"Kill switch" for auto pilot

[HMT2]

I do a fair amount of single hand day sailing on my '83 H31. Inevitably I will have to go forward to free a jib sheet or to put out my fenders prior to docking. The nightmare is me falling overboard and watching the boat sail off with my four legged first mate into the Houston Ship Channel. She is very smart and a great hunting dog, but we have yet to master her steering the boat. We have a Raymarine EV100 wheel pilot. Is there a way to have your boat's auto pilot turn off or get it to hardcover the wheel if you fall over board? Or has some one figured some clever way to "rig" that? Staying on board is of course the primary plan and I try to be very careful to do so. I was just wondering.

 

[Ken Cross]

Turning it off would not likely help because the boat would simply continue on course. There is something to say about hard over.

Ken

 

[Boomer54]

Hmmm. Even if hardover, how would you get back on board? If you are tethered in tight enough, you won't go over. If tethered too loosely and you go over, you are in real trouble, especially in rough seas as you could be beat to death by the boat. Either tether tight so you don't go over or have pfd on with an epirb and/or handheld floating vhf attached to pfd?

 

[markwbird]

This is a topic that has come up before. The short answer is no. The EV-100 does not have this feature but it should. I believe when we left it last time, we decided that it needed to have a mechanism that you wear on your life vest that will activate the auto pilot when you fall overboard causing the boat to turn in a circle while simultaneously launching an inflatable dinghy via air cannon that would inflate mid air and land in the water beside you.

 

[JohnShannon]

Used to be Raymarine Life Tag would put an MOB mark on the chart plotter automatically but wouldn't navigate to it.

I think at the moment you go French NKE Gyropilot 2 has as an option a remote control that allows you to steer while at the bow for instance. In any case if the master loses the link to the remote, boat goes head to wind. In which case you could swim for you boat at 0.8knts while it drifted away at 0.9knts keeps you busy till you drown

 

[capta]

Pretty simple solution to your problem. We consider the rail to be the edge of a 900 foot cliff and make every effort NOT to go over it. Don't try to figure out what to do if you go over, just do not do it!

 

[David in Sandusky]

Tether, tether, tether!

Oh, yeah, and jacklines!

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Long time ago I saw an orange dog life jacket with a ring on the back which was pretty stout for a leash or line. I wonder if that would be a simple solution if pup decided to go for a swim.

 

[Gene Neill]

Heave to and drop the swim ladder before going forward?

 

[markwbird]

It seems like a good idea at first glance but I think a reason that we have not seen the auto MOB feature is that it is understood that even if the boat were to round up or circle or whatever your chances of getting back to it and getting in are still pretty slim. Even in irons it will likely drift faster than you can swim and even if you catch up to it you are not likely to be able to get aboard. Best thing to have would be jack lines and then an EPIRB.

 

[markwbird]

I do, however, like the idea of the MOB alarm for when you are sailing with a buddy on an overnight and the buddy is asleep.

 

[Kings Gambit]

People who use one hand for the boat do not fall over. Observe how the sheets get hung-up and then fix it so they do not, at least not as often. Sometimes you can just bring the boat back up, close to irons, to jiggle 'em loose so you do not have to go forward. Don't deploy your fenders until entering the fairway leading to your slip. For short trips when single handling I leave 'em on the deck at the rail, still tied on. I just flip 'em back over; takes one hand. Don't have so many; two (even one) on one side is enough for "controlled" docking. So what if you get a little smudge on the hull; comes right off with acetone.

Sort of my mantra--1st avoid "risky" actions and situations, 2nd minimize their respective risks if unavoidable, 3rd prepare for unhappy outcomes and respective consequences. You're on No. 3; what about Nos. 1 and 2? No. 1 would be: "Don't leave the cockpit while single handling if you can avoid it." (Thus the origin of single-line reefing of the mainsail, and in-mast and in-boom main furling systems, etc.).

 

[Parsons]

I think that every coastal single-hander should have a personal locator beacon on their PFD. For $250, it's cheap life insurance - http://www.defender.com/product3.jsp?path=-1|344|2028709|2028730&id=1834187
I agree that not going for that swim in the first place is the best solution. I acknowledge that this does not help in the special circumstances (single-handed ocean passages, sudden hypothermia, etc.), but how many of us are in those conditions? What's more likely is HMT2's situation of solo day sailing in a coastal area where the CG's are just a short flight away.

