Auto pilot warning

Good post. Actually the steel superstructure can have an effect. If for some reason I have the AP on, I turn it off approaching bridges no matter how big.

I have experienced similar issues. Any metal structure will affect the compass.

And that level of damage is a total loss on a $700,000 boat?

There might be a lot more than what's visible on the bow.

If it only hit hard enough to knock folks over and no one who was on the deck got thrown overboard the damage to engine foundations etc is probably minor.

I would think that anywhere over 50% of its value to fix it would cause the insurance co to look at it as a write off.

Depending of course on the actual ticket the insurance co might wipe their hands of it fully.

Doesn't look as bad as a (I think it was a 68) Sunseeker I saw a few years ago up in New Rochelle that hit a barge in L.I. Sound. That was caved flat to the back end of the forward stateroom, and was being repaired. DK how much the insurance company was involved though.

This was definitely the operator's error / inattention. I'd doubt the AP even malfunctioned. On Nav it will +/- follow the course set, but there are many places where the GPS charts are off. Can't tell you how many times entering small harbors and such that my GPS showed me traveling across land. Nothing beats a pair of human eyes watching.

Could have well been a combination if things, including the currents.

Nope, that would still be the operator, unless he drifted in on dead engines, and he wouldn't have done that damage on a drift. Seen this too many times. People think that autopilot means it'll drive itself

There's a funny story (not so much for the owner) on Long Island from a few years ago about a guy who left Pt. Jefferson , set his waypoint for Orient Point and went down in the cabin with his girlfriend to "make a sandwich" not realizing that Horton Point sticks out into the Sound just before Orient. He ended up about 200' up on the rocks. Too many people turn their brains off when they get on a boat.

Guess you didn't hear about the 62' Sunseeker Predator that was on Lake Michigan. Guy set it on autopilot at 28 knots and went in the head. Well he didn't set the autopilot far enough out to stay in good water. The boat ran hard aground at 28 knots while he was sitting on the head!!!! Imagine what that felt like in the seat of your pants......LOL

In the rare instances that I'm running a boat by myself. I take it out of gear if I have to leave the helm for any reason.

One of the boaters in our previous marina had a Meridian with Auto Pilot and after a couple of years decided i was a waste of money in the 1000 islands.

It constantly was off course and would send him into islands/shoals/rocks if he didn't compensate.

That probably was a simple calibration of the compass, or adjusting the response level, and user error.

Sat Compass

Furuno SC30 or SC50 Satellite Compass.

Uses multiple satellite receivers to calculate heading. Fast, accurate and reliable. And of course immune to lumps of iron and/or cabling interference.

Best investment in piece of mind ever.

You still don't want one steering your boat via auto pilot going under that bridge. The AP can't respond to the currents fast enough and doesn't see any other boats coming. And if your plotter datum and/or map are off, you can still hit the bridge, currents or no.

The moment you think of any piece of equipment as immune from problems and always accurate and reliable, that will get you in trouble. Now as to your recommendation of them to avoid some problems, that's great. Just don't go too far in that. Still anyone depending on an unwatched autopilot to take them through a bridge is irresponsible.

Jees people.

I make a well earned comment about upgrading the inherent reliability of equipment and next thing you're all over me for poor seamanship.

I never said that I thought equipment immune is from failure.

I said that Sat compasses were immune to local magnetic variation, I didn't say to randomly drive around with your head stuck up your a**.

As for using "an unwatched pilot to go under a bridge". Are you drunk?

And no, I don't get that close to anything with engines even in gear, let alone under autopilot.

Lighten up Francis!

"Still anyone depending on an unwatched autopilot to take them through a bridge is irresponsible."

That was in no way saying you'd do that. I'm assuming you would not. I didn't intend to imply you would. It was reminding that was what the person about whom this thread was started did and wouldn't matter what system, that is irresponsible. I'm not hypothesizing. It happened. And doesn't matter if he uses Furuno or any other brand.

THAT's being polite.

Taking that one step further. No excuse being distracted or giving the helm less than your full concentration in those situations. Taking the helm on the open sea is very different than driving a car. However, taking the helm for narrow and winding channels in heavy traffic and for bridges and locks is actually more challenging than a car. There aren't white lines and a well defined road. No stop lights. The predictability of what others might do is far less. You have to monitor a much broader range of area around you. And draft and air draft are entirely additional concepts.