a private VHF channel.

Stay clear of busy ferry routes