Caribbean - Pirated Waters ?

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Domknotty

I guess I'm getting to the point I am ready to just buy a dozen "disposable" 38's and Davey Jones them or let the "authorities" take the weapon if ACTUALLY discovered.

Just take the weapon?

Are the authorities of another country going to be so stupid as to only take the gun you offer them and not search your boat? Not CONFISCATE your boat? Not lock you up for years or so in some stiinking hell hole?

Time to have a proper think about stuff if you want to leave the USA and go cruising.

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Just take the weapon?

Are the authorities of another country going to be so stupid as to only take the gun you offer them and not search your boat?

Mark! Cut it out! If none of the police chiefs family want his boat, we can get it cheap at auction. God, do I have to explain EVERYTHING? ;-)

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Domknotty

So what, outside of toting an additional passenger in the form of a snarling dog do folks use to protect them selves on the water. . . . I just want an option.
I guess my next question is how often do sailboats get boarded by the authorities and searched, is it common?

Without starting another "gun thread" - there are a lot of boats out cruising with dogs. There appear to be very effective as discouraging the average thief from boarding the boat. The thief moves on to a boat without a dog. On the other hand, a dog on board complicates clearing in and out of some countries as they do not allow dogs to go ashore without complicated procedures and forms and fees. But cruisers with dogs always seem to manage these problems without too much difficulty.
- - It is the optimum if you get a "new" dog/puppy and keep it on the boat trained to do its "business" on the deck of the boat instead of having to go ashore. You also need to somehow train the dog to only bark at bad guys and not other cruisers (unless they are bad guys).
- - The complications of actually having firearms on board when cruising internationally are generally recognized as too much an impediment to the easy, laid back cruising lifestyle you went cruising to enjoy. Beyond that, it is totally a personal choice if you want to add those hassles to your journey.
- - How often do you get boarded - rarely but as with most things subject to the law of perversity - if you have something to hide, you get more attention from authorities.
- - And it is not just a problem of the firearms being taken away - it is not uncommon for you and your boat to be confiscated in some 3rd world countries. You end up in a hell-hole jail and it takes mega tens of thousands in cash to get you out - minus your boat. The work around for that problem is simply to avoid those countries and only cruise the "nicer" countries. In which case, you don't need the firearms anyway.
- - You can search CF for past gun threads to learn about all the complications and requirements of carrying and having to use firearms in the waters of foreign countries. One last comment - it is NOT the muzzle of the firearm that discourages the attacker, it is the bullet leaving the muzzle of the firearm on its way to kill the attacker. 3rd World "pirates/thieves/attackers" are not afraid of firearms, they are afraid of the bullet that is burying its way into their body.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Domknotty

... I guess my next question is how often do sailboats get boarded by the authorities and searched, is it common?

MUCH more common than being boarded by thieves and/or pirates.

[mikereed100]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

It can be extremely difficult.

Take for example your own country the USA. Here is what you would have to do if you are on a forign sailing boat comeing to the USA

.

Bring a gun to the USA? That's like taking sand to the beach!

[capn_billl]

Originally Posted by GordMay

MUCH more common than being boarded by thieves and/or pirates.

Unfortunate, but true.

[knottygurl]

if you really needa gunget a few extra flare guns and lots of loads, you can get the same effect with this as any weapon, im sure the burn will last longer then a small hole.
I assume your not planning on killing them, then that would have you rotting in a third world jail for sure.
a nice line cutter could have an even better effect, 24inch blade, some call them Machette, or axe, loiusville works great as deterrent.

[sailingaway221]

I really like my cross bow...... point that at someone and it has a profound effect.... similar to the sawn off shotgun... but a little more medieval..... And its legal.

