Sea Ray (Captain) at fault

In the youtube video posted, it's less than 10 seconds from the start of the video until the impact happens. Not much time to pull an anchor fire an engine and get out of the way.
Yes, that's true. Guess I didn't think that response through well enough.
 
I've got mine set fairly sensitive. Can't remember the exact settings, but most of the time, I can pick up buoys from a half mile out, obviously depending on chop. So at cruise, that still gives me just over a minute to figure things out. Small fishing boats, 12 and 14 footers, I pick up no problem. When it does get into the cone, all 3 MFDs start beeping loudly.
 
I've got mine set fairly sensitive. Can't remember the exact settings, but most of the time, I can pick up buoys from a half mile out, obviously depending on chop. So at cruise, that still gives me just over a minute to figure things out. Small fishing boats, 12 and 14 footers, I pick up no problem. When it does get into the cone, all 3 MFDs start beeping loudly.
I never leave the helm unattended. If I go below, my son can drive the boat well. BUT, I know I have this capability, so any chance you can easily instruct me how to set it? Mike
 
I never leave the helm unattended. If I go below, my son can drive the boat well. BUT, I know I have this capability, so any chance you can easily instruct me how to set it? Mike

I don't when I'm out solo, but when my wife is on, I have her lookout if I'm taking a leak or something.

So, not knowing what equipment you have, I can only comment in general. When you're on the radar screen, pull up settings, and try to find a section that reads collision avoidance or similar. You should be presented with 2 options: a circle and a cone. I use the circle when anchored out and set it maybe 1/4-1/2 mile out just to know what's close. The cone is used in motion. Both will have settings as to diameter(circle) or cone angle and distance out.

For what it's worth, I'm using Raymarine eS series MFDs/Quantum radar.
 
Auto pilots should have feature that requires the operator push a "reset" button every 10-15 minutes or it would return the throttles to idle. There could be a 30-60 countdown on the auto pilot before it initiates the shutdown. A minor inconvenience for the increased safety factor.

Also in today's world of smart/self driving cars you would think a boat could be equipped with forward looking sensors to stop the boat in the event of any obstacles it "sees".

Maybe I'm naive, but if you bought a brand-new MFD, autopilot, radar (and maybe AIS, too), all from the same vendor wouldn't it have some kind of collision avoidance options?

It sure seems like this is a semi-solvable problem with total integration. The MFD knows if the course can be deviated safely in terms of navigation (depth, channel, prohibited areas, etc). Radar and AIS know about obstacles and collision paths, and autopilot can at a minimum change course. Do modern autopilots have the ability to modify throttle settings on mechanical throttles, or do you need DTS or some other fly by wire throttle?

It seems like at least changing course to avoid collision wouldn't be hard, neither would slowing or stopping the boat if you had throttle control, too.
 
As far as I'm concerned I don't care what they put in it I wouldn't be comfortable leaving the helm unattended while moving.
 
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Should be illegal period. Someone needs to stand watch!
 
Maybe I'm naive, but if you bought a brand-new MFD, autopilot, radar (and maybe AIS, too), all from the same vendor wouldn't it have some kind of collision avoidance options?

It sure seems like this is a semi-solvable problem with total integration. The MFD knows if the course can be deviated safely in terms of navigation (depth, channel, prohibited areas, etc). Radar and AIS know about obstacles and collision paths, and autopilot can at a minimum change course. Do modern autopilots have the ability to modify throttle settings on mechanical throttles, or do you need DTS or some other fly by wire throttle?

It seems like at least changing course to avoid collision wouldn't be hard, neither would slowing or stopping the boat if you had throttle control, too.

As a rule autopilots don’t integrate with throttles regardless of cable or DTS.

This kind of stuff takes a lot of programming and it’s not easy. Just look at the auto industry. They have a hard time with self driving and all their systems are from one manufacturer.
 
Maybe I'm naive, but if you bought a brand-new MFD, autopilot, radar (and maybe AIS, too), all from the same vendor wouldn't it have some kind of collision avoidance options?

