I’ve received a few emails after my last log asking about guns and cruising. I don’t really like talking about the subject but here goes.
First of all I don’t consider myself a “gun person”. I try not to manifest the “negative”, however I am a “realist” and as a captain have a responsibility to protect my ship as well as my crew. I am the sort of man who would use it if I had to. If you’re not that sort, never carry a weapon! Reason, personality, and common sense are far better weapons than firearms.
When I left on my trip in 2003 I had a 9mm handgun. I would say that most American cruisers leave the states with some sort of firearm. The rest of the world’s cruising community does not and cruises unarmed.
I claimed my weapon in the Bahamas and Jamaica but not after that. I went through a real hassle in Jamaica and would not allow the police to take my weapon. I asked them to leave, I was prepared to hoist my anchor and leave the country. I explained to them that I was the captain of my ship and my side arm was properly locked in the ship’s safe and that I had the only key. In the end they embezzled a bag of apples from me and put a sticker around Namaste’s safe warning me “not to crack the seal”. My response was ‘If I crack the seal, I’m sure you’ll hear about it’.
I never claimed my handgun in Colombia or Panama, nor did I ever have the need for it. I once took it out as I was approached by fisherman wanting to sell fish. For some reason I didn’t think “fish” were under the tarp in the front of their boat. That could have been paranoia, or not, I’ll never know. I ended up selling my gun in the San Blas to a very paranoid man (x-cop) and his family. They were on their way to Colombia and he growled “I will not go unarmed”! My response was ‘if you are so afraid of pirates, perhaps you should not bring your family”? He offered me 3 times what my gun was worth and I sold it to him. I never carried a gun again and proceeded to sail half way around the world. I was happy not to have it.
Now I’m burdened with the question of carrying a gun again. If I was to sail alone my immediate response would be “No, I don’t need it”. However, I have a family now and I’ve had to rethink the question all over again.
Cruisers know where the potentially bad areas are. We all talk over dinner and drinks, and chat every day on the SSB nets. Cruisers all over the world communicate over the SSB (Single Side Band) radio so we are very “in the Know”, when it comes to such topics. If you’re a single handed sailor on a small boat I would say “don’t carry one”, you really don’t have anything that “Pirates” want. They surely wont steal your sewing machine :) The Pirates we have all been hearing about are hostage situations on large ships, and they are looking for millions of dollars. Not a walkman or video camera.
Mace is a popular tool that cruisers carry. Muggings do happen all over the world and it seems to be a good deterrent. Personally, I don’t think giving up the few bucks that we would have in our pockets would warrant macing anyone. We live in a country where we let murderers, rapists, and child molesters go if they have enough money for a decent attorney, OJ being a good example. Child molesters, rapists and murders don’t make it very far in most other parts of the world, especially South and central America. It’s not the courts they have to worry about, but their peers. There have only been a few incidences of murder amongst the Kuna throughout their history. If a Kuna kills another Kuna their punishment is to be buried alive on top of their victim. Needless to say there is not much of that sort of thing going on.
Will I carry a gun? That’s a good question. I have put a motion detector in Splendid’s cockpit so I will not have any surprise visitors. That being said I lived in Colombia and Panama for years and never had a surprise visitor. I did have my outboard stolen once and that is about the closest I’ve come to “Pirates”.
Sam and I are currently exchanging emails with a mother of a 5 year old boy in the Rio who has been raising her son there for a few years now. She has lots of good advice and if we go there Guin already has a play mate.
Will I carry a gun? I really don’t know. At this point I can’t buy ammo for the gun a friend gave me. A shotgun, and a hand gun are good tools to have for hunting. I would have liked to have had a rifle in Polynesia to hunt pig, instead I was stuck shooting chickens with a sling shot. Polynesians are big hunters. I would like to do some more hunting.
The truth is, I don’t know guys. I’m leaning to carring one because of the family. I suppose it is better to have one and not need it, than to need it and not have one? My theory is, if your going to carry one, carry a big one, and whatever you do don’t get yourself in trouble with it. The funny thing about life rafts is people usually get them selves into trouble with them. They abandon their ship for the life raft when they are panicked and afraid. The ship in usually fine. I guess my point is, if your going to carry a gun, don’t carry it out of fear. Think of Annie Hill or the Pardies. These families have been cruising around the world for decades, like thousands of others. My point is, if you don’t have common sense, don’t go cruising. A good Sailrite sewing machine is much more important of a tool than a gun.
I hope this answers your questions.
Peace, Love, and Sailrite, what a great machine :)
– Alex
Published in Alex Dorsey
Good to hear your back and going to be cruising soon, be safe!
I never fired the flare gun that’s aboard, but the prior owner tested it one 4th of July and was amazed at how much it kicked. Keep yourself in flares and they can not only get attention for you if you need help, but I thinking aiming it at another boat would give them pause to consider getting any closer. It’s a tough decision.
