firearms on board

[philmarks]

As someone ealrier said, the US cruisers are keener on weapons, cultural thing I think? Steve Dashew goes in to some detail in Offshore Cruising Encyclopaedia (locked secure stowage etc.)

My view better not to have, although I did once carry an air rifle for sinking beer cans and bottles (pre-green days!). Good fun in calm seas.

 

[Mirelle]

But could you train one?

The late Geoff McKenzie, the youngest submarine commander in WW2, who established and ran Rabaul Stevedores in PNG, maintianed that the only way was to get a Doberman, Ridgeback, or similar puppy, put it in a sack, beat the sack, and open the drawstring when a person of the suspected variety was the first thing the pup would see. After repeating this treatment 20 times the dog would get the message.....

 

[snowleopard]

Re: make my day

but then you might hit the jackpot and get a jetskier!

 

[tcm]

Re: make my day

um, i am not quite so anti-jetskier as some hereabouts. Fact is that belting around on a jetski is blimmin boring after about 20 mins, which is why hardly anyone rents one for more than 1x half-hour. Amd why they have not such big stands on the boatshows.

So, i wave attem and getem to take us ashore. Give them 2 quid, cheaper than a water taxi and tellem to come back in 2 hours. Or, when the outboard is busted a bit, one of them towed us back. This gives them a purpose, and they love it.

 

[Metabarca]

Re: make my day

Does no-one remember the arcane Welsh art of self-defence of Llap-Goch as practised by M.Palin et al: knock out the opponent before he even knows you exists. The message is clear: buy a pocket battleship and fire at everything as it appears over the horizon. Tell that nice gentleman in Washington that you're clearing the seas of terrorists and he'll probably give you the poppers for free!

Seriously, tho', I reckon guns are a bad idea. There have been several cases in Italy in recent years of trained policemen blasting off at innocent and semi-innocent (but unarmed) citizens. Clearly if they can't keep cool enough to know not to squeeze the trigger, what hope for me? Having said that, it must also be admitted that I wouldn't have put some of these morons in charge of a zebra crossing in Venice, let alone give them a gun, but that's another story.

 

[rhinorhino]

You jest, but there are more than a few private yachts who's armament runs to this.
I know of a yacht which carries .50s and LAWs and the crew train regularly with them.
Funniest pirate story, I heard, was a gang who tried to turn over a scruffy trawler they saw trailing along behind a US carrier group.

 

[claymore]

Quite idiotic

I'd be better with a large and very long barrelled flintlock because I'd use it as a bat.
I was a decent cricketer in my day and so I'd have some chance of hitting the target I feel, deploying this method.
On the other hand I was the one who never won a goldfish at the fair on the rifle range so the chances are the Pirate would be intact but all my lovely woodwork would be shot to bits
Hope this helps - I think this thread has got quite idiotic - so feel its safe to join in with similarly idiotic suggestions

regards
Claymore

 

[kingfisher]

Roses have thorns

People insist on visiting the far corners of the world, the most exotic places, but are then appaled that these places do not offer the comforts of home or the safety of your own back yard.

If you are so worried about piracy that you are planning on buying a gun, why go to these places ?

What if you live in extreme poverty, and you can't pay the doctor, and for one gps you can feed your family for a month, and just a 100m of the coast are an eldery couple in their multimillion dollar yacht poking your eyes out, wouldn't you be tempted? Agreed, most pirates are not motivated by these Dickinsian reasons, but are purely in it for the money (or more).

But don't come complaining that you were attacked of the coast of Angola or Venezuala. You went for the adventure, you got a bit more than you asked for, but if you want to avoid the risk, avoid the places.There is a reason why some coasts are rarely visited. The rewards can be large, but so are the risks.

And yes, you can get robbed in London or Brussels. So for that eventuality, get a pepperspray.


Group of people on the pontoon: skipper is the one with the toolbox.
http://sirocco31.tripod.com

 

[tcm]

Re: fake wallet

I heard that in latin countries , let the wife/woman have the money - they are too honourable to rob women.

Perhaps more reliably, a fat "fake"wallet with assorted ancient credit cards some small amounts of cash should send them away happy they've done you over.

Trouble with the guns is that they are quite expensive. I got a quote to have the house fitted with electric shutters but at 15 grand it cost mopre than the contents.

James Bond would give them his wallet and then detontate it with a remote when they have left.

 

[Chris_Robb]

Re: At last a reason for keeping my dog!!NM

of coarse I couldn't get rid of him - but he thieves, goes dustbinning, is smelly - got warts - totally bonkers - but no could not get rid of him -- too tough to eat!

