Another Amazing Boat Accident

Going under a bridge on autopilot? Now, if I were reading a book and the author put something like that in it, I would laugh out loud at such a stupid flight of fancy that very obviously would never be true in real life. Guess life really is stranger than fiction!

The captain and owner of the boat has been ticketed under the Canada Shipping Act, Chung said. He was away from the helm and relying on his autopilot at the time of the crash,

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I think there was a discussion on the safety of autopilots here not too long ago. Obviously, this guy didn't read the manual and is lacking in common sense. I'm sure he is not the only one out there who sets his boat on auto pilot and heaves the helm. You don't need to be smart to own a boat you just need money.

jwnall said:

Going under a bridge on autopilot? Now, if I were reading a book and the author put something like that in it, I would laugh out loud at such a stupid flight of fancy that very obviously would never be true in real life. Guess life really is stranger than fiction!

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I bet more people use their autopilots going under bridges than don't. That's not the first photo I've seen of sunk and damaged boats from hitting bridges especially on the Hudson River. Even on narrow twisty rivers I see people just tweaking the ap remote.You might be shocked by how many commercial jets are flown totally on AP from take off to landings.

I don't believe it is the fault of the autopilot.. or use of it. It is the lack of keeping a watch that is the issue. I run most of the time under autopilot most of the time unless in traffic or currents. The dude was a moron to set the pilot and not keep a adequate watch...

more that likely a dirty old man oogling the girls!

HOLLYWOOD

pilothouse king said:

I bet more people use their autopilots going under bridges than don't.

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Hmmm. Perhaps I just have a different view of bridges. All the ones that I am used to do not have all that much clearance between the columns, and most of them have a lot of side currents and water disturbance from the current hitting the columns. No idea, of course, what the particular bridge in this instance was like. I suppose that I would go under the Golden Gate bridge with the autopilot on.

But, as someone else has said, the real problem was almost certainly consorting with the girls, rather than paying attention. A pleasant diversion, no doubt. But there is a time and a place for everything.

On AP under a bridge. Cross currents around bridge. No one at helm. Classic.

I also spend the majority of my time underway on autopilot, but I'm in the vicinity of the helm, keeping an eye on things! And I usually hand steer under bridges because the large amounts of metal in them will affect the autopilot compass and frequently alter your course if on autopilot.

And you might could cut some slack if this was a transient. But if this was his home water, he should have known about the current and eddies around the bridge.

Always seems like the current sucks one toward bridge piers.

CalTrans bridge inspectors docked at bridge pier:

Is it possible that a beer or two with lunch clouded this guy's decision making ability?

rwidman said:

Is it possible that a beer or two with lunch clouded this guy's decision making ability?

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From the quoted article no! Ron and I doubt the police would ticket only, if booze was suspected in this case.

This type of "accident" is a weekly if not a daily event over any weekend here rite beside me.

For what ever reason folk seem to be ever so comfortable with electronic control , including professional mariners here on the coast from what I actually see, witness, and deal with. Not that electronics are the issue IMO but contribute to a false scents of control or something.

Even BC ferries seems to have been caught up in that forgetting to actually look out the window deal. Queen of the north .

Even if the guy had a glass of wine at lunch it be just part of the contribution to this.

My point is its just not that simple , its not just one answer fits all like must have bin booze.

I pulled a boat out from under the bridge beside me a couple of weeks ago after they had made very hard contact with a couple of supports. Third time I have done so with this guy. However this time there was six kids on the bow of the 30 something bubble boat, and zero PFDs on any of the kids. 5 years of age to 12 maybe. Or I would have just sat back and taken f'n pictures. The 12 or so year old boy had more of a skill set than any of the "grown" ups on the vessel.

I was not a happy camper , not that I am perfect.

Lack of knowledge along with an unwilling attitude to learn and or listen IMO is the largest single contributor to these events. I mean god forbid ya listen to the grumpyoldfishboatguy that's running his boat around savin your ass. Please when I get ya out from under don't run me down !

Sorry for the rant but this year has been a very long "boating season" and I aint feeling all that warm and fuzzy with regards to many of my fellow users of our shared water ways. Commercial , pleasure , enforcement and CCG.

Man am I getting grumpy. Safety check ? really WTF ! Talk about a bit late.

OFB said:

From the quoted article no! Ron and I doubt the police would ticket only, if booze was suspected in this case. ..........

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I wasn't implying BUI, this has already been dismissed. I'm suggesting that the "one or two beers with lunch" that people claim doesn't affect them may have affected his judgement to rely on the autopilot. Or not, we don't know.

Something certainly affected his judgement or he wouldn't have done that. Just plain stupid, perhaps?

Maybe he was pondering the "crimp and solder" thread and became REALLY anxious and was wondering where his Xanax pills were...now THAT would cloud ones judgement more than a beer or two....

It's amazing when the MEDIA even reports alcohol was not suspected in the first article and someone has to DRAG it in as the culprit like the bazzilion other things in life are inconsequential to a couple beers....that maybe have not even been there...

While beer might not have been involved, me-thinks the captain allowed himself to be distracted by jugs.

Greetings,
Mr. MM.

MurrayM

:lol: