Security while at anchor

[BandB]

So far, the only unexpected boarders were in Riga, Latvia. I heard people on the fore-deck and thought my friends had returned. but 20 minutes later, with no words from them, I emerged from the engine room (doing what I do best, changing fluids) to discover a wedding couple were taking wedding pictures on deck.

Wifey B: Once had alarm go off when away from boat at marina and pulled up the cameras and saw a young couple about to have a make out session on the seating in the aft area of the cockpit. I spoke to them through the speaker and then told them to just continue as they were but not to go elsewhere on the boat. Of course knowing I could see them made them a bit more shy so they just sat and talked and kissed a little.

 

[Mako]

When you fly the starts and stripes, it's like bears to honey whenever you stop in any ex-commie land.

You ever find yourself in places where you intentionally don't fly Old Glory, just the local country's flag?

 

[twistedtree]

So far, the only unexpected boarders were in Riga, Latvia. I heard people on the fore-deck and thought my friends had returned. but 20 minutes later, with no words from them, I emerged from the engine room (doing what I do best, changing fluids) to discover a wedding couple were taking wedding pictures on deck.

This is such an odd phenomenon. The other cases of people's boats being boarded that I'm familiar with were just the same. Couples, I think both wedding couples, posing for a picture. I guess in some cultures there is no public/private line between a dock and a boat......

 

[Bkay]

When I picked up my boat in Maine, I was boarded by someone - I suspect it was Canadians because the dressed some of my mooring lines up for me and straightened the interior. I also recall they left a 6 pack of Labatt...

 

[FF]

"You ever find yourself in places where you intentionally don't fly Old Glory, just the local country's flag?"

In Italy is is common for cruisers to hoist a German rather than US flag while anchored.

Beggars wont bother the German boats , but "everyone" in Italy has a relative in the USA.

 

[Insequent]

This is such an odd phenomenon. The other cases of people's boats being boarded that I'm familiar with were just the same. Couples, I think both wedding couples, posing for a picture. I guess in some cultures there is no public/private line between a dock and a boat......

It happened to me in the USA, at dock at Edmonds, not long after I bought my boat. A bunch of people clambered aboard. I was in the saloon at the time. I emerged and challenged them and they smiled and said they just wanted some photos and would only be a couple of minutes. There were 4 or 5 couples, and it was in the middle of the day, so I just stayed calm. Somehow they entered past a locked gate. They did leave as promised. No asking for permission, or thank you's. I thought it odd and rude, and surprising given normal attitudes to private property/trespass in the USA. Not the kind of cultural behaviour I was accustomed to either, but no damage or significant inconvenience so I just let it go.

 

[bridaus]

My biggest fear is actually knowing who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. I don't mind anyone who doesn't know boundaries as long as they'll respect them once taught (wedding photos/etc.), but a wolf in sheep's clothing (or a genuine customs/authority) in another country with questionable/no markings is a concern. What do you all do?

 

[ssobol]

It happened to me in the USA, at dock at Edmonds, not long after I bought my boat. A bunch of people clambered aboard. I was in the saloon at the time. I emerged and challenged them and they smiled and said they just wanted some photos and would only be a couple of minutes. There were 4 or 5 couples, and it was in the middle of the day, so I just stayed calm. Somehow they entered past a locked gate. They did leave as promised. No asking for permission, or thank you's. I thought it odd and rude, and surprising given normal attitudes to private property/trespass in the USA. Not the kind of cultural behaviour I was accustomed to either, but no damage or significant inconvenience so I just let it go.

The nerve of some people! Unless they asked politely before coming on board I would have told them to "Get the ***k off my boat!"

If they show no regard while you are standing right there, what might have happened if you weren't?

 

[BandB]

The nerve of some people! Unless they asked politely before coming on board I would have told them to "Get the ***k off my boat!"

If they show no regard while you are standing right there, what might have happened if you weren't?

Wifey B: I would have told them, "We'll be glad to allow you to use our boat for a few photos. That will be $1000 please.

 

[Bigsfish]

WifeyB. Now we know how you made your wealth. LMAO. (On tax day too)

 

[BandB]

WifeyB. Now we know how you made your wealth. LMAO. (On tax day too)

Wifey B: Well, you pay for picture venues. The presumption that they just had a right to jump aboard. I think that price would run them off quickly.

