Honduras: Sailing Boat Boarded and Robbed by Pirates

[Travelnik]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

While Its a good laugh and a joke. It would be wrong to encourage anyone to carry aboard illegal or potentially illegal firearms or devices that resemble them including homemade. Such actions can result in severe penalties in many countries.

Dave

True, so on a serious note...

There has been talk of all kinds of silly things, medieval weapons. light sabers, etc.

But what about real defense items? What is really allowable everywhere?

Spear guns are not legal in some places, so that's out. How big of a knife could you have on board before the officials decided that it wasn't a kitchen knife?

Are machetes allowed, or would most officials see them as weapons instead of coconut choppers?

There are things like big hammers and crow bars/pry bars, big screwdrivers and legitimate tools like that.

What other legal self protection items can you think of that remain in the realm of this current reality?

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by dsmastern

True, so on a serious note...

There has been talk of all kinds of silly things, medieval weapons. light sabers, etc.

But what about real defense items? What is really allowable everywhere?

Spear guns are not legal in some places, so that's out. How big of a knife could you have on board before the officials decided that it wasn't a kitchen knife?

Are machetes allowed, or would most officials see them as weapons instead of coconut choppers?

There are things like big hammers and crow bars/pry bars, big screwdrivers and legitimate tools like that.

What other legal self protection items can you think of that remain in the realm of this current reality?

I'd say knives are about the only thing justified on a boat. Most things that project force over a distance are problematic legally. Many counties specifically forbid lethal or aggressive self defence and hence ban pepper sprays, etc But I'd nevertheless never get into a knife fight.

Dave

[Sand crab]

You mean one of these?

Crocodile Dundee - That's not a knife - YouTube

[Mr B]

Knives are now illegal in Victoria, Australia, I dont know about the rest of OZ,

It got a bit ridiculous a few years back here when a woman carrying her new kitchen Knives from the supermarket to the car was charged with carrying a knife,

I forget how that ended up, But it made every one quite aware of the law,
You keep your new knives hidden in your shopping bags,

[Travelnik]

Originally Posted by Sand crab

You mean one of these?

Yeah, just like that!

But seriously, what size kitchen knives would be frowned on? Butcher knives? Meat cleavers?

Would a small axe or hatchet be allowed?

[Travelnik]

Originally Posted by Mr B

Knives are now illegal in Victoria, Australia, I dont know about the rest of OZ,

It got a bit ridiculous a few years back here when a woman carrying her new kitchen Knives from the supermarket to the car was charged with carrying a knife,

I forget how that ended up, But it made every one quite aware of the law,
You keep your new knives hidden in your shopping bags,

That is ridiculous!

But I'm not talking about carrying anything, I'm wondering about what customs officials would object to in the galley, tool box, cabin, etc.

Where would most "reasonable" officials draw the line and call a tool a weapon, and give you a hard time? I know that there can be jerks anywhere that will pull crap just to prove their power, that's why I mentioned "reasonable."

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by dsmastern

That is ridiculous!

But I'm not talking about carrying anything, I'm wondering about what customs officials would object to in the galley, tool box, cabin, etc.

Where would most "reasonable" officials draw the line and call a tool a weapon, and give you a hard time? I know that there can be jerks anywhere that will pull crap just to prove their power, that's why I mentioned "reasonable."

From all of my reading/research and limited experience I would say it depends on how your attitude is interpreted by said official.

I have seldom been out on any of my boats without a machette. For snakes you see.

You don't know what he got or didn't get last night. It could help knowing as then you would know to provide cookies all around or BJs.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Therapy

You don't know what he got or didn't get last night. It could help knowing as then you would know to provide cookies all around or BJs.

I would be happier offering cookies........YMMV .

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

While Its a good laugh and a joke. It would be wrong to encourage anyone to carry aboard illegal or potentially illegal firearms or devices that resemble them including homemade. Such actions can result in severe penalties in many countries.

Dave

I see no encouragement (incitement nor grooming ).

But of course some gubberments are known to have no SOH and like to spend there time hunting bogeymen. Strangely enough they seem to be the ones most addicted to pointing (and firing) guns at people and are also armed with a strange sense of what being "free" actually means...........no names .

