Common Sense Answer to Pirates

[MarkJ]

Its really ludicrous that the cruising community is the only mob operating in the Gulf that thinks these pirate attacks do not occur, or yachts are some miraculous never-to-be-attacked, get-out-of-****-free cardholders....

The first boat swung around behind Mahdi’s stern to come up and board us. At that point I, Rod Nowlin aboard Mahdi and armed with a 12 gage shotgun loaded with 00 buckshot, started shooting into their boat. I forced them to keep their heads down so that they could not shoot at us. I am not sure I hit anyone at that point although I could see the driver of the boat crouched down behind a steering console. After firing 3 shots at them their engine started to smoke and I swung around to shoot at the boat ahead. At that point, I saw Jay Barry on Gandalf ram that boat amidships almost cutting it in two and turning it almost completely over. I turned back around to shoot again at the boat behind Mahdi and that is when they turned away from Mahdi and were heading toward the stern of Gandalf. Gandalf was beside us, about 100 feet away. The bow of the pirate’s boat came right up against Gandalf’s stern and two men stood up on the bow to board Gandalf. That was a serious and probably fateful error on their part. I shot both of them. That boat then veered away and I shot the driver, although I am not sure of the outcome because they were farther away and I did not knock him down like the other two.

Violent Pirate Attack On Two Yachts Off Yemen


And the pathetic imbeciles who continually forget the Chandlers are graphic evidence that yachts ARE targeted. That their families have paid up at least $400,000 (I thought it was much more) and the pirates have pocketed it and not released them. Its only a fool that can tell me that $200,000 PER PERSON is so little money that yachts are not valuable.

They couldnt give a damn about your boat. They want YOU. They could zip around 5 boats in a convoy of 25 and take 5 couples and get them to Somalia in the fast moving skiffs. What do they want a yacht for? To advertise their location to the Navy?

And, lastly, the Chandlers have now been in that scum sucking hell hole for more than a year and NOBODY REMEMBERED THE ANIVERSARY 7 days ago!

So if you go and get captured you will be similarly forgotten.

Roll over and take that!


I know some people are going there in 3 or 4 months so its no use me telling them no to. But its absolute criminal lunacey to go up the Yemeni coast where the coalition navy can not cover the passage. Instead a properly aware covoy needs to be joined with propper defensive measures practised, and travel under the umbrealla of the coalition navies.

[MarkJ]

One last thing and then I promise I will shutup about it.

Any skiff that comes up begging for food could be assessing how easy a traget you would be.

Bank robbers 'case' the bank first before going in, don't they? So do pirates.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

OK - So yachts are already going in convoy.

Why not hire a couple or 3 of the pirate dorys to provide armed escort?

They're not fishing, they're not pirating, they've already got the guns and they're getting a guaranteed paycheck - everyone happy!

Call it a job retraining program and you could get congressional funding.

I think you have got it!

Of course you will have to feed them like you do when going through the Panama Canal.

AND hope they don't "change sides" once you are out in the open. Waving the contract probably won't do much then.

I do like the idea.

[vintageray]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Its really ludicrous that the cruising community is the only mob operating in the Gulf that thinks these pirate attacks do not occur, or yachts are some miraculous never-to-be-attacked, get-out-of-****-free cardholders....



Violent Pirate Attack On Two Yachts Off Yemen


And the pathetic imbeciles who continually forget the Chandlers are graphic evidence that yachts ARE targeted. That their families have paid up at least $400,000 (I thought it was much more) and the pirates have pocketed it and not released them. Its only a fool that can tell me that $200,000 PER PERSON is so little money that yachts are not valuable.

They couldnt give a damn about your boat. They want YOU. They could zip around 5 boats in a convoy of 25 and take 5 couples and get them to Somalia in the fast moving skiffs. What do they want a yacht for? To advertise their location to the Navy?

And, lastly, the Chandlers have now been in that scum sucking hell hole for more than a year and NOBODY REMEMBERED THE ANIVERSARY 7 days ago!

So if you go and get captured you will be similarly forgotten.

Roll over and take that!


I know some people are going there in 3 or 4 months so its no use me telling them no to. But its absolute criminal lunacey to go up the Yemeni coast where the coalition navy can not cover the passage. Instead a properly aware covoy needs to be joined with propper defensive measures practised, and travel under the umbrealla of the coalition navies.

Thanks for this great post Mark. If this chilling account doesn't open the eyes of some here who think you don't need to take defensive measures, nothing will.