It sure seems like this is a semi-solvable problem with total integration. The MFD knows if the course can be deviated safely in terms of navigation (depth, channel, prohibited areas, etc). Radar and AIS know about obstacles and collision paths, and autopilot can at a minimum change course. Do modern autopilots have the ability to modify throttle settings on mechanical throttles, or do you need DTS or some other fly by wire throttle?

It seems like at least changing course to avoid collision wouldn't be hard, neither would slowing or stopping the boat if you had throttle control, too.
There are no navigational aids on the market (commercially available) that integrate with throttles, gear controls, or ignition - yet.
As for radar when cruising in open water, the MARPA features can be set to detect other moving objects and when objects are detected within the user established MARPA zone (sometimes called the "safe zone") the MFD will alarm. MARPA has been around for some time but recently in the last ten or twelve years MARPA can now determine the detected object's direction and velocity and thus determine the likelihood of a collision. More recently (at least on my Garmin 8616's) MARPA doesn't need to be active to notify of an impending chance of collision with another moving object. Fixed objects, however, seem to not become a threat from the system's perspective; at least from what I can tell but still learning my new equipment. The down side is the alarm is audible but only at the helm and (at least on my Garmin equipment) not really "loud". The MFD does however visually display a danger banner that is noticeable. We have been anchored in heavy fog and kept the radar up and running with an increased MARPA safe zone so we can get some information on what is going on around us however still we cannot hear the alarm when away from the helm.
My boat is equipped with a fully functional AIS transponder and is a valued tool with the radar however the down side the other boat must be transmitting AIS for me to know they are in the area. There aren't very many recreational boats with AIS transponders so that tool has significant restrictions.
Regardless, these tools are to increase situational awareness and not relieve the vessel operator from the eyes on / brain on responsibility. For us and inland cruising someone is always at the helm regardless if autopilot is engaged or not. For open ocean cruising like crossing to the Bahamas if the situation permits I'll leave the helm for a head break or to get a refreshment but then right back on station.
 
There are no navigational aids on the market (commercially available) that integrate with throttles, gear controls, or ignition - yet.
As for radar when cruising in open water, the MARPA features can be set to detect other moving objects and when objects are detected within the user established MARPA zone (sometimes called the "safe zone") the MFD will alarm. MARPA has been around for some time but recently in the last ten or twelve years MARPA can now determine the detected object's direction and velocity and thus determine the likelihood of a collision. More recently (at least on my Garmin 8616's) MARPA doesn't need to be active to notify of an impending chance of collision with another moving object. Fixed objects, however, seem to not become a threat from the system's perspective; at least from what I can tell but still learning my new equipment. The down side is the alarm is audible but only at the helm and (at least on my Garmin equipment) not really "loud". The MFD does however visually display a danger banner that is noticeable. We have been anchored in heavy fog and kept the radar up and running with an increased MARPA safe zone so we can get some information on what is going on around us however still we cannot hear the alarm when away from the helm.
My boat is equipped with a fully functional AIS transponder and is a valued tool with the radar however the down side the other boat must be transmitting AIS for me to know they are in the area. There aren't very many recreational boats with AIS transponders so that tool has significant restrictions.
Regardless, these tools are to increase situational awareness and not relieve the vessel operator from the eyes on / brain on responsibility. For us and inland cruising someone is always at the helm regardless if autopilot is engaged or not. For open ocean cruising like crossing to the Bahamas if the situation permits I'll leave the helm for a head break or to get a refreshment but then right back on station.

Thanks for the info, it was informative.

I think when I've looked at MFD wiring, I've seen a way to attach an external horn of some kind, which would almost seem like it would be necessary if you want to hear alarms away from the helm (like at anchor). I'm not real sure how people overnight at anchor without the ability to hear anchor drift alarms -- if money was no object, I'd almost be inclined to add an MFD screen to the main bedroom/cabin.
 
Thanks for the info, it was informative.

