Meanwhile, at the Miami boat show...

RiverRat232

Some jackhole with more money than brains takes delivery of his new boat. (At least that's my take on what happened)
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8Z1uVUJz4h/?hl=en

Michael T

Hilarious! Axius or Dock assist - don't leave home without it!!!!!!

RiverRat232

Michael T said:

Hilarious! Axius or Dock assist - don't leave home without it!!!!!!

I am betting that boat had some form of joystick. He is just piloting way more boat than his skills can deal with.

aero3113

I’m thinking his throttle was stuck.

Dream_Inn

That is hilarius!! And really, I believe this is what happens sometimes because of all these joystick toys.  People just think, oh it's easy to drive the boat, just use the joystick.  It's like any hobby, some people have more money than brains (I'd say not the case here if he just stopped after the first contact, but he sure kept going to show how little he really knew)

RiverRat232

I would love to know the story. I ruled out a dealer or manufacturer rep because they would probably know what they are doing. A mechanical failure could have been dealt with by shutting off the engines. 

aero3113

Shutting the engines off doesn’t always come to mind in a panic situation. You want to try and gain control and that is all your mind thinks about.

Michael T

My brand new Rinker EC 310 arrived and was sea trialed by the mechanic and I. I said to him something is wrong. I insisted that it not be taken out again. When the "top gun" from Mercury Ontario took it out a few days later he lost control of it in the fairway - just after exiting my slip. He narrowly missed hitting a row of boats and ONLY because the prevailing wind blew him into an unoccupied slip across from mine. Bottom line the shift cable for the Starboard engine had been run (at the factory) over the coupler causing it to snap. The boat had Axius but could not be managed in that state.

In the video we can see that the boat in question is repeatedly put into forward and reverse. That makes me think the propulsion systems were operative.

IF the boat had Axius or Dock Assist and there was no other malfunction then ANYONE could have avoided that situation - even a child as a famous Sea Ray video showed.

Axius has several power settings and unless you are out in a hurricane you can stop it on a dime, hold it in place or move it sideways - even in severe cross winds.

So IMO this video shows either a mechanical malfunction (but not from what I saw) or an idiot at work. My money is on the latter.

randy56

way to much throttle. slow is your friend. 

RiverRat232

randy56 said:

way to much throttle. slow is your friend. 

Captaining a boat that size in proximity to that many other boats is probably tricky even for an experienced captain. But yeah, easy does it would be the way to handle it.

aero3113

The damage 

RiverRat232

shawnmjr said:

This reminds me of the concerts I go to on the water in Detroit. Here is a video from this past summer. The carver in the background was seriously trying to anchor for like an hour. The little open bow on my buddies starboard side kept going over his anchor, the boat that pulls up next to him and backs up almost smokes the boat behind him. All this in a minute and a half video. Let’s just say the entire night was entertaining and also would drive up your anxiety at the same time. I have endless videos like this and when you go to the rap concerts down there it is always like this. 

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0qmBoXC3QHlR4VDUwKc1U1ObQ#Detroit_-_Rivertown

I wouldn't be having a good time with that many boats around me. I would be worried about getting rammed.

RiverRat232

aero3113 said:

The damage 

Almost looks like waves graphics. Now he just needs one on the other side. 

davidbrooks

And in a few years when the new boats hit the market with "Auto Docking" as a standard feature.  We are going to see even more of this.  https://www.sportfishingmag.com/automatic-docking-systems-for-boats/ 

Michael T

Disagree. Most owners I have met (at least 25) with Axius or Dock Assist practice docking using their throttles. I had Axius on two cruisers and I bet I can dock with the best on the forum using throttles alone. I have had automatic transmissions for 25 years but drove a friends MG this summer with a standard - no clutch burning or gear stripping......but the main point is that didn't make me a dangerous driver.

For anyone who has ever used Axius or Dock Assist you know how awesome the systems are if you haven't try it before you should as they are, IMO, the future.

No system can protect other boaters from acts of stupidity.

LaRea

Self-docking boat?  But I *like* docking!  

Let's follow this trend to its logical conclusion.  Suppose the Admiral and I have to leave town for the weekend.  While we are gone, the boat of the future will automatically get underway, go anchor in a scenic cove, empty the refrigerators, take a bunch of sunset pictures, then come back and dock itself.  Zero humans required, zero fun had.  

reneechris14

Google car or Google boat soon we wont need humans.

aero3113

We already don’t need humans to fly certain aircraft.

J3ff

Did someone say self docking boat?

Here you go. https://youtu.be/NAN_rQM3rr8?t=52 

Dream_Inn

I agree with LaRea completely!  I actually enjoy docking.  I may be sick, but I even enjoy it more with a challenge.  When you have to think about it and plan exactly how you will get in, or get out, that makes it fun for me.  I also like to try to do it without the bow thruster (although it is on and ready).  

