Pirates?

[Mayfly]

yeh.............. bad , bad, guys........... still hang around Natuna near our islands yes cousin?

[Vega]

Originally Posted by BillyDoc

Thanks for the well thought out discussion of this issue, hansp77. Like you, I have come to the conclusion that going armed is the only way....
Bill

To my point of view, the content of this thread is misleading.

It gives the impression that pleasure cruising in dangerous areas is some vital activity that you have to do and therefore you must be armed and prepared to kill or be killed (and about being killed it is not just you, but you and your family).

I believe that the vast majority of cruisers will simply avoid dangerous cruising grounds instead of making a point on their rights to cruise everywhere, even if for that they risk to kill or be killed.

Curiously in this thread there is very few information about the areas that are dangerous and a lot more about the way of killing pirates.

This season I had planned to cruise along the North coast of Africa, but after that stupid Danish commix Issue (and the effects it provoked in the Muslim communities towards the way they view westerners), I have considered that it was not the best time to explore those shores.

Going anyway (with the family) and carry guns as a precaution?
No way. It is a big world.

I’ll go to the North instead, to the Galician’s Rias Altas and maybe the Basque country…I am on holidays, for Christ’s sake.

[Guillermo]

I've been following this thread only occasionally. Have this 'pirates repellent' been posted before...?

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/b...1b9cruise.html

[BillyDoc]

Looks nice, Guillermo, but kind of expensive at $20K. But along the lines of an acoustic defense, an old-fashioned carbide cannon might well discourage someone with evil intent.

I played with this as a kid, just because I liked the sound of a good bang. Basically, all you need is a tube with a closed end and a spark plug mounted in it. You dump in some calcium carbide (I think that is what I used) and a little water, wait a few seconds while it effuses some acetylene gas, and hit the spark. It made a VERY impressive bang.

Modernizing this idea, a oxy-acetylene welding rig is sometimes useful for welding, and could easily be plumbed into a suitable tube with spark plug. A little experimentation might yield the right flow rates and pressures for using both the oxygen and acetylene gas for the bang mix . . . and if some way can be figured out to slow the combustion this could provide the basis for a nice mortar that passes as a mere acoustic device. The problem here is that acetylene/oxygen explosions are very “sharp” (high brissiance) and might well simply shatter the tube if you try propelling something . . . and your day!

Substituting propane for mortar use might work though.

Vega, you are quite right that given any choice about avoiding known pirate lairs wisdom would certainly dictate avoidance. The problem I have is twofold. First, my immediate sailing ground is the Carribean where it is not unknown for boats to be stolen to transport drugs, and second, the U.S. government seems quite determined to deeply piss off everyone else in the world, and one side effect of this is to make me a much more desirable target. I’m not willing to give up the sea entirely just yet, so I always sail with a gun. I’m hoping for a more sophisticated defense than that for future sailing, though. Preferably, non-lethal, but I don’t think taking out someone who is clearly trying to kill me will bother me very much if it should come to that. Any more than cleaning out the holding tank would. Neither is pleasant, but both are sometimes necessary. People who take to that sort of predatory life style forfeit their own “right” to life, in my opinion.

It is, as you say, a big world, and as long as nobody is trying to kill me I’m a very peaceful sort of guy. The rifle (45-70) almost always stays out of sight and out of mind. And with a little luck things will continue to stay exactly that way. One time only, out of many years of sailing, some boat attempted to intercept me well out at sea. I know this because I changed course twice and observed the other boat change course to an interception course each time. Sunset was well along, and the distance was great enough so that I could sail away until it got dark, pull down all radar reflecting materials, turn off all the lights and change course again. It worked, and I never knew if someone was looking for a friendly chat or to do me harm. It was a scary experience, nonetheless. The rifle was out and loaded, but never fired.

[safewalrus]

This is one of those subjects that will go on and on and on and on.......

In the first instance it depends on your definition of a pirate! Is the guy who steals a few shackles from your rigging at sea a pirate? (technically, yes) is the guy with the big gun blasing away a pirate? pirates do not need to have one leg and a parrot on the shoulder! How you treat them is how you treat anybody who comes at you with the intention to steal! Avoid if possible, scare if need to, but fight to protect you and yours (in some eyes your twelve year old daughter is fair game, and not just for pinching sweets from!).

What you must remember about the piracy game is there ain't to many policemen out at sea to help out - those that are may be well out of range! Also remember that thieves are everywhere, just the size that matters!

So you have to take the precautions necessary for the area that you intend to sail in - if that includes a bloody big gun (and the ability to use it, then you must be prepared, anything else is pure suicidal)

Some people don't get to choose! they have to take what comes!

Just because you go 'loaded for bear' don't mean you HAVE to use it! But if you ain't got it, no amount of wishful thinking can help!

[Wellydeckhand]

Pirates Chase Live Volvo



Aahhhhh............!!!!!

[Wellydeckhand]

Here is a Bugis Knife..... wicked blade of the type would be worn by a true olden days Asian Pirate A fan is not actually become a pirate

[BillyDoc]

Hi Welly,

Wicked indeed, but it looks like it would be hard to control with the curved handle. No real leverage for lateral movements, exacerbated by sweaty hands.

Bill

[Wellydeckhand]

The trick is to thrust the piece holding it like a gun, with two index finger hold the blade part next to the hilt. Now after penetration the L shape would be useful as it is for turning the blade inside the wound, thus creating a uncurable big hole......... add that with Dayak poison, it would kill a cow instantly...... The poison will not effect you once it is cook properly. The poison turn into a type of seasoning spice.