I think when I've looked at MFD wiring, I've seen a way to attach an external horn of some kind, which would almost seem like it would be necessary if you want to hear alarms away from the helm (like at anchor). I'm not real sure how people overnight at anchor without the ability to hear anchor drift alarms -- if money was no object, I'd almost be inclined to add an MFD screen to the main bedroom/cabin.

Garmin’s ActiveCaptain app lets you mirror the screen of you mfd on an iPhone or iPad. You could do exactly what you’re proposing if you have an iPad already.

My godmother has friends that boat and were cruising in Alaska. They anchored for the night in heavy winds and were blown up on rocks in the night. They didn’t have any anchor drag alarms set. Blew my mind.
 
Thanks for the info, it was informative.

I think when I've looked at MFD wiring, I've seen a way to attach an external horn of some kind, which would almost seem like it would be necessary if you want to hear alarms away from the helm (like at anchor). I'm not real sure how people overnight at anchor without the ability to hear anchor drift alarms -- if money was no object, I'd almost be inclined to add an MFD screen to the main bedroom/cabin.
Dragging an anchor is a bit different from the subject and the technology normally is integrated with GPS to determine drag not radar (however it could be done with radar with MARPA but practical??) and obviously not AIS. Due to actual experiences I have redundant anchor drag detection capabilities. One is my trusty old Drag Queen on the Ipad that stays on the boat and the other is a Maretron DSM410 MFD that I have installed in the cabin with a Maretron ALM100 alarm. The DSM410 is integrated with the NMEA2000 network which has a Garmin 19x GPS receiver on it. I'm still learning the anchor drag features on the Maretron equipment but think it'll be pretty cool.
IMG_4387.jpg
 
There are no navigational aids on the market (commercially available) that integrate with throttles, gear controls, or ignition - yet.
As for radar when cruising in open water, the MARPA features can be set to detect other moving objects and when objects are detected within the user established MARPA zone (sometimes called the "safe zone") the MFD will alarm. MARPA has been around for some time but recently in the last ten or twelve years MARPA can now determine the detected object's direction and velocity and thus determine the likelihood of a collision. More recently (at least on my Garmin 8616's) MARPA doesn't need to be active to notify of an impending chance of collision with another moving object. Fixed objects, however, seem to not become a threat from the system's perspective; at least from what I can tell but still learning my new equipment. The down side is the alarm is audible but only at the helm and (at least on my Garmin equipment) not really "loud". The MFD does however visually display a danger banner that is noticeable. We have been anchored in heavy fog and kept the radar up and running with an increased MARPA safe zone so we can get some information on what is going on around us however still we cannot hear the alarm when away from the helm.
My boat is equipped with a fully functional AIS transponder and is a valued tool with the radar however the down side the other boat must be transmitting AIS for me to know they are in the area. There aren't very many recreational boats with AIS transponders so that tool has significant restrictions.
Regardless, these tools are to increase situational awareness and not relieve the vessel operator from the eyes on / brain on responsibility. For us and inland cruising someone is always at the helm regardless if autopilot is engaged or not. For open ocean cruising like crossing to the Bahamas if the situation permits I'll leave the helm for a head break or to get a refreshment but then right back on station.

It's interesting that you mention the direction and velocity thing. Last year, I started messing around with the "tracked targets" feature on my Raymarine. That's some pretty cool tech right there. Long hold on any target in range, and it will lock on, and after about 45 seconds, speed and heading will resolve. I haven't checked yet if, while cruising on AP with my forward cone set, the system will automatically determine if moving objects are a threat. I may try this out with a friend of mine in another boat when we're back in next month.
 
My Garmin GPSMap 182c has a built in drag monitor and I have an anchor drag app on my phone. We don't overnight on anchor but would set both alarms if we did.
 
The down side is the alarm is audible but only at the helm and (at least on my Garmin equipment) not really "loud". The MFD does however visually display a danger banner that is noticeable. We have been anchored in heavy fog and kept the radar up and running with an increased MARPA safe zone so we can get some information on what is going on around us however still we cannot hear the alarm when away from the helm.

