Which Boat to Buy?

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by johnma

A single without an auto pilot might get a little tiring. Every little wave will knock it off course and you will find yourself constantly correcting. An hour or two cruise is no problem but if your going for 10 or 12 hours you will be calling the auto pilot man for a quote
Johnma
2003 390 Mainship

No auto pilot - no problem. That's my experience, the opposite of yours. Of course, I trade off with my wife now and then.

My guess is there are more boats without auto pilots than with them.

[Tom.B]

Originally Posted by rwidman

No auto pilot - no problem. That's my experience, the opposite of yours. Of course, I trade off with my wife now and then.

Same here. Although, it's rarely my idea.

Tom-

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by cardude01

................
The other boat is a steel, 44' boat with 3000 mile range, stabilized, good electronics, new John Deere engine that gets 5-6 mpg at 7 knots. It is supposedly a "go anywhere" kind of a boat, ...........

Well, it's not a "go anywhere boat", it's too big to go many places. It may be too big for the great loop. It's also steel which can be a maintenance issue in water.

With this boat, you are looking at a very old boat, a boat that may be nearing the end of its life. It's also a boat that will be much harder to find a buyer for when and if you want or need to sell it. Unless you want a boat to take over your life, I think the Mainship is a much better choice.

BTW: The previous owners of my boat cruised it to the Bahamas and back. Smaller boats than mine have made the trip.

[psneeld]

anyone that spends enough time on the water knows that an autopilot becomes just short of a safety item (IF USED CORRECTLY)....it most certainly is a convenience item for long distance cruisers who do ocean/open water legs.

it greatly helps with fatigue thus greatly helps with remaining sharp and making good decisions when the day has been already long....it also helps to allow a shorthanded crew to divide their attention equally among important tasks...

sure you don't have to have one...but much like Radar, once in a position where it makes life so much easier/safer, then you'll be the first one in line the next morning at the marine electronics dealer.

[Marin]

Originally Posted by Peter B

PS...Marin, any chance of a wife swap - just for a wee while, and I mean that in the nicest possible way.....

No. Her current to-do list includes continuing to rework the older canvas on the boat, heat stripping all the exterior grab rails, cabin trim strips, flying bridge teak, compouding and waxing the topsides when it gets warmer and stops raining long enough to do that, replacing some deck plugs that have come out this past season (a new skill she's just learned), and helping me refinish the main cabin sole (teak parquet) and fabricate new solid headliner panels. I don't see any place in there for a "go to Australia and help another guy with his old boat" item on the to-do list.

[Marin]

Originally Posted by rwidman

No auto pilot - no problem. That's my experience, the opposite of yours. Of course, I trade off with my wife now and then.

We do the same. In fact we removed the autopilot that came with the boat. Our longest continuous runs to date have been about eight hours and fatigue or inattention have not been issues at all.

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by Marin

We do the same. In fact we removed the autopilot that came with the boat. Our longest continuous runs to date have been about eight hours and fatigue or inattention have not been issues at all.

True enough...but how do you feel about auto pilot/altitude hold in aircraft?
For the same reasons I like them on boats, much of the time you don't need them...it's the times you do that they earn their keep.

[Marin]

Originally Posted by psneeld

True enough...but how do you feel about auto pilot/altitude hold in aircraft?
For the same reasons I like them on boats, much of the time you don't need them...it's the times you do that they earn their keep.

Kind of a major difference between driving a toy boat around in two dimensions the San Juan and Gulf Islands for a weekend and flying a 777 in three dimensions for 15 hours between Dubai and Seattle, I think......

Keep in mind that I'm not slamming autopilots or think recreational boaters don't need them. We took ours off for reasons other than not wanting one and while we don't miss it at all and in fact very much enjoy hand-steering our boat, if we had an autopilot again we'd use it when we felt like it.

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by Marin

Kind of a major difference between driving a toy boat around in two dimensions the San Juan and Gulf Islands for a weekend and flying a 777 in three dimensions for 15 hours between Dubai and Seattle, I think......

Keep in mind that I'm not slamming autopilots or think recreational boaters don't need them. We took ours off for reasons other than not wanting one and while we don't miss it at all and in fact very much enjoy hand-steering our boat, if we had an autopilot again we'd use it when we felt like it.