Tammy
I appreciate you posting this. It seems very difficult to find any (first hand) information about cruising with a gun. But that doesn’t make sense to me when you can spend all day reading about how to survive a hurricane or a structural failure or something along those lines. But talking about how to protect yourself and your boat from a crime seems to bring up all sorts unhealthy emotions for people (well.. on the internet anyway).
I think taking precautions for highly unlikely crimes is just as prudent as all the other safety gear on a boat… does that mean a gun? NO, not Necessarily… But I believe its sensible to at least consider (and talk about!!) some sort of defense methods for you and your boat. Especially if you are not alone.
So I’m glad you are a sensible person (not that I doubted that) and considering your options, as opposed to the more common approach that I read of, believing nothing can happen to you and not even consider these things.
so anyway
The motion detector is a great idea!
Also, I think having a way to securely lock the cabin from the inside at night, would be effective enough to prevent any of the crimes I’ve read about.
Hi again Alex:
If you would like to hunt pigs, chickens or what ever, have a look at a cross bow. You can also use it to fish. As for security it has the same stopping power as a large caliber rifle at close range, say 20 to 30 yards. Check out u-tube for more info.
Doug
I’ve been thinking of a compound bow as well (good for fishing and hunting). I do have an insert for my flair gun that makes it a single shot .38.
I’m all about the peace though.
Cheers.
Alex
This is my first time making a comment, but I thought I would add something. When you where a singlehander…the option on being armed only effected you. Now that you have a family, you have to deal with their protection…both physical and mental.
Most people only think of the physical part of a attack, not the mental. A attack is about the control that another human being excerts on other people. If you are attacked on board and overcome, then you enter into a peroid where you and your loved ones, are under control of the attackers. What happens in that time period can ruin the rest of your life and your loved ones.
I would look at a weapon…just the way you look at you new anchor. You dont need that big a anchor…till you really need it. So I would offer this suggestion. When you really need a gun…your attacker is going to be within 6 to 10 feet. He might even be coming down below. A shotgun or rifle are too large and unweildy. A large caliber pistol…with stop power is the best choice. A 45 Colt type gun would be my choice….7 or 8 shots. Take the time to learn to shoot it, at a target 8 or ten feet away. There is away of shooting where you just use the front site…with practice it is very quick and accurate. If she is up to it, your girlfriend should learn also.
When things go really bad with a hurrican…you have you anchor. When things go really bad with a human hurrican attack…you have your pistol.
Stephen
I was going to get one of those inserts, I think they are the best idea out there!! Have you ever fired it (you can email me) how was it?
1. machette or two
2. small spear gun
3. big spear gun
4. flare gun
5. semi auto pistol 14 shots
6. 30/30 lever action rifle (short and cheap to shoot)
7. frying pan (big cast iron)
8. one trip to the pawn shop
:) Dean blowinganddrifting@yahoo.com
No. Chances are if you ever need a firearm for protection your attackers are going to be better armed. The price for getting caught in a foreign country with an undeclared firearm could cost you everything you have. Not to mention that the laws innocence vs guilt are MUCH different than here in the states. You could be 101% right in a justified killing and still go to prison forever.
Like you stated earlier Americans are the only ones that leave port armed, and I have found that the rest of the international cruising community looks down at American cruisers for packing heat.
I agree with the previous posts that a compound bow or a cross bow would be an effective tool for hunting game, and I am sure that you can borrow a rifle from a local where such hunting takes place. Just whip out the video camera and say you are shooting footage for a film.
Just for the record I am a FIRM believer in the right to own firearms legally of every kind, not some tree hugging hippy who throws flowers at muggers.
//$0.02
Alex,
Emily and I are tree hugging hippy who throws flowers at muggers, sorry not very popular but we just are. I think you said it all in your post and answered everybody’s questions. When we cruse we are bringing a small gun and flowers too. Don’t sweat this stuff buddy, just get prepared to go cruising! We are in the middle of our ASA 101 course and having a blast, who knew wind power could be so much fun! If you decide to head up in the Chesapeake bay for hurricane season I have a car you can use for about a month near Solomon’s Island with a car seat for the little girl, and of course the first couple of beers are on us. Just wanted to throw you some good vibes,,,,
Chris and Emily Waddles
christopher.waddles@navy.mil
This always cheers me up, and I live my life by this, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8uZBKyrKTU
Having finally being able to get back on this log and say a few things first I would like to welcome you and the family back up here in the Ft. Myers anchorage….good to see Splendid again, about you having guns aboard I feel that you should, as I have, and their all loaded….nothing in the chamber….but their loaded….and now is the time, actually it was a few months ago that you should have gotten ammunition……hard to come by these days and getting expensive….the world is changing and changing fast……now is not the time to think about it, now is the time to do something about it…be prepared…..a while back I was boarded by the coast guard and told them I had several aboard, their loaded and told them where each one was and they weren’t the slightest interested in seeing them…I also believe it’s how you handle yourself when you’re approached by authorities. Enough said….I say, get em, load em, lock them up especially from children, but if you need em, you’ve got em. Capt Dave and Trish. S/V MORNING STAR.
