Avoiding being a victim of pirates and thieves while cruising/voyaging

[acem]

However do y'all avoid being the victim of thieves and pirates while cruising or voyaging in unfamiliar places?

I'm very familiar with avoiding and dealing with criminal elements on land. I'm pretty comfortable in my limited crusing time in unfamiliar areas of the southern us.

If you don't know the area how do you find out?

What do you do with your boat to avoid becoming a victim?

Please, this is not meant as a gun vs bear spray vs boat hook question.

It is about avoiding the problem before it happens on the water.

As an example on land. I monitor my surroundings. If there are families playing in the streets, I expect it is a safe area. If there are mostly rough young men possibly not.

Thx-Ace

[rubberducky]

Here's a "live piracy map". https://www.icc-ccs.org/piracy-repor...ive-piracy-map

Excellent question. I'd like to hear from more experienced folks on here as well.

[Uncle Bob]

Short answer, as much as possible stay away from certified marine service providers.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

Short answer, as much as possible stay away from certified marine service providers.

Boom Boom Tish

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

Short answer, as much as possible stay away from certified marine service providers.

Valid advice, clearly stated.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Boom Boom Tish

I thought it was ba-doom, tish. Have I been doing it wrong all this time?

[JPA Cate]

It is one of the uses for ham radio, actually. There are maritime mobile service nets. You find out hundreds of miles away where to stay away from. And you make radio "friends", in the same way people make friends via the internet.

You might decide to accept the physical dangers of rounding the Cape of Good Hope, rather than take on the ones of passing the horn of Africa to the Suez Canal.

If you have taken the trouble to learn to become a good sailor, you feel pretty confident to sail your well prepared vessel where it is best to go.

Ann

[chrisr]

usually stay out of sight of land is a good start

also turn off the AIS, although this has it's own risks so maybe off in daylight only ?

stay in VHF contact with any other vessels in the area - ships & other yachts

travel in company

others are bound to have more suggestions

cheers,

[Tin Tin]

Change your AIS photo from a nice cruiser to a patrol boat.

[chrisr]

Originally Posted by Tin Tin

Change your AIS photo from a nice cruiser to a patrol boat.

and name to "HMS / USS xxxxx"...neat idea. must try that...

cheers,

[sailorboy1]

People sail around in pirate areas with their AIS broadcasting their position?????? That seems stupid!

I don't feel small pleasure boats are much a target for "pirates". There are of course exceptions, but by far most of the crime aganist cruisers are petty thief while in port. And a lot of it in various places are by other boaters.

[toolbar]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

You might decide to accept the physical dangers of rounding the Cape of Good Hope, rather than take on the ones of passing the horn of Africa to the Suez Canal.

Interestingly according to the link from above https://www.icc-ccs.org/piracy-repor...ive-piracy-map there were no issues with piracy around Somalia in 2020. Has piracy around the horn been all but eradicated?


Paul

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by toolbar

Interestingly according to the link from above https://www.icc-ccs.org/piracy-repor...ive-piracy-map there were no issues with piracy around Somalia in 2020. Has piracy around the horn been all but eradicated?


Paul

And even if it hasn't been, are the pirates spending time and resources going after a 30-50' sailboat?

[MJH]

Originally Posted by acem

However do y'all avoid being the victim of thieves and pirates while cruising or voyaging in unfamiliar places?

I'm very familiar with avoiding and dealing with criminal elements on land. I'm pretty comfortable in my limited crusing time in unfamiliar areas of the southern us.

If you don't know the area how do you find out?

What do you do with your boat to avoid becoming a victim?

Please, this is not meant as a gun vs bear spray vs boat hook question.

It is about avoiding the problem before it happens on the water.

As an example on land. I monitor my surroundings. If there are families playing in the streets, I expect it is a safe area. If there are mostly rough young men possibly not.

Thx-Ace

Keep a low profile.

Secure everything.

Don't go where the bad guys are.

Don't broadcast obvious signs of wealth.

Keep up with current intelligence on pirate activity.

Don't piss-off the locals.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[dick sargent]

An often overlooked precaution is to provide a way of locking companionways from the inside.