Jonathan W. wrote:
We had occasion two weekends ago to reconsider the matter of removing
large amounts of water from a boat in a hurry. This event caused by
crossing inside of the green day mark #3 marking the Middle Ground ledge
in Woods Hole, MA.

While the events leading up to this are still being debated among those
onboard, part of the problem appeared to be a fixation on the part of
the skipper/helmsman with electronic charting over the real world. If
the course had been adjusted when the alarm had first been raised,(by
humans) or the second or third time, there would have been no incident
to reflect on.

...

Thanks for the description. I go through there several times a year
and each time I have to remind my crew that things will come at us
very fast. First of all, its hard to appreciate what a 6 knot current
can do. And the chart normally used is a much larger scale than most
people are used to; the marks at the corner are only about 75 yards
apart. Normally, you can figure it out as you go, but this is a spot
best handled at slack the first time through.

The first time I let my wife take the helm she made the turn OK, but
then looked over her shoulder, marveling at the buoy being pulled
over. In that second we were swept across the channel almost into Nun 2.

I've learned to give everyone a *very* wide berth there.