 

[markwbird]

There was a situation right here in the bay a couple of years ago. A dad and his young daughter went for a sail in the bay on a rented J-24. Dad went overboard and got back to the boat but could not climb in with his wet clothes on. He hung on the side until he became so hypothermic that he passed out. A windsurfer came along and saved his life. This is just a small boat in the protected waters of the bay.

 

[Kings Gambit]

None of the emergency devices aboard that his daughter could use?, e.g., VHF radio, flares, signal flags (that nobody could likely read anyway), or even a cell phone? Can anyone here raise November-Charlie from the cockpit?

Actually, there's a recent (2013) book that's been informative on this matter: Suddenly Overboard by Tom Lochhaas. I recommend it!

 

[Benny17441]

It is an old time dilemma and I do not believe the answer lies with the autopilot. Chances are the boat will stop out of reach and then start to drift faster than you can swim. Every time you go up front you need to weigh the odds of you falling overboard and the solution lies in you improving on what should already be acceptable odds to start with. #1 make an true assessment of you physical capabilities of balance and strength. #2 Inspect your deck for handholds, life lines, shrouds, jack lines, deck surface #3 estimate the time for the walk and job and try to anticipate or manage the conditions during that interval of time. (turning the auto pilot off and heaving to is an option) 4# The use of life jacket, harness and jack lines and having a portable and waterproof VHF or phone will help. 5# look out for traffic and anticipate what would be the response time to get help if needed. (get closer to land or navigation aids as they wont drift away) 6# estimate the urgency of the need to go forward and choose your time 7# Beware of calm conditions and routine trips which could induce distraction or carelessness. 8) almost always walk the deck on the windward side as any misstep will throw you towards the center of the boat. 9) make sure there are no lines laying around that could roll under your feet. 10) Scan the water every 15-20 seconds for any waves or wakes that may cause sudden movements 11) walking barefooted leads to broken toes 12) watch the boom and anticipate shifts. 13) always have a hand hold (make before break) 14) Maintain an enhanced state of awareness whenever away from the relative safety of the cockpit. Yes the answer to the dilemma is not to fall overboard.

 

[HMT2]

It is an old time dilemma and I do not believe the answer lies with the autopilot. Chances are the boat will stop out of reach and then start to drift faster than you can swim. Every time you go up front you need to weigh the odds of you falling overboard and the solution lies in you improving on what should already be acceptable odds to start with. #1 make an true assessment of you physical capabilities of balance and strength. #2 Inspect your deck for handholds, life lines, shrouds, jack lines, deck surface #3 estimate the time for the walk and job and try to anticipate or manage the conditions during that interval of time. (turning the auto pilot off and heaving to is an option) 4# The use of life jacket, harness and jack lines and having a portable and waterproof VHF or phone will help. 5# look out for traffic and anticipate what would be the response time to get help if needed. (get closer to land or navigation aids as they wont drift away) 6# estimate the urgency of the need to go forward and choose your time 7# Beware of calm conditions and routine trips which could induce distraction or carelessness. 8) almost always walk the deck on the windward side as any misstep will throw you towards the center of the boat. 9) make sure there are no lines laying around that could roll under your feet. 10) Scan the water every 15-20 seconds for any waves or wakes that may cause sudden movements 11) walking barefooted leads to broken toes 12) watch the boom and anticipate shifts. 13) always have a hand hold (make before break) 14) Maintain an enhanced state of awareness whenever away from the relative safety of the cockpit. Yes the answer to the dilemma is not to fall overboard.

I do all but no. 11... what can I say? I like to sail barefooted and I live in a part of the country when I can do it January!

 

[Benny17441]

I do all but no. 11... what can I say? I like to sail barefooted and I live in a part of the country when I can do it January!

I used to until I slammed my foot unto a cleat and broke a couple of toes. In all honesty I should have added the caveat "when sailing in an unfamiliar boat". It has also been my personal experience that the bottom of my feet do offer as much grip as a pair of good boat shoes. Here in Florida the winter time is probably our best sailing season of the year, the winds are strong and the temperatures are cool.