Weapons on board

Definitely!

I'm looking around on eBay for a couple of navy surplace torpedo tubes to strap on the bows to help clear a path through the mess of dinghies blocking the way past Medway Yacht Club every summer Sunday! :-)
 
This really must be a difficult subject with all manner of implications.

Somalia as a country has its drought, poverty, malnutrition and its hard not to have sympathy. On the other hand, there's never any justification for acts of piracy. Violence breeds violence so arming merchant shipping isn't the answer, or perhaps it is. It must surely serve as a deterent.

Other threads about recreational sailors suggest that a firearm shouldn't be carried unless you're prepared to use it............and accept the consequences.

Sitting in the comfort of my home, how can I objectively consider both sides of the argument?

There's been three cases recently in Manchester where a householder has defended his property with a dire outcome for the perp and and the CPS has judged each case as appropriate self defence.

I've absolutely no idea if I would have the courage to use a firearm. I've only ever used one on a range in California. Scarey experience. My preference would be to steer clear of the hotspots. The instinct to protect yourself must be imense, so, yes, shoot the barstweards!
 
I think you might run into a million problems if you supplied training and weapons however you might want to let you staff know that you allow it if they have a course completion certificate.

Poor Tony Martin
 
Not unless they are willing to kill someone. Guns on board are unlikely to deter unless you shoot at someone, with the intent to kill. If you don't you will just p*** them off!!
 
Juniperskip said:
Not unless they are willing to kill someone. Guns on board are unlikely to deter unless you shoot at someone, with the intent to kill. If you don't you will just p*** them off!!
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The theory seems to be that if an armed security guard on a merchant ship fires at a pirate skiff with a high velocity rifle, the pirates will just go and look for an unarmed ship rather that try their luck with an armed one. It is claimed that no defended merchant ship has been taken. We shall see if it works when the majority of ships are armed and the pirates cannot find unarmed ones.
 
Norman_E said:
It is claimed that no defended merchant ship has been taken. We shall see if it works when the majority of ships are armed and the pirates cannot find unarmed ones.
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It's not just claimed - it's a fact.

Currently Somali pirates hold nine ships - the figure hasn't been this low for over 3 years.
Only two merchantmen have been successfully captured by pirates this year (one of them was boarded in Salalah anchorage (Oman).

Even today an attack on a merchant vessel off Kenya/Tanzania was repulsed by armed guards on board.

The lack of available easy targets has forced the pirates to diversify: two attacks on yachts this year (Quest and ING) and more recently: tourists in Kenya.

Naval forces have in the past year also adopted a more robust posture towards pirates. Not only at sea, but there's an increasing willingness to destroy their infrastructure ashore.

For Somali pirates the writing is on the wall.
 
Well, having a bigger gun/castle/nuke tends to discourage people from trying. I was on an armed yacht (big hand gun). But not recently with the pirate problem. The idea was to face up to small time thieves off the coast of west Africa. If you want to counter Somali pirates, then serious firepower and the will to use it (see above) will be needed ( and where do you buy it,e-bay??.
Nice story from a guy on the WBF (now no longer with us) who had a few shoulder fired missiles. The first one went wide, but the pirates decided that this was not a fight they needed, and left.
DW

About buying: I was offered an FN SLR for 60 quid (it was '70s) from a guy from Pompey. If you really need something, that could be the thing. At the time, I had a problem about what I could use it for... The 12 bore was OK on birds..and LEGAL. It was not a serious offer, just available.
 
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Guapa said:
It's not just claimed - it's a fact.

Currently Somali pirates hold nine ships - the figure hasn't been this low for over 3 years.
Only two merchantmen have been successfully captured by pirates this year (one of them was boarded in Salalah anchorage (Oman).

Even today an attack on a merchant vessel off Kenya/Tanzania was repulsed by armed guards on board.

The lack of available easy targets has forced the pirates to diversify: two attacks on yachts this year (Quest and ING) and more recently: tourists in Kenya.

Naval forces have in the past year also adopted a more robust posture towards pirates. Not only at sea, but there's an increasing willingness to destroy their infrastructure ashore.

For Somali pirates the writing is on the wall.
Click to expand...

Have the.clerics declaring pirate money as haram not helped?
 
st599 said:
Have the.clerics declaring pirate money as haram not helped?
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The clerics have other things on their mind at the moment.

Whilst they say their followers should not engage in kidnapping/piracy, non-believers are free to do so provided they pay tax.

The clerics only control parts of southern Somalia, most pirate strongholds are in the centre and north of the country.
 
It's probably a contravention of the current firearms legislation, but I remember firing a 12 bore with a rifled slug during a "weapons effects" course back in the 70's. It will crack the block of a 3.5tonne truck, not to mention passing through 2" of solid oak, although probably not at the same time.

I shot skeet in the USA with a guy who used a pump action riot gun with an 18" barrel, that was pretty scary too, but it certainly smashed the clays. Replace the no7 shot with SSGs and you'd have a pretty good short range deterrent. Neither would probably have the range of an AK47 tho'
 
Firearms on yachts

at the risk of being seen as an extremist, people who voyage the world in small boats have more need than most to be armed. Also, the various daft forms that one has to fill in suggests that this is not so unusual. So, in my view, load up! Not with rubber bullets, but with proper stingy ones that kill f**** pirates. On reality, it is not likely that anyone will check - untll you are taken hostage..!
 
davidjackson said:
On the other hand, there's never any justification for acts of piracy.
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So in a 'post apocalyptic world', with a total breakdown of law and order, with people stealing from you every day, and if you and your family were starving to death, and you had a rich neighbour who had hoarded enough food, fuel, health provision and water to last you a million lifetimes, and left it lying just over the fence, you would not hop over and take a bit to save your child's life ?
 
One snag which I don't see mentioned is that the pirates also carry Rocket Propelled Grenades - RPG's - which use shaped charge warheads, able to knock out most tanks or blow rather undesired holes in ships let alone yachts !

If I was daft enough to venture into such areas, I might be keen on a sniper rifle and / or an AK-47...

In the meantime flares will probably deter the average miscreant ! :)
 
whipper_snapper said:
So in a 'post apocalyptic world', with a total breakdown of law and order, with people stealing from you every day, and if you and your family were starving to death, and you had a rich neighbour who had hoarded enough food, fuel, health provision and water to last you a million lifetimes, and left it lying just over the fence, you would not hop over and take a bit to save your child's life ?
Click to expand...

The apocalypse isn't going to happen in my lifetime and I've never had kids so, frankly, not my problem.

The big charities recently had a push to gain support for this region and in their own words were amazed by the generosity of support. There are good people in this word willing to help those less fortunate so let's not give pirates any legitimacy.

If their name is Jack Sparrow, I'm all in favour of piracy, otherwise no. How about the innocents involved? Do you want to tell their families that their loved ones are dead but they were rich and well nurished so tough luck.
 
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