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Old 14-12-2006, 13:01   #61
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And a Thai prison cell ain't no luxury accomodation like the western world prison cells are.
Aye .........but their Secure Psychiatric Hospitals are ok enough
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Old 15-12-2006, 05:46   #62
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Aye .........but their Secure Psychiatric Hospitals are ok enough
Should I even ask ????
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Old 15-12-2006, 17:33   #63
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Drinking in the cockpit with a friend mine one time, we had this idea (we had a lot to drink):

Install sprayers on the spreaders, and a little pump that would basically coat the boat in gasoline. When the bad guys are there, stand there with a flare gun aimed at the deck. Ask them to leave.

It's not exactly the brightest idea in the world, but it's still kinda funny to imagine.
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Old 15-12-2006, 18:20   #64
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Just make sure your transporter is working before you hit the self destruct Sorry guys, I just couldn't pass that one up
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Old 26-03-2009, 06:42   #65
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How about blasting them in the face with a dry chem fire extinguisher provided they don't have guns.
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Old 04-04-2009, 08:45   #66
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pirate distance = safety

I know this might seem a bit extreme but here is one point of view to think about. Pirates are generally wielding machine guns, RPG's and the like. They dont really have a value for human life. They want money, valuables and if you have women...there is no telling. so I say this. If you know you are going to be traveling through pirated waters, buy something on the black market. I dont condone this but this would be your safest bet. If they are wielding machine guns, get a machine gun. Generally if they are close enough to board the vessel, you might already be dead. The further out you engage, if they seem like hostiles, the better chance you have of surviving. Best bet for a weapon - 240G machine gun....wont find that overseas more than likely but a PKM will do just fine. Be sure to catch your catridges in a bag, they might melt the fiberglass. One thing you have to make sure of is....are they pirates or just local military? In that part of the world..it may be really hard to tell BUT...if all else fails, you think your life is in danger, the sea is always good at covering the evidence...........just dont try to port there after that.

DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT CLAIMING THAT ANY OF THE ABOVE IS A GOOD THING AND YOU SHOULD NEVER GO ABOVE THE LAW. EQUIP YOURSELF AS SUCH AT YOUR OWN RISK.....AND LIFE.
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Old 04-04-2009, 10:12   #67
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I am not against weapons, indeed I have been around them for most of my life, but the last post is one of the silliest I have seen for a long time.

1. Not all pirates will seek to kill you - the only deaths in the Red Sea have been health related rather than weapons related. Thus know your enemy is vital. Some of them are just looking for smokes and something to eat.

2. Black market guns is a really good way to see life from a very different position - inside a third world jail.

3. Those pirates who are really out to kill you, will out gun you anyway, and will definitely be more skilled at shooting from a boat.

4. A number of deaths from pirates have been caused by unskilled westerners waving a popgun at people carrying decent weapons, and thus leaving them no option but to kill.


This is probably a pointless post as the positions to have or have not is even more entrenched than anchoring threads, so I for one would ban them from the forum!
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Old 04-04-2009, 10:20   #68
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Talbot....I too agree that this isnt the best option, as I posted at the bottom...the little part about the law and risks and life/death. BUT if someone (original poster) is talking about a shotgun, I myself...if I was a glorified rebel with no cause and no care for my own life, would rather carry a ranged area weapon...def not a pop gun. As for banning from forums, a forum is a place where one can share thoughts and Ideas and although some things like - carrying guns aboard a vessel in another countries waters - might seem pointless and shouldnt even be discussed, everyone has a right to post what comes to mind.
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Old 04-04-2009, 10:44   #69
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As much as I would love to be able to engage and defeat a boatload of pirates trying to board my boat, the reality is that there is generally only one other person besides myself on the boat. That means we are very limited in our ability to watch for danger, and cover the perimeter if attacked. Usually pirates will operate with two or more boats and they are becoming increasingly better armed.

If I were traveling with a crew of 6, all armed with automatic weapons, grenades and maybe a few M69 grenade launchers, I'd be willing to take on most of the pirates I'd be likely to encounter. But the reality is that a 46 ft sailboat with two people just can't carry enough firepower to provide an effective defense against well armed pirates operating with two or more high speed boats. Sad, but true. So I plan to avoid any area where pirates are active and concentrate on improvised weapons that will provide some protection against those pirates who are really just opportunistic burglars armed with machetes and maybe one firearm operating in one or two slow speed boats.

