Average daily distance ...

[Fletcher500]

How so?

How not?

 

[psneeld]

I thought it was a legitimate question.

 

[Steve91T]

We bought a 31’ Mainship 2 years ago and brought it for Charleston to Wilmington over the course of a year with no autopilot.

We sold that boat and bought our current boat with a non functioning autopilot in St Pete and have spent the last year cruising around the west coast of Florida and now have it on the east coast of Florida. Autopilot would be very nice and I hope to get it working. But it’s not a deal breaker. We’ve done several 7+ hrs days and it’s not that bad. You are constantly working the wheel though.

 

[Insequent]

I did a 5 month cruise along the Great Barrier Reef last year. My average was 38 nm/day when moving, but maximum was 114 nm. The majority of the time I was solo. For the total trip of 3,284 nm average speed was 7.6 kn.

 

[Maerin]

As an aside, I wouldn't see how an autopilot is even necessary for this type of cruising. Taking 2-3 hours stints at the wheel isn't very strenuous.

Says he who has not done a lot of coastal cruising with an autopilot...??? After 40K nm coastal cruising, the AP is a vital piece of gear. I can count on fingers the times in the past 10 yrs of cruising that the boat was underway without the AP being active. There was the time that the course computer (AP brain) stroked out, hand steering for two weeks... I don't think you'll find too many coastal cruisers who would be willing to part with their AP.

 

[Fletcher500]

The hot water shower on the transom, and the AP are my two favorite things on the boat.

 

[jimisbell]

Says he who has not done a lot of coastal cruising with an autopilot...??? After 40K nm coastal cruising, the AP is a vital piece of gear. I can count on fingers the times in the past 10 yrs of cruising that the boat was underway without the AP being active. There was the time that the course computer (AP brain) stroked out, hand steering for two weeks... I don't think you'll find too many coastal cruisers who would be willing to part with their AP.

35 days from Sarasota to Corpus Christi without an autopilot and never once did I think an autopilot would be nice. In fact, an autopilot is not a vital piece of my 40 years of boating. I only had one on one boat and it never worked and I didnt see the value of fixing it.

 

[Fletcher500]

Jimi, sounds like you are making that judgement based on never having one on your boat.

I’m heading out tomorrow evening for a 15 hour overnight run. I would make do, but would not be happy if my AP stopped working.

 

[Mako]

Some of you guys read these threads with your eyes half closed.

My original comment from #51 was that for typical cruising times of 6-8 hours in 2-3 hour shifts, that an AP wouldn't even be needed. Nice and simple comment. Where in the world did I say cruising thousands of miles or days at a time would be preferred without one???

 

[jimisbell]

Jimi, sounds like you are making that judgement based on never having one on your boat.

I’m heading out tomorrow evening for a 15 hour overnight run. I would make do, but would not be happy if my AP stopped working.

Yep. like making the judgement that I dont need a spare mothballed engine in the garage without ever having one. AP is of no use in the ICW. MAYBE useful on an ocean crossing.

 

[FoxtrotCharlie]

Just finished bringing our boat up the TennTom from Mobile area up to Demopolis, AL, about 235 miles upriver against 2mph tide/flow. Averaged about 6.5mph first three days and covered about 45 miles per day, or about 6-7 hrs. Decided to push it on last day and covered 100 miles (above a couple of locks, so no tidal, and much less flow, so 8mph) - 12.5 hrs on last day - two guys, so not too bad, but would not like to do that two, three days in a row. When my wife and I are cruising it will be more like 5-6 hrs per day.

 

[BandB]

Some of you guys read these threads with your eyes half closed.

My original comment from #51 was that for typical cruising times of 6-8 hours in 2-3 hour shifts, that an AP wouldn't even be needed. Nice and simple comment. Where in the world did I say cruising thousands of miles or days at a time would be preferred without one???

Well, "needed" is a relative term. Much of what we have isn't absolutely required. However, regardless of hours and shifts, an Autopilot is a very helpful tool and, used properly, actually safety equipment as focus isn't on steering. I boated for years before I even knew anything about autopilots, but today I would never have a boat without one. I also thought they'd take some of the pleasure away, but still plenty to do at the helm to keep one busy and feeling you're doing something.

 

[Woodland Hills]

35 days from Sarasota to Corpus Christi without an autopilot and never once did I think an autopilot would be nice. In fact, an autopilot is not a vital piece of my 40 years of boating. I only had one on one boat and it never worked and I didnt see the value of fixing it.

So why should we value your opinion on something you admit you are completely unfamiliar with and have, in fact, never used? All you bring to the discussion is an unfounded opinion based upon nothing in your personal experience. How is this helpful?

 

[psneeld]

Let's see....those for APs, those against.


Not hard to figure out.

 

[Simi 60]

Somewhere between 1.5nm and 180nm in a 24 hour period.
The last two weeks weather has been perfect at our secret spot so zero miles travelled.

