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nivels
08-24-2008, 08:53 AM
I live @ LOTO and we are having the Lake Shoot out. Some of the boat driver's are complaning about the differance of there GPS speedo and the Radar gun recording there time. Some have a 5 to 8 MPH differance. What should they use? the Rader gun or Trap lights?

twocents
08-24-2008, 10:02 AM
If you want maximum top speed accuracy, you need to use electronic trap lights like NHRA, IHBA, etc., but these are more difficult to set-up and usually expensive for a boating event to rent. GPS is good, but you often have to be patient. There's usually some lag time between when the actual top speed has been reached and when it appears on the gauge inside the boat. Radar can be quite accurate if used properly. First, make sure that the radar gun is calibrated (there's usually a tuning fork inside the case for this purpose). If the radar gun is not inside the boat, it is imperative that the boat run directly at the radar gun station. If the boat is approaching or passing at an angle, the speed shown will be less than real speed (the greater the angle, the less speed). If the radar gun is inside the boat, it works best when the radar is aimed at some dense object in the distance. You can get a reading off the water, but it's sometimes not reliable. And when the gun is being hand-held inside the boat by a person, make sure that the gun is not moving around. If you want to cheat, just push the gun forward as fast as you can and it will add a few extra miles an hour to your speed.