What's the real value of an autopilot on a sailboat?

[Tally Ho]

I'm paranoid about that sort of thing. My anchor is pinned to the roller with a fastpin, and I also always tie a short line from the anchor shackle to the bow pulpit leg.

Mine is now!

It was a crappy day to sail, and I should not have been out (especially solo), the bow went down into a wave and as it came up out of the water, I heard this strange rumbling sound…. My first thought was the rig was coming down. I scanned the rig real fast, and didn’t see anything…then I noticed that the anchor was missing.

It had been bouncing around in the rough seas, and I kept hearing it “clunk” but I didn’t realize that the pin had come loose and backed out…
A fun story to tell now, but a bit scary at the time.

Greg

 

[dLj]

It depends what you are sailing and how you want to sail.

On my current boat I'll have two electronic autopilots and a hydrovane self steering wind vane. But I'll be doing passages. On my old WR17, a cool 17 foot trimaran that was a major blast for day sails, no autopilot and no need.

Your boat, your sailing style, your decision.

dj

 

[jssailem]

It had been bouncing around in the rough seas, and I kept hearing it “clunk” but I didn’t realize that the pin had come loose and backed out…

I had an anchor partially fall off motoring to weather in the St Lawrence river.

Sailing along in brisk breeze, the anchor went over and he didn't notice it until he sailed closer to shore.

Three stories, three similar results. Fortunately all lived through the experience to share the tale...
I am reminded of a quote by Francis Stokes:

“Whenever your preparations for the sea are poor; the sea worms its way in and finds out everything you did wrong.”
– Francis Stokes

Safe sailing all

 

[Tally Ho]

Three stories, three similar results. Fortunately all lived through the experience to share the tale...
I am reminded of a quote by Francis Stokes:

“Whenever your preparations for the sea are poor; the sea worms its way in and finds out everything you did wrong.”
– Francis Stokes

Safe sailing all

Yes, agreed.

I had 2 near misses as I was leaving to marina that day…backing against a very strong wind and got pushed into the finger pier opposite my slip ( no boat there yet)… and then I backed all of the way out of the marina, and just before I put the boat in FWD to motor away from the rock breakwall, I noticed that a loose rope was in the water and pulling tight! I put the boat in forward and waited to see if the engine would stall ( and the wind would push me on the rocks) or if the rope would spin off the shaft….

The boat moved forward, and I sped away from the rocks…
Two strikes against me that day…before the anchor fell off the bow

I should have stayed in bed (or at least off the water) that day

Sorry about hijacking the OP’s thread with these stories!

Greg

 

[Alan Gomes]

Probably one of the worst features of an AP is the follow a route. This will cause the boat to turn when it gets to a way point to steer to the next waypoint. The boat can turn without much notice which can cause havoc down below. It can also turn into an obstruction like another boat, the buoy, or a floating log. Too much automation ain't good.

I have a Pelagic tillerpilot on my current boat, which I've had since 2012, and I do not have it interfaced with other electronics. But on my previous Catalina 30 I had a Raymarine wheelpilot, and--being interfaced with my GPS--it would steer to follow a route. But as I recall it, when it would come to a new leg of the route it would beep at me and require that I confirm the choice to turn to follow the next leg of the route. It would NOT do that automatically. At least that's how I remember it. Did they change something in the software since then? I find that hard to imagine, since as you say, that would be a very bad idea.

 

[Terry Cox]

Sail solo most all the time, our AP (1991 Autohelm 7000) with rudder sensor comes in very handy, especially when doing tack changes. Normally, if on a long leg under sail, I'll either use the wheel brake or the AP. The rudder sensor provides drift info to the AP in order to stay on course to the next waypoint. Also handy in order to do bow sweeps, check matters below, sail trimming, etc. Vigilance at the helm while underway always important whether you have an AP or not. Highly recommend one for any boat.

 

[jviss]

to do bow sweeps

What's a bow sweep?

 

[jaysweet]

After a quick read of the replies, there's one advantage I don't think anyone's mentioned yet. When you're single-handing, it's super useful to tack the boat! My old Raymarine ST4000 makes it very easy to tack the boat by yourself: you just hit 2 keys, tend to the jib sheets, and then fine tune it after the bow has come around. Maybe others can do this without an autopilot, but to me, it would be way more difficult.

 

[jviss]

After a quick read of the replies, there's one advantage I don't think anyone's mentioned yet. When you're single-handing, it's super useful to tack the boat! My old Raymarine ST4000 makes it very easy to tack the boat by yourself: you just hit 2 keys, tend to the jib sheets, and then fine tune it after the bow has come around. Maybe others can do this without an autopilot, but to me, it would be way more difficult.

Indeed! I use that when I'm alone.

 

[jaysweet]

I have a Pelagic tillerpilot on my current boat, which I've had since 2012, and I do not have it interfaced with other electronics. But on my previous Catalina 30 I had a Raymarine wheelpilot, and--being interfaced with my GPS--it would steer to follow a route. But as I recall it, when it would come to a new leg of the route it would beep at me and require that I confirm the choice to turn to follow the next leg of the route. It would NOT do that automatically. At least that's how I remember it. Did they change something in the software since then? I find that hard to imagine, since as you say, that would be a very bad idea.

No: you're right, Alan. At least the older Raymarine wheel pilots beep when you reach the end of a leg. They don't turn automatically.

 

[rgranger]

@Tally Ho made the point I was going to make. They’re great when things go wrong. And you’re by yourself. I was going to use the analogy of a jib sheet hanging on a deck block but his was a much more dramatic example.

