Stealth Sailing

[anotherT34C]

Assuming you don't want to be either a hostage or a hollywood action hero, what might be some ideas to reduce your chances of being seen or detected while sailing in more dangerous areas?

We all know sail (lights-out) by night, motor by day. Would a set of grey-dyed sails help much? Is radar mostly beneficial or detrimental? Any brainstorm ideas?

[S&S]

Why would you want to go there in the first place?

[David M]

Originally Posted by S&S

Why would you want to go there in the first place?

I'm pretty sure he means places like the Gulf of Aden and the Straits of Malacca. Not many want to be there, they just want to get through there in order to get elsewhere. Avoiding those places means traveling enormous circuitous routes.

[S&S]

Originally Posted by David M

I'm pretty sure he means places like the Gulf of Aden and the Straits of Malacca. Not many want to be there, they just want to get through there in order to get elsewhere. Avoiding those places means traveling enormous circuitous routes.

I see your point. It's just that nowhere I'd want to go would require going through those places. I'd guess camouflage of some sort couldn't hurt.
In any event, if piracy was a worry, a longer path would be more attractive- it's a balancing of risks task.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by David M

and the Straits of Malacca.

Any evidence of anything happening to cruisers in here?

Anything at all?

[David M]

Originally Posted by cat man do

Any evidence of anything happening to cruisers in here?

Anything at all?

In the past, yes. For current info I would try a Google search. Here is some interesting history on piracy in that area.

Piracy in the Strait of Malacca - Wikipedia

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by David M

In the past, yes. For current info I would try a Google search. Here is some interesting history on piracy in that area.

Piracy in the Strait of Malacca - Wikipedia

I regularly do google searches of the area and check all or most asian news services as well as the piracy reporting sites and noonsite and there are no cases of piracy against cruisers that come up.

Posted by MarkJ
In the straits of malacca, none that I know of for the last 20 years.

Exactly, so it would seem the biggest threat for cruisers in the Malacca straights are fish traps, passing ships and plastic bags.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by cat man do

Any evidence of anything happening to cruisers in here?

Anything at all?

In the straits of malacca, none that I know of for the last 20 years.
One guy was murdered last year (or the year before) anchored in a bay south end of Thailand by 3 Burmese slave fishermen trying to escape their fishing boat. He belligerently tried to defend his boat and died for it. His wife said if he had been calm she was sure neither would have been hurt.

We use a security grill door at anchor. A great investment! We can lock up but the air comes through




We are going up the Gulf of Aden next year and want to PM anyone else who is going it in the next 6 months

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

We use a security grill door at anchor. A great investment! We can lock up but the air comes through

Easy for some, I have a hole like this to fill



May have to do some form of sectioned door or opening window with screen

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

. . . We use a security grill door at anchor. A great investment! We can lock up but the air comes through . . .

Great idea! What are the construction materials? Wood, metal, stainless?
Did you reinforce the companionway sides to resist it being "kicked in"?

== = = = = = = = =
As far as EMP weapons go the best most effective is the "tactical nuke" - lob one of those over the pirate's boat and that would certainly terminate their interest in you along with a lot of other terminated stuff. . . .

[ato]

Originally Posted by David M

I'm pretty sure he means places like the Gulf of Aden and the Straits of Malacca. Not many want to be there, they just want to get through there in order to get elsewhere. Avoiding those places means traveling enormous circuitous routes.

David, from my experience the Straits of Malacca is safe for cruising yachts. I'm living here for 11+ years and sailing these waters quite a bit. Please don't compare this to the Horn of Africa. There are a few incidents every year over here, but not many involve cruising yachts. The organized pirate gangs are after commercial boats, tugs etc. or just want to steal some provisions from a ship's locker. Hardly the stuff you see happening near Somalia. Actually many incidents reported by cruisers are really misunderstandings. The local Malay and Indonesian fishermen often carry big knives quite openly and do approach cruising yachts. But their purpose is not boarding and hijacking them, they actually want to sell their catch or ask for a smoke. They are friendly, but people with the wrong mindset will see a boat full of armed pirates instead.

[David M]

Originally Posted by ato

David, from my experience the Straits of Malacca is safe for cruising yachts. I'm living here for 11+ years and sailing these waters quite a bit. Please don't compare this to the Horn of Africa. There are a few incidents every year over here, but not many involve cruising yachts. The organized pirate gangs are after commercial boats, tugs etc. or just want to steal some provisions from a ship's locker. Hardly the stuff you see happening near Somalia. Actually many incidents reported by cruisers are really misunderstandings. The local Malay and Indonesian fishermen often carry big knives quite openly and do approach cruising yachts. But their purpose is not boarding and hijacking them, they actually want to sell their catch or ask for a smoke. They are friendly, but people with the wrong mindset will see a boat full of armed pirates instead.

Thanks for correcting me on this and letting others know. The best information always seems to come from peoples personal experiences

[Not Sure]

A simply solution would be to run up the jolly roger, since everyone knows that pirates don't attack their own, right? LOL!

[Bash]

Originally Posted by S&S

Why would you want to go there in the first place?

If you want to go through the Suez Canal, there's no avoiding the Gulf of Aden.

[S&S]

Originally Posted by Bash

If you want to go through the Suez Canal, there's no avoiding the Gulf of Aden.

See post above.^^^ If you worry about pirates, go 'round the Cape.