Protection from Pirates: The Almost-Perfect Solution

[goboatingnow]

Most countries do not allow self protection devices. Ie you cannot seek to activelty enhance your defensive ability beyond physical force. Hence products that are purely designed to do that are illegal. Typically pepper sprays etc. They will be confiscated if declared and you could face a fine. Firearms in most countries are licensed for sport not defense. While this is an alien concept to most Americans it's the way many countries think ( europe especially)

You are allowed to passively defend yourself, alarms, physical protection etc, you are allowed, in certain cases to use physical force but once you move to artificially enhance such actions you tend to run up against the law.

Doesn't mean you should or shouldn't carry them, just be aware they may be more trouble then they are worth.

Dave

[James Baines]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

No, it doesn't depend on where your boat is registered. It depends on the laws in the country you are visiting.

I don't know about many, but yes, some cruisers carry shotguns. They have to be careful about what countries they visit. Some will arrest you for tying up to the customs dock when you have a weapon on board. Others will confiscate the weapon. Some will do as you suggest and simply impound it until you leave.

The real point, though, is that each country is different. You need to know the laws where you are going. And, as I pointed out, some do not differentiate between pepper spray and fully-automatic machine guns--they are both "weapons" and they will both get you into just as much trouble.

Nope, respecting the laws of all the countries I might visit, I would NEVER break their laws.
That said, the 12 bore that blew the dumb **** over the side was not mine officer, nor was the .444 bear cartridge shot that blew the ass end off his boat after passing through a few of his crew, no idea where those shots came from sir.
Never forget, there are:
Law abiding countries, that’s where you encounter the “Casual and easily dealt with thieves”, then,
Countries with laws that are seldom enforced, “Better armed, harder to deal with thieves, and then,
There are countries best described as “Crime Scenes”. And I’m sure most of you will know which so called “Countries” I refer to.
Although I would never dream of describing Haiti or Somalia as crime scenes, those being countries and all, in the event that you were to go to places like that, in order not to break the law, you would be well advised to ensure that the guy on the next mooring is armed to the teeth because in places such as those, extreme violence is the only way to go.
The Remington?, the Winchester?, no idea sir, I’m just a tourist visiting your beautiful country…James

[goboatingnow]

Rather then risk jail carrying firearms. Why not avoid " crime scene " countries. ( or places) there's loads of the world that safe and secure.

Ps do you really want to kill a petty thief. In lots of countries that will get YOU locked up.

Dave

[ChristiGrab]

Wasp spray will make a person's eyes and throat swell up to the point they have to go to the hospital. And they really will have to go to the hospital for drugs to reverse the effects -- it won't fade away on its own. And, as far as I know, wasp spray is perfectly legal everywhere.

[goboatingnow]

Just to get serious , as I find these " self defense" threads amusing.

Why would you risk injury and possibly make a bad situation worse, possibly enrage the burglar or cause someone who just had petty larceny on his mind to now think he needs to defend his life.

Surely all you stand to loose is some physical things. In more serious cases where the intruder has more violent intent, I doubt very much that any of these methods would be successful.

Dave

[niel12]

In essence it seems to me that most of the post referring to concern for those poor populations who don't have but want. it is interresting that former sea traders use to carry gifts when they vissited islands. True they were attacked by pirates but for diffirent reasons.

I cruised up the east coast of South Africa and carried crayons writing pads pencils Tshirts in various sizes and illustrated childrens bibles. I cannot begin to describe the pleasure on those childrens faces! The parents treated us like royalty Why, becuse they did not usk, we gave.
We are welcome back in Bazarutu any time.

A old marketing phylosophy was that if you look after the children of client your client will look after you!!

Those gifts are part of my inventory and i keep them topped up where and when ever i can.

[Capt Phil]

niel12, I must agree... in some of the poorest part of the Mexican and central American coast, we always took adult and childrens clothes, school supplies, basic kitchen utensils, coloring books, colored pencils (crayons melt in the heat) and basic tools like pliers, wrenches, screw drivers, etc and tried to work through the local priest to offer them to folks who really needed them.
We never had a problem with theft or security. In fact, offering up these tokens opened wonderful relationships with the locals, including dinners, social get togethers, guided tours inland to some really neat untouched spots.
As the saying goes what goes around comes around and the good karma worked wonderfully well. Capt Phil

[niel12]

I llike the tools angle, that's neat i will iclude those in my inventory thanks!

[tager]

I am surprised this thread is not closed yet!

[webejammin]

I like the gift thing , next time I'm crusing the west coast of Canada I'll take rolling papers to hand out (there light to carry and cheep) maybe the natives will trade there local grown hearbs and we'll make friends.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by webejammin

I like the gift thing , next time I'm crusing the west coast of Canada I'll take rolling papers to hand out (there light to carry and cheep) maybe the natives will trade there local grown hearbs and we'll make friends.

Lol! I talked to you on the vhf at Friday harbor today. We should anchor in the same bay some day soon. I'll be in the islands another week or so. Call svwanderbird on the radio...

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by niel12

I cruised up the east coast of South Africa and carried crayons writing pads pencils Tshirts in various sizes and illustrated childrens bibles. I cannot begin to describe the pleasure on those childrens faces! The parents treated us like royalty Why, becuse they did not usk, we gave.
.

I love the idea and I know many cruisers do it, but I feel this could negitivly affect small business and promote some type of welfare state or belief that tourists should give stuff away.

We were told many times to take school exercise books to Indonesia. They cost a couple of dollars each in Australia. But in Indonesia in the local shop they cost 60 cents for 10 books.

Similar with T-shirts.

What I prefer to do is to buy as much as I can from small local businesses where I know the money will go to the local community or businessman. If he can make a profit he can keep his doors open.

If you want to help by giving things away at least buy the stuff from the local shops and give it out. You are supporting their factories too. But, imho, never go back there as they might then expect a hand-out.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by niel12

In essence it seems to me that most of the post referring to concern for those poor populations who don't have but want. it is interresting that former sea traders use to carry gifts when they vissited islands. True they were attacked by pirates but for diffirent reasons.

I cruised up the east coast of South Africa and carried crayons writing pads pencils Tshirts in various sizes and illustrated childrens bibles. I cannot begin to describe the pleasure on those childrens faces! The parents treated us like royalty Why, becuse they did not usk, we gave.
We are welcome back in Bazarutu any time.

A old marketing phylosophy was that if you look after the children of client your client will look after you!!

Those gifts are part of my inventory and i keep them topped up where and when ever i can.

That is the way to go ..love it ..one thing though ..dont give out western style sweets... as most are not used to the refined suger and like one lady told me after returning to her village a year later.."thank you kindly but the kids misbehaved for a week after you left and one even got suspended from school (the suger made them act like beavis and butthead on a suger buzz)pencils and school books from then on..like markjs idea also buy local if you can.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by James Baines

the 12 bore that blew the dumb **** over the side was not mine officer...

Yeah, good luck with that. Insulting the intelligence of the police in countries where this might actually come up is always just such a WONDERFUL idea!

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Surely all you stand to loose is some physical things.

Sadly, no, in all too many cases you stand to lose a lot more. Criminals nowadays--and this is true in all parts of the world--are trending towards more violence. After you have willingly handed over everything you have, been as cooperative as you can be, there is still the possibility that they will decide to beat you up some, or even kill you, just because they can (or maybe to keep you from reporting them to the authorities).

So are criminals becoming more violent because they are running into more victims who fight back? Or are victims fighting back more because criminals are becoming more violent? Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

In any case, if you think that you will be safe so long as you do everything they ask, sorry, but it just doesn't work that way anymore.