Avoiding Getting Boarded

[sneuman]

Oh good, I was afraid I'd read that to the end and there'd be no gun involved.

[amytom]

Originally Posted by sneuman

Oh good, I was afraid I'd read that to the end and there'd be no gun involved.

There was no gun involved. Or did I miss something?

[Fishman_Tx]

Yup, earlier. Doubleaught or duck-shot......

[amytom]

Ahhh. I still prefer RDX and BBs

[bstreep]

Originally Posted by cal40john

Yes it has been thought of, yes someone is making money on it.

The Solution is Secure-Yacht

John

15,000 euro is a bit steep...

[cdennyb]

For some stanchion posts, wire and insulators? Better have one helllof a computer too for that price!

[Bash]

...I'm going to have to scratch NZ off my list of cruising destinations. At 15,000 euros, I just can't afford to protect my palace from being boarded by cattle.

[feelsgood]

One fact that I would like to get accross is NEVER,NEVER take a firearm on board a yacht. It is not only elegal but very dangerous there have been many accidents where the crew have accidently shot another member of the crew and children getting hold of them which doesnt bare thinking about. I am an ex soldier and have been boarded only twice and both times i survived. I wait below and when they try to come down the hatchway ( only poss for 1 at a time ) I zap them with my stunner ( 900,000v) immediat unconciousnes. the one that had a gun I took to sea and when he regained concous I put him in a life jacket and tossed him over board 80miles off shore so on his swim back (if he made it) he could think about the next time he thinks a yacht is an easy target.

[swagman]

Originally Posted by jpemb7

Funny you should mention those places because I lived for 2 years on a boat in Brunei Darussalam, just south of the Philippines in the South China Sea. For the most part the "pirates" there are the same as the pirates here in Australia or New Zealand. They are just regular people, mostly poor who see you as an opportunity. You are the richest man in town. If they can pinch your outboard, then maybe they can feed their family for a few weeks.
Is it possble to use an electric fence on a boat ? Yes, it is. I've seen people do it. But once "pirates" get on board and they do, they're usually not satisfied with taking your outboard, they want to trash your boat as well.
We sailed with our two young children for 5 years in that part of the world and had no problems. Wherever we stopped we invited local people on board, engaged with the local community and showed genuine interest and respect for them. They were able to relate to us as human beings and not just as an opportunity.
This is your best protection against "pirates". Of course, if you go cruising of the Somalian coast, then all the electric fences in the world are not going to save you.
I met a guy once who had made a flame thrower out of a scuba tank, kerosene and tar. His plan was to set the sea alight around his boat if anyone tried to board. Quite frankly, if your level of fear is that high you should be doing something else.

Jim

I've sadly felt at risk from bad guys when cruising and for those few hours, would have loved some eletrcified wire, a guard tower, and a couple of AK47's. But it was only once in 30 years. And obviously a complete overreaction. God knows what damage I may have done had I the kit to hand.

It seems a lot of people who've never gone cruising waste time dreaming up mythical scenatios and how they can Rambo their way out of it.

Sure - go electrify the boat. BBut then please do write to us all from your cell when the local police stop by and hang on for a friendly hello..........

Jim (above) is the most sensible response to this thread.
If you really want to cruise IMHO you'd do well to adopt his approach.

JOHN

[fishwife]

Has anyone given any thought what might happen to other innocent boaters in the anchorage?

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by swagman

... It seems a lot of people who've never gone cruising waste time dreaming up mythical scenarios, and how they can Rambo their way out of it...

We’ve (here on CF) had several discussions on the electric fence idea. I’ve never met, nor even heard of, an experienced cruiser who used one.

We’ve had more than a few discussions on "other" means of self-protection.

See the custom search function below my signature.

[Cheechako]

I like the electric fence idea, but is there a ground when bare feet are in contact with fiberglass? and if the offender does die...at least there will be no ballistic evidence to tie it to you as there would be with your AK-47...
Radio Shack sells a simple little black box that emits a very loud noise. You tie a piece of fishing line to a little tab on the box and route the line across your cockpit, entry point or wherever. The offender trips on the fisihng line, which pulls the tab and the noise starts to go. 9v battery and about $10... I used this when in a dubious anchorage or when leaving the boat for a day trip....

[Brent Swain]

Offshore ,I run a high temporary lifeline, about chest high, attached to the shrouds and the canopy aft. Next time it will be 1x19 rigging wire, insulated from my hull and conectable from down below to my 120 volt inverter, thru a 300 watt lightbulb. Nnot many rural peasants offshore in mid pacific.
In port, any boat with small ports and metal hatches can be locked from inside in a way that would take some serious tools to get into. A wheelhouse with an opening port in the middle, makes any pirates testicles an easy target for a spear gun, while they are trying to get in.
For keeping the mounties and US coastguard off your boat a big WET PAINT sign can help. They hate to get it on their costumes. I can always think of a place that needs a bit of fresh paint when I see them coming. There is no legal requirement to tell them where the wet paint is. We have the right to remain silent.
A big double Tuna hook hanging off the rail once cut a US coastguard inflatable open like a zipper for me once.
A cop in Pago Pago once asked me how I deal with pirates. I told him "We know where the pirates are, so don't go there. There are millions of islands around the world where pirates are a non issue, so why go anywhere there have been many problems , just don't go there. It's that simple."

[nonam]

This thread started out as electric fences so people who want to talk about other weapons should start their own thread.Somewhere on this site there is a thread where a cruiser experienced an electric fence first hand,in New Guinea I think.He was invited to another cruisers boat to learn about his security and he got a belt off the lifeline when he grabbed it.So I think the idea can work.But you have to keep it simple.Your lifeline,bow and stern rail should be isolated ie,not touching rigging or leaking through stuff clamped etc.The electric fence unit remains below deck and the live clip goes to a stanchion bolt,for example.The ground clip should probably go to a thru hull.There is some evidence that you do not need an excellent ground situation for it to work.One sceptic thought his fence ,on his farm,wasnt working very well because the ground was bone dry for weeks and modern footwear can be a good insulator.So he went and touched it and got belted.

[Brent Swain]

The thread started out about preventing boardings. Electricity is only one solution, of many .
With my steel hull , top lifelines and bulwark cap, grounding is not a problem.