Rock knocker
Veteran Member
Who can you trust with the machine guns?
$30,000 went missing amid rescue of Capt. Phillips | Navy Times | navytimes.com
Official: Drug traces found with two dead on 'Captain Phillips' ship - CNN.com
Captain Philips: Somali Pirates. Any sailors Here?
- Thread starter 2LaneCruzer
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Who can you trust with the machine guns?
$30,000 went missing amid rescue of Capt. Phillips | Navy Times | navytimes.com
Official: Drug traces found with two dead on 'Captain Phillips' ship - CNN.com
Gary Fowler
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My question is why has it taken years and millions of dollars in losses not to mention the deaths to start allowing armed guards on board. This should have been the first thing established when the Somali pirates started acting up and the problem wouldn't have escalated into the problem that it is today.
The large ships don't need large arms to do this, simple M16's would be sufficient in all but the most offensive cases to keep boarders off. In the case of RPG's usage, this could be contained with a sniper with medium caliber rifle (not a .50 cal) to take out anyone with a RPG (WWII type weapons) long before it got into range. The main thing is that the ships should be allowed to defend themselves with whatever they can legally obtain and store onboard.
The large ships don't need large arms to do this, simple M16's would be sufficient in all but the most offensive cases to keep boarders off. In the case of RPG's usage, this could be contained with a sniper with medium caliber rifle (not a .50 cal) to take out anyone with a RPG (WWII type weapons) long before it got into range. The main thing is that the ships should be allowed to defend themselves with whatever they can legally obtain and store onboard.
k0ua
Epic Contributor
Gary the biggest problem is the laws which prohibit having guns on board as the ships go into the various ports. And of course merchant seamen may or may not have any firearms training or the guts to pull the trigger against a human target. On the original Mersk Alabama boarding of course one guy with an AR15 or practically any firearm could have repelled the boarders. They were armed with AK 47s but they are at a severe disadvantage climbing up ladders. In fact an armed person behind cover on the fantail of the ship could have likely dissuaded the pirates by laying down some suppressing fire as they approached. The two boats were picked up on the ships radar many minutes before they attempted to board. Of late many of the ships are ignoring the laws and are taking on security crews. Of course these security crews cost money, and take some of the profitability out of the cargo run and the companies are worried about lawsuits and accidents. But overall it appears more and more of the merchant ships are armed, as the pirates are extending their reach and efforts.
grsthegreat
Super Star Member
****, a water canon could drown those chase boats. But the wussy owners of the large ships were and most still are afraid to arm their crews. More than likely their afraid some sailors will kill other sailors and be sued for allowing arms onboard.
they probably figure...heck, thats why i have insurance. and dont give a fig about the crew.
awhile back i saw a video showing some huge speaker that blasted the pirates with sound waves...not sure what became of that
they probably figure...heck, thats why i have insurance. and dont give a fig about the crew.
awhile back i saw a video showing some huge speaker that blasted the pirates with sound waves...not sure what became of that
k0ua
Epic Contributor
Both the firehoses and the High pressure sound systems have and are in use, but sometimes a good old bullet is the best solution.
Daver1963
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I read a story about some of the crew talking after seeing the movie. The crew members said it was totally inaccurate. That the captain was a complete dick, wouldn't listen to anybody but himself, and wasn't as big a hero as HE'S MADE HIMSELF OUT TO BE.
Could have been sour grapes on the crew's part, but lots of times there's a twinge of truth in the belly aching.
dmccarty
Super Star Member
The piracy issue in the Indian Ocean has been muted by naval presence, armed guards on merchant ships, defensive measures on the ships, and possibly by making it difficult to use/get the money once a ransom has been paid.
Guns on boats are problematic since so many countries do not allow citizens to have guns. I have been reading some forums about boating around the world and the anti gun attitude is very prevalent. I finished a book recently about cruising in the Med and there was a section on piracy. The book mentioned a convoy of sail boats going through the Red Sea area near the start the piracy problem down there. The boats were attacked by a couple of skiffs full of armed men. One of the sail boats had a shotgun on board and by the time it was over with the two pirate skiffs were dead in the water with nobody to be seen. The captain of the boat had almost certainly hid and lied about the shotgun at previous ports of call. You do NOT want to be caught with a firearm in other countries. I read about a guy whose boat was wrecked on a reef in Mexico. The buy had an rifle on board and he did not toss it in the ocean when he went aground. As a result he and his wife are in a Mexican prison and their baby in foster care.
