I haven't beaten a dead horse recently, so here's my contribution.  I encourage all to watch out for these blanket statements that proffer words like "always" and "never."  To me, the key language here is:

I do not read this to mean, "whoever has one must use it."  I read it to mean, you - as the master of the vessel - are supposed to use judgement.  (Ideally, of course, that would be: "good" judgement; not exactly the example we saw from Capt. Schettino.)  And the fact is, however good or bad Radar might be, Radar is simply not necessary in clear daylight conditions to the captain that maintains a proper watch by other means, as, of course s/he is mandated by the nav rules and common sense to do.  Gee, maybe that's why Radar is not actually required on vessels under 20m.

Radar use in clear nighttime conditions, maybe; open ocean, probably; local cove/embayment, maybe not; closed canal, maybe not; open sound, maybe; high speed, maybe; no wake speed, maybe not.  In poor daylight visibility, probably.  But you are supposed to be able to use good judgement, and these judgement calls are based on "prevailing circumstances and conditions...!"  You, captain, are actually supposed to think about what you are doing!

And of course, we all know the "right" answer if something were to happen, now don't we?  "Of course the Radar was on, officer!"  Not working now? "Gee officer, the collision must have knocked it out..."  Hmmm...  (Joking here...  joking...)

And as long as I'm on a roll, let me add that pleasure boats using AIS transponders to transmit their positions in clear daylight conditions and while tied up at moorings are equally unthinking (and discourteous to others).  All that does is trigger another's receiver proximity detector to say, "Hey, look at me, man; I'm wealthy."  Ralph is absolutely right about "heads-down" syndrome.  In Annapolis, or most places on the Chesapeake Bay, on a sunny summer weekend, Radar and AIS are usually distractions to safe operation.  With large numbers of boats, all traveling in different directions at greatly different speeds, and fish traps and crab pots galore, you better be looking out the windscreen, and not fixated on the instruments.

OK.  Horse beaten.  I feel better now.

Jim

Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary
Currently at Rock Creek, Pasadena, MD
Monk 36 Hull #132
MMSI #367042570
AGLCA #3767
MTOA #3436

I didn't know it had a name, but I'm sure we all can cite occasions
where everyone on board was looking intently at something of interest
on a display screen and no one was seeing something very solid dead
ahead and closing fast.  I could cite several.

As useful as these gadgets can be, they also can be a distraction and
even momentary distractions can be deadly.  Some distractions like gauges,
GPS, charts, radar and guides contribute to safe operation.  Some do not.

The distracted driving laws being adopted in many jurisdictions attempt
to address the problem of inattention, but no amount of regulation can
substitute for good judgement and awareness of the distraction trap on
the port of the operator.