Boarded with bad intentions?

[Group9]

Originally Posted by torgersende

Can the poll be updated to include the response:
"Never boarded."

My wife and I have fortunately never been boarded in the 5 years we have sailed the waters of 26 countries in the Caribbean, South, and Central America.

I suspect that that the "Never boarded" option will account for much greater than 90% of the responses. While safety and security are always a concern, all potential scenarios should be addressed in a risk management fashion, weighing the likelihood, as well as the potential impact.

David Torgersen
S/V sans clés

Currently laying Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa Mexico.

I would imagine the “never sunk” and “never caught on fire” percentages would be even higher.

[dadster3]

Regarding the firearm issue, I personally think a shotgun is far too much gun although I like the idea of rock salt. Ditto for high powered handguns like 9mm, .357, .45 etc.


I have opted for a Taurus Judge revolver for my own home defense. There is a variety of defensive ammunition available for it as well as .45 Long Colt ball ammunition.



The defensive ammo has multiple projectiles--BBs, flat disks etc and there is also non-lethal ammo that contains multiple plastic or rubber projectiles. I like the idea of multiple projectiles going down a dark hall.



All that said, using potentially lethal force is serious business no matter where you are. It requires a cultivated mindset which most of us don't have, not to mentions lots of training hours to become proficient. Whatever your level of training and skill, it will be considerably less in an actual encounter. I would add that if you hesitate in the clutch, you will have placed the perp in fear of his life, and you can expect him/them to respond accordingly, even if there was no intention to harm you in the beginning.



I'm not advocating for or against potentially lethal actions, only to offer a suggestion for those who believe that a firearm is their best defense, and to note some other factors that need to be considered before opting for a firearm.

[Training Wheels]

Awesome self defense tool, would love to have one!

[a64pilot]

While I don’t want this to turn into a gun thread, if you must carry a high powered pistol etc, please consider using Glaser safety slugs or similar, short rage rounds that don’t penetrate walls etc.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaser_Safety_Slug

Again I hesitate to post this, just think confining it to short range and non penetrating is good if I’m in the area with you.

[Training Wheels]

The Judge can fire .410 shotgun shells. Always thought that would be great for close range self defense.

[Sailcat1]

Please remember that this poll is for survivors of crime. I wonder the stats on those lost at sea.

[W3un]

The infamous Joshua Slocum put racks on deck at night...and they quickly repelled screaming intruders more than once.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Hardhead

The recent thread regarding the Windward islands alludes to some members having been boarded at night, etc. I know the specifics of some of these incidents are noted on some of the securitynet websites - but it would be interesting to hear how common that really is, just among the sailors that post here.

To me, having a dinghy painter cut would be a lot less threatening than having people actually walking around on deck at night, while the boat is obviously occupied.

Have many run into this, and is there anything you would have done differently, either before or after?

Obviously, the whole firearm-lethal weapon debate is never going to be agreed on by everyone, so that's kind of a dead-end for a forum. Outside of the U.S., it also seems legally impractical, just as an aside.

Are there any interesting incidents, advice or tips that can be passed on though?

My boat is my home. My dinghy is my car. The islands are not next to the We$t Marine and you can’t just get another dink or motor. Further, the replacement will cost a lot more than in the US and there will likely be only choice if you are lucky to find one. BTW, how do you plan to get to the dinghy store, swim? We now carry a spare outboard.

Do not use a cable. Use heavy galvanize high strength chain. Cable cuts easily, SS chain is butter. Use a motor bracket lock. Lock the gas can and boat with the chain. Always lift your dinghy out at night and lock it to the yacht. We paint our motor using bright oil paint and brushes so that it will be harder to sell and easier to recognize.

There are a lot of interesting places I would like to see that are not worth my life or extreme inconvenience. There are at least ten time that many less hazardous places. I suggest you choose some of them. Some point out that there are only a few instances noted on the various sites in these islands of thousands. The fallacy in this is-logic is that it is all aimed at the tiny number of foreign cruisers careless enough to wander into their net. As much as we would love to visit St Lucia and St Vincent, it is not happening in the present state of affairs.

