self defense - are you trained

[muttnik]

I'd recommend training in Origami. We all know that paper cuts are the worst.
Another argument against going to all-electronic navigation: You're leaving yourself defenceless

[Synesthesia]

I've taken some martial arts, bjj for a little bit and krav maga for 2 years. I actually want to take up judo next year when I will hopefully have a little extra cash.

Krav maga (at least as taught by my instructors) was also excellent exercise. No forms, no standing around. Tons of punching, kicking, and ground drills. They would also do things like turn off the lights and turn the music up and have your partner jump you from different angles and in different ways, to see if what you've learned will kick in when you don't see it coming.

I think for something like streetfights or dealing with criminals, good situational awareness and some kind of groundwork discipline is your best best. Also, humility. If joe scumbag has friends with him, there's no shame in handing over your wallet. Live to fight another day.

As a young woman who will hopefully someday be sailing around on a boat, I do realize that some of the more predatory among us may think that I'm an easy mark. You can't control everything, but I do plan to get a dog. I'd get one now, but I can't where I live. I had a german shepherd as a kid and I loved her so much. Getting a shepherd or similar breed will be something I've wanted to do for years, the crime deterrent will be a bonus. A lot of criminals are far more scared of dogs than guns, for good reason.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Bruce626

The 'Judge' was not rated very well by Gun Test magazine in independent testing (gunreports[dot]com) - and in most of the world, foreigners are not allowed to carry firearms.

I have noticed on many of these discussions that one possible option to a boat boarding at anchor/mooring is to simply run away from the miscreants by jumping over the side when menaced.

It would seem like this idea has some merit as most boat people are typically good swimmers, and where I am in the tropics, the water is warm enough to not complicate the issue with hypothermia. Something I have noticed about my catamaran and it likely applies to most boats is that it is really difficult to see an object that is next to the hull because of the curvature, so if the miscreant wants to maintain a visual on you they will have to lean out over the side. It seems like this would provide an opportunity to bring them into the water with you if you felt that this would improve your tactical situation - especially if you used a handy gaff to reach up and accomplish this (most of us likely have a sturdy and sharp gaff on the boat which could be reached from the water). Such an action may well take the miscreant by surprise causing them to drop any weapon - in any event, the sudden fall from the deck into the water is likely to cause momentary disorientation - especially if this is happening at night. One might note that since you are likely out of reach in the water from someone on the deck with a machete, this does pose the risk of bringing the miscreant closer.

Being in the water also provides other options - especially on a catamaran where a shallow dive puts you under the bridge deck where you mostly can't be seen at all. Another option is to move to the small wooden boat in which the miscreant(s) likely arrived - assuming that they wanted to make a silent approach and plan to depart with some of your stuff they need to carry. In my area these are small narrow double ended plywood boats with outriggers and only a couple inches of freeboard - relatively easy to swamp by depressing one end. Swamping their getaway boat means that they will likely have to abandon their boat and swim away - with a lot less of your stuff. If they abandon the boat, there are two further possibilities - first, it was stolen and the owner will appreciate its return; or, it was their boat and you now have a link to the miscreant as everyone will know who's boat it is.

If you had triggered lights and alarms before jumping in the water, it is likely that they will be looking around for a way to flee your boat; and when they do, you can return on board and notify the authorities - if any can be reached. Has anyone else considered such a contingency plan?

Really?
Really?

[Pilgrimtex]

Non-gun thread? Are we not talking about self defense? You defend yourself using all means available and a gun is a tool. What most have trouble with is the ability to fight the nastiest dirtiest way possible. As much as you want to physically prepare you have to be mentally prepared to stay cool. Fear will shut you down from any defense as will playing fair.
As for the judge: I own more guns than most including 1000 meter sniper rifles. Glocks, Kimbers, Walthers etc. A wheel gun is a tool that even the most untrained can use. Stainless steel and Titanium are recommended for saltwater environments. The judge loaded with 3 rounds of 410 specialty defense ammo followed by 2 rounds of 45 Long Colt dumdums in a close environment is something I would not want to face. Then again you have those nice holes in your boat or below the waterline from more high powered ammo that are a pain to repair.

[johnmcntsh]

And here we go down the gun thread road again. Lets see what non cruising poster has the most guns

[Pilgrimtex]

I said it was a tool. Your call weather you have one or not. As for non-cruiser posters, on this thread I believe it's more what good advice can you give. You have my advice the most important being to be mentally prepared to defend yourself or don't place yourself in a situation where others are out to harm. There are those, the majority that just want what you have. Fine give it to them. Then there are the others that don't believe you or are on it for the thrill as well.
To my friend on the previous post. You are the kind that cheapen the forum. As for me just waiting for the house to sell so I can get back on the water farther than my Sun Cat Is good for.

[senormechanico]

224 pages of good read.

http://www.targetfocustraining.com/i...okComplete.pdf

[Pilgrimtex]

Only read the first 3 chapters so far. So far excellent.