There is an easy way to increase the Alarm volume. The 8616 will accept a Nema 0183 Audio Cable that includes an RCA Red/White Output Jack. I just ran the audio cable to my Fusion Radio input today however I am not certain if I will use it because typically the Alarms for AIS and Depths are overwhelming (to me) and I typically turn them off.

NMEA 0183 with Audio Cable

PART NUMBER 010-12852-00

I will give them another shot on this boat hoping the 8616 is better than my older 7612 was on the last boat for false alarms.
 
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There is an easy way to increase the Alarm volume. The 8616 will accept a Nema 0183 Audio Cable that includes an RCA Red/White Output Jack. I just ran the audio cable to my Fusion Radio input today however I a not certain if I will use it because typically the Alarms for AIS and Depths are overwhelming (to me) and I typically turn them off.

NMEA 0183 with Audio Cable

PART NUMBER 010-12852-00

I will give them another shot on this boat hopping the 8616 is better than my older 7612 was on the last boat for false alarms.
I tried to find more out about the cable but information, in true Garmin fashion, is lacking.
So, you could plug this into an audio system like Fusion (the aux in) and if the audio system is switched to AUX then sound from the Garmin MFD's is on the audio system? It seems that then your audio system would have to be dedicated to the Garmin and nothing else if you want to use this feature right?
From a "sound" perspective is the audio the same as what the MFD's put out normally and the audio system is simply a distribution and volume device?
I think a better solution would be like how Maretron does this - have the alarms on the NMEA 2000 network and install alarm sound modules like the Maretron ALM100's anywhere on the network.... My boat's "important" systems are monitored (including all of the old SR Monitor elements, anchor drag, generator, etc) on the NMEA 2000 network using Maretron input devices. If something goes into alarm like a bilge pump coming on or generator shutdown or the boat drags the anchor beyond limits, I have loud ALM100 alarm modules installed both at the helm and in the Solon and can hear them anywhere on the boat. If the Garmin's have an alarm out wire like someone said in an earlier post then the alarm can be integrated into my NMEA 2000 network via a Maretron input device like their RIM100.
 
Should be illegal period. Someone needs to stand watch!
It is a rule. COLREGS Rule 5. At all times there shall be a lookout, both sight and sound. At all times includes when underway and when anchored overnight. Obviously the rule is ignored quite a bit, and probably never followed when anchored overnight. We all just go to sleep and don't post a lookout.
 
I tried to find more out about the cable but information, in true Garmin fashion, is lacking.
So, you could plug this into an audio system like Fusion (the aux in) and if the audio system is switched to AUX then sound from the Garmin MFD's is on the audio system? It seems that then your audio system would have to be dedicated to the Garmin and nothing else if you want to use this feature right?
From a "sound" perspective is the audio the same as what the MFD's put out normally and the audio system is simply a distribution and volume device?
I think a better solution would be like how Maretron does this - have the alarms on the NMEA 2000 network and install alarm sound modules like the Maretron ALM100's anywhere on the network.... My boat's "important" systems are monitored (including all of the old SR Monitor elements, anchor drag, generator, etc) on the NMEA 2000 network using Maretron input devices. If something goes into alarm like a bilge pump coming on or generator shutdown or the boat drags the anchor beyond limits, I have loud ALM100 alarm modules installed both at the helm and in the Solon and can hear them anywhere on the boat. If the Garmin's have an alarm out wire like someone said in an earlier post then the alarm can be integrated into my NMEA 2000 network via a Maretron input device like their RIM100.

The Garmin and Fusion are integrated through the Nema 2000 for the Alarm Warning and Muting of the Fusion. The audio comes through the RCA Cable for Alarms.

So while listening to your favorite tunes if there is a risk of a AIS Collision or low battery, etc the 8616 will mute your tunes and play the specific warning message through all speakers tied into the Fusion as well as the HDMI TV (if the tv is tuned in to the that input).
 

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