 

[OldDan1943]

My experience in a gated boat community, surrounded by multi-million dollar high rise condos. No weapons on board.
2 dock boxes broken into things of no importance stolen.... cured that by wrapping a cable around the dock boxes with locks. Those built in hasp locks, no defense against breaking and entering.
Had an electric scooter stolen. I really didn't mind. The rear axle was broken and I am sure when the thieves discovered this, they wanted to return it. LOL
The most serious event was, one night I was asleep, they managed to open a well secured locked pilot house door, came in, took my wallet, cash and IDs without waking me. Sort of messed up my travel plans a little bit for a funeral up north. I traveled on my passport for airport security. Drove w/o a license. (Could have taken a $100 cab ride)
When I got back, purchased a 12 ga pump shotgun, put out the word, "Crazy old man with a shotgun on board.", adding 'If I catch them on board, they will not be walking off the boat. Swimming away from the boat is the only option.' I never had anymore problems other than my boat being mysteriously unplugged a couple of times, cured with a couple of solar panels to keep the batteries charged and the 12 vt fridge running. I am away from the boat 2 months a year.

 

[Bigsfish]

Old Dan

I think I know where you are, a very nice place. I’m up the Miami River near 27 avenue and not so nice. You have had more problems than I’ve had. I would have bet otherwise. Strange

 

[OldDan1943]

Old Dan

I think I know where you are, a very nice place. I’m up the Miami River near 27 avenue and not so nice. You have had more problems than I’ve had. I would have bet otherwise. Strange

Ah to kill off the mystery, I am in Waterways Marina, NE207th street behind the small strip commercial shopping area. Wanna buy a 75ft slip? LOL

If I had known how expensive the slips would become, I would have bought 1/2 dozen. SMIRK

 

[Bigsfish]

I thought it was Waterways, I visited a boat for sale there a year or two ago. Nice marina as long as a hurricane doesn’t show up. Beautiful boats and nicely maintained.

Hindsight is never wrong.

Cheers

 

[OldDan1943]

When I picked up my boat in Maine, I was boarded by someone - I suspect it was Canadians because the dressed some of my mooring lines up for me and straightened the interior. I also recall they left a 6 pack of Labatt...

I poked my head out and saw 2 young beauties taking each others pics with my boat in the back ground. I invited them onto the boat and took their pictures as they posed on the forward deck. I think their happiness level maxed out because of the opportunity.
Around the marina, I see couples and families taking pics and someone is always left out.... the camera operator. I volunteer to be the camera operator so the entire family can get into the picture.
See, I may be a grumpy old man but, I can be a nice grumpy old man.
Alas, no one came back with a six pack SHRUG. I am not a big beer drinker anyway.

 

[OldDan1943]

I thought it was Waterways, I visited a boat for sale there a year or two ago. Nice marina as long as a hurricane doesn’t show up. Beautiful boats and nicely maintained.

Hindsight is never wrong.

Cheers

It is pretty well protected by the high rise condos. I usually stay on board to adjust lines. One hurricane I was invited into a way up in a high rise over looking the ICW. Next day I checked the boat. One of the cleat ears was a bit bent. If you have ever seen the cleats on a Nordhavn, you know the stress involved.

Irma, one boat sank, from rubbing against its dock. One large boat had its bow damage, they did not move it back from the concrete wall. They put a lot of that "as seen on TV" tape when they moved to to the yard for repair.
Another boat pulled its 2 aft piling and ended up on the rocks. Bent one shaft so when they moved it to another slip, it was a bit of a challenge. They had assistance when moving it to the yard.

 

[OldDan1943]

I thought it was Waterways, I visited a boat for sale there a year or two ago. Nice marina as long as a hurricane doesn’t show up. Beautiful boats and nicely maintained.

Hindsight is never wrong.

Cheers

Miami River? The landing point for more than a few hundred kilos of drugs.
If you ever get up this way again lemme know. I will be happy to give you the 15 minute tour of my boat and it will give me a reason to straighten up inside. LOL

 

[Bigsfish]

I’ve been on the river since the ‘50s for hurricane protection and brackish water, all the hurricanes and no problems. Yeah it’s 45 minutes to get out the river but that is the trade off. Having grown up on the beach I try to avoid it these days but thanks for the invite.

I’ll extend the same invitation to you but the boat is always kept nice (not my doing) and I’m usually not there. I bought a house on the river to keep the boat there, my kid took it for his own (sharecropper) so it is never presentable for guests (oh well that’s what kids are for).

 

[GFC]

From reading through most of this thread I've sort of come to the conclusion there are two schools of thought and two types of boaters.