“Any man who is a man may not, in honor, submit to threats
of violence. But many men who are not cowards are simply
unprepared for acts of human savagery. They have not
thought about it (incredible as this may appear to anyone
who reads the papers or listens to the news) and they just
don’t know what to do. When they look right into the face of
depravity and violence they are astonished and confounded.”

—Jeff Cooper
Go to the link that senormechanico posted. You will better understand my comments.

[johnmcntsh]

Originally Posted by Pilgrimtex

I said it was a tool. Your call weather you have one or not. As for non-cruiser posters, on this thread I believe it's more what good advice can you give. You have my advice the most important being to be mentally prepared to defend yourself or don't place yourself in a situation where others are out to harm. There are those, the majority that just want what you have. Fine give it to them. Then there are the others that don't believe you or are on it for the thrill as well.
To my friend on the previous post. You are the kind that cheapen the forum. As for me just waiting for the house to sell so I can get back on the water farther than my Sun Cat Is good for.

My point is the gun thing has been discussed on this board ad nauseam. The number and size of a persons arsenal as well as their particular proficiency of said weapons has been discussed and discussed to death. The 224 page article above is a classic example.

[Pilgrimtex]

Originally Posted by johnmcntsh

My point is the gun thing has been discussed on this board ad nauseam. The number and size of a persons arsenal as well as their particular proficiency of said weapons has been discussed and discussed to death. The 224 page article above is a classic example.

just making a point as to why I choose what I choose. Don't get your little girl panties all in an uproar. Better carry a bucket with you at all times. LOL

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Pilgrimtex

just making a point as to why I choose what I choose. Don't get your little girl panties all in an uproar. Better carry a bucket with you at all times. LOL

Why belittle people that don't think like you. You stated your views leave it at that. There's no " hero" in being dead

Dave

[SV THIRD DAY]

Where are you guys worried about saftey planning on Cruising....the Detroit River? Chicago? Long Beach, CA?

It makes news in the cruising community when a cruiser is killed, attached, or such because it IS NEWS...it is not normal.

On second thought...maybe we need the NSA or TSA or even the DHS to help make us safe? Sorry for the attitude folks...but this whole cruiser crime thing just reminds me too much of all the paniced and worried emails I would get while in the Sea of Cortez with the family eery time a head was chopped off at the Mexico/Texas border. My response would be to google my home town for the latest murder crime and send the link back saying...get out of there Dad, Mom, brother, friends...it isn't safe.

[Bruce626]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Ah, once again we decend it to yet another gun thread (YAGT)...on a non gun related topic.

Which of you guys have ever actually used a firearm for self defense aboard a cruising boat?

I was not interested in a 'gun' thread and only mentioned: 1) that a firearm recommend by another poster did not get very good reviews in independent testing; and 2) that in 'most' of the world one will not likely have legal access to a gun - especially the one mentioned. The bulk of my response dealt with a non-gun response - skip the first, short, paragraph and read the rest if the brief mention of a firearm pushes your button.

To answer your specific question, my catamaran was built here in the Philippines and it will likely never be in US waters. Although I am a permanent resident here, like all other non-citizens, I am not allowed to own or possess a firearm legally. This being the case here, as well as in many other places, I have no interest in discussing the use of weapons that I cannot legally own or likely use. Hence, my interest on situational awareness and preparation for one of many worst case scenarios. So, no, I have never used a firearm while on a boat (and only once used one on land to encourage a violent drunk to depart the vicinity of my home).

Even in the USA where I had access to firearms, there was an occasion where I heard a suspicious sound in another part of the house and when going to investigate I chose to take my Cold Steel 'bad ax' - a short wide blade double bit ax balanced for throwing - instead of a loaded .38 Special that was next to it. In the dark and with my training I felt more comfortable in using the ax in close quarters rather than a firearm - and boats are much smaller than houses, with the added disadvantage that if you shoot a hole in the wrong part of your boat the situation can easily become worse rather than better. Note that Vikings in the days of yore often preferred a single hand ax as a preferred weapon - and they knew a lot about fighting in and around sailboats (monohulls in this case). Still, I would like to know more about using a bright light as a defensive tool as they seem both legal and effective.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Bruce626

I was not interested in a 'gun' thread and only mentioned: 1) that a firearm recommend by another poster did not get very good reviews in independent testing; and 2) that in 'most' of the world one will not likely have legal access to a gun - especially the one mentioned. The bulk of my response dealt with a non-gun response - skip the first, short, paragraph and read the rest if the brief mention of a firearm pushes your button.

.

Most citizens in developed countries have legal access to a range of firearms. Don t see your point

Dave

[Bruce626]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Most citizens in developed countries have legal access to a range of firearms. Don t see your point

Dave

None are so blind as those who won't see. First, the whole point of most cruising is to not be in the country where you are a citizen - so therefore, one does not have 'legal access to a range of firearms' that one might have in their home country. Further, many cruisers are not in 'developed' countries and therefore do not have 'legal access to a range of firearms'. Do you actually have any useful advice for ways to improve security for those who are non-citizens outside of the developed world? Is there some reason why you constantly try to annoy the moderators into shutting down any self defense thread by constantly whining about guns? Not that I expect you to stop - you never do.