 

[tcm]

Re: make my day

agreed.

I wd however recommend a decent fire hydrant as an attack weapon. Mine takes 5 mins to get ready, so I have to spot attackers from a long way off. Unfortunately, there havent been any attackers but I have I have practised on the kids, who aren't allowed to pinch the thing from me, as it's a very serious practise, and not a silly game.

 

[Stingo]

Re: fake wallet

Each time I'm asked if I have a loyalty card at any of the big stores, I say no and get the application form and card. I'm hoping that if I am unfortunate enough to be held-up, I can hand over a variety of loyalty cards as "credit cards". I have also installed a small safe which will have a selection of these loyalty cards and a small amount of cash. The real cards and cash will be stored in an old paint tin or something similar and I hope like hell, they're not after paint. I've heard of cruisers putting cash in food tins but I've also heard of pirates wanting food.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.stingo.co.uk>http://www.stingo.co.uk</A> - now showing at a computer near you

 

[steve_cronin]

large dog?

..well yes. He would make an excellent first target so that you knew that they were desperate.

I think that there are few of us sitting here comfortably in the UK who could possibly give an informed answer to this question. In fact, I don't think there IS a clear black & white answer unless:-

a. All guns owned by individuals are a deterrent.


or

b. All guns held by individuals put the holder in increased peril.

I come down on the side of ambivalence on this one. The nearest I've come to an arms confrontation experience was arriving at Gouvia Marina Corfu a few weeks after an unarmed guy got shot and killed running down the dock to tackle an Albanian bandit bent on stealing his inflatable & motor which was itself a few months after a couple were raped and shot in a bay near Kassiope by other Albanians. Would the outcome have been different had each been armed? Yes I think so.

Is it always right to "...suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" OR TO "...take up arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing END them"

A lot of people have been asking that for a long time. I think that there is a different answer in the South China Sea to that in the Caribbean to that in the Southern Med.

When on a long cruise YOU are the law that protects and you survive by your own judgement and skills and YES the average yachtsman looks like an easy target. We were in company with three US yachts for a few days last summer and after MUCH persuasion two skippers did admit to having a sidearm "somewhere" on board. All three though were of the opinion that in an anchorage a prospective attacker, knowning that Americans carry guns, would be less likely to make one of their boats his target of choice.

Would anyone like to challenge that opinion? I couldn't.

Steve Cronin

 

[sailbadthesinner]

Re: I have an ex

The previous mrs s2b is available
she loves sailing is a good helm
and very very scary
pm me i can send details
she is looking for a year out sailing
any trouble i would send her in to deal, much more effective than a gun.


current mrs s2b refers to her as 'that evil scheming bitch' and current mrs s2b is no pushover

Ok brain let's just do this and I can get back to killing you with beer.

 

[ccscott49]

Re: I have an ex

Just my kind of woman, can she varnish?

 

[tcm]

Re: fake wallet

Harumph. I hate the loyalty cards. How loyal can anyone be if they have more than one. If anyone asks if I have loyalty card I tellem certainly not, I'm paying top prices, so I'll be having top quality service than you very much.

I think it is v dodgy to put cash in paint tins and other clever places. I have put about 300quid somehwere but totally forgotten where, tho i knowit is an excellent place where a burglar wouldn't find it.

 

[tcm]

Re: oho so its mrs s2b2 then, not s2b1?

ooh, I sh've fiound out more bout this when we met. I hope it is only midweek blues that has prompted such an instant link between guns to wives?

 

[sailbadthesinner]

Re: I have an ex

probably
to be honest colin it wasn't her diy skills i was after

old history now anyway

Ok brain let's just do this and I can get back to killing you with beer.

 

[tcm]

Re: Flags again

so, wear an illegal stars and stripes? Oops no best make that um palestinian, they're a bit mad and also a bit skint.

 

[sailbadthesinner]

Re: oho so its mrs s2b2 then, not s2b1?

actually current mrs s2b is mrs s2b1
former mrs s2b is actually mrs 2b2
hence mrs2b1 hates mrs s2b2

it makes sense after reading a few times

mrs s2b 2she rang last night
to congratulate me on the wedding
though jesus alone knows how she found out
probably on friends reunited
the others found out that way
she is 3rd ex to get in touch

they are probably only ringing to confirm i am still mad and congratulate themselves on a lucky escape.

Ok brain let's just do this and I can get back to killing you with beer.<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by sailbadthesinner on 30/01/2003 13:23 (server time).</FONT></P>