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**Jammer** · 31-07-2019, 12:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saleen411

Assume no great security system....no motion detector lights, alarms or weapons. Think basic charter boat.

You feel the need to stand watch for security reasons.....Would you stand watch with lights on and make your presence known?... OR, hide in the dark ready to pounce?

Have any of you stood watch before because you just happen to be in a known high crime area.

Sounds silly I know......but will be my reality in a few months.

The answer is to leave the boat on the hook, dinghy into shore, and stay in a hotel that caters to rich tourists. Here's why. This whole thread is based on a string of false premises:

1) That you have made a reasoned decision to spend a night someplace where you believe there is a genuine personal safety threat while you are at anchor, because the intangible rewards for doing so outweigh the risk.

2) That you will be able to deter or repel this genuine personal safety threat, unarmed, provided that you either a) gain the upper hand during the anticipated attack through the element of surprise (lights off) or b) deter the attack through the visible presence of your muscled, streetwise physique above decks (lights on).

3) That you, despite having the personal defense skills necessary to achieve these feats, are uncertain whether the best tactics are a) lights off or b) lights on.

Unless you have some practical experience or training in the princely art of beating the living daylights out of people for fun and profit (which you don't, or you wouldn't be asking whether to leave the lights on), you have no idea how this sort of thing goes down. It happens fast, and you're dealing with someone who sees violence as just another tool for achieving success in life. Consider that you'll more likely to be dealing with a gaff hook than a left hook -- most robbers are armed.

2/3 of robberies are successful.
Whether successful or not, 2/3 of robberies result in injury.
1/4 of these injuries were serious (life altering)

Advice. Well, stay in a hotel. Anchor somewhere else. Go play Rambo at the paintball club and get your manly yayas out that way instead. Or become a Gun Nut -- you've got the beginnings of the Gun Nut Mindset. Mind made up to spend the night on the boat? Lock everything up, use a motion detector, and get a good night's sleep. If someone boards, make noise and turn on lights, wake up everybody in the anchorage, get on teh VHF, get on teh cell phone, and hope they leave before they smash too much stuff.

**boatman61** · 31-07-2019, 13:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jammer

The answer is to leave the boat on the hook, dinghy into shore, and stay in a hotel that caters to rich tourists. Here's why. This whole thread is based on a string of false premises:

1) That you have made a reasoned decision to spend a night someplace where you believe there is a genuine personal safety threat while you are at anchor, because the intangible rewards for doing so outweigh the risk.

2) That you will be able to deter or repel this genuine personal safety threat, unarmed, provided that you either a) gain the upper hand during the anticipated attack through the element of surprise (lights off) or b) deter the attack through the visible presence of your muscled, streetwise physique above decks (lights on).

3) That you, despite having the personal defense skills necessary to achieve these feats, are uncertain whether the best tactics are a) lights off or b) lights on.

Unless you have some practical experience or training in the princely art of beating the living daylights out of people for fun and profit (which you don't, or you wouldn't be asking whether to leave the lights on), you have no idea how this sort of thing goes down. It happens fast, and you're dealing with someone who sees violence as just another tool for achieving success in life. Consider that you'll more likely to be dealing with a gaff hook than a left hook -- most robbers are armed.

2/3 of robberies are successful.
Whether successful or not, 2/3 of robberies result in injury.
1/4 of these injuries were serious (life altering)

Advice. Well, stay in a hotel. Anchor somewhere else. Go play Rambo at the paintball club and get your manly yayas out that way instead. Or become a Gun Nut -- you've got the beginnings of the Gun Nut Mindset. Mind made up to spend the night on the boat? Lock everything up, use a motion detector, and get a good night's sleep. If someone boards, make noise and turn on lights, wake up everybody in the anchorage, get on teh VHF, get on teh cell phone, and hope they leave before they smash too much stuff.

sailon46 · 31-07-2019, 13:49

Remembering when I sailed in a charter boat out of St Lucia to St Vincent and then Bequia in 1995, what I learned then was that St Vincent is to be avoided at all costs. I have sailed in the last 5 years down to Grenada and back up to USVI a couple of times. The only island I avoided was St Vincent and other than a dingy pilfered in Anguila I have nothing else to report of a negative experience. I know there are some folks here that love St Vincent. This sailor says Sailon by, Bequia is so much better.
Ernie on the Mary Jane

Marc1 · 31-07-2019, 14:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saleen411

Assume no great security system....no motion detector lights, alarms or weapons. Think basic charter boat.

