When On Autopilot Stay Alert

Autopilot is not a reason to leave the helm. In fact it is the best reason to stay and keep alert and minimize distractions.
Million-dollar fishing boat sinks after hitting shrimping boat during tournament

Million-dollar fishing boat sinks after hitting shrimping boat during tournament | Fox News

Um, well, not to sound insensitive or anything, but... DUH!



Just another reason not to spend the money to fix or replace our ancient autopilot that does not work. That's why we've hand steered over 3,500 miles...

Not a terribly credible report:

Another fisherman, John Hafernick, who was out on the water around the time of the incident, said he heard the boat was on autopilot at the time, going about 32 knots an hour, while the captain measured a blue marlin that was over 100 inches long.

Moonfish said:

Um, well, not to sound insensitive or anything, but... DUH!



Just another reason not to spend the money to fix or replace our ancient autopilot that does not work. That's why we've hand steered over 3,500 miles...

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Well, my first reaction was "Of course it was in Texas." However, I very quickly recalled the "Nap Time" incident. The other thing I noticed was that the 61" sportfisher was going 31 mph! Damn that is fast. I just can't fathom that amount of speed on the water it is so far from anything that I'm used to. The skipper was apparently measuring a Marlin that was caught. Say that took him only 1 minute to measure the fish. At that speed he would have traveled over 800 meters or almost a 1/2 nm!



I would not put up with my autopilot being non-functional if I could afford to fix it. It is a huge asset and greatly reduces fatigue. However, if I step out of the PH door to look at something with the binoculars for 30 seconds I'm standing 3 feet from the helm, traveled 100 meters and am able to see where I'm going.

31 knots is not hard to do with enough hp. i did some work on a 60ft sport fisher with 1600hp c32's. she could cruise at 35knots and topped out about 40 iirc.

The nice thing about auto pilot it gives you one less thing to look at, like the compass. That way you can focus on the floating debris, crabpots, and other boats.

Wifey B: We sometimes go more than 31 knots. We do it on autopilot. We watch at all times from helm. We are able to keep a better watch because of autopilot. We don't use it as an excuse not to keep a good watch.

I find the auto pilot to be invaluable when we are cruising. It allows me to have a better handle on situational awareness since I am not tied to the steering wheel all the time. I do not leave the helm while it is on auto pilot. We always have a designated lookout also.

BandB said:

Wifey B: We sometimes go more than 31 knots. We do it on autopilot. We watch at all times from helm. We are able to keep a better watch because of autopilot. We don't use it as an excuse not to keep a good watch.

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I agree that it is easier to keep a better watch with AP. I don't have a problem with AP on a fast boat, I just can't imagine someone leaving the helm under those conditions.

Stupid is as stupid does.

dhays said:

I agree that it is easier to keep a better watch with AP. I don't have a problem with AP on a fast boat, I just can't imagine someone leaving the helm under those conditions.

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Wifey B: I can't imagine any of the situations where one leaves the helm and the boat continues on autopilot. Don't agree with going for a sandwich or to use the bathroom or with sleeping at the helm. For any of those, put it in neutral and sit or at worst an idle.

BandB said:

Wifey B: I can't imagine any of the situations where one leaves the helm and the boat continues on autopilot. Don't agree with going for a sandwich or to use the bathroom or with sleeping at the helm. For any of those, put it in neutral and sit or at worst an idle.

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Yup, I never leave the helm on auto pilot or just in gear.

Can't imagine having that much faith in technology.

My favourite is still the fellow that was on auto-pilot and away from the helm while transiting the Second Narrows in Vancouver Harbour. Had to go party with the teenage girls on deck. If you have every gone under that bridge you know how stupid this was.

Yacht crashes into CN second narrows rail bridge

Was the capt on a collision course when he left the helm? A minute at 30 mph is a half mile so he had to see the shrimper. Maybe the shrimper changed course? No one on board could measure a fish except the capt? I’m sure that’s one minute that he would like a do-over.

"...suspects it is now a write-off"

One can only hope.

It appears the captain didn't just leave the helm; he went aft/below in the cockpit. He'll be relieved of his captains status when it's all over, I'm sure.
I used to be a full time captain and logged many miles on a 47' & 63' sportfish ,both of which cruised @ 35 knots & topped out at 44. Truthfully ,sometimes I would leave the helm with the autopilot on for a bathroom break or to grab something to eat/drink. I would (and still do on our slow trawler) slow down and make sure there was no one anywhere close to being in my path before leaving the helm.

We don't know whether this was a licensed USCG captain or that he was operating a charter boat. While I suspect some basis in fact, the entire article is based on a single witness and 'what he heard'.

