While writing our recent article on fore-reaching as a heavy weather strategy, I got thinking about how smart autopilots are, or, in the majority of cases are not.
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And that reminded me that a couple of years ago, when replacing our vintage, and pretty stupid, Simrad autopilot brain on our then boat with a new B&G NAC-3, I found that setup and tuning settings were little changed from the old.
Yup, I think we can be pretty sure that the new pilot is using 25-year-old software, albeit upgraded some. So it&#;s probably not much smarter than our old Simrad, which was pretty darn stupid.
Which kinda makes sense, at least from the manufacturer&#;s point of view, particularly for a company like B&G that makes a much more expensive and truly smart racing autopilot, and so has no incentive to improve the software in their less expensive offering marketed to cruising boats.
Don&#;t get me wrong, the old pilot served us well, with near 100% reliability&#;it was a bad and no longer available control panel that finally did for it&#;but it could not even steer halfway as well as an even moderately skilled helmsperson.
And the much ballyhooed claims of auto-learning turned out to be auto-stupidity.
So why am I writing this, other than to beat up on B&G? Because good autopilot steering matters, particularly on a shorthanded cruising boat where we don&#;t have enough crew to take over when the autopilot struggles.
But surely most autopilots steer well? Sadly, no, although the common perception is that they do.
I can&#;t tell you the number of times cruisers have said to me:
I love my autopilot because it steers way better than I can.
Sorry, the next part of this is going to sound harsh, but it needs to be said so we don&#;t make the mistake of thinking our autopilot is better than it is.
Unless we have a full-on smart racing autopilot&#;more on how to recognize one in a moment&#;that has been manually calibrated and tuned for the specific boat, all the above statement means is that we don&#;t steer very well, not that our autopilot does.
No shaming here. In most cases this is because we shorthanded cruisers don&#;t get enough practice, particularly offshore in waves, to be good at steering.
This was brought home to me last summer when we started sailing our new-to-us J/109 and I was shocked to find, despite having been a pretty good helmsman back in the day, how much my steering skills had deteriorated over nearly 30 years of relying on autopilots and vane gears.
The point being that most of us cruisers should not use our own steering skills as a benchmark to evaluate those of an autopilot (or vane gear).
By the way, the other day I was at a virtual meeting with Stan Honey, one of the world&#;s leading ocean-race navigators, in which he confirmed that even the best autopilots in the world (think tens of thousands of dollars) can&#;t steer as well as a skilled helmsperson in daylight, although said autopilots get competitive in the black-dark when the human can no longer see the waves.
Stan also opined that the next big advance will be when cameras, like those being used for collision avoidance by racing boats (OSCAR), are interfaced to autopilots, and that will result in automation being able to beat a human helmsperson in all conditions, because the pilot will be able to see the waves, even at night.
Probably not applicable to any of us, but interesting.
Anyway, back to why good steering matters.
The poor steering abilities of most autopilots on cruising boats contribute to:
Bottom line, it&#;s worth investing some time to make our autopilot steer better, as well as shopping for one that will steer as well as our budget will allow.
And this in turn got me thinking about three important things to know when shopping for autopilots or thinking about how to make the one we have do a better job:
By the way, autopilot steering smarts is top of my mind because, much to my surprise (not listed on the inventory), our new-to-us J/109 came with all the expensive stuff&#;computer (unlocked), sensors, etc. to support a really smart autopilot: B&G H, same as many pro shorthanded sailors use&#;so I&#;m just in the throes of adding the comparatively inexpensive drive computer.
The result is that by late summer I should be in a position to provide a first-hand report on this racing autopilot and how much better it is than the less expensive alternatives.
So what&#;s the difference between smart and stupid autopilots?
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Well, the first thing we need to understand is that the autopilot itself only stores, and varies its steering on, four fundamental parameters, plus a few secondary ones.
We will get into what those parameters are and how they work in the next article on autopilot tuning, but, for the purposes of this chapter the key differentiators are:
The parameters are all varied in concert, continuously and automatically, depending on wind direction and speed, boat speed, and wave state, generally (always?) by a separate computer commanding the autopilot drive controller.
These variables, with one or two exceptions, are only set once, when the pilot goes through automatic sea trials under power, and then are not automatically changed ever again, and that sucks for good steering.
But how can we check which type we have or which type a model we are thinking of buying is?
