How to park you boat.

There is a recent article in one of the forums about failure of the electronic controls. It is more common that one would think. Low or high voltage is often an issue. The suggestion was that a separate regulated power supply be furnished for the electronic controls. Several of the posters had related that they had throttles go full ahead, that they were not able to shift to neutral. Not able to shift out of neutral etc...

A number of years back, a chartered yacht took out the fuel dock at Naimo --it was out of service for almost a year. Millions in damage. There was litigation involved against the owner, the charterer, the control manufacturer and the insurance company.

It also looks like a couple of scratches on the mega yacht! I feel badly for those boat owners whose boats were damaged. No telling how long it will take to get re-imbursement. Hopefully the there will be an "arrest" of the Westport yacht. There looks to be substantial damage to the marina.
An arrest of a vessel is the prerequisite for the court to establish jurisdiction. If the vessel cannot be seized, the court may have no right over the vessel. Arrest is the physical process by which, in case of the United States, a U.S. Marshal goes aboard the vessel and \physically takes charge of it.
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Wow. Thanks for the post Tom. How sad. A new boat ready for delivery to it's new owner and now this! Insurance will cover all the losses but how sad for all the boats and the marina involved that are now inconvenienced while waiting on repairs.
 
thataway":9eumi5yf said:
There is a recent article in one of the forums about failure of the electronic controls. It is more common that one would think. Low or high voltage is often an issue. The suggestion was that a separate regulated power supply be furnished for the electronic controls. Several of the posters had related that they had throttles go full ahead, that they were not able to shift to neutral. Not able to shift out of neutral etc...
....
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I would want a separate hardwired control circuit (i.e. a big red button) that can kill (immediately shutdown) the engines in an emergency without having to rely on some computer somewhere to do what you want. This should be a regulatory requirement.

Yes, suddenly killing a complex diesel powerplant might cause some problems with that unit. However, they are probably going to be less than the damage caused by a large out of control vessel plowing through a marina. Especially if some person gets killed or injured by the runaway vessel.
 
Folks, let's think bigger than what can happen with advances in technology than
only on our small combustion propelled refuges on the water.

With all our existing, developing and soon to be released magnificent scientific
marvels, we advanced bipeds appear to be a true dichotomy. Can we handle
these advances without putting ourselves back into the pre-enlightenment
times of Thomas Hobbs (circa 1600 ad) where mankind's life was "solitary, poor,
nasty, brutish and short", or worse?

Endeavor to use our higher faculties (aka cerebral cortex) in decision making vs
our emotional ancient midbrains. The problem, as I see it, is the former takes
some effort, work, ...

Aye.
Someone said, "We have seen the enemy and it is us."
 
WOW. If we are lucky, one of our favorite "admin" guys keeps his Nordic about right in the center of where that 125 parked after the errant excursion, and he had it off to other docks for some service type work. WHEEUUU! I do so hope!!

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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This backing into "Cay" with no space, is not that unusual in the Med. Try it with a 62 foot sailboat, single engine, no thruster... Never got a scratch, (I cannot say that for the C Dory, but scratches buff out). The use of a larger inflatable is also not that unusual (if one is available). But the bow thrusters on these larger yachts can be 50 hp or more.
 
Wow, that video shows the yacht* was not just idling, it was accelerating. Lucky nobody was killed by that monster.

*I know that there is sometimes discussions over just what is a "boat" and what is a "yacht. THAT was a YACHT!
 
Thanks Tom for now the video. That vessel is of considerable mass and striking volume. Yes, glad nobody was hurt. Who knows why this took place but with a vessel of that size and all the electronics and computer technology involved it was possible to happen with this mishap and it did. To credit the staff employed on this vessel, it appears that a kill switch of some sort or a technology was employed to slow the vessel before and after the impact of all the involved. The damage could have been much worse. This makes me appreciate the smallness and simplicity of our C-Dory boats. Gary.
 
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