[hasuehounds]

Instead of firearms, keep a can of wasp spray near your bed, one near your companionway hatch, where you go out the boat to up top.. Wasp spray is concentrated, its also great for intruders as it disables them, by spraying them in the eyes.. Its like mace but stronger and the stream is very long from the can, so you dont have to be on top of someone to do it, you can hit them from long distance..
ONe of the ingredients im told in wasp spray is similar to antrax btw.. so its not deadly but not treated sprayed in the eyes to disable someone could leave lasting effects<G>
Id rather do that, or keep a louisville slugger on board, then a gun, too many permits, too many hassles and OMG what if you shot at someone and put a hole in your boat instead.????
There are better ways to disable someone
as for theft at marinas/ Nasseau is famous for people stealing boats, ransacking them while at dock ect..
Try a small dog as a companion, we've stayed in two marinas in nassau (never again btw) and the boats on each side of us were ransacked.
We were out to dinner when it happened and both owners came back same time as us to find the mess, they were from canada btw
Well our boat was untouched, WHY we have a small dog, she barks only if someone would come aboard.. and she did just that.
While its an expense to keep a dog, we've had no one board us, and no problems in cruising the carribean down to the USVIs in the past few years.
SO there is always a way around the problem.. Id rather pay a few vet bills a year and paperwork for certian islands, and i've a dog who knows who belongs on my boat and who doesnt, shes a great little guard dog, good sailor and great companion.

Kathleen
s/v Legacy

[zeehag]

my silent alarm --feline-is awesome. always watch your back and have fun--if ye worry about being robbed and worry about everything bad you will find it. just go sailing an dknow that you are NOT in usa and you are NOT protected by constitutional law-- lol you are on your own and if you have weaponry you COULD EASILY LOSE YOUR BOAT AND FREEDOM..... just go and enjoy. dont be shiney and dont show all your stuff and sail on....be smart
smooth sailing.

[Wetfoot]

I agree, the news will blow a situation up to sell print and this causes rear. I hear it all the time, sharks, pirates, or the unknown will get me. This makes it hard to get friends and family to enjoy our passion of sailing. Isn’t it crazy, that fear can control people. At first I used to try to make my point, but now I just say OK and know that they will never feel the power of the seas.

[zeehag]

wetfoot--just makes more room for us ... not a bad idea to let em fear the places so there isnt way too much traffic--if ye cant stand the idea-- stay away and let us play....
rofl....
i have spent hours telling how safe it is here inmexico only toread repeatedly by i believe same folks how dangerous it is--just because of them reading about the cartel and drug murders in border town..LOL... let m believe it-- is more for us to do and see without the bad attitude presenting itself in the cruising grounds.
louisville slugger and goood cat teeth are great-- take a picture-- they will run fast away as they know the port cpt will see them and make the visitors in the snotty yot more comfortable..LOL at the bandidos expense, btw...LOL--humiliation is a prime punishment in tourist areas and keeps the natives honest.
a louisville slugger with a gaff on it is a great deterrent, so they think ye crazy--injuns never attack crazies as it is bad joojoo....LOL

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by mikereed100

Bring a gun to the USA? That's like taking sand to the beach!

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by sailingaway221

I really like my cross bow...... point that at someone and it has a profound effect.... similar to the sawn off shotgun... but a little more medieval..... And its legal.

Legal? Not necessarily. In many countries it is absolutely classified as a weapon, no different than a hand gun. Certainly many states in the US classify a cross bow as a weapon. Even spear guns and flare guns can be a problem in a wrong place, wrong time situation.

[pullord]

Originally Posted by sailingaway221

I really like my cross bow...... point that at someone and it has a profound effect.... similar to the sawn off shotgun... but a little more medieval..... And its legal.

-crossbows are actually bows requiring special permits in many countries but standard longbows require no permits practically everywhere as well as spearguns and 12 gauge flare pistols,,old steel-made flare pistols will fire a round of 00buckshot without exploding in your hand giving its holder a very lethal close quarter weapon,,if boarders see you holding two of these 12gauge pistols in each hand i am sure they would dis-embark in a hurry and you can just replace the pistols afterwards in your "coast-guard approved" survival canister that requires no permits,,the 12gauge 00 buckshot shells however should be stashed elsewhere in a soupcan stash-can or old flash-light as these shells are actually illegal -to-possess in some countries..or you can just use the standard phosphorous shells to "light up" your intruder as demonstrated in the movie "dead calm", however i doubt the average user"s accuracy firing a phosphorous flaregun shell and hitting a person at more than 5feet distance,,00buckshot shells fire 15-32caliber pellets with enough velocity to go clean-through a "big-cty" telephone book,,cheers and be safe out there,,permits attract attention of corrupt officials intent on stealing/confiscating your fancy guns in many countries for the most minor technicality they can find,,the wiseguy can always play the fool,,