Yacht slams into Sand Key reef

[trtldvr]

This was a cut and paste job from the Key West Citizen's web page. Sorry I dont have access to the rest of the story.
Yacht was on autopilot when it slammed into reef
FWC: Captain of 61-foot sportfisherman below making coffee
The captain of the 61-foot vessel Laid Back, which slammed into the reef at Sand Key Sunday morning, was cited for damaging natural resources after the boat slammed into the coral reef while traveling 27 mph.
​

A Fort Myers boat captain was cited for damaging sanctuary resources after a 61-foot sportfishing boat that was under his command slammed into Sand KeyReef at roughly 27 mph on Sunday morning.Capt. David Caputo put the LaidBack on autopilot shortly after leaving Key West Harbor, said FloridaFish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer Marty Messier.He apparently planned to reach deep water by passing between Sand Key and nearby Rock Key, then set a course for the Dry Tortugas. But around 7 a.m., the vessel slammed into the reef about 100 feet from the Sand Key Lighthouse,​

SAND KEY​

BY TIMOTHY O’HARA​

Citizen Staff​

See GROUNDING, Page 5A​

This site is VERY popular with dive and snorkle boats. If this would have happened later in the day it could have been very tragic.

Trtldvr

 

[DennisS]

Boats as small as 25 foot center consoles are now running on autopilot. The autopilot can't see dive flags. A lot of boaters here on FL east coast use the color difference between the reef and sand as their road. It's not a good combination

 

[Scott L]

The article should read, former captain.

 

[nimoh]

I hope there are some hefty fines that go back into reef conservation projects

 

[Tom Winters]

Laidback is a good name for that boat - I couldn't imagine taking a stroll belowdecks doing 22 knots on autopilot. Maybe throttled back to 5 knots to maintain headway for a refill or head call in open ocean, but 22 knots is just way too fast. I hope the coffee turned out ok.

 

[boulderjohn]

I hope the coffee turned out ok.

I don't.

 

[nimoh]

I don't.

we will probably never know...as it was spilled all over the place ....to soon?

 

[Chris Brown Tech]

I hope there are some hefty fines that go back into reef conservation projects

I know someone who ran aground in the keys and got cited. Fine was over $100k

 

[Wolfie]

we will probably never know...as it was spilled all over the place ....to soon?

Nope, not soon enough.