Sending a Mayday for Pirates

[Captgps]

If it is that urgent start firing flares, maybe at the pirates as well as in the air!!
Smoke and parachute!
Keep trying in vhf, set off the Epirb as well
If you have a DSC vhf you can send a distress call with position and type of emergency quickly at the push of buttons.
Likewise on SSB

[CaptBobR]

Buy a flare pistol rated for 12 gauge. Wait until they board

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by sailing_gal

I think that around poor countries, as in my experience off ALGERIA, it may just be a crime of opportunity. I think the guys on that fishing boat just saw us and thought there was probably stuff of value on-board. The interesting thing was, when we got into Spanish waters and were boarded by Spanish customs agents off of Cartagena near midnight, we told them of our experiences and they told us we were lucky the Moroccan police or Algerian police had not responded to us, because they would have robbed us and possibly worse! Hard to decide who to trust out there.

Or maybe.. seeing as they let you past in the first place thought at the last minute you might like to buy some fresh fish off them for Euros..
About 500nm W off the Galapagos we were approached by several 25ft-ish open boats (Ecuadorians) tending nets who wanted to sell us swordfish etc.. did not buy any but did toss them a few tinnies and smokes which were well received and we went on our way to beaming smiles and Bon Viages..
Even Tubers after dramatic moments on film usually concede pirates are fishermen trying to make a sale.

[taxwizz]

Originally Posted by conchaway

As a retired L.E.O., I would say that, unless you feel competent in using an AR 15, you should go with the Remington Mariner 12 gauge with the extended magazine.

Just be sure that you PROPERLY IDENTIFY your target before firing.
They may outgun you and kill you all.
Or they may actually be fishermen trying to sell their catch.
As the carpenters say..."Measure twice. Cut once."

[jcorsican]

DSC, EPIRB. And for all the morons saying that it's too rare to worry about? Risk assessment considers two basic factors, and only one of them is frequency.

[gatorman49]

If you’re in an isolated area, the only rescue is probably going to be that of your carcass. Firearm best deterrent, outcome always in question. If I shot a pirate or pirates dead, I’d haul anchor, sail away and never admit anything to anyone, even US authorities. Also, when sure I was well away from danger, firearms and ammo overboard. Wash down vessel if they happened to actually board. I would NEVER stick around and deal with foreign LE. Look at the US person arrested in Anguilla defending his family. For example, in UK, if you kill a person trying to kill you, it is murder.

[hasse_A]

Originally Posted by PaulvR

Best advice, ....Keep them off the vessel at all costs, only make dangerous passages when you have a good stiff breeze and a good sea running! The heavier the weather, the more odds shift to the yacht...Sail at night if a short passage, no lights.

We have sailed this route numerous times. We sail at night, no lanterns or cabin lights, AIS transmitter turned of, at least 10 nm east of the gas platforms, do not follow the rumbline and as you say good wind.

[guthrie101]

CarlF your wrong. Piracy happens all the time you are a floating piggybank in other countries. While I was in georgetown exuma a boat was boarded at night. No one was injured though captain was scared. Also in passage from long island Bahamas boat was rammed by haitians under sail. When heading up riodulce first anchorage was all shook up because cruiser shot at a boarder in the night. I wont even start on piracy events i witness in sea of cortez. It is much morr common getting robbed than you portray.

[carlheintz]

All good suggestions here. Having been in this situation in the Sulu Sea, where the pirates routinely board a boat, kill the occupants and then take the boat and contents to sell in Indonesia, my suggestions will come across as a bit hard core. My suggestion is to motor and sail as fast as you can in the opposite direction, ex poste haste. Sure, radio and use the epirb, but be aware, responses take hours or days. You don't have that. If they look like they are closing in on you, and you know they aren't the local authorities, break out the gun you have stored in the bilge ( yea, don't be a dumb yachtsman: you need a firearm on board if you are making a dangerous crossing, regardless of international law - or lack thereof. I suggest a AK-47 and a shotgun, plus at least one 9mm pistol. These should be sealed in plastic and stowed where they cannot be found, along with a good store of ammunition. We had them in two secret compartments that required breaking some thin fiberglass to access. Looked like part of the liner...) When they are within 1/2 mile, let them have a few rounds of warning. That sound carries pretty far across the water. Do not shoot at them, just let them know you have a gun. That will scare the vast majority of them away. If they still pursue you, assume the worst. When they are about 200-300 ft away, use your flare gun as a gun and lob a few at them... the phosphorus flare will do more damage to a boat than your gun can. Finally, if all fails and they still are coming at you, within a hundred feet or so, shoot to kill, and pray.

Oh, and if you do hit something, or someone, just keep on going, as far and as fast as you can. Do not admit to anything to anyone at any time. If you are a US citizen, you are a target, and your Embassy, staffed by politicos, will do nothing to help you. Thus, you must avoid becoming involved. Don't be a fool and think that by reporting it to the local authorities you will be doing the right thing. They will just as often arrest you. If you can leave the jurisdiction and get to another jurisdiction, even if it means altering course and some extra hundred miles, do it.

[gatorman49]

Carl, perfect advice, especially last paragraph. Don’t ever think by talking to authorities you are going to be helping yourself. This applies in US too. Anything you say can be used against you. Even if you have to spend some time in a cell, don’t speak without attorney. I speak as former federal agent who had put a lot of people in those cells. Don’t be stupid. Leave that to the real criminals.

[skenn_ie]

Hit your EPIRB

[skenn_ie]

If the boat is your home, you have a bit more "leeway" to defend it.

[skenn_ie]

If Ch16 is jammed, does DSCalarm still work ?

[Favorite Things]

I recall not long ago someone sending a flare over the bow of a pirate.
I thought that was ingenious.
1. You can’t put one of those things out if it lands on the deck.
2. It’s too hot to touch
3. They don’t know how many you have.

[hpeer]

So I have an Iridium phone:

What is a list of phone numbers (Or where could I find) I should have preprogrammed into the phone in case of such an emergency?

Consider the area of interest to be the East and West Carribean basin.