I'm apprehensive to jump to conclusions.

If running a charter boat he had to be a USCG licensed captain.

Leaving the helm wasn't the mistake, colliding with the shrimper was.

Then there's the guy that got hit by a Seattle ferry because he set the autopilot (while in a fairly narrow channel) and then went to use the head. At least it probably helped him finish quicker when the ferry hit his boat.

psneeld said:

Leaving the helm wasn't the mistake, colliding with the shrimper was.

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Since this is TF and since I don’t know what I’m talking about, of course I’m going to weigh in.

I would disagree (respectfully). Colliding with the shrimper was the result of a mistake, not the mistake itself. The mistake was failing to keep an adequate watch which led to his failure to avoid a collision. Leaving the helm while on AP was simply how he failed to keep an adequate watch.

I think I get your point however. Leaving the helm while on AP in itself wasn’t the problem. The problem was failing to keep an adequate watch. There may be other situations where leaving the helm, even at his cruise speed, would still have allowed an adequate watch. Hard to imagine that the radar was completely clear for 1 nm around him when he chose to leave the helm (assuming the mythical 1 minute away from the helm).

Ummm. We had the vessel on autopilot at 1.6 kts when we were trolling and my head went around as if it was on a gimbal. Not comfortable! Any faster and there is always someone on the helm.

I must confess that under some circumstances I will leave the helm while on AP. But, the risk is mitigated by 1) the boat's speed is under 10 knots, 2) we will be at least 30 miles from any land, 3) no other vessel will be within 6nm or on a course/speed would put us, during the next 30 minutes, within 1nm (based on radar/ARPA and AIS), 4) calm seas, 5) daylight hours (at night we always have two at the helm anyway, and 6) I usually let someone know that I am leaving the helm and they know to check on me if I don't report back within a minute or two.

ssobol said:

Then there's the guy that got hit by a Seattle ferry because he set the autopilot (while in a fairly narrow channel) and then went to use the head. At least it probably helped him finish quicker when the ferry hit his boat.

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Just to point out, this took place in Dalco Passage at the south end of Vashon Island in Puget Sound. At its narrowest it is 1.1 nm wide, 1.4 where the ferry runs.

All things aboard boat are supposed to be utilized for purpose intended with appropriate safety precautions always employed during said use.


The accident here was sole responsibility of the captain... not the auto pilot.


Well functioning auto pilot devices are a good thing to have and use during correct time spans of using. Appropriate safety precautions not being simultaneously adhered to is a bad/dumb thing.


It was unqualified bad/dumb actions by the Captain... just that simple!

It really depends on the situation.

When cruising at 6 knots in open water, with no crab pots or floating debris, well away from shipping channels, and I haven't seen a boat in two days, - I'm not going to sit at the helm non-stop.
I scan the horizon regularly, but often I am adjusting the sails, or cooking lunch, doing engine checks, or reading a book.

There is no one rule that fits all situations.

My thoughts on Autopilot.
Will never have a boat without it.


The reason it is important is course execution. I don't look at autopilot as a tool that abdicates my responsible as a captain to safely pilot the boat. Not a reason to step away from the helm.


If you have ever fought powering into 4-6 ft seas that are quartering on our bow, with wind blowing, then you understand the value of auto pilot holding the course line.

From the picture it is calm and clear. He must have had 12-15 miles of visibility when he left the helm...it would take 25-30 minutes to cover that distance at 32 knots !! How long was he gone !?!!? Would his radar have indicated a collision was imminent ?

Golly gee. Travelling at 20 to 30 knots much raise lots of adrenaline where within seconds one can approach other boats, kayaks, and such in seconds with just a moment of inattention. Six or seven knots is much less stressful.

Auto pilot allows one to be a better lookout.

Benthic2 said:

From the picture it is calm and clear. He must have had 12-15 miles of visibility when he left the helm...it would take 25-30 minutes to cover that distance at 32 knots !! How long was he gone !?!!? Would his radar have indicated a collision was imminent ?

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Probably not going to see a shrimper 12 to 15 miles out unless you are using binocs or have great eyesight and staring right at it.

A blip on yhe Radar that far out barely moving or fishing with random directions may or may not have triggered attention or an alarm.

Without a lot more details....all hard to say.

A few years ago a brand new boat was taken out by the new owners for the first time. They defined a way point 25 miles off shore, turned the autopilot on and then went below for lunch. Their lunch was interrupted when they arrived at their waypoint - a small offshore island with a lighthouse on it. Unfortunately for them they had set their waypoint in the middle of the island. The boat was a total loss.