SaltyDog Mon-Tue Stinker

[SaltyDog]

Got to post the good and the bad...Every 2-3 years you get the offshore trips that just suck from all angles. Glad this one is out of the way. Left FH at 4pm for an overnighter to Veatch. 30 miles south of Muskeeget the raymarine gps has the boat icon pointing north as we are tracking south? wtf! The 5 month old brand new raymarine autopilot starts turning the boat all over and an electronics fubar now exists. After messing with it for an hour I had to shut the autopilot down, but the gps still had the boat pointed NW the entire trip? I had no idea that the autopilot becomes "king" when integrated with your gps system. If it goes the gps faulters with it...

Changed plans to hit Atlantis to save 22 miles on our trip with the elctronics issue. Ended up being the only boat there at the tip? Lost a tuna... and no other bites all night.

Daybreak 530am left us with an immediate flat line ballyhoo huge hit and bent hook, what kind of fish bends a hook? lost a good one...really getting depressed now...

Worked the east edge of atlantis to the base and lost 8-10 mahi at the flyers...wtf!!

Turned east and after 2 hrs of lifeless 400ft 78 degree water pulled lines and went NE to the edge above Veatch. Followed it NW for 3.5 long hours and not a single bite... Tried the cold and warm sides, nada... The water was perfect on paper, not sure why it had no fish?

Lots of teamwork out there with Southport and Endorfin but it was a tough day all around

The ride home without autopilot or gps working, using the compass to navigate was miserable, zig zagging all over, what a waste of time. After speaking with raymarine tech support I learned if your autopilot ever goes bad, find a way to unplug it from the gps so at least your gps works...

Glad this one is over and have some time to get the electronics fixed.

Huge Props to the boats that brought in some fish, tough trip to swallow after some great fishing in the canyons this year. Really looking forward to getting out again.

[cappyD]

Hey Mark.

Hang in there cap...happens to all of us now and then. I heard your last trip out was a good one. Getting any action on the Castafari gear at all? Just curious if youre running that spread at all and if so how it is working out.

--D

Got to post the good and the bad...Every 2-3 years you get the offshore trips that just suck from all angles. Glad this one is out of the way. Left FH at 4pm for an overnighter to Veatch. 30 miles south of Muskeeget the raymarine gps has the boat icon pointing north as we are tracking south? wtf! The 5 month old brand new raymarine autopilot starts turning the boat all over and an electronics fubar now exists. After messing with it for an hour I had to shut the autopilot down, but the gps still had the boat pointed NW the entire trip? I had no idea that the autopilot becomes "king" when integrated with your gps system. If it goes the gps faulters with it...

Changed plans to hit Atlantis to save 22 miles on our trip with the elctronics issue. Ended up being the only boat there at the tip? Lost a tuna... and no other bites all night.

Daybreak 530am left us with an immediate flat line ballyhoo huge hit and bent hook, what kind of fish bends a hook? lost a good one...really getting depressed now...

Worked the east edge of atlantis to the base and lost 8-10 mahi at the flyers...wtf!!

Turned east and after 2 hrs of lifeless 400ft 78 degree water pulled lines and went NE to the edge above Veatch. Followed it NW for 3.5 long hours and not a single bite... Tried the cold and warm sides, nada... The water was perfect on paper, not sure why it had no fish?

Lots of teamwork out there with Southport and Endorfin but it was a tough day all around

The ride home without autopilot or gps working, using the compass to navigate was miserable, zig zagging all over, what a waste of time. After speaking with raymarine tech support I learned if your autopilot ever goes bad, find a way to unplug it from the gps so at least your gps works...

Glad this one is over and have some time to get the electronics fixed.

Huge Props to the boats that brought in some fish, tough trip to swallow after some great fishing in the canyons this year. Really looking forward to getting out again.

[CaptKevin]

On my Carolina Classic I have a toggle switch for my auto pilot.
I came across a similar issue with my auto pilot and GPS, by shutting off toggle and killing total power to AP and restart GPS I was able to use GPS with no problems.
Having a toggle switch also gives you a way to shut down the Auto Pilot instantly in case of emergency.

[backman]

Been there on that kind of trip - its amazing the difference one versus zero makes.

On the AP - 2 observations First I will never have AP slaved for exactly the reasons you found; I have no problem being the man in the loop and turning the knob every 20 minutes and keeping systems independent.

Second - do you have a backup and independent GPS? If not you need to!

3rd/bonus. I've told this story before. 10 years ago I was in East Atlantis when an older, more experienced mariner shut off my GPS, wouldn't let me near the backup hand held and asked me "what's your heading and distance to Muskegat". I sorta knew but blew the deviation adjustments.

Ever since then I'm pretty damned accurate with a time and heading estimate and a chart.

[Reel Pursuit]

Sorry to hear that, Mark. Sounds like a real bummer of a trip.
Glad you guys made it home in 1 piece.

[Parapapam]

... The water was perfect on paper, not sure why it had no fish?

Don't feel bad. I was looking at that water and saying, "Damm I wish I had a bigger boat (and less going on at work) because that is going to go off!!!" Seems like I am making the wrong bets all year this year...

As for back up GPS's, I can tell you the story of how my $40 West Marine Bargain Bin handheld GPS got me back to Falmouth from Bar Harbor when my 951 went in the pooper...

I always travel with my little bag. Doesn't matter if it is my boat or some one elses....

Chin up and keep swinging.

Mike

[SaltyDog]

I have a small garmin 176c handheld gps on the boat as backup. I would have no idea other than north on the correct heading to muskeeget prior to this trip but I figured it out pretty quick this time.

Thanks for the tips this winter Damon, adding a little magical castafari money... to the spread works great. Combined with some Beamish tackle I got a nice presentation for anything I stumble across. Hope to see you out there in september

[cappyD]

Did any blue girls come up on the L Lady yet?

I have a small garmin 176c handheld gps on the boat as backup. I would have no idea other than north on the correct heading to muskeeget prior to this trip but I figured it out pretty quick this time.

Thanks for the tips this winter Damon, adding a little magical castafari money... to the spread works great. Combined with some Beamish tackle I got a nice presentation for anything I stumble across. Hope to see you out there in september

[Tunacious-45]

you gotta love Roland's L lady... Its right up there with St. T Prowler!!!

[SaltyDog]

The 3 blue marlin we have had on this year hit either the munson mahi's or the flat line ballyhoo with a witch. The Lydonia Lady hooked us our first wahoo...Been switching between the Lydonia Lady and the Hydro Hottie depending on the look i'm going for.