The first group believes they boat in safe waters so don't need any type of weaponry to protect themselves.


The second believes that you should have something on board to protect yourselves and to be able to take appropriate action if you do get boarded.


I fall into the second group. I'm a retired cop, former firearms instructor, former competitive pistol shooter and am very comfortable around weapons. I usually have something on board to protect myself and my wife, but don't talk about it, don't show it to anyone and only the two of us know where it is kept.


It's like insurance. You have it on your home, cars, valuables, etc., and hope you never have to use it.

 

[AusCan]

From reading through most of this thread I've sort of come to the conclusion there are two schools of thought and two types of boaters.

There are certainly differences in views.
I'm from the first group. I've never locked my house or my boat. Never had anything go missing.

We did have a drunken friend of our next door neighbour mistakenly wander into our house early in the morning I was in the shower and he was escorted out by my wife. When he sobered up, he apologized profusely and sent a big bunch of flowers to my wife.
Lucky he didn't wander into the house of a type two person.

 

[smitty477]

There are certainly differences in views.
I'm from the first group. I've never locked my house or my boat. Never had anything go missing.

We did have a drunken friend of our next door neighbour mistakenly wander into our house early in the morning I was in the shower and he was escorted out by my wife. When he sobered up, he apologized profusely and sent a big bunch of flowers to my wife.
Lucky he didn't wander into the house of a type two person.

Looks like the violent crime rate is pretty low there, but certainly not zero.
Victims of Crime | Crime Statistics Australia

 

[Bigsfish]

GFC

I think your spot on, in this age you must be able to save yourself. I also believe that the fewer people that know you are armed is the way it should be.

 

[Bigsfish]

AusCan

Actually a type two person wouldn’t leave his door unlocked. Just my SSO.

 

[OldDan1943]

Takes a long time for the police to arrive after you call them.
I guess you are going to sit down, share some coffee and cookies until they arrive?

 

[BandB]

From reading through most of this thread I've sort of come to the conclusion there are two schools of thought and two types of boaters.


The first group believes they boat in safe waters so don't need any type of weaponry to protect themselves.


The second believes that you should have something on board to protect yourselves and to be able to take appropriate action if you do get boarded.


I fall into the second group. I'm a retired cop, former firearms instructor, former competitive pistol shooter and am very comfortable around weapons. I usually have something on board to protect myself and my wife, but don't talk about it, don't show it to anyone and only the two of us know where it is kept.


It's like insurance. You have it on your home, cars, valuables, etc., and hope you never have to use it.

A third group. We generally spend time in places we consider safe, but we do believe in security for the boat, cameras, lights and alarms, non lethal defensive weapons, and locking doors when not aboard. However, we do not believe in guns, don't carry them, don't see a need. We do believe that if pirates approached us in Caribbean waters, we're prepared to defend ourselves and run them off.

If we were ever going to boat somewhere that we felt required guns, we'd hire a security company to go with us in a separate boat and fight any pirates that approached. Now, we don't plan on ever doing anything like that.

 

[Bigsfish]

BandB

As Sun Tsu pontificated beware of mercenaries.

 

[GFC]

However, we do not believe in guns, don't carry them, don't see a need. We do believe that if pirates approached us in Caribbean waters, we're prepared to defend ourselves and run them off.
.

BandB, I'm not saying you're wrong in your viewpoint. It's different from mine but neither of us is wrong.

I'm curious about something. If you don't believe in guns and don't have your security force with you (which, BTW, would be heavily armed), how would you defend yourselves and run off the pirates.

Not being argumentative, but interested in learning about something I am not aware of. Thanks.

 

[Fletcher500]

We also have a few Pirates on our area. They travel by old beat up sailboats and carry red gas cans on the deck. I saw one with an eye patch the other day. Scary.

 

[Simi 60]

BandB, I'm not saying you're wrong in your viewpoint. It's different from mine but neither of us is wrong.

I'm curious about something. If you don't believe in guns and don't have your security force with you (which, BTW, would be heavily armed), how would you defend yourselves and run off the pirates.

Not being argumentative, but interested in learning about something I am not aware of. Thanks.

Going on the enormous expense of this...

.

If we were ever going to boat somewhere that we felt required guns, we'd hire a security company to go with us in a separate boat and fight any pirates that approached. Now, we don't plan on ever doing anything like that.

...perhaps it would be something as simple as a constant stream of $100 notes dropped out the back while underway to slow them up and keep them at bay.