Tasers

[rourkeh]

I trust my fellow man, but only so far. There is a lot of crack and meth out there in the islands that didn't used to be around 15 or 20 years ago. I grew up in Nassau and it has turned into Beruit now. The idea that we are cruising through a bunch of islands in the Caribbean where the smiling natives are all sleeping under palm trees during the day and dancing the limbo after dark is a joke. I have just as much chance of getting robbed or murdered in the islands as I do in the good old U.S.A, so I'll keep the guns loaded and close at hand and go through the extra hassel of declaring them when I check in. I know I sleep better at night. As far as the stun gun idea, half measures avail us nothing.

[goboatingnow]

As for tasers, carry it, declare it and go from there, the most they will do is take it ashore and pick it up when leaving. 1/2 the times I've kept my fire arms on board in a sealed bonded locker..

Not so unfortunately, if they are banned in the host country, they will be confiscated, like the automatic rifle removed from an american cruiser in German waters recently.

so I'll keep the guns loaded and close at hand and go through the extra hassel of declaring them when I check in. I know I sleep better at night. As far as the stun gun idea, half measures avail us nothing.

I see, youll declare them, and in most countries that means they're stored ashore until you leave, then youll return to your boat and sleep.. Good obviously the guns are of great use to you while you sleep and theyre ashore.

Dave

[bljones]

How many times have you reached for a flashlight onboard, only to find it is dim because you haven't changed the batteries in 6 months or cleaned the corrosion off the contacts?
Think your taser is gonna be any more effective when you need it? At least an unloaded shotgun still makes a bowel-loosening snick-snick when you trombone the slide, which will deter many wannabe bad guys, but a dead taser is just... dead.

[cfarrar]

if you are close enough to hit 'em with a taser you are close enough to hit 'em with a machete

Again, not endorsing Tasers on board, but I think you misunderstand. A Taser has a range of around 15 ft.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by cfarrar

Again, not endorsing Tasers on board, but I think you misunderstand. A Taser has a range of around 15 ft.

Even taking that range at face value (and therefore leaving aside the risk of insufficient contact enough to annoy but not disable or simply poor aim / accuracy affected by windage).......a fella with a Machete has an effective range of well over 15 foot, 3 foot of arm & 3 foot of machete............plus 2 steps forward ...........indeed, anywhere on the boat is in reach.

As a test, the next time you see an angry, distrurbed and frightened man - give him a Machete and then throw stones at him. Afterwards (?? ) measure the distance to where you felt it OK to stand in safety and laugh at him

Combine it with an Anchor Watch and you will probably also have a height advantage over someone attempting an opposed boarding (if you are not asleep you can tackle the attacker(s) when they are most vulnerable and not you - when boarding - unlike if you are sleeping as part of your self-defence strategy, even if dreaming about guns )............ and the likely bonus of the full crew heading to the deck similarly equipped.

Obviously an attacker with a gun(s) has the advantage, but whilst he is not yet aboard he also still has options to retreat as is not fully committed (and also uncertainty as to what the defence also consists of)..............a well organised graduated response will deter all but the most keen and well armed - from simply looking (and acting) like you are not a soft target - without creating a situation that needs you to be shot at (as you waving a gun around would be).


- just to say "you" used in the general sense and not directed at anyone. Taken me a while to finish, I wonder if the thread is locked by now?

[goboatingnow]

Good post David, I would point out that in a lot of countries its easier to own a shotgun then a long bladed knife, including the UK if Im not mistaken

Dave

[perchance]

Don't tase me bro!

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Good post David, I would point out that in a lot of countries its easier to own a shotgun then a long bladed knife, including the UK if Im not mistaken

Dave

Dunno about the UK shotgun thing - over here can still own much pretty anything (as long as you are not drooling ) - from a handgun to tripod mounted Not much crime about but that because we be civilised and prosperous. and most folk don't have guns (for simple "that would be silly " reasons).

On the knives thing, we are pretty much like the UK - can't have anything as a weapon.........in public that would be pretty much anything sharp or pointy unless a good reason - an axe enroute to your job as a lumberjack would be ok, but not if you stopped at the pub enroute and were sitting at the bar licking it and drooling. Lumberjack or not .........being a bricklayer and simply claiming you were off to cut down a tree may not be enough.........

At home could keep a Samurii sword, not as a weapon but as an ornament or as a collector - if you have it solely to attack intruders, rather than it being the first thing / most useful thing to hand then you could well have some legal troubles ahead if you use it on a burgler. Dual use technology I figure for a machete on a boat a few Conger Hooks along with the fishing tackle should suffice. If a lawyer wants to claim not neccessary onboard he can prove it by unhooking a Conger in a confined area

Obviously none of the above legal advice - and I may(?!) have smoothed the finer points of several centuries of law for the benefit of the Internet.........so don't blame me

[perchance]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Dunno about the UK shotgun thing - over here can still own much pretty anything (as long as you are not drooling ) - from a handgun to tripod mounted Not much crime about but that because we be civilised and prosperous. and most folk don't have guns (for simple "that would be silly " reasons).

