Piracy and Firearms - Another View

[Panamajames]

I found this article on Noonsite, good cruising site.

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"Piracy & Firearms: Another View

"Created by doina. Last modified on 2007-03-27 12:33:04
"Contributors:
"Topic: Self-defence and Deterring Attacks

"I was scanning your site, like I do often, and I noticed on the issue of piracy some short comments about using firearms to ward off pirates.

"One good source of info on modern piracy that many who own yachts may not have ever read is an American magazine called, "Soldier of Fortune".

"Soldier of Fortune" magazine, founded and edited by a retired US Army special forces colonel, is known as the only publication to have had a reporter on the ground the entire time during the Russian war in Afghanistan.

"This magazine is of extreme . . ."

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To read the rest of the Noonsite.com post, go to:

http://www.noonsite.com/Members/doin...7-03-14-4/view

[capcook]

You make some valid points, but often these Pirates are not using "rusty shotguns" but rather AK-47s and gernade launchers... Someone once wrote here that having a gunfight on a plastic boat with an AK-47 on the other side is not the best case scenario... Still I tend to lean towards having some valid defense but to also avoid all those areas (a growing list as you elude to) where this is a common problem.. Ha, I wonder if you mounted some realistic looking wooden M-60 Machine Guns on your CAT if that might scare them off...

Cheers

[MarkJ]

If idiots want to start brassing up locals in Venezuela well then they can expect to lose their boat and spend a life in jail.

If we are talking about the only real piracy areas then one must consider dragging weapons around the world for 5 years for a 1 week passage. Or illegally buying weapons in the one port before the transiting the difficult area. Why? Because weapons must be legally registered in the country of the passport holder.

The only weapons that would be any good would be one held in the arms of an avid reader of Soldier of Fortune.

There must be better ways of dealing with ti. Use of creativity and a lack of pig-headedness must be the answer.

[GordMay]

Soldier of Fortune magazine is basically a macho fantasy for violence junkies and pseudo-warriors.

The most reliable indicator of Soldier of Fortune's target market is provided by those who advertise in the magazine.

Apart from the predictable panoply of knives and rifles, advertisers offer "uncensored gore" photographs of "fatal beatings, mutilations and decapitations"; "Russian ladies who want to meet you"; and "male power packs" which "can elevate testosterone by 200 per cent".

[David_Old_Jersey]

Well informed (as usual )...........you a subscriber?

Gord

[DaveOnCudjoe]

I carry a pump action shotgun. Rifled slugs are good out to 200yds, buckshot under 50yds,only 1 gun to hassle with declaring and cleaning. This is a very personal decision that requires carefull consideration, this is my choice and right for me. Dave

[David M]

Whether or not to carry firearms on board is an issue with its definite advantages and definite disadvantages. Its also an issue which has been covered ad nauseam on this forum. I encourage anyone who wants to post even more thoughts about this topic to please search our data base for under SEARCH at the top of the page for other threads relating to this topic. There really is a lot of good information in some of the other gun threads.

[Stillraining]

I will only add to this thread by saying ...At the current 7 mil demand for these poor Brits ransom, we would be as good as dead anyway..so might as well go down fighting no mater what method you choose...Stay away is the best defence.

[Aussiesuede]

Perhaps an enterprising yacht transport company will start charging yachtee's a fee to ferry their vessels into the gulf, then have folks fly and meet their boat on the other end. Use part of the proceeds to pay the pirates 'protection money' to not target the transport vessel. Paying off the bad guys seems to be working well for the Army, why not give it a go on a smaller scale for profit?

Or maybe go into business with the pirates and set up a website where yachtee's can sign up, pay a $1000 fee, and receive an RF beacon prior to entry into the Gulf - which identifies them as 'paid for passage'. When a pirate skiff approaches, it receives the beacon signal and bears off towards a different 'unpaid' target. The company could be set up to call the fee 'Somali Customs Tariff' , and we could paint the pirate skiffs gray and write "Somali Navy" on the side. The company could even develop new revenue streams by selling sponsorships. Put little Nascar style stickers on the pirate skiffs like "Sponsored by Halliburton" or "Powered by Honda". These blokes just seem to be all about the money - so let's try to lure em into legitimate business opportunities...

Or an alternative would be to just avoid the area in the way we avoid bad neighborhoods when on land...

[John A]

There is a private company staffed by former SEAL TEAM 6 members who have started contracting to escort vessels thru troubled waters.

stay tuned

[sabray]

How about a punkin chunkin machine. One of these put a pumkin through the side of a panel truck

[GordMay]

The Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) has established Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151) specifically for counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Task Force 151 is an outgrowth of Combined Task Force-150, which was created to conduct security operations at the beginning of “Operation Enduring Freedom” (the U.S. effort in Afghanistan). The task forces are part of the Combined Maritime Forces, which includes naval ships and other assets from more than 20 nations.

About 24,000 ships transit the region each year. The chances of being hijacked is only 0.13%.

Maritime Security Patrol Area
Suggested corridor through the Gulf of Aden:
➥ Noonsite: Gulf of Aden - Revised Maritime Security Patrol Area

More ➥ Horn of Africa Piracy

[capcook]

Originally Posted by GordMay

About 24,000 ships transit the region each year. The chances of being hijacked is only 0.13%.

HUM, tell that to the British couple

[Panamajames]

What are you doing in an area where there have been many many kidnappings in the last year.
I would also say if you are out gunned surrender.
I would also say my prayers are with you.
I would also say everyone makes mistakes and you made a dooozy to be where you knew there were bad guys in number.

Good luck and my God be with you.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by GordMay

About 24,000 ships transit the region each year. The chances of being hijacked is only 0.13%.

Well its not often I differ with Gord, but hey Gord, I think we need to seperate the 2 regions. The Gulf of Adne would have had the vast majority of that 24,000 ships.
I doubt 10% would have gone between Seychelles and Africa. The rest across to Asia etc.

Those that go with the large mob may be a tad safer with extra numbers.

.