It's kinda the same when the pilot or captain is fatigued, stressed, has an emergency, etc...etc...the "extra" pair of hands can be quite a benefit.

777, endless supply of coffee, and a ride smoother than a baby's butt???

Naw, flying at 200 feet, dark over the water in freezing rain and severe turbulence in a cheaply made helo is more my style, even if I do get a pee break every 2-2.5 hrs. hours...

[Marin]

Originally Posted by psneeld

777, endless supply of coffee, and a ride smoother than a baby's butt???

The crew on our Seattle-Seoul flight a few weeks ago would probably dispute that. Not the coffee part, but the ride was so rough had we been in "something else" I'd have been worried about the tail departing the plane.

Besides, I can't imagine any of these guys being willing to trade their pay for driving around in a Rolls Royce for bouncing around in a helicopter, which everybody knows is just a collection of parts flying in close formation and soon or later it's all going to come apart. And if you're lucky enough to fly for Emirates, the flight and cabin crews get their housing and transportation for free, and they pay no taxes on their income.

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by Marin

The crew on our Seattle-Seoul flight a few weeks ago would probably dispute that. Not the coffee part, but the ride was so rough had we been in "something else" I'd have been worried about the tail departing the plane.

Besides, I can't imagine any of these guys being willing to trade their pay for driving around in a Rolls Royce for bouncing around in a helicopter, which everybody knows is just a collection of parts flying in close formation and soon or later it's all going to come apart. And if you're lucky enough to fly for Emirates, the flight and cabin crews get their housing and transportation for free, and they pay no taxes on their income.

I was lucky enough to let many of my friends transition to C130 Hercs so they would have a post job in the Airlines...I wasn't so smart and now I drive boats for about 1/10 of the pay...but I will admit it is a lot less stressful come check-flight time.

I still love to call them sky-high bus drivers though...the most overpaid profession in the world.

Back to auto pilots...yep...most of the time they aren't necessary...but in a single "knowledgeable crew" situation...back here on the East Coast it's nice to be able to be in clutch forward, auto pilot headed for a sandy beach while me, the only able bodied boater takes care of the emergency while the boat heads for safety on it's own.

[BruceK]

Originally Posted by Marin

The crew on our Seattle-Seoul flight a few weeks ago would probably dispute that... the ride was so rough had we been in "something else" I'd have been worried about the tail departing the plane.

And if you're lucky enough to fly for Emirates, the flight and cabin crews get their housing and transportation for free....

If only Qantas had bought 777s. Maybe the 787 will eventually help. Qantas is forging a partnership (more than code share) with Emirates in the hope it will reverse their (mis)fortunes, and stave off current "palace revolution" moves.
Wish I had an autopilot, but it`s hard to justify with our usage.

[Moonstruck]

Auto pilots are especially good for a Sunday drive to the beach.

[psneeld]

you always have to be smarter than the equipment you are operating...

[Sceptic]

Yep, It happens.

A man died in this incident. Autopilots have their place, but they need to be supervised.

Mike

[Blue Heron]

Originally Posted by jahillsr

You can always upgrade in a few years after the wife gets hooked and wants to go farther distances ... .

The wife or the boat??

[Nomad Willy]

While you guys are swap'in wives I'll say I ... don't need no stink'in autopilot.
Had one on the last boat but we've not missed it enough to even think about it.
We really don't need it.

I think the OP needs to do a lot more shopping and realize shopping for a boat is lots of fun. Wish I could go back.

[sunchaser]

Marin and Eric, it is the new century plus 13 years. Even sailboats from hundreds of years ago had APs, or lashed ropes if you will. For those who are into serious and safe cruising in fog, rain, night time etc an AP is pretty nice while you're working the radar and chart plotters. Like your AMEX, don't leave home without it.

Cost for a good one installed with a heading sensor are about $4 - 5K if you shop carefully.

[cardude01]

Enough with the autopilot hijack!! This discussion is about me and my boat quandary dammit!!

:-)

Ok. New question. Let's say I get the nice shiny Mainship. My next problem is how to get it down from New Jersey to Texas. I'm figuring about 30 days or so running 8 hours a day, but I have no clue what I'm talking about. Anyone here actually done this trip? When do I try this trip? Kind of cold now IMO.

[Blue Heron]

Oh that's easy! Go with the Mainship!