Its just like a canal boat
Having read post #7 it now becomes clear. Sail-by-wire and the problems you can meet if you don't think ahead. Now I don't know how to drive a nuclear sub and this in no way is an attempt to vindicate said Cdr, however, I do know a little about software and canal boats!
I can imagine boat designer chappie telling the RN:
“Do not worry, this sail by wire is failsafe you cannot run aground, it will not let you. The computer uses your present position and looks up the relevant chart and if you are heading for land will prevent you from hitting it.” Marvellous thinks head Admiral no more expensive repairs and courts martial.
Picture said boat, drifting in waters close to land, Captain supremely confident of his sailing ability. Getting close to the shingle bank,
“No 1, make my heading North and revolutions for 2kts”, (Ok I watch too much TV)
“Aye Aye cap'n”
“Bosun – (or whoever inputs commands these days) make my heading 360 speed 2kts”
“She canna take it sir” - oops got carried away there, try again.
“Sir the helm is not responding”
“Dont be silly she must, it says so on the instruction manual”
“She wont turn sir”
And before you know it the wind pushes this slab of very expensive metal and acoustic tiles gently onto the shingle bank. Why?
Well just like ac and “It will not stall sir”, the sail-by-wire software will consider several conditions before it actions the commands. One of them might well be how close it is to the land and depth of water under the keel. A boat turns around the centre point, well a canal boat does and the wind pushes it a treat. If the software detects that to turn on a particular heading the stern would breach the safety rules with respect to depth under the keel it will not let you turn, and I suspect you turn before you increase speed. So the boat will not manoeuvre and drifts on to the shingle bank, the computer having no influence on the wind.
OK, conjecture on my part, but its the sort of thing that will happen until your old salty sea dog understands the ways of modern software control. Remember the Air France pilot who put his aircraft into landing mode, flies down the runway at 30ft, pushes the throttles forward to overshoot and nothing happens, it does of course, but not in the order he is expecting and not in time for the 40ft trees at the end of the runway to arrest his flight. You have to learn to fly and sail-by-wire, you cannot just jump in an operate as you did before.
And that your honour, is the case for the defence!! Despite what I said in the beginning.