What's Your Opinion? Firearms or Not?

[Duckonfidelis]

We have all heard several stories of sailors killing pirates. The earliest American account is of course Mr Slocum, and I recall a recent happening not too long ago IVO Yemen. It should go without saying that those who are stopped by lethal pirates who take no defense don't go on to write about it.

So it indeed happens that lethal force is exchanged between cruisers and crimminals. My question as to the odds remains: What percentage of armed pirates let victims go unmolested?

[Pura Vida]

The weather comparison was very apt... sailing in Yemen, the Straits of Mallaca or Somalia is much like taking a sailboat to the Caribbean via Bermuda or the Azores in late August or September. The chance of getting run over by storm are pretty high. There are some parts of the world that are not 'fun to sail'.

As far as pirates letting victims go unmolested I'll say 100% are molested. Simply having to ward off some annoying boat boy is being molested in my book. I would guess that as many cruisers get killed each year as go to jail in foreign countries for importing firearms illegally.

Cruising is holiday... it's supposed to be fun.

"If you are having an adventure you didn't plan very well." ~anon~

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Duckonfidelis

We have all heard several stories of sailors killing pirates. The earliest American account is of course Mr Slocum ...

I don’t recall Slocum ever doing armed battle with pirates.
"Sailing Alone Around the World" ~ Captain Joshua Slocum http://www.ibiblio.org/eldritch/js/saaw.htm

[Pura Vida]

I think the weather got 'em or at least the waves. Was not his most effective countermeasure carpet tacks?

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by kesey

To sail without at least the protection of an M60 or an M240 is the height of irresponsibility. Ideally one should carry an RPG, but if this is not possible or does not suit the decoration of the yacht, then let the M240 suffice. It is much safer to blow a neighbour out of the water than to risk that he be a pirate in disguise.

Fair winds and always get your retaliation in first.

kesey

Are you for real??????

Do people with your mentality really exist??????

Dave

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by GordMay

I don’t recall Slocum ever doing armed battle with pirates.
"Sailing Alone Around the World" ~ Captain Joshua Slocum http://www.ibiblio.org/eldritch/js/saaw.htm

I'll second that.

Dave

[cat man do]

And for those who see pirates in every anchorage, here's the record's of attack's, and if this isn't proof enough, just stay home locked up with your gun's.

Yacht Piracy - Information Centre for Bluewater Sailors

I have more worries now about which dickhead in an "armed and dangerous" yacht is going to start blazing away at me thinking I "might" be a pirate.

Dave

[cat man do]

Phew, I feel better now.

Dave

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by cat man do

Are you for real??????

Do people with your mentality really exist??????

Dave

I'm 99% sure kesey was kidding.

[BBill]

Originally Posted by cat man do

And for those who see pirates in every anchorage, here's the record's of attack's, and if this isn't proof enough, just stay home locked up with your gun's.

Yacht Piracy - Information Centre for Bluewater Sailors

I have more worries now about which dickhead in an "armed and dangerous" yacht is going to start blazing away at me thinking I "might" be a pirate.

Dave

Wow, more pirate attacts than I thought but at least they aren't where I like to go (Bahamas). That linked list data is collected on a very informal and probably inaccurate statistical sampling method though. Where's the "list" that shows legal gun toten cruisers getting hurt by their own gun, "blazing away" at an innocent person or getting in trouble by having a gun on board? I'd even like to see the list that shows illegal gun toten cruisers doing anything.

bb

[GordMay]

A well wrought selective exaggeration can be descriptive, as well as humourous.
There certainly are people, whose attitude approximates kesey’s satire.
He’s merely drawn a mouse, and added pants. Walt Disney would have been proud.

Originally Posted by cat man do

Are you for real??????

Do people with your mentality really exist??????

Dave

Originally Posted by kesey

To sail without at least the protection of an M60 or an M240 is the height of irresponsibility. Ideally one should carry an RPG, but if this is not possible or does not suit the decoration of the yacht, then let the M240 suffice. It is much safer to blow a neighbour out of the water than to risk that he be a pirate in disguise.

Fair winds and always get your retaliation in first.

kesey

[kesey]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

I'm 99% sure kesey was kidding.

44'cruisingcat, lest the 1% cause restless sleep at night...be assured that satire is alive and well and living in Ireland. I recommend a read of Jonathan Swift - A Modest Proposal

"A Modest Proposal
For Preventing The Children of Poor People in Ireland
From Being Aburden to Their Parents or Country, and
For Making Them Beneficial to The Public By Jonathan Swift (1729)"
For some strange reason, virtually all good Irish atheists consider guns to be the work of the devil. No doubt the odd God-fearing gael is of a like mind.

I lose the run of meself sometimes.

Apologies to all I've offended. As Flann O'Brien said, my arguement is fallacious being based on licenced premises.

I need a sail!! And there's a long weekend coming so I'll have a good one.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by kesey

Apologies to all I've offended. As Flann O'Brien said, my arguement is fallacious being based on licenced premises.

I need a sail!! And there's a long weekend coming so I'll have a good one.

Mate, if you were "taking the piss" that's fine with me.

It's sometimes hard to get the proper context of the post from reading.

But reading some of the post's and seeing what does go on in the world I would not be suprised at all if there are people that actually think what you posted.

Have fun and put in a smily face next time so we all know you're having a laugh.

Dave

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by kesey

. I recommend a read of Jonathan Swift - A Modest Proposal

.

And read it I did.

It would indeed solve many of the problem's in the world today

Dave

[hellosailor]

Some of you fellows obviously would do better than others in an online poker game. Or, a round of drinks with Vikings and that real dry Norse humor.

Dave, I think you need to study more Zen koans.
"Do people with your mentality really exist??????" really can be considered as a part of a larger yet more compact thought exercise:

do
people
exist?