[Passage50]

Originally Posted by Southern Star

We've been through the debate about carrying firearms on board too many times already. Opinions vary and, based on past experience, I am pretty confident that debating it again will not lead to a conversion of anyone from one camp to the other, let alone a consensus.

On the topic of the thread itself, kudos to the shipping industry for thwarting another attempted act of piracy. The good news is that on a large steel container ship, the cost of a safe room should be low enough to encourage others to follow suit.

Brad

I am just wondering how long it will take these Somali Pirates to figure out using explosives in whichever fashion.

As far as a Yacht is concerned, a trained Marksman with a Cheap Scope sighted 303 Army Rifle loadet with Armour pircing Bullets could easily reach out as far as the Black Pirate with his Machine Gun. Shotguns with SSG for the close up defense.

I rather Die standing then been bound and having my Throat slit while my Wife is getting Raped. Attack is allways the best Defense.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Passage50

... I rather Die standing then been bound and having my Throat slit while my Wife is getting Raped. Attack is allways the best Defense.

I'd think that prudence would suggest a third choice. Perhaps, one where neither you, nor your wife (if so inclined ) get hurt at all.

[mintyspilot]

Originally Posted by GordMay

I'd think that prudence would suggest a third choice. Perhaps, one where neither you, nor your wife (if so inclined ) get hurt at all.

Indeed! Who is the smartest man, the one who sees a problem, works through it and solves it or he who sees a problem and avoids it completely?

[conachair]

Originally Posted by mintyspilot

Indeed! Who is the smartest man, the one who sees a problem, works through it and solves it or he who sees a problem and avoids it completely?

and no amount of searching google will get a figure on the amount of boats where nothing happened cos they steered clear. The best skippers have no good bar stories, "and then, yet again, nothing happened!"

[SabreKai]

We'll be arguing this til the world ends. You can go there and take precautions or go there and do nothing at all or you can stay the heck away. Those are the 3 choices.

For myself, I intend to stay away. There's nothing in that part of the world I need to see.


Sabre

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Passage50

I rather Die standing then been bound and having my Throat slit while my Wife is getting Raped.

I'd have loved to have been a fly on the wall during that conversation with your wife

[David_Old_Jersey]

At the risk of derailing this thread away from 27 ways to kill a pirate

Was thinking that a couple of fishing gaffs (or even simple rods) deployed at 90 degrees from rod holders amidships might be a useful deterrent / first line of defence.....and maybe also for catching fish ........in a non-fishing mode either with the fishing line fixed to the stern (with a long run of serious fish hooks ) or simply the gaff / rod lying along (and outside) the gunwhale - with fish hooks in play

Obviously a swipe or two with a machete would easily clear a path - but primary purpose is not to hook anyone, but for their intent to be clearly revealed whilst they are not actually aboard. In a no gun scenario you would literraly have the upper hand with the bladed weapon of your choice. In a gun scenario they would be ducks in a barrel - and even with an ak47 (them) vs shotgun (you) being on the more stable and probably higher gun platform would be useful.....even if not a guarantee of things ending well.

Simply deployment would also give a visible (and polite) reason to wave folk off that hadn't moved category from fisherman to pirate (I am thinking non-somali's ). It's also non-confrontational.

Downsides are that wouldn't want to drop the spinnaker overboard. or a MOB but upside is maybe some fish and no legal problems.

[mintyspilot]

Originally Posted by SabreKai

For myself, I intend to stay away. There's nothing in that part of the world I need to see.

Agreed!

[Aussiesuede]

Originally Posted by SabreKai

We'll be arguing this til the world ends. You can go there and take precautions or go there and do nothing at all or you can stay the heck away. Those are the 3 choices.

Or for those without a stomach for the transit, they can simply hire a delivery captain to take their vessel through the scary areas and hop a plane & meet their boat on the other side. In fact, that's the advice I'd give to anyone who is prone to such anxiety, but still has things in the area they'd like to experience.

[fishwife]

I doubt very much that a delivery captain could get insurance for a transit that took in the Gulf of Aden and or the Somalia coast. When my insurance was renewed about 6 months ago the only place in the world I was specifically not covered was for that area. I insure through an agent at Lloyds and he says 'not at any price' if you're a leisure vessel.

P.

[zeehag]

i totally believe in avoidance--no one and no thing that part of world i need to eyeball in person.