Not ideal, but the best plan for me.
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Old 04-04-2009, 10:49   #70
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It's not talking about weapons on boats that gets these threads closed. It's what talking about weapons on boats leads to--political rants, personal attacks, advocating illegal actions, and general nonsense on both sides of the argument.

This thread was revived after about 2-1/2 years of dormancy. It can continue to gasp a few breaths, perhaps, but it will be shut down if it goes bad.
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Old 04-04-2009, 11:11   #71
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Didn't realize this thread had been closed down for a while. I was off cruising a good part of '07 and most of '08.

After deciding I didn't want to face the potential problems and hassle of dealing with various regulations in French Polynesia, the Cook Islands, Niue and NZ I took my Mini 14 and 12 gauge back home before heading out. I didn't expect any piracy problems where I was going, and I didn't have any. The only area that concerned me at all was Papeete because of its history of quayside thievery. But we spend a month at a carenage getting the engine fixed and were in a secure area. In addition, Papeete now has locked access to the main quay and have 24/7 guards. You also now have to pay.

I'm happy to say we had no problems at all during the cruise. But I didn't expect any based on where we were going. Had my destinations been different, I may have prepared differently.

I think the bottom line on piracy protection is that small cruisers can do little or nothing to protect themselves from the pirates operating off Somalia or in the South China Sea -- they've become increasingly sophisticated in their techniques and emboldened by the lack of response from governments and the shipping lines whose ships they steal or hijack.

What we can do is try to raise public awareness of the piracy problem and put pressure on our respective governments to take strong action against pirates. That means capture and destruction on the high seas, going after their shore bases and financial supporters and providing adequate armed patrols and escorts in high risk areas. The cost of manning a super tanker with half a dozen heavily armed security personnel is insignificant compared to the $3M ransom paid out. Owners claim they worry about their ship beings damaged but I think that's basically a cop out. On board security forces can repel boarders and delay attackers long enough for airmobile naval forces to arrive and engage the pirates.

The longer we cave in to pirate demands, the richer they get, the more emboldened they become and the more problems we will have.

Cheers,

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Old 04-04-2009, 11:21   #72
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Originally Posted by S/V Aphrodite View Post
The cost of manning a super tanker with half a dozen heavily armed security personnel is insignificant compared to the $3M ransom paid out. Owners claim they worry about their ship beings damaged but I think that's basically a cop out. On board security forces can repel boarders and delay attackers long enough for airmobile naval forces to arrive and engage the pirates.
Me being in the security contracting field, I wish more companies would start strolling into this area. The problem is a ship goes from one country into another with a security team loaded with guns and and other weapons = BAD. XE (xtreme environment) formerly known as Blackwater, has tapped into this and cut around the problem by employing their own escort ship. They escort the client thru pirated waters and then sail off once the ship is in safer waters. Erik Prince knows how to make $$

DAVE
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Old 04-04-2009, 11:34   #73
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More power to 'em! I guess as long as they stay in international waters they don't have issues with local authorities. Still, it seems the best plan would be an agreement among maritime nations authorizing the presence of security forces aboard merchant ships. Probably have to specify limitations on weapons to small arms, i.e., no mounted cannon, etc.

So I hope more companies start employing Blackwater or similar outfits for security at sea.
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Old 05-04-2009, 06:06   #74
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We nearly all carry Propane gas? Not beyond our wits to create something. As a defensive weapon, a flame-thrower can be off-putting.

Actually, the last few posts indicate that there might be a business opportunity for an enterprising chappie to provide an armed escort boat (a small FAC or similar) to convoy yachts under armed escort through the Red Sea, Mallaca Straits types of places. Kind of rally type organisation? What would we be prepared to pay?
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Old 05-04-2009, 06:35   #75
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The US and several other countries are patroling areas like the red sea and Somalia. It would seem that through diplomatic channels a group of cruisers could arrainge a transit of the area with at least some cooperation and partial escort. Better yet do not go there. The real issues when cruising are crimes of opportunity like simple theft, not bodily harm. Tough to shread someone with your RPG if you are not there.

A big rubber snake in the cockpit might be more usefull.

Want some better range? Get a real 50mm Sholder style flare gun. Pretty good for about 500 yards and looks like tracer fire. If you get lucky enough to hit the boarding party they cannot put out the fire which gets their attention off you for a bit.
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