Charles Darwin's Darwin Awards 
HOME
Darwin Awards
At-Risk Survivors
Slush Pile
2007 December Slush
(?) Good Samaritans
(?) Just Two For The Air
DA: The Alchemist
(NO)Tigers maul zoo visitor to death
(?)slagged
(HM)Man Nearly Dies Downing Vodka at Ai
(?)Escape to Death
(DA)Why Didn't the Truck Blow Up?
(?)19 year old killed By his own pipe
(?)snowmobile rider killed on I-84
(?)Can't they do anything right?
(Hmm)Teen Taunts Tiger, Gets Killed
(DA)Burglar cable ascent and descent
Sleepy Boater on Auto Pilot
Driving Switch-a-Roo
Officers investigating bizarre free
It's About the Pin, Stupid
gaurd rail 1 biker 0
Crashing Rage-aholic
The idiot and the firework.
Hunting from a Kayak
Pizza Pal Perishes Pitifully
Desperate lover
Cyclist who crashed with rattlesnak
Crime didn't pay
Dried out thief
smokin berries
Live on TV, it's 'railroad chicken'
Dad has gone, fishing....
Barely survived as teenager!
Fuel drum explodes in teen's face
Firecracker!
Drunken Leaper
Homemade bomb blast kills teen
Click or Screw?
A Hand of Light
Balls of Fire
Run over by own car
Death at a Football Game
Road Rage Causes Deadly Accident
Man injured in fall from Gatlinburg
Moronic Ski Day
Bigfoot Hoax Backfires
Stump Remover
Man Shots Self in Leg
Wally Trolley Dash
death by booze and lapdance
snake souvinere survivor
potato gun
stonner electricion electricuted
house got burned because of spider
Older Slush 
 
~ Random Story ~
Email Alert!
NEW! Gift Shop
Rules  Search
Contact Darwin
Submit a Story
Philosophy Forum
Home

  

Darwin Awards
2008 Slush Pile

This item was recently submitted by a reader.
Should I include it in the archive?
Vote to tell me what *you* think!

Sleepy Boater on Auto Pilot

2007 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

My neighbor's pride and joy is (was) a 35' Grady White fishing boat. A beautiful vessle with all the amenities, including an ice maker good for preparing cocktails while on the high seas.

On November 15, Doug was returning to Dana Point Harbor in California from Catalina Island, about 30 miles away. At some point on his return he felt a little sleepy, no doubt helped along by several Vodka cocktails. So of course he decided to take a little nap. He could have dropped anchor or just cut the motor and drifted while he slumbered. But that would delay his arrival home and cause some problems with the Missus.

So before he went "nighty-night", Doug had the presence of mind to set the autopilot. And it worked splendidly as it plowed ahead straight for Dana Point Harbor and home. Only problem is there is large jetty that protects the harbor which Doug remembered as his $225,000 boat slammed into it, and his face into the windshield, at full speed.

The Harbor Patrol tried to pull the boat off the rocks but couldn't budge it. So Doug was obliged to contract a marine salvage company the following day at a significant cost. They were able to eventually pull the boat off the jetty but due to the several large holes in it's hull, it immediately sank.

Submitted on 12/19/2007

Submitted by: Anonymous
Reference: http://www.ocregister.com/news/wilson-boat-dana-1925831-vessel-assist

Copyright © 2008 DarwinAwards.com

Great? 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Awful?
Love it! Hate it!
>> Moderator Scores <<

Bruce said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
This guy is lucky he ran his boat into a jetty and not another boat or he'd likely be facing manslaughter charges. Setting an autopilot in a boat then falling asleep is the height of stupidity. It's basically a slow-speed version of setting your cars cruise control and then taking a nap. Thanks for sending this in.


Shadow said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
we should insert "I've got that sinking feeling" in here somewhere anyway I agree definite stupidity and very lucky he lost the boat and not his life or killed someone else!


The Darwin Awards Gift Shop

The Darwin Awards Condom

Keep yourself out of the gene pool!
A condom in a matchbook, useful for emergency contraception, bachelor parties, frat parties, and important rites of passage. LOADED inside and out with funny quotes and stories. Everyone loves this item!
Friends don't let friends reproduce!
$13 for Pack of 4

 

 

Slush Pile
Slush Pile Rejects

HomeRulesFAQsAwardsSlushSite Map
DarwinAward | HonorableMention | PersonalAccount | UrbanLegend