Interesting Night

At least you gave Marc some closure with the ceremony. You are a true friend!
 
There may be too many variables here to do much Monday Morning quarterbacking...........I haven't read whether there were head seas or following seas and it makes a huge difference. If he had following seas, it is possible that the AP alarm was from a rudder stop in the safe direction and following seas just pushed the stern in the wrong direction. It can take 4-5 boat lengths to regain control if that happens.

Using AP's in a channel is also a very local issue. I use mine all the time coming back in from the Gulf..........but, we have a major port access with a well marked pass that is 3/4 mile wide and 50 ft deep, large enough for freighters and with no obstructions between the bouys. We also have range lights to keep you centered as you transit the pass. Using an AP frees your hands to handle radar, plotter, VHF and throttles. So this is a question that you have to answer for yourself based on where you are, how your boat handles, local conditions and the equipment you have onboard.
 
There are many opinions about the AP and the speed needed for it to maintain coarse but I think the real lesson here is you should not have the AP engaged while approaching or entering an inlet, especially at night. You need to be prepared to adjust your coarse or speed at a seconds notice due to seas, currents, other vessels, etc. You need to be scanning the electronics and the water out in front of you constantly. At night, your eyes play tricks on you. No matter how familiar you are with an area, things look very different at night. I've doubted my electronics for a split second at times because of what I thought..... I saw, but the electronics were always right.


Fortunately, only the boat was lost. Boats have been lost at sea for centurys so your in good company. It will make for a great story to the grankids one day.......
 
Wow, that is one helluva story! I am really happy to here Marc is OK and now it's time to see how his insurance responds so he can jump back in.
 
John, now Marc can buy your 36...
 
Jack.....I tried all weekend, believe me! When he walked into the Coast Guard Station, after I asked him if he was okay, I asked him!!!
 
I looked at the charts for the area and it appears the channel is about 100yds wide in most places. Some how running on AP here doesn't seem the thing to do knowing there is potential for other traffic and the slow speeds your moving at. Sort of like driving in cruise on city streets. Not trying to pick at anyone, just trying to understand what were the main contributors to ending up on the rocks.
 
John, will you guys be able to view the boat or anything after they raise and haul it to it's destination. Not sure where New Bedford is to your location. Glad he is ok though this could have ended worse.
 
I am hoping he goes (which I am sure he will)......I told him to take pictures......I know he wanted to get his reading glasses off the boat (kidding)
 
Yes I would be curious about how much damage was done....I know if it were mine I would want to see it. I was on a 2007 36SB this weekend that was for sale. Very beautiful boat loved the touch screen options....
 
This thread was on my mind today as I left Saugatuck harbor bound for Grand Haven, Michigan. Lake Michigan was breaking over the south and north sea walls. 3-5 footers building to 4-6 out of the SW. Definitely not auto pilot conditions. I did engage it once up on plane until entering GH harbor. That was hairy as well....no auto pilot again, and stayed up on plane until I reached the coast guard station. Good to be home.
 
I was at the boat Sunday with my parents - planned on lunch on the hook. Weather was lousy and btwn wind and clouds, it kept us at the dock. Wind kicked up to around 25 knots out of the NNE by 4pm. We took a ride (by car) over to Manasquan Inlet and I was AMAZED to find someone coming in the inlet. Big trawler, probably 50+ feet. This boat was pitching and yawing, burying it's bow and heeling over like an America's Cup racer. He made it in fine but I was thanking the heavens it wasn't me out there. And Manasquan is a very forgiving inlet. If it were Barnegat, fuggeddaboudit!
 
Barnegat is a breeze. We came in there no problemo a week ago Sunday... Now little egg inlet, with no marked channel, that is a challenge... We had 5-7 footer when we came in with the tide against the wind, and it was no problem...
 
I hope it makes us all think and become better boaters......I know I think about how I boat and safety from this experience! I have my own set of rules on weather when I will and will not go out........
 
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