Can Solo Women Cruisers Feel Safe?

[hellosailor]

Frank, aside from the fact that stun grenades are pretty much illegal to possess for civilians (in or out of the US), you wouldn't want to set one off in close quearters. Unless you are conveniently masked and protected--all you will do is stun yourself along with the attacker, who will REALLY BE PISSED AT YOU when they can see again.

Similarly, the throat strike (which crushed the larynx and obstructs the wind pipe) is an easy kill, but it kills by suffocation, so the attacker will typically have two to four minutes to be REALLY PISSED AT YOU while they are dying. Unlike Hollywood, these things must be considered in real life. Two minutes with a machete, and that dying attacker can still do a lot of damage. (Machetes from China cost about a dime, and sell for about a dollar, in much of the undeveloped world.)

A nasal strike, using the open palm to drive the cartilege of the nose up and back into the brain, may kill instantly. Or, it may just break the nose again leaving the attacker [chorus] REALLY PISSED OFF AT YOU.

The problem for the untrained, unpracticed, or reluctant victim, is that whatever you do--you don't want to leave the attacker really pissed off at you. That's probably the worst possible thing you can do, worse than submitting, fleeing, or fighting.

Cheapest protection? Solid locks on the companionway boards and hatches, to allow ventilation but prevent easy entry. Just in case the Guardian Angel is off for the night.<G>

[exfishnz]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Similarly, the throat strike (which crushed the larynx and obstructs the wind pipe) is an easy kill, but it kills by suffocation, so the attacker will typically have two to four minutes to be REALLY PISSED AT YOU

If I'm the bad guy, then how am I going to get angry at you if I'm having trouble breathing?

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by exfishnz

... the first art I studied - my Sensa (teacher) was a...

Sensei ...

[seafox]

Hang a pair of size 42 knickers off the boom and a place a pair of size 14 steel capped boots in the companion way!

[exfishnz]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Sensei ...

Thankyou for the spelling correction Gord

[GordMay]

The teaching of Asian martial arts has historically followed a strictly hierarchical system, by a master instructor (techer):
Sifu in Cantonese or Shifu in Mandarin;
Guru in Sanskrit, Hindi, Telugu and Malay;
Sensei in Japanese;
Sa Bum Nim or Suseung-nim in Korean;
Kalari Gurukkal or Kalari Asaan in Malayalam;
Asaan in Tamil;
Achan in Thai;
Guro in Tagalog and
Saya in Myanmar.

[exfishnz]

Gord, that's correct. Wing Chun originates from China.

Wotname, don't forget the sheep

[Hud3]

Hey, guys, this is getting a mite weird. Can we ease back on topic?

Edit: if you're wondering, I deleted the waaaaay off topic posts.

[sailmatch]

As a solo female currently at anchor in a foreign country I employ certain security measures.

1. At night I always lock myself in my cabin - no matter how hot it is!
2. I encourage lots of visitors - this makes it less obvious that I am alone.
3. I am in Northern Spain and the Galician Newspapers wanted to do story on me - I refused!
4. I try to learn as much as I can of the local language - this may help if you are being bumped in the night by a local fisherman! Sometimes they are just trying their luck to see if anyone is onboard.
5. Dogs are impractible as you have to take them for walks and at anchor this can be a pain if you have to go ashore 3 times a day. A dog would also attract attention barking in the dinghy etc.
6. I regard being at anchor on my own boat as being safer for a solo female to travel the world rather than backpacking - my choice - so I act accordingly. The boat is my home and I will defend my home the same as I would on land.
7. I will not travel to somewhere if there is known piracy i.e I will not be going to Australia via the Red Sea!
8. If somewhere does not feel right but I have to stay there as part of my travelling I will pay to go in a marina.
9. Some women wear false beards etc to look like men when they are in a country where they do not feel safe.

Hope this helps!!

[Kaya 09]

This has been great reading! My husband and I will be taking off in January, 09. He will be doing occasional contract work while we are cruising which involves some travel. I will remain by myself on our boat. I have had concerns about safety while alone. The ideas / suggestions are really helpful. Thanks so much to all who put in the time to respond.

[exfishnz]

Originally Posted by Hud3

Edit: if you're wondering, I deleted the waaaaay off topic posts.

Nope. (btw you missed the "sheep" )
Edit: But I do give you credit for altering the posts. Perhaps others could take that as an example instead of pointing out our spelling errors (as above).

Originally Posted by sailmatch

3. I am in Northern Spain and the Galician Newspapers wanted to do story on me - I refused!

Hello again sailmatch,

I would've thought that Spain was safe for a woman at anchor, perhaps I'm mistaking?

The boat is my home and I will defend my home the same as I would on land.

What methods do you take to defend your "home"?

7. I will not travel to somewhere if there is known piracy i.e I will not be going to Australia via the Red Sea!

Good idea, I don't like that area as well. Unfortunately, I have to catch the wind & current up off the Brazilian coast. Unfortunately there's been reports of baddies way off the coast & that kind of leaves my options to (how you put it) "defend my home" a bit limited.

9. Some women wear false beards etc to look like men when they are in a country where they do not feel safe.

Yikes!

[hellosailor]

"Some women wear false beards etc to "
As opposed to some women wearing REAL beards to accomplish the same purpose?

These modern times are SO confusing....

[sailmatch]

I think that if you assume that anywhere is safe and relax normal safety procedures you can find yourself in trouble very quickly. I have been on a boat (as crew) in Spain and fisherman have tried their luck at boarding the boat but backed off when they saw the skipper armed with mini flares - useful things flares.

I thought that maybe a ships bell might be employed as a danger signal - it would alert anyone in the anchorage. Also, plenty of lighting on the boats deters opportunist theives. LED lights would be the thing - lots of solar garden lights perhaps and not just one dim one for the cockpit?!

I would personally attack anyone who came within spitting distance of my boat if they did not look like they had good intentions! But I ran a back street pub in a very tough town for many years - so have had lots of pratice of how not to be intimidated.

[sailmatch]

Originally Posted by Kanani

Paul Morgan said it best, "Don't live in fear".

Something drove you to ask this question. I would question who or why it was brought up in the 1st place.

A little common sense like not traveling too and from the boat alone and keeping your dress modest should keep you pretty safe. Attracting attention to yourselves could be problematic but even then, it would be pretty far out for someone to assault you.

One thing to keep in mind is that some cultures find it offensive for a woman to operate a boat on her own.

What do you do at home to keep, "Safe"? I think that you may find that single women may be in more danger walking on the streets of the average US city than cruising to foreign ports, JMO.

Would you be able to tell me which cultures find it offensive for a female solo sailor please? I know some countries find it unusual but I was unaware of anyone finding it offensive.

[Brent Swain]

Stay out of dangerous places like Kiribatti where they brag about dogs having more rights than women, and the legal system considers any woman seen walking alone,fair game for rapists. By walking alone the legal system there considers women to be " Asking for it" and thus undeserving of any legal protection.
I saw a lot of women there with black eyes.
So who breast fed them? Their Dogs? It shows man, it really shows.
Know what the legal system is where you cruise and stay in safer places. There are enough of them .
Brent