It was not too long ago that the same bad (well earned and deserved) reputation was held also by Dominica. They were persuaded to abandon the bad side of the force and become useful citizens in Portsmouth, Prince Rupert Bay. Where there were only a few brave or stupid victims a few years ago there are now hundreds of cruisers. This is one of our favorite destinations where we spend one to five weeks at a time.

Another thing. The local authorities, CG, etc in any of these islands is as close to useless as can be imagined if you have a problem. So, minimize your risks and be on your guard.

[Togreenfeet]

Now where did I put that darn speargun?????

[Mush]

A can of Bear Spray will stop a person in there tracks ... It is legal and cheap and has a range of 20-30 ft. I carry bear spray and RUM .... the rum is for me and the Bear Spray for the pirates!!! It has never filed

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by W3un

The infamous Joshua Slocum put racks on deck at night...and they quickly repelled screaming intruders more than once.

I had even thought of a thin rubber mat with SS sheet metal screws, that way just roll it up and you don’t have tacks everywhere, but I’m too lazy and have never done it.

[Hardhead]

Originally Posted by Group9

Can the poll be updated to include the response: "Never boarded.

Very good point. The original poll was just slapped together, and I wasn't sure of the options format provided. I don't seem to be able to change it.

There's a new poll here - which takes into account your correct concerns. So far, any boardings are extremely rare, and most are reported outside of US waters.


http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ll-220986.html

If you have any interest, please take a minute to fill it out - as 1 of the options is "no problems," and it will give a relative ratio of boarding incidences among the sailors posting here, for whatever it is worth.

[Hardhead]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I had even thought of a thin rubber mat with SS sheet metal screws, that way just roll it up and you don’t have tacks everywhere, but I’m too lazy and have never done it.

That's an old tech motion sensor and piercing loud alarm, all in one. Cheap to operate. If it was unobtrusive, it's probably something that would not be noticed in the cockpit at night. Any barefoot thieves might well fall for it. I'd need a case of band-aids though.

[LargeMarge]

My biggest problem, and your biggest problem, is believing everybody is just like us. The Golden Rule©:
'Treat people the way you want to be treated'... is projecting.

We said this multiple times:
You see thieves rapists murderers.
The punks see some potential fun with some possible profit.

The above holds true for normal punks.
What if the punks are ordered by their deities to destroy your culture, but you are a temporary block to that goal?

Every attempt, successful or thwarted, is a learning experience.
Let's say... you manage to scare the punks into leaving your vessel.
They learn, then are significantly more successful with the next vessel.
Can you understand:
*** You helped the punks destroy the lives of other boaters, people just like you.

Can you see the consequences of other voyagers scaring the punks off their vessel... then you innocently come along to receive the benefits of their prior encounters?

https://vdare.com/articles/beyond-th...to_paragraph=8

[Hardhead]

Originally Posted by LargeMarge

My biggest problem, and your biggest problem, is believing everybody is just like us. The Golden Rule©:
'Treat people the way you want to be treated'... is projecting.

We said this multiple times:
You see thieves rapists murderers.
The punks see some potential fun with some possible profit.

The above holds true for normal punks.
What if the punks are ordered by their deities to destroy your culture, but you are a temporary block to that goal?

Every attempt, successful or thwarted, is a learning experience.
Let's say... you manage to scare the punks into leaving your vessel.
They learn, then are significantly more successful with the next vessel.
Can you understand:
*** You helped the punks destroy the lives of other boaters, people just like you.

Can you see the consequences of other voyagers scaring the punks off their vessel... then you innocently come along to receive the benefits of their prior encounters?

https://vdare.com/articles/beyond-th...to_paragraph=8

I don't think we should get into IQ issues - or we'll all have to be tested and post our results next to our comments.