Walking sideways is my most enjoyable thing (& yes, you need to use your steering wheel to get it right).  I've had people comment to me, yeah, I bet you like your joystick!!  I just smile, then sometimes I'll comment back, or just take it as a compliment.  They obviously don't pay much attention to the boats that do have joysticks, because those drives make all kinds of noises (going in and out of gear, both forward and reverse) at times when using the joystick.

earl1z19

I would like to see how it compensates for a sudden gust of wind that catches the bow last minute

Michael T

How does it compensate? The auto docks (new) have variable computer-controlled thrust that reacts very quickly. The Axius I have had on two Rinkers has two thrust settings, limited thrust for calm days and full thrust for windy days. These settings are selected by the captain prior to initiating docking. I have been able to take my Axius guided boats out of slips twice when marinas fairways have been closed to exit, been able to enter marinas when many boats were in line waiting for the wind to abate and best of all been able to shift 100% sideways +/- 6 inches onto a dock between two boats to fuel or pump-out all.  By rotating the Axius joystick the reaction is very swift.

Agreed that it's a necessary skill to be able to use your throttles but unless you have brought a big boat into a slip in a serious wind or crowded fairway with ZERO worries you haven't, IMO, seen the true potential of Axius. On less inclement days it's just fun.

BTW there is already technology to place pucks in the hull of boats and matching pucks on the dock that will line-up. The hold-up at the moment is liability as software is being developed to recognize a hazard at the dock - like a child in the water. That too will be solved in time.

RiverRat232

Technology is sucking the fun out of life.

Michael T

Well, not Axius or Dock Assist or thrusters as they are still your choice.

I spent 40 years using throttles (sticks) to dock. Most of the time single engine single prop.  Bow thrusters appeared on smaller craft.....awesome. Aft thrusters appeared on  on amaller craft .....awesome. Along came duoprop and Blll .....awesome then Axius .....totally AMAZING.

I have docked everything from a nine foot tinnie with a 7.5 on it to a  38 foot Cigarette Top Gun with twin 900 HP Hawks. I got Off Shore Racing Certified in Miami in 1973 and did some racing. Big deal, right?

My point. Everyone said air conditioning in cars was for sissies. Leather seats were for snobs. B.S. .....comfort and security reign. To those of you who say Axius is a waste - seriously - try it - you'll like it! ;-)

LaRea

MT, I'll agree with you 100% that joystick is an awesome luxury item.  Personally, I'd rather spend the money on other features, but I don't begrudge those who can afford it. 

But self-docking tech is another step down a slippery slope.  I don't want ignorant, lazy, rich people to feel like they can buy big boats and just let the computer do everything.  Driving a big boat <should> be intimidating.  The intimidation motivates boaters to become better, safer boaters.  

Or maybe I owe ignorant, lazy, rich people an apology.  

TonyG13

When the admiral wanted to go up from our 24 footer, I told her the one must-have was Axius. Well, we got it with our 2014 310 EC.

Does it make docking easier? HeII yes! Is it still intimidating? You betcha!

The boat still ain't docking itself. You still need to calculate your speed, wind, current, approach, etc. - and it does take some getting used to as to how quickly (or slowly) it responds to your joystick command. You can still over-compensate and get into trouble. The first season I kissed our dock neighbor due to over-rotating the bow due to a cross wind.

As with any technology, it's an evolution not a revolution - and just one more technique to master -- but I am glad I got it. 

Michael T

100%  @TonyG13 - if you can't dock a boat, don't understand windage and current and don't know YOUR boat you are scr*wed even with Axius or Dock Assist systems.

As well, with either Axius or Dock Assist you must know (by learning experience) the "push-back" of water against your hull from hard moorings/docks and even floating moorings/docks and how that affects the performance characteristics of your assist system.

I have never heard an owner express regret about purchasing Axius or Dock assist systems.

Of course docking is still intimidating, even with these systems and requires very careful consideration. When I was docking a boat worth 1/3 of a million dollars you bet I was always cautious and the adrenaline was flowing. Any captain who doesn't feel that way should not leave the dock!

RiverRat232

I think this guy has done it before. Show off.

https://www.facebook.com/MegShiflet22/videos/2610301489194296/?t=2

Michael T

Impressive but I don't think he is aware of the rule don't approach a dock faster than you want to hit it. Any part of a fail with that approach and you have boat and spectator damage.

RiverRat232

Michael T said:

Impressive but I don't think he is aware of the rule don't approach a dock faster than you want to hit it. Any part of a fail with that approach and you have boat and spectator damage.

Someone was saying the boat crew was participating in a fishing tournament where there was a time factor.