Echomax In Action
| Echomax
COMMERCIAL the professionals choice |
Eason Marine have been manufacturing
navigation buoys for over 20 years. Over this period
we have strived to achieve a high performance product.
One of the most important parts of the navigation
buoy is the radar reflector. When we fitted the Echomax
Radar Reflector we were so impressed by their performance
that we now use them as standard on all EM buoys.
In fact many port authorities have commented on the
large RCS given by the Echomax Radar Reflector. Through
comparative sea trials we know the performance of
Echomax Radar Reflectors exceeds their rivals. The
Echomax Radar Reflector is probably the best in the
world.
Peter Eason of XJF Bouys
| Tel + 44 (0) 1246 575646 | www.navigationbuoys.com |
Eason Marine Polyethylene
2.4m buoy in the Tees & Hartlepool harbour
approaches |
Andrew Ridley, Conservancy
Operations Manager of Tees & Hartlepool
Port Authority Limited first discovered Echomax
at Seawork 2001. He was so impressed with their
QinetiQ test results and a series of on-site
tests that he insisted Echomax arrays were fitted
into all the new Eason Marine buoys which he
was in the process of ordering. Eason Marine,
probably one of the largest suppliers of navigation
buoys in the U.K, modified their top marks and
cases to suit the EM230/305 arrays. Since they
have been laid he has received unsolicited compliments
regarding both the radar response and visibility
of these units. It was confirmed that the radar
response from the Eason Polyethylene 2.4m maintenance
free buoy fitted with Echomax arrays was at
least equal to if not better than 3m steel buoys
fitted with 32" octahedral reflectors.
(It is probably only the sheer mass of the metal
buoys which has enabled the octahedral reflectors
to be fitted for so long).
Mr. Ridley was also receiving complaints from
the Harbourmaster when another commercially
available reflector fitted to a GRP pilot boat
built in 2000 provided inconsistent response
resulting in loss of the traces on the VTS radar.
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Tees & Hartlepool
Pilot Vessel Coatham,
fitted with a custom made Echomax EM 305
reflector, built into the radar/mast structure
on the wheelhouse roof.
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As there was insufficient mast height to fix
a standard EM305, a customised 305 was fitted
into a GRP roof box/mast support. Although additional
height above sea level would have been beneficial
it was reported that the EM305 gives a much
improved response signal. An EM305 fitted to
a fixed wooden finger jetty has enhanced the
radar signal through all tidal states and avoids
the reflection being lost when a combination
of high tide and sea clutter would otherwise
have caused problems to approaching vessels.
(Andrew Ridley is too much a gentleman to state
that the poorly performing radar reflectors
he removed from his vessels were Firdell Blippers
210-5, 210-7 and Firdell Pilot 300's).
New white and orange Echomax
230's have now been fitted to all seven vessels
in Tees & Hartlepool Port Authority's pilot
and workboat fleet to comply with SOLAS Chapter
V regulation 19.
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Echomax EM305 Top Mark as fitted
to Barrow and Black Deep 7 Trinity House buoys |
Sea Trip
on Trinity House vessel Vectis to view Barrow - Black
Deep 7 fitted with Echomax EM 305 Top mark
After just one and a half hours steaming
from Harwich on the Trinity House Vessel Vectis, Black
Deep 7, green channel buoy was picked up 6.84 miles
ahead. The Skipper of Vectis remarked that Echomax
radar response was brighter than 11m Sunk Tower beacon
with top mark. Half a mile closer we picked up the
response of corresponding Trinity House Red Inner
Fishers buoy. The very calm sea conditions did not
demonstrate the superior response given by Echomax
at heel.
All parties are aware that the Decca scanner is set
very low on the Vectis mast and had this been higher
all objects may well have been picked up earlier.
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EM400 fitted to Canadian Coastguard
Tower at Joncas's Island Off Natashquan which is located
in Quebec on the Gulf of St Lawrence |
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Cefas
SmartBuoy with EM230 radar reflector mounted.
Deployed
in Liverpool Bay the unit is used to monitor
water quality. Data is telemetered back to Cefas
every 2 hours and used in assessments and modelling
projects.
There are currently 6 active SmartBuoy sites and
there are smaller guard buoys to mark bottom lander
deployments. Cefas have stated they like to use
Echomax radar reflectors on all their buoys, due
to the improved performance over the conventional
design, and get a radar return from about 3NM in
good conditions. They hope this makes the buoys
more visible to shipping and thus avoid being hit!
Echomax
comment – The reflector mounting
height is only 2m considerably reducing the distance
response. |
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Echomax
Top Marks The Echomax
Top Mark is ideal for new buoys or upgrading existing
ones and is available in pedestal mount for land based
or harbour hazards. During the development of the
Tees & Hartlepool buoys, Eason Marine were so
impressed with the Echomax sea trials they now recommend
them as a standard fitting on all new Polyethylene
buoys. Echomax reflectors have been supplied to Pharos,
Tideland, Hippo, E.Y.E., Balmoral and Mobilis. Nigeria
and Iran are just two of the countries worldwide to
use Echomax reflectors. |
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| Peter Eason of XJF Bouys
| Tel + 44 (0) 1246 575646 | www.navigationbuoys.com |
Echomax arrays have been fitted into commercial marine buoys and are already in Bantry Bay, Cowes, West Coast of Scotland, Tees and Hartlepool Port and Malta. Andrew Ridley, the Conservancy Operations Manager confirms that from a pilot boat radar the response from an Echomax EM230 array fitted in an Eason 2.0m Polyethylene buoy exceeds that of a 2.4m steel buoy with an Octahedral reflector.
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Hippo - Manuplas buoys fitted with Echomax EM305 arrays |
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| Port Hand buoy supplied to Trinity House for evaluation |
Starboard buoy installed for Rio Tinto in the cyclone zone off the North West coast of Australia |
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The Mighty Spartacat built by South
Boats and fitted with Echomax EM230 Radar Reflector
www.southboats.com |
Three Counties, the new Fisheries Research
Vessel built by Mustang Marine fitted with the Echomax
EM230 Radar Reflector.
www.mustangmarine.com |
Dolphin III a new 9.95m catamaran built
by Cheetah Marine fitted with Echomax EM230 Radar Reflector.
www.cheetahmarine.co.uk |
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