Let&#;s dig into that:
Schooners are a timeless symbol of maritime elegance and adventure. These iconic vessels, characterized by their multiple masts and traditional rigging, offer a unique and exhilarating sailing experience. Whether you&#;re a seasoned sailor or a newcomer to the world of yachting, understanding the allure of schooners can enhance your appreciation for these magnificent ships. Our comprehensive Schooner Guide covers everything from their rich history and distinctive design to practical tips for chartering or owning one. Dive into the fascinating world of schooners and embark on your next adventure with confidence. Read more to explore the beauty and charm of schooners today!
Image Credit: COLUMBIA 141&#; 2&#; EASTERN SHIPBUILDING GROUP Schooner
A schooner is a sailing vessel with two or more masts, typically with a foremast smaller than the mainmast with gaff-rigged lower masts. The most common of these is a two masted schooner, while as others grow in number of masts, adopt the name relative to their masts (i.e. three masted schooner). The largest schooner ever built was the Thomas Lawson, featuring an impressive seven masts!
It can be classified as either a ship or a boat depending on the size of the yacht. Most will classify a ship as anything over 100 feet, and a boat, anything under 99 feet. The newly launched in , 416-foot KORU by Oceanco is currently the largest three masted schooner sailing yacht on the water, while the smallest one can be as small as 18 feet and is classified as a day sailer only.
As shipyards continue to push the limits of what is possible in boat building, the size of a this type of boat truly knows no limits. The world&#;s largest sail-assisted motor yacht, A, was completed by Nobiskrug in and is 469 feet. While not purely a sailing yacht, this design marvel features three carbon fiber masts, technically meeting the threshold for a schooner. While KORU and A may be the largest schooners on the water today, this isn&#;t to say they won&#;t lose these world-record titles one day to another new build.
How fast it can go will depend on the draft and efficiency of the yacht. For example, BLACK PEARL is 350-feet and can reach a top speed of 30 knots, while her cruising speed is closer to 12 knots. While most traditional sailing yachts may have a cruising speed closer to 8 knots, schooners are helped here by the multiple sails to gain a quicker pace while under sail.
The price of a schooner will have a range as big as your budget! From the smaller end, you could consider a schooner day sailer that you can take across the bay for a little sail, or a large superyacht schooner with multiple decks over hundreds of feet!
If you&#;re looking to be able to sleep on your boat, you will likely be looking at something 40-50 feet or above with a price tag of around $80,000 on average. This can grow rapidly when considering some of the yachts mentioned above (for example, KORU has a rumored price tag of $500 million!).
Things that will affect the sale price of your boat:
There isn&#;t necessarily a difference between a schooner and a sailboat per se. A schooner is actually a type of sailboat. A sailboat is any vessel that is propelled mainly by sail power. While you can get motor sailers, a true sailboat is one that can navigate completely on wind power. A schooner is a type of sailboat or sailing yacht in that it is mainly powered by their sails. The only difference is, a schooner sailboat for sale will have a minimum of two masts, with the after masts being taller than the foremasts (as opposed to a traditional sailboat which may just have the one mast).
Yes, a schooner can cross the Atlantic Ocean. In fact, you may even get more range out of using a schooner to cross the Atlantic Ocean than some motor yachts since you have the added advantage of using your sails, and not relying completely on fuel supply. Before you plan a trans-Atlantic crossing, you&#;ll want to consider a few things:
For a complete guide to ocean going yachts, please refer to our article here.
You can sail it alone if you are adequately skilled and prepared. The exact size that one may be able to navigate solo will depend on your experience and level of confidence. It&#;s important to bear in mind that with two or more masts, you will be working harder than a standard sailboat with main and jib sails, so you&#;ll want to think about this decision carefully.
There are a few benefits to sailing a schooner:
While a very popular style of boat in the 19th and 20th centuries, some may say the schooner has fallen further in popularity thanks to an abundance of options when it comes to purchasing a new yacht today. However, thanks to advancements in naval architecture and design, schooners are enjoying a bit of a renaissance thanks to modern schooners like S/Y A, KORU and BLACK PEARL.
They are a classic and stylish type of a sailboat for sale or sailing yacht still making waves on the water today. While they may come in several different sizes, as long as they have at least two masts, with the foremast being shorter than the after masts, they are classified as a schooner.
For a list of sailing yachts currently for sale on YATCO.com, please click here.
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