Trawler Lifestyle | PassageMaker Magazine & Events

As the complexity of today's cruising environment grows, the autopilot plays an increasingly important role in the day-to-day operation of a vessel. Not too many years ago, the autopilot was a luxury that was seldom seen in the recreational boating community, except aboard a few of the more prestigious motoryachts. With mandatory traffic separation schemes, prohibited and restricted zones, and other invisible boundaries being added to the already lengthy list of marine hazards to be avoided, an extra hand at the helm is becoming more essential than ever before.

Peter Whiting was showing off. No question about it. From the lower helm of the Northwest 45, he set the single engine at idle, turned the wheel hard over, and watched gleefully as crowds on shore gaped at the yacht, spinning precisely in her own length. She circled like a merry-go-round.