AP I consider essential, so much so that I have a complete same model as a spare.

 

[k9medic]

Ya'll would hate travelling with me then...

Summertime moves mean underway at 0530 and stopping no earlier than 2000. That usually gives me about 14-15 hours moving at 8 knots. I have done 120nm in the same day though. Up before the sun and stopping after the sunset.

When offshore the autopilot is running the show though.

 

[Comodave]

Some of you guys read these threads with your eyes half closed.

My original comment from #51 was that for typical cruising times of 6-8 hours in 2-3 hour shifts, that an AP wouldn't even be needed. Nice and simple comment. Where in the world did I say cruising thousands of miles or days at a time would be preferred without one???

We don’t go a half an hour once we are out of our river without using the autopilot, to say nothing of even 2 to 3 hour shift or 6 to 8 hours. I consider it a vital part of our safety equipment. We have a much better situational awareness when on autopilot since we don’t have tunnel vision on the compass. To say nothing about our personal enjoyment. I brought a previous boat down the west coast without an autopilot but we had 5 guys to share the helm watches. Even then for 2 hours at a time it got really old.

 

[Simi 60]

If a couple, doing passage's with watch keeping, who steers the boat while you step away for a toilet break and do the every 20 minute walk around and hourly walk around the ER check?

 

[Mako]

Well we all come at this based from our own experiences.

I used to always be on AP as soon as I cleared the breakwater. However after the three of us spent 5 days handsteering in survival conditions, I seemed to enjoy being at the helm, especially on nice days [emoji846].

However it was great to switch to AP when plotting my hourly position on the chart or grabbing a drink or such.

 

[psneeld]

OK, we all come to these threads with our own experiences.

Some come with near nothing, some come with decades of serious cruising. Some come with only recreational experience, some come with a lot of commercial time piled on.


Some even come with huge amounts of training on to of everything adding to their data base of what thousands of their students add.


Nope, ....not all posts are equal

 

[BandB]

Let's see....those for APs, those against.


Not hard to figure out.

Yes, those who have actually used them are for them. Those who have not used them are against. How shocking.

 

[Codger2]

Let's see....those for APs, those against.

"Otto" helms my boat about
95% of the time. It's a Raymarine EV200 Evolution and I love it!

 

[Imp]

If a couple, doing passage's with watch keeping, who steers the boat while you step away for a toilet break and do the every 20 minute walk around and hourly walk around the ER check?

Most of my cruising has been in the tropics, where you sweat more than pee, so potty breaks were not a problem. During the day my skipper was always willing to take over if necessary, & during night watch it's a good idea to keep an empty container, though I only availed myself of that once in 4 years. We never went on deck without the other crew being at the ready & without a tether while underway. The night off-watch position for our crew of 2 was either in the cockpit (comfortable enough for snoozing) or on the settee bunk just down the companionway. The latter is where I was the nnight a freighter deliberately tried to mow us down twice after an accidental near-miss, so I was able to assist in the emergency almost immediately. It was hairy, but we were well prepared. I'd even prepared a laminated card with the script for a distress call, so all I had to do was read it & give our position so our lifeboat could be located if necessary. Too bad the USCG refused to believe me, but that story requires liquid refreshment.

 

[dhays]

As an aside, I wouldn't see how an autopilot is even necessary for this type of cruising. Taking 2-3 hours stints at the wheel isn't very strenuous.

Maybe I’m just old, but it is much less tiring with an AP than without, both mentally and physically.

I would also contend that an AP makes it safer, particularly if running solo or with one crew. With an AP, It means that you aren’t tied to the helm seat. The skipper can leave the helm, take the binoculars to the window to spot something that would be important without having to keep the boat tracking steadily. You can change position or change your seat during your watch. Much like cruise control in a car makes long distance road trips less tiring, an AP does the same in a boat.

Now, I remember the days when I sat in a cockpit holding the tiller for hours on end. That was tiring.

 

[dhays]

Agreed, which is why I go outside whenever possible instead of traveling the ICW. Constantly adjusting the wheel for wind, current, etc. is actually distracting from what else is going on around the boat. I consider autopilot a mandatory safety device, though if I used it on the ICW I would still be aground.

You raise a point I was thinking of. I’ve had very little experience traveling on canals or rivers. Primarily the Swinomish Channel by La Conner. It is lovely and a highlight for us, but I would be exhausted doing that for 8 hours. It is an entirely different experience than most of my trips in the Salish Sea and far different than crossing Juan de Fuca or Georgia Straits where, when the weather is good, it isn’t tiring at all.

 

[Fletcher500]

OK, we all come to these threads with our own experiences.

Some come with near nothing, some come with decades of serious cruising. Some come with only recreational experience, some come with a lot of commercial time piled on.


Some even come with huge amounts of training on to of everything adding to their data base of what thousands of their students add.