 

[rpwillia]

If you don't have an AP you will miss it. Invaluable for freeing your hands. And jaysweet is right, if single handing it can help you tack the boat. One thing I really like about mine is if I am going at night or having to pick my way through debris fields it is nice to take my wired remote, spotlight and binoculars and sit on the bow and steer the boat from there through stuff.

 

[Terry Cox]

What's a bow sweep?

The foot of our very large 150 Genoa comes down to deck level blocking the view ahead. Doing a bow sweep means to look at the boat's course from the bow to see whether any obstacles appear in its' path, such as other boats, buoys, logs, etc., that require altering course.

 

[Terry Cox]

No: you're right, Alan. At least the older Raymarine wheel pilots beep when you reach the end of a leg. They don't turn automatically.

Our 1991 Autohelm ST7000 course computer that is wired into our Garmin 178C plotter will beep and then change course to the new waypoint. Due to the communications version mismatch it only takes about two miles and maybe a half hour to make a large swing onto the new course, so I do it manually when arriving at the waypoint change.

 

[jviss]

The foot of our very large 150 Genoa comes down to deck level blocking the view ahead. Doing a bow sweep means to look at the boat's course from the bow to see whether any obstacles appear in its' path, such as other boats, buoys, logs, etc., that require altering course.

Ah, gotcha, thanks I didn't know there was a term for that, though I've always done it.

 

[Davidasailor26]

But on my previous Catalina 30 I had a Raymarine wheelpilot, and--being interfaced with my GPS--it would steer to follow a route. But as I recall it, when it would come to a new leg of the route it would beep at me and require that I confirm the choice to turn to follow the next leg of the route. It would NOT do that automatically. At least that's how I remember it. Did they change something in the software since then? I find that hard to imagine, since as you say, that would be a very bad idea.

Navico autopilots (Simrad and B&G) will actually make the turn automatically at a waypoint. They have a tunable threshold above which they will prompt before turning. The maximum value you can set the threshold to is 30 degrees. I do find it annoying that if a turn exceeds the threshold it will put a prompt on the chartplotter screen but not make any other audible alarm. So you could me motoring along a mile past your waypoint if you’re not paying attention.

I do use the path following feature on reasonably open channels, especially on days when there’s little traffic. You still need to pay attention but I find it follows the channel with less tweaking than just heading hold.

 

[kloudie1]

I'd sailed on a few long legs (30-400 miles) on a boat without autopilot so when I started to buy my boat, I made a list of stuff I'd like to have .. An autopilot was on that list. I enjoy it especially when motoring any distance on windless days where steering is boring. It does a pretty good job under sail in light to medium conditions which lets ya do short things in the cabin, or sail trim. I have not interfaced it with anything else since I don't find it tedious to do it manually.

 

[BarryL]

Hello,

One comment:
While the Autopilot (AP) does relieve you from steering duty it does NOT relieve you of the requirement to keep a proper lookout. This includes the case where the AP is in 'route' mode and when the AP will make a course change towards the next waypoint. It also includes the case when the AP is in 'heading' mode and will follow a course 'forever'.

RANT ON
I frequently see comments such as "Using the 'route' feature is dangerous because the boat may make a sudden turn and there might be other boats around that you could turn into. So I only have the AP follow a straight course." I don't understand why going straight is considered safe, but having the boat turn is not. In both situations, SOMEONE is responsible for keeping a proper lookout and be aware of where your boat is, what is around you, and where you plan on going. Just heading in a constant direction is not any safer than making a course change at a waypoint. Someone needs to be paying attention to what in front of the boat, what is next to the boat, where the boat is, and where you plan on going.
RANT OFF

The Autopilot is just another tool. Tools have value, but can be misused. Don't blame the tool if you don't use it properly.

Barry

 

[jviss]

RANT ON
...
Barry

Nice rant! I have nearly been run down by large, fast motor yachts while sailing in Vineyard Sound, Buzzards Bay, and Rhode Island Sound, several times! It was clear that they were running on AP and not paying attention - down below, making a sandwich, getting a drink, something. It's scary if you're s slow moving sail boat, since it's tough to be sure you are clear as they approach. More than once I've turned my bow - the "pointy end" - to face them, hoping if we collided they would just brush by. Every time I called on the radio, blew the air horn, and so on, in some cases only waking them up when they were within a couple of hundred yards. I'm sure they laugh it off. I heard of one sailor firing. a flare gun at one once! I've been tempted....

 

[thinwater]

Some of this sounds like rants about bad Tesla drivers (which they kind of deserve).

Virtually all singlehanded distance racing boat are set up with some type of autopilot as the primary steering system, even if it is a wind vane. I'm quite certain that an electronic pilot set on "wind" and adjusted to the boat is faster than me over any period longer than about two hours. It's not perfect, but it's concentration does not waver, which makes it closer to perfect than me. (The F-24 and my cruising cat, both.)

Obviously, when in "wind" mode you aren't steering to a waypoint, one more reason why the requirement for a watch is constant. Most of us probably use compass mode when sailing deep off the wind, since the yawing is less, but we don't use a waypoint setting, because we will make adjustments for the wind.

I don't have a problem with waypoint sailing, just don't use the GPS coordinates off the map; I met a sailor that creamed a mark that way (thousands in damamge). The course was, in fact, quite accurate .

I feel an autopilot makes for a safer boat if used intelligently. Fatigue is reduced. You can keep after little things, like walking the deck as needed, small adjustments, clothing changes, and eating.