WDH

[safewalrus]

Originally Posted by Wellydeckhand

The trick is to thrust the piece holding it like a gun, with two index finger hold the blade part next to the hilt. Now after penetration the L shape would be useful as it is for turning the blade inside the wound, thus creating a uncurable big hole......... add that with Dayak poison, it would kill a cow instantly...... The poison will not effect you once it is cook properly. The poison turn into a type of seasoning spice.

WDH

Which is great Welly but your average westerner has this aversion to "long pork" which may not make it a popular weapon against Pirates! Unless of course your pirate has take to employing cows to make the numbers up?

[BillyDoc]

Hey Walrus,

Long Pork used to be very popular all over the world amongst our ancestors. As a regular part of a general diet it provides a natural regulator for Mr. Malthus's somewhat pessimistic theory.

Welly,

Interestingly, some time ago an Italian gentleman by the name of Caesar argued something very similar to your knife technique. His instructions to his soldiers was to never stick their sword into their victim more than 4 inches, and to twist it before retracting. That way the sword didn’t get stuck and provided a fatal wound. These soldiers did not have curved handles on their swords, however.

Bill

[Wellydeckhand]

The curved handle provide the extra level to make that special turn faster and easier....... Do not do it at home...... very..... very..... dangerous.

[Wellydeckhand]

4:44 AM Thu 25 May 2006
A string of attacks on ships by pirates in the Caribbean in the first quarter of 2006 may prompt the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) to list Jamaica as a hot spot for piracy, an official from the IMB said.

The Caribbean Sea is a vital route for the North and South American oil trade, with oil cargoes sailing daily to U.S. and South American ports from the refineries and terminals there.

If the piracy continues, shipowners may consider adding a premium on freight rates for oil tankers and bulk carriers plying the Caribbean routes.

In a response to questions via e-mail, Noel Choong, head of the piracy reporting center at the IMB, said it may list Jamaica as a hot spot for piracy if the attacks continue, and it will continue to monitor Caribbean waters.

In the first three months of this year, three piracy attacks were reported in Jamaican waters.

The number of reported piracy attacks worldwide for that same period rose to 61 from 56 a year ago.

The current hot spots are off the coasts of Somalia and Nigeria, according to the IMB.

'Pirates attack all types of ships. In 2005, most ships attacked by pirates were bulk carriers and tankers,' Choong said.

Most pirates go for cash and valuables aboard the vessel, and the risk of pirates hijacking the cargo depends on the various syndicates, he added.

In Asia, pirates are known to hijack the smaller tankers and other ships, and sell the oil cargo in small quantities from the tanker.

Pirates could also repaint a new name on the ships, hoping to sell the ship for the more private coastal trades.

Apart from cargoes, the ship's crew is also exposed to danger during such attacks, Choong said.

To prevent piracy attacks, governments should step up patrols in the hot spots, and ship's crews must maintain strict anti-piracy watch, he said.

The Straits of Malacca and India, which were previously listed as hot spots for piracy, reported no incidents in the first quarter of this year.

This was attributed to a tri-national cooperation among Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia to increase anti-piracy patrols in the region.

www.alertnet.org



by Edgar Ang - (Reuters)

[Wellydeckhand]

4:44 AM Thu 25 May 2006
A string of attacks on ships by pirates in the Caribbean in the first quarter of 2006 may prompt the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) to list Jamaica as a hot spot for piracy, an official from the IMB said.

The Caribbean Sea is a vital route for the North and South American oil trade, with oil cargoes sailing daily to U.S. and South American ports from the refineries and terminals there.

If the piracy continues, shipowners may consider adding a premium on freight rates for oil tankers and bulk carriers plying the Caribbean routes.

In a response to questions via e-mail, Noel Choong, head of the piracy reporting center at the IMB, said it may list Jamaica as a hot spot for piracy if the attacks continue, and it will continue to monitor Caribbean waters.

In the first three months of this year, three piracy attacks were reported in Jamaican waters.

The number of reported piracy attacks worldwide for that same period rose to 61 from 56 a year ago.

The current hot spots are off the coasts of Somalia and Nigeria, according to the IMB.

'Pirates attack all types of ships. In 2005, most ships attacked by pirates were bulk carriers and tankers,' Choong said.

Most pirates go for cash and valuables aboard the vessel, and the risk of pirates hijacking the cargo depends on the various syndicates, he added.

In Asia, pirates are known to hijack the smaller tankers and other ships, and sell the oil cargo in small quantities from the tanker.

Pirates could also repaint a new name on the ships, hoping to sell the ship for the more private coastal trades.

Apart from cargoes, the ship's crew is also exposed to danger during such attacks, Choong said.

To prevent piracy attacks, governments should step up patrols in the hot spots, and ship's crews must maintain strict anti-piracy watch, he said.

The Straits of Malacca and India, which were previously listed as hot spots for piracy, reported no incidents in the first quarter of this year.

This was attributed to a tri-national cooperation among Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia to increase anti-piracy patrols in the region.

www.alertnet.org



by Edgar Ang - (Reuters)

[safewalrus]

It's amazing what a bit of cooperation between governments can bring about, and its good to see that the Malacca straits are returning to what it should be used for - a vast roadway for the good of the local and world populance, both fishing and trading, knowing that people can get on with their lives peacefully at last! Long may it last!!