Nope, ....not all posts are equal

PS, your posts are becoming more about lecturing us about your vast experience in the USCG, and then running tow boats for Sea Tow, or BoatUS, or whatever company you worked for and all of the idiots you dealt with during that career. If you have something to contribute about a particular subject, please do so. If not, spare us the same old comments about our inexperience and lack of knowledge.

 

[psneeld]

Why not....Many here still dispute or argue with serious links or posts from experts. And I mean argue well past a great question which is to be expected. And yes I know my limited scope of expertise vs experience vs opinion.

Like many experienced cruisers and pros that have left the forum through the years dealing with that garbage.

Few here ever stick their noses out to support what or whom they know is more correct than the next.

I sorta have given up in many ways through the years and have tried to just get through the myths that abound...or suggest there are others ways than the "only one right way" posts.

I don't seem to be able to communicate knowledge...even through links...so it's just easier to remind new posters that for every good tidbit here, there a lot to sift through. Good instructors know students learn from small mistakes...that's why I don't post on every litte thing. I do try to keep people from believing that something that worked one time for someone who doesn't really understand the big picture is only a possibility, not THE answer as it is made out to be. Many times there is no right answer, of maybe I just don't have a good answer....but I will be damned to let some poor boater believe someone else's one time example as the truth.

I have dealt with the ups and downs of posting my experience...where are you or others when some chucklehead is questioning my experience against their 100hrs per year experience? Sure occasionally people get it.

So if I revert back to just punching holes in amatuerish BS. .that's not because I want to...it's just where I am. Sorta sit back and don't lead anyone anywhere when I can't, but a as act as the BS police when I can. Sure it runs some the wrong way, but again keeps people from spreading unsubstantiated info. And yes, new cruiser questions aren't the issue, I love to give my best answer, but I am not going to let a one time looper suggest their opinion is right against people I know with tdecades of cruising or better,btons of commercial experience....as long as it falls in line with others of the same.

While many here still work for a living...I got out of the rat race..every day I help other boaters in many ways and never ask for money and occasionally get a beer. Just my nature to help....seen over and over again in 2 boating related careers.

I am happy with that and though personal contact and PMs I think I still help more than I am annoying on TF.


That last post and many posts I make are not just for me, but the many experienced pros and cruisers out there that get little support sometimes from avid posters who are really nice but really not experienced . Again...sometimes but not enough in my opinion. If I didn't post my experience once and awille, not many new posters would know what level of expertise anyone had. So few post what their experience is, the truth is, I have decided that a lot of times not to post to see where it goes with all the new talent. But once I see BS or another boating myth....yep I jump in.

If you don't like me...like many have posted before...there's always the ignore button.


And to those that take offense to words like newbie, amatuer, rookie, whatever....I would love to hear your sports talk about those with the same titles earning millons per year.



Till then, I will let the mods decide just how useless I am.

 

[Woodland Hills]

I use our AP on the ICW everyday: it keeps course on those long ranges/channels as well or better than I do. If your AP doesn’t, then you need to get it setup correctly for your boat.

I remember when we chartered in the PNW that many vessels had Woods-Freeman APs with a handheld remote on a 12’ cord. The same with Ursa Major the wood Rhomsdal (sp?) trawler we rode from Sitka to Seattle. The captain was able to lean back in his chair and still have full steering control including rapid jog by button and course by rotary knob.

 

[jimisbell]

So why should we value your opinion on something you admit you are completely unfamiliar with and have, in fact, never used? All you bring to the discussion is an unfounded opinion based upon nothing in your personal experience. How is this helpful?

Because, and this is an assumption, but I think I can bet safely that you have never cruised the Gulf Coast ICW for 35 days. The crossing of the Big Bend is probably the only stretch (2 days) where you could have used an AP because it is open water. The rest demands someone at the helm most of the time if only to open the bridges and locks.



I find it strange that people who normally can go into a bar far a few drinks and come out unscathed feel that is is perfectly OK to act like a boor when they are on the internet. If you acted that way in a bar you would be banged up pretty severely before long. At least in a Texas bar.

 

[jimisbell]

Ya'll would hate travelling with me then...

Summertime moves mean underway at 0530 and stopping no earlier than 2000. That usually gives me about 14-15 hours moving at 8 knots. I have done 120nm in the same day though. Up before the sun and stopping after the sunset.

When offshore the autopilot is running the show though.

One said I had no experience at all with an AP, they were wrong. Getting to 82 years of life without experiencing one would take a lot of avoidance. And as you say AP is great in open water. But in a 150' wide canal with a turn, bridge, lock, tow, every mile or so. They dont make sense.


I love being at the helm. I have spent 18 hours at the helm with someone passing me sandwiches, clean glasses, etc. And I love it. I have always been a marathoner because I love the rush of total control. If I didnt, I would book a Princess cruise. But not give up control to a stupid ROBOT.