pirates, thieves etc.

[jp_riva_maniac]

Hello,
Planning to cruise and live on board around the med, does some one know if the captain of a yacht is allowed to keep a firearm on board (I don't mean carry one when on land), just in case off. I have been told that this is legal.
No, I am not planning to cruise the Red Sea !
Any comments and advice welcome. Thanks.
J-P

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[Metabarca]

I don't know if it's legal or not (I doubt it) but do you really want one??!! In Croatia, I don't even bother to lock up if I leave the boat for an evening and with the single exception of Albania I've not heard of any piracy in recent years or of yotties being attacked (and even in Albania that was a single case about 3 years ago). I suspect a firearm in the Med would attract more trouble that it would ward off, both from the authorities and the bad guys.

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[Trevethan]

the whole firearms on board thing developed into a very long thread a while ago. I think the final decision was it's a dumb idea... it will get you into trouble with the authorities or it will get used against you and yours.. added to that guns and saltwater environment don't mix well so unless you clean them almost all the time, they are prone to failure when you need them most.

If determined to keep a weapon on board, while living in the US I saw a CO2 powered device that shoots a large (3/4 inch i think) rubber slug. It's a one shot device, designed to knock a boarder over the side. It then can be used as a club.

Doubt they are legal in the UK though.

A good trick I read was (when cruising in warmer climes where the population often goes barefoot) is to put carpet down with pins through the back (sharp bits up!) on sidedecks/cockpit .. as an effective deterrent.

Best advice I'd say is if you are worried about the security of an area to the point you think you might have to use a firearm, don't go there.



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[tcm]

Yes. Aside from the very very doubtful legality of having a firearm on board...the upshot of the thread was severalfold

1 that anyone who arrives with a gun will be more likely to use it than you are to use yours (cos you're even dithering about having one let alone use one).

2 the gun-toting attacker is much more likely be more skillful, and FAR more likely to shoot if they see that you have a gun as well.

3. To be of use, you would need to practice using the gun quite often, and clean it regularly. having done, this, you would then be more likely to shoot some non-guntoting person ("hm, funny noise, better take the gun") who is adjusting your lines, or even pinching a camera, and then you go to priz for murder.

4. Gun-toting newbies should stick to shouting and cursing at each other. In Latin countries the screaming and shouting and arm-waving might mean "do you want to buy some fish?" or "we need fuel" or "my mother is from the UK too".

5. tacks in the carpet and so on are positive defensive measures. Also, consider a "dud wallet" which looks nice and fat and used, with a bit of money and stacks of rubbishy plastic to be handed over as soon as requested. Note that even dishonest medditteranean types would never dream of frisking a woman, they are quaintly hounourable, so let her carry the money - which a macho moorish/latin type would never do.



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[diasmuu]

You should already have some effective projectile wepons aboard anyway, in the form of distress flairs/rockets. I believe that the best defence against someone who is pointing a gun at one is to call him sir. If your are holding a gun yourself you are more likley to be shot at.

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[Buck]

The problem with having a gun on board is this, if you point a gun at someone you have to be prepared to kill them! If you are not prepared to kill them and are not very very familiar with guns then forget it, taking a life is not an easy thing, think about it. The Med is pretty safe anyway, if you get yourself all hyped up and have a gun on board you may end up killing a coastguard who boards you at night because your anchor light is off and he could not get a reply from shouting at your boat. Or some kid who wants to sell you some fruit. If someone boards you intent on harm, hit your dsc button and give him your alcohol and wallet.
Just be aware of where you are sailing, talk to other cruisers, plan your routes, hire a local skipper from time to time if you are unsure or hook up with other people of a similar mind and cruise in company from time to time.
Enjoy it, don't plan for disaster.

<hr width=100% size=1>Buck

Relax, life is just a game.

 

[webcraft]

Re. 5

All my wallets are dud . . .

- Nick

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[Trevethan]

Also re: 5... better to risk pirates taking wallet and possibly spending than leave with SWMBO and know it will get spent....

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[Sybarite]

" A good trick I read was (when cruising in warmer climes where the population often goes barefoot) is to put carpet down with pins through the back (sharp bits up!) on sidedecks/cockpit .. as an effective deterrent. "

Joshua Slocum ??

John


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[Anchorite]

Re: Don\'t take your guns to sea,Bill.

Leave your guns at home...excellent article on this subject by Tristan Jones in
YM or PBO of about 20 years ago. Which said: no guns, never. But a flame thrower
is not classed as a firearm. And TJ added useful instructions, like first blast without
ignition to put a primary coating on the target, then flame. This was followed by
how to make a molotov cocktail with outboard mix + coca cola bottle, and how to
fire it using a diving bottle...Tongue in cheek, certainly.
I have 2 spearguns on board but no homicidal tendencies. Can't help feeling we (or
some) are being brainwashed into a state of terrorised anticipation of the infinitely
improbable. On the car accident yardstick, pirates are nowhere.

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[ccscott49]

Just forget it, no guns!! Nothing but trouble in anybodies hands.

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[Grehan]

Slocum?

yup, although sans carpet, he just sprinkled the tacks and I recall the technique did work - was it down Tierra del Fuego way?

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[piscosour]

I wish I could afford a wallet, sailing isn't cheap you know.

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[charles_reed]

Don\'t even think of it..

You'll have it impounded if you're lucky.

If you're unlucky and don't have considerable smallarms experience you'll shhot your foot off.

Or disasterously you'll wing someone and land up in clink, uncomfortably, painfully and perhaps with a gunshot wound from the local law-enforcement.

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[mtb]

What's all this talk about wallets !!! never seen one what's it for have they got one in the science museum.

cheers
Mick

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[jeanne]

If you're not prepared to use a gun for its intended use i.e. killing, don't even think about it.

If you want to leave hatches open, and want to know if you have an intruder, just put something on the top step of your companionway ladder that will make a noise when it falls , or thread a nylon fishing line across the opening to trip an intruder. (...it will also trip you if the anchor drags...)

We only had one intruder in 20 years, and that was in the Glenans....


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