When it comes down to it first could you really pull on another human, and second how steady could you be under that kind of stress. I’m a very active shooter but I don’t really think I could take down a person. Stick and stones!
Stay with the sewing machine, shoot with the camera.
I think an issue no one discusses about firearms is that many countries draw a line between .22 long rifle caliber long guns and all other guns. In Mexico many many people have 22’s in their homes or even hanging on a peg on their porches. In French Polynesia i never saw .22’s, but some native people asked me if i had any .22 ammunition to sell, so i reasonably presume there were .22’s around.
Now, there is little to no stopping power in a .22 long rifle, but no one wants to get shot. and still many people have been killed by .22’s.
maybe the best firearm related defense strategy would be to learn to say in the language of every place you cruise “i have a gun, and i will kill you if you do not get off of the boat.” I intend to throw in some curse words for emphasis, but as is all of this debate, that is a matter of personal choice.
and in closing, remember this, never forget this, guns can put holes in things, and most accidental shootings occur when someone is showing off their gun. They are useful tools, but never ever toys, props, objects’d’arte, or visual aids.
Hugh,
Good to hear from you. Yup, lots of people in the S. Pacific want .22 LR for hunting, Mr Elmore is the one who actually taught me to shot chickens with a sling shot, I got pretty good at it :) We had fun eah?
The truth is Splendid will not be going to the bad parts of Venezuela or the Indian ocean. Sam and I are peaceful people and don’t look for trouble. I know a few people who have had incidences with pirates and usually it was because they were mixed up in drugs or showing off their money. The expensive boats are the ones that “tend” to get robbed, and 9 times out of ten, it’s just that, a robbery and non violent.
To answer Stephens A rifle (.762) is very handy at deterring boats at sea, and yes, handguns are useful in tight quarters. I’m with Emily though, throw flowers.
At the end of the day cruising is safer than living the average life of fast food, highways, and fearful people.
Enough said about guns, I’m done with it, don’t propagate the negative, right?
Peace, Love, and Peace.
I was reading my Lats & Atts today, there is a great article from Joyce Green called “A bright defense”. They have had trouble a couple times at night and shined thier 2 million candle power spot light on them and it worked!!!!
Being blinded they backed off, probably not much real threat but hey, what ever works!!!
Man I love that magazine!!
Dean
did darren miss out on the syurp?
Still trying to figure out where Darren is??? Eventually I want to put a remote spotlight on the bow, didnt think about shooting people with it though. I’m thinking that it probably wasn’t a real threat.
He said they were all hollering all kinds of stuff back and forth, one was a long stand off, and, one shined back 4 or 5 big ones back at them and then they left too. I’m not sure if that article is available on line or not, didn’t try looking on line. I had a nice rainy day to read the rag for half a day drinking coffee, Just the way I like my Latts & Atts. :)
Glad your in on the COOLEST SAILING MAGAZINE “OUT THERE”. I give my old ones away when I’m in a marina meeting people that haven’t seen it.
Peace, Love and a nice long drizzling rain.
BEEN CRUISING 7 YEARS AND THE MOST DANGEROUS THING I HAVE SEEN IS ALEX LOSING HIS CHAIR WHILE WATCHING SUPERBOWL IN COLON,PANAMA…CHEERS BRO LOVE TO MY GIR GUINNEY…….BUY HER AN ICE CREAM FROM UNCLE ?
There have been two pretty high profile cruising incidents this year where cruisers were shot and killed. You have probably all read about them. Most of the initial reports were just of that, just poor cruisers that were murdered. Subsequent and more in depth reports of their deaths revealed that both of the gentlemen tried to use a weapon to surprise the attacker. Both were killed. Although I am trained professionally to handle a weapon in life and death situations, I can tell you that in the civilian world I have chosen to use a weapon twice in home invasions. Even with my training, it was one of the scariest things I have ever done in my life. If you make one mistake, you die and risk the lives of everyone around you which one of these men did and caused horrible injuries to his wife while he lay dead. The discipline it takes to get the weapon, take it off safety, load a shell, aim the weapon, all while not being noticed, for a must kill or completely disabling shot, is not a decision to take lightly. If you are trained and confident that you can kill all attackers before they kill you, you can make that decision. Otherwise I would say that most robberies, like said before, are just that, robberies and they don’t want the extra attention of a murder. It may be a horrible experience but an extremely high percentage of time you can walk away. My 10 cent’s worth.
I hope everyone has a wonderful sail this week.
Jeff
Oklahoma
A story I heard first hand in Brazil (2004) : A french cruiser awoke in the middle of the night and pulled a rifle on someone stealing his dinghy. It turned out to be a police officer (stealing his dinghy). They impounded his boat and put him in jail for 3 months. The charge was that He hadn’t declared his gun when he entered Brazil. The corrupt cop turned everything around and the captain was lucky to get his boat back and only get 3 months. Nasty but true.