Standing Watch in High Crime Anchorage

[Verschuijten]

I hope you all avoid SVG, then we have more space.
Personally, everyone told me not to go to St Vincent. We'd loved it. Went out for a day to explore the island and was sleeping happily. Just took my dinghy out of the water as useal. Common routine. Don't get paranoia and enjoy. Already 3 years sailing now. Cabo Verde, Gambia, Surinam without any problems. Make friends, not enemies, that helps a lot.

[MtnMaiTai]

We use Lucie lights, they travel easy, they recharge every day and new ones last all night. Just like locking everything up, if a thief has a choice they will take an easy target.

[Mush]

Originally Posted by Verschuijten

I hope you all avoid SVG, then we have more space.
Personally, everyone told me not to go to St Vincent. We'd loved it. Went out for a day to explore the island and was sleeping happily. Just took my dinghy out of the water as useal. Common routine. Don't get paranoia and enjoy. Already 3 years sailing now. Cabo Verde, Gambia, Surinam without any problems. Make friends, not enemies, that helps a lot.

I have been cruising 1982 ... you remember how it is but some of us remember how it was.

Being perpared for the worst and always aleart is not being paranoid ... It is required by law and is prudent.

I have and many beautiful adventures out here ... but I have also had some Dark and Stromy Nights ....

Stay safe and aleart out here Sailors ... it's an ever changing world...
Cheers and Rum to ya

[Hardhead]

Originally Posted by sailingchiro

I saw a good idea one time, a guy ran his fishing line around the boat with the fishing pole in his berth and the drag was set to low. Any movement in the line was announced with the reel clicking away. He also attached the end of the line to the dinghy/engine. Might try it sometime. He got up the next day and reeled in the line.

That's a brilliant guy. Good thing to know if ever needed.

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by Mush

Being worried about your safety in not being paranoid ... it is being prudent.

As far as your mass shootings go .... they are sad ... but not really a cruisers issue.

Maritime law requires a posted watch 24/7 .... post your watches under the spreader lights ... you and the vessles around you will thank you.

You tell-em Mush!

I was beginning to think I was the lone ranger around here.

[rapanui 2]

it is safer in the grenadibes than anywhere in the usa no shoting down the islands!!!

[Checkswrecks]

Hondo is an Anatolian Shepherd and looking for a home. NOBODY is going to board a boat with an Anatolian aboard.

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by ArmyDaveNY

I rather suspect that you are correct if you are talking about the world war II flame thrower. But what if they didn't know it was a flamethrower?

There are easy hacks one can do to create a field expedient flame thrower. Perhaps the most well known are the can of carb cleaner or WD-40 and a lighter. N.B. Be sure to use the little red "straw" to achieve maximum range! One can also re-purpose a fire extinguisher to create much greater ranges and volume. The irony of this is self evident! I have also seen SCUBA gear used but those conversions are fairly expensive.

Of course, there is that pesky thing called the local law that one sometimes has to deal with afterwards!

Quite impressive in the end!

Would definitely need some REAL fire extinguishers after.....

[Kokanee]

I prefer to just secure any easy to grab valuables and then get a good nights sleep.
"ready to pounce"? Relax! It's not your reality; its your perception.

btw - I'm writing this from Iraq, just near the Turkey/Syria border, and I'll sleep like a baby tonight.

[Dave9111]

So flamethrowers and bear spray has been mentioned.



And we are not doing guns... this time.


Dogs... ok... I was thinking Cougar or Lion.... But sailing with them might be tough.



If we are doing Voodoo... I have several black cats.. Don't know about stealing my soul, but they do eat a fair amount of cat food and mice seem to be rare.



What about a Potato Cannon on the fore deck ??



https://journaltimes.com/news/local/...322f00fff.html


If it will go through a 55 gallon drum..... So that would hurt!

[sailingchiro]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

You know, I looked that up. Apparently bear repellent is a much weaker mix than what is meant to spray people with.
https://www.selfdefenseninja.com/bea...ts-difference/

Yes, but the bear repellent shoots 30'. Just don't shoot it up wind.

[captainwoody]

It's probably been covered but motion sensor lights are more effective than always on. When a light comes on as someone tries to board, bad guys think someone turned them on and the majority will bolt. And they are a headsup to those onboard. Bright lights can attract bad actors from further away. They can do an inventory of your gear through binoculars. Constant on lights are also out for a cruising boat that wants to run their genset less.
We have them for our mountain cabin; solar, motion triggered, bright leds available online cheap. One looking down to each swim step, one port and starboard attached to mast maybe.

I've sailed through SVG a few times. That area does need a tourism board to get the locals to be nicer to income providing tourists. Only big population areas are you likely to be robbed while cruising. Villages are more likely to handle their bad people before they become a problem for you. If you need to park downtown, stay in a marina or on a mooring. They usually have security.

Nope, I would never do an anchor watch for bad guys unless threatened and I couldn't go park somewhere better. If I had to stay I'd bring valuables below and lock the hatch and sleep like a baby.

Do the research, a couple of cruisers get murdered globally each year. We get a murder a day in LA. Should you staff someone on your porch each night?

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by sailingchiro

Yes, but the bear repellent shoots 30'. Just don't shoot it up wind.

As our man Jim sang a few years ago:
You don't tug on superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off that old lone ranger
And you don't mess around with Jim

[TheOffice]

Anchored in Wallibou in March. Bought some trinkets from the locals and never felt unsafe. Headed north back to Martinique we found an anchorage in the Chris Parker guide mid-island on St Lucia below a cliff-side 5 star resort.

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by Dave9111

I was thinking Cougar ... But sailing with them might be tough.

What about a Potato Cannon on the fore deck ??

https://journaltimes.com/news/local/...322f00fff.html

If it will go through a 55 gallon drum..... So that would hurt!

A cougar could be fun but definitely tough if she catches you looking at a younger woman.

Potato gun. Hmmm. Clean up on the dink!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP8oCvacvAg