An RPG and an AK47 is a threat to a small boat, especially boats made of plastic, but an RPG is going to do what to a large merchant ship? Not much. I read a piece written by a high level executive for one of the big merchant fleets. His bottom line was the bottom line. The Indian Ocean piracy was not cost them very much in the grand scheme of things where as putting armed guards on the ships would cost more and he though put crews at risk. I think that is bovine scat since one guy with a decent rifle can stop one of these wee little boats.
I read blog where a couple boats were off of India and traveling east. They needed to get to Suez but the piracy had them stopped. Eventually, they had their boats put on a ship and taken to the Med which costs $20-30K! One of those boats is now for sail in London and she really is a nice boat. Wish we had the money to buy her. I think the owners are having to sell for health reasons.
One of these transport ships was captured by the pirates and the boats on board were trashed even though the ransom was paid.
Piracy is still out there in other places. Areas in Indonesia and New Guinea are bad and have been for a long time. The coasts of Venezuela and Columbia have gotten really bad in the last few years. Boaters used to go to Venezuela to fill up their fuel tanks because of the cheap cost of fuel but it is a place to be avoided now. There have been robberies on boats, murders and rapes in various places around Caribbean Sea but it appears to be mostly a matter of bad luck and not organized piracy except down around Venezuela. I just saw that a boat was pirated off Corsica in the last month or so. The owners were lucky to be left alive. A few years ago there was a piracy ring stealing boats to take back to one of the African Med states, I think Tunisia. The group was eventually broken up and they had links to a high level official in the country. Some things never change.
Later,
Dan
Guns on boats are problematic since so many countries do not allow citizens to have guns. I have been reading some forums about boating around the world and the anti gun attitude is very prevalent. I finished a book recently about cruising in the Med and there was a section on piracy. The book mentioned a convoy of sail boats going through the Red Sea area near the start the piracy problem down there. The boats were attacked by a couple of skiffs full of armed men. One of the sail boats had a shotgun on board and by the time it was over with the two pirate skiffs were dead in the water with nobody to be seen. The captain of the boat had almost certainly hid and lied about the shotgun at previous ports of call. You do NOT want to be caught with a firearm in other countries. I read about a guy whose boat was wrecked on a reef in Mexico. The buy had an rifle on board and he did not toss it in the ocean when he went aground. As a result he and his wife are in a Mexican prison and their baby in foster care.
An RPG and an AK47 is a threat to a small boat, especially boats made of plastic, but an RPG is going to do what to a large merchant ship? Not much. I read a piece written by a high level executive for one of the big merchant fleets. His bottom line was the bottom line. The Indian Ocean piracy was not cost them very much in the grand scheme of things where as putting armed guards on the ships would cost more and he though put crews at risk. I think that is bovine scat since one guy with a decent rifle can stop one of these wee little boats.
I read blog where a couple boats were off of India and traveling east. They needed to get to Suez but the piracy had them stopped. Eventually, they had their boats put on a ship and taken to the Med which costs $20-30K! One of those boats is now for sail in London and she really is a nice boat. Wish we had the money to buy her. I think the owners are having to sell for health reasons.
One of these transport ships was captured by the pirates and the boats on board were trashed even though the ransom was paid.
Piracy is still out there in other places. Areas in Indonesia and New Guinea are bad and have been for a long time. The coasts of Venezuela and Columbia have gotten really bad in the last few years. Boaters used to go to Venezuela to fill up their fuel tanks because of the cheap cost of fuel but it is a place to be avoided now. There have been robberies on boats, murders and rapes in various places around Caribbean Sea but it appears to be mostly a matter of bad luck and not organized piracy except down around Venezuela. I just saw that a boat was pirated off Corsica in the last month or so. The owners were lucky to be left alive. A few years ago there was a piracy ring stealing boats to take back to one of the African Med states, I think Tunisia. The group was eventually broken up and they had links to a high level official in the country. Some things never change.
Later,
Dan
k0ua
Epic Contributor
It doesn't matter now Dave, Captain Phillips=Tom Hanks= big hero now. We have all seen the movie now, and this is how we will remember it years from now.
If the truth is known most "hero's" fall far short of the hype. And there are plenty of hero's that never get any recognition or accolades.
After all a "hero" is in reality just a big Greek sandwich.
Green Power
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How about hot tar?