FWIW (legally, nadda ), in these parts for non gun weaponary it is mainly about the usage (actual and likely) that da gubberment says no. I could happily and legally have a samurai sword on my boat that would not be confiscated if seen by officialdom........but running down the high street with it whilst screaming Banzai! would see me in some legal trouble (even if I wasn't directly threatening someone with it or chopping them up).....of course lots of circumstances in between that could give rise to interest from officialdom.........but as a rule of thumb, if folk have a reason to own an object (decoration), are not using it to scare people (directly or not) then da Gubberment around here does not fundamentally care. Samuri Sword, Monkey Wrench, Axe, Machete or pointy stick . The real reason (and dual purpose) for having onboard does not have to be shared with anyone else.

and always remembering that what da Gubberment does not know about doesn't worry them - at least not until you can see the whites of their eyes .

[asduffy]

It seems that reading through this post there is one of two solutions. First is to be submissive and give in to them in the hope you are not harmed (statistically this is your best chance of the two), coupled with the idea that you spend your money in nice places. Second is to fight back with a weapon at the risk of escalating the experience or least being imprisoned for carrying illegal weapons.

Most countries try and make money off people. They charge all kinds of fees for port entry and other fines and stuff. I think there is a great option to deal with this.

These pirats are there because it is not profitable to get rid of them. If Sailors worldwide got together and created international law that stated if your country has a port then it is financially responsible for any wrongdoing. I would set the minimum find around $50k, then the governments of these countries would see profit it dealing with there pirates. I would set loss of life at $100,000,000.00 this would cripple these countries and their business that benefits off this community. I think overnight you would see their navy hunting these people down instead of harassing the sailing community for not checking into a port in the right way.

If we take the money out of the pockets of the nice people who make money from us, then we say to them it is your responsibility to keep us save if you intend to take our money. It's the cost of doing business.

For those of you that want to arm yourself, trust me there is no wepon you can afford that equals that of a navy destroyer of even the poorest countries. Pirats just wont take the chance on $11k if the result is a $50k fine to the community, that is a $50k hit on their lives. Legally!!!

Also it would make for safer waters and more business at port, thus giving more opportunity in their countries and providing a legitimate living for someone considering a life of a pirate.

The question is not should you fight or not, the question is are there ways you could create law that would make in profitable to the right people to ensure that you never have to ask this question in the first place.

[Nessus]

Seems to me a few gallons of petrol and a flare gun could end a pirate situation very quickly.


Set the sea ablaze to show your intentions. Gasoline floats.

I would most certainly carry firearms. I am an enthusiast and collect firearms in the states. However while cruising I worry much more about third world prison than I do pirates.

There is no bravado in prison. I also have an aversion to having another mans anatomy in my butt hole.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Nessus

Seems to me a few gallons of petrol and a flare gun could end a pirate situation very quickly.

I would most certainly carry firearms. I am an enthusiast and collect firearms in the states. However while cruising I worry much more about third world prison than I do pirates.

There is no bravado in prison. I also have an aversion to having another mans anatomy in my butt hole.

Set the sea ablaze to show your intentions. Gasoline floats

have you considered entering yourself for the darwin awards as well

[carstenb]

Well aToll,

of course the poster didn't mean he would set the sea on fire right around his own boat. He would take a dinghy an row over to the other boat, pour out the gas and row away. thereafter he would fire off the flare gun............

[Lagoon4us]

You know the reasons for a forum such as CF is to share advice, wisdom, experience and experiences from those who have either done it or know about it. (not from armchairs and CNN)

Anything else is just opinion, to rabbit on about arming yourself and cruising into foreign ports is just stupid.

If you feel you need to arm your boat to the teeth to reinforce your 'gung-ho' attitude then you really need to stay home on the farm in the safety of your own country and shoot animals.

Cruising is for enjoyment, simply use the pre-warnings to enable yourselves to make a rational decision based on the info shared. Sometimes the occurrence is isolated and sometimes it becomes evident a pattern is developing.

The aim is to not become part of the pattern, use the warning the same as a warning of a storm, STAY AWAY till it blows over and enjoy the cruise.

Cheers

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Lagoon4us

You know the reasons for a forum such as CF is to share advice, wisdom, experience and experiences from those who have either done it or know about it. (not from armchairs and CNN)

I have an armchair and I am not afraid to use it .