You feel the need to stand watch for security reasons.....Would you stand watch with lights on and make your presence known?... OR, hide in the dark ready to pounce?

Have any of you stood watch before because you just happen to be in a known high crime area.

Sounds silly I know......but will be my reality in a few months.

I like the part of this post that says ... make your presence known with lights, or hide in the dark ready to pounce ...

This assumes training and skills you probably don't have, judging from your age and the very fact you ask this question.

I remember as teenagers we used to go camping and convinced everyone we needed to stand guard but we did so just to chat with a girl all night at the fire.
We would never camp in a place that had real reasons to fear.

To do that as an adult in a lose lose situation is rather silly ... but you said so yourself

Of course you could buy a flamethrower and a few hand grenade?

CATJAVA · 31-07-2019, 17:16

Get a dog. Saved me twice, in PNG & Solomons. In PNG they boarded the boat next door. Natives are afraid of a dog.

**a64pilot** · 31-07-2019, 17:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by jewt

Josh Slocum used tacks on deck, I would prefer a double stacked 9mm but most places Bear repellent would have to do. Amazon sell several brands .

jewt

S/V Bifrost

retired US Marine Harrier pilot

You know, I looked that up. Apparently bear repellent is a much weaker mix than what is meant to spray people with.
https://www.selfdefenseninja.com/bea...ts-difference/

Saleen411 · 31-07-2019, 17:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marc1

I like the part of this post that says ... make your presence known with lights, or hide in the dark ready to pounce ...

This assumes training and skills you probably don't have, judging from your age and the very fact you ask this question.

Tongue in cheek question mate....has NOTHING to do with me, my skills or lack thereof. Ass-umes nothing.

Saleen411 · 31-07-2019, 17:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jammer

Advice. Well, stay in a hotel. Anchor somewhere else. Go play Rambo at the paintball club and get your manly yayas out that way instead. Or become a Gun Nut -- you've got the beginnings of the Gun Nut Mindset. Mind made up to spend the night on the boat? Lock everything up, use a motion detector, and get a good night's sleep. If someone boards, make noise and turn on lights, wake up everybody in the anchorage, get on teh VHF, get on teh cell phone, and hope they leave before they smash too much stuff.

Really? Rambo? Gun nut mindset? Wow....you sir know NOTHING about me.

I will leave it there since your entire post is nothing more than personal inane bull$^&t.

atlroofman · 31-07-2019, 18:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saleen411

Assume no great security system....no motion detector lights, alarms or weapons. Think basic charter boat.

You feel the need to stand watch for security reasons.....Would you stand watch with lights on and make your presence known?... OR, hide in the dark ready to pounce?

Have any of you stood watch before because you just happen to be in a known high crime area.

Sounds silly I know......but will be my reality in a few months.

Leave one interior light on so they know it is occupied but you can still see, then shine a 1000 candle portable spot light just on them.
Although this is all conjecture since 1/1000 anyone will approch.

Marc1 · 31-07-2019, 22:38

I still believe the flamethrower is the best solution.
Short of playing Mozart at 120 db.

roland stockham · 31-07-2019, 23:05

Best defence I have come accross is a really high power torch, the tactical one security people carry, set on rapid flash. Point it at someones face and the can't see a thing.

Frank 101 · 01-08-2019, 01:01

Do what Slocum did and lay tacks all over the deck! But seriously use lights and have a siren can just in case so you can make some noise.

waterman46 · 01-08-2019, 07:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by DMCantor

Look, I know that St. Vincent's reputation is bad, but it is not really a "high crime" destination. We often anchor there with no precautions other than being nice to the local kids.

I guess some cruisers can be real ******** toward the local people, and maybe they are at higher risk. We try to make connections, and then never worry. Maybe that means buying some local fruit from a kid approaching your boat, or offering him some water and a peanut butter sandwich.

On first reading it sounds ridiculous that befriending a local kid could reduce your chances of being robbed. But thinking back to the times we were approached by locals wanting to sell some rotton fruit, we usually bought it just to be nice. I wouldn't be surprised if the daytime visitors to out anchored boat later reported to the local crime boss, perhaps even putting in a good word on our behalf.