On the knives thing, we are pretty much like the UK - can't have anything as a weapon.........in public that would be pretty much anything sharp or pointy unless a good reason - an axe enroute to your job as a lumberjack would be ok, but not if you stopped at the pub enroute and were sitting at the bar licking it and drooling. Lumberjack or not .........being a bricklayer and simply claiming you were off to cut down a tree may not be enough.........

At home could keep a Samurii sword, not as a weapon but as an ornament or as a collector - if you have it solely to attack intruders, rather than it being the first thing / most useful thing to hand then you could well have some legal troubles ahead if you use it on a burgler. Dual use technology I figure for a machete on a boat a few Conger Hooks along with the fishing tackle should suffice. If a lawyer wants to claim not neccessary onboard he can prove it by unhooking a Conger in a confined area

Obviously none of the above legal advice - and I may(?!) have smoothed the finer points of several centuries of law for the benefit of the Internet.........so don't blame me

On certain size boats a fire axe is mandatory. Honest I wasn't trying to cut off the intruders fingers I thought there was a fire below decks.

[Mark Johnson]

Patient,
Very good post. That is what we did. We mounted IR door chimes on little rubber bottomed bases, and put two in the central cockpit, (since our companionway is only a screen).

We string our dinghy up to stantion height each night, REALLY pay attention to our surroundings on shore, Don't wander around on shore late at night or drunk, Have the decks semi lit by two swinging LED anchor lights 8' above the decks, only go to questionable places rarely and in company with others, and try not to make enemies.

We're all taking chances! I think that just stacking the odds in our favor is the smartest move. Mark

[barnakiel]

defense, intruder, weapon ...

what language is this?

For fock's sake - how many times in your life have you been attacked in a way that you had to use a weapon to protect yourself?

And if it was more than once, perhaps it is time to change your place? Or change the place that you think is 'yours'.

I grew up in a small fishing village, went thru a navy school, lived in a big downtown place in Eastern Europe and traveled round the world - did not need a weapon in 42 years of my pretty adventurous life!

Where do you live? In Mexico, Venezuela? Where do you want to cruise? Somalia?

Really, just stay out of bad spots and you will be fine.

Otherwise think twice before you reach for you weapon for the intruder (OMG) will be way smarter, stronger and experienced in whacking than 99.9% of this forum's members.

What a horrible thread ;-)

Cheers,
b.

[goboatingnow]

barnakiel. clap clap well said.

Yes every year a few ( a very very small few) cruisers get into trouble, often when the real story is heard, there is extenuating circumstances etc, Stay away from the crasy places. Leave all you "weapons" at home, cause I dont want you in my anchorage. You are not Wyatt Earp

threads probably going to get locked soon anyway.

Dave

[Ragamuffin]

If only more boaters would have signs on their boats proclaiming their advocation of ineffectual defensive measure, and willingness to give all of their belongings to whomever came along then there would be even less need for weapons onboard other boats.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Ragamuffin

If only more boaters would have signs on their boats proclaiming their advocation of ineffectual defensive measure, and willingness to give all of their belongings to whomever came along then there would be even less need for weapons onboard other boats.

Most do. Lights out and no activity = sleeping = easy target. (away from home = unlikely to have local connections (Public / Private - both / same? ) to later bite a robber on the bum + likely to have lots of shiney stuff onboard, and probably a dollop of cash = tempting target for those for whom a dollar a day is an aspiration or are simply adherents to conservative Freemarket principals or are lookng to redistribute wealth (to self ) for socialist principals .........or as simply beats working 24/7 for da man - kinda like Cruisers? ).

If you can't rob a sleeping person then you are in the wrong business.

Having even a nuke onboard as self-defence wouldn't matter if you are asleep.........it's why in the Navy those on sentry duty don't get issued with a sleeping bag, a pillow and a hammock - whether or not with a firearm. (and are not told to use the opportunity to catch up with there Zzzzzzz's ).

But as always, approaches vary

[cfarrar]

A fella with a [Long Sword] has an effective range of well over 15 foot, 3 foot of arm & 3 foot of [Long Sword]............plus 2 [leaps] forward.

Point taken, David. I don't carry a Taser or firearm, either. Still, I couldn't help but laugh at the image of an intruder emerging over the fantail with a 36 inch blade, wearing a Viking helmet, no doubt. Maybe we should all carry a Trebuchet on our bows.