Rainy cold calm low visibility - typical summer day in Puget Sound

I have the radar on and the ST6000 autopilot driving NW to the Point No Point waypoint as directed by the GPS

I am wearing polypro long underwear, heavy jeans, long sleeve shirt, wool sweater, lined rain bibs, rain jacket and wool cap - sitting under the dodger and watching the radar 'cause I can only see about 1/2 mile ahead.

Mirador suddenly makes a hard 90 degree turn to starboard and heads off toward the southbound shipping lane. William, my faithful crewman, jumps up and moves to behind the wheel and resets the ST6000 controls to track to Pt No Pt. The autopilot responds as it should and Mirador turns left toward the waypoint.

A while later I lean out from behind the dodger to make sure there is nothing I am missing on the port side toward shore - suddenly Mirador makes a very abrupt 90 degree turn to port. AGAIN, Williams jumps up and move to behind the wheel and resets the ST6000 controls to track to Pt No Pt. The autopilot responds as it should and Mirador turns left toward the waypoint.

This happens several more times over the next half hour.

Eventually I realize the remote control for the ST6000 has slipped out of it's holder and I am sitting on it. Depending on which way I lean - one cheek or the other presses on the port or starboard buttons on the remote and tells the autopilot to do a 100 degree autotack. I had on so many clothes I could not feel the remote under my bum - so I was guilty of BUM STEERING!

Not all cruising is serious!