Pirates and self defense on Cal boats

Without starting a brouhaha about self, family, boat and home defense, I wish to share our experiences with attempted "piracy" at sea. While I will never admit to having weapons aboard, I think it is stupid to go to some of the places we have cruised without some means of defending yourself. In our nine years of cruising our Cal 46 from California, Mexico, Central and South America, Caribbean, etc. we have had some threatening experiences. We were prepared, Bobbie covers me from down below as I stand with a visible large machete and a smile. (She is trained also). Because we were not an easy target, they went away. In 1995 we had been hanging out in Venezuela, (before Chavez) and Trinidad and got to know a lot of fine cruisers and locals. We were offered a delivery job bringing a 85' Berger motor yacht from Trinidad to Ft, Lauderdale. You mean get paid to do something like that? Anyway, we were passing about 5 NM west of one of the islands noted for having nasty folks. Just before dark, a panga with several swarthy looking dudes fell in behind us about 100 yards astern. We had heard about these people sneaking up on larger power yachts, boarding via the aft swim step and attacking or killing the crew, then ransacking the boat or using it for one drug deal. As they got closer, I walked back on the after deck with a Winchester Model 94, 30-30, displayed it and levered one round in the chamber. Amazing how they did a 180. I grew up with guns, served in the Marine Corps and have always been a gun collector, NRA member, defender of the Second Amendment, hunter and target shooter. I have been trained and am prepared to protect my family and property. If you are not properly trained and/or not prepared to take someones life who would take yours, then I suggest you stay home and call 9-11, which can be as useful as writing a letter to Santa Claus. End of rant. Cal content: The painter who is almost finished with Bravura our Cal 25, slid out on his motorcycle and broke his foot, so she will not be ready for the Dauphin Island Race, 26 April. Oh well, we will find another Cal to crew on. Tom Vandiver

Stand off firepower is always a plus in these situations. Most of these guys cannot shoot well anyway. They have to be up close. A 30-30 in skilled hands is a deal breaker for them. However, I prefer something a little more refined, like an AC-130 Spectre gunship overhead, sending them small 105 mm love notes from above. _____ From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Tom Vandiver Sent: Monday, April 07, 2008 5:40 PM To: Cal List Subject: [Cal_Boats] Pirates and self defense on Cal boats Without starting a brouhaha about self, family, boat and home defense, I wish to share our experiences with attempted "piracy" at sea. While I will never admit to having weapons aboard, I think it is stupid to go to some of the places we have cruised without some means of defending yourself. In our nine years of cruising our Cal 46 from California, Mexico, Central and South America, Caribbean, etc. we have had some threatening experiences. We were prepared, Bobbie covers me from down below as I stand with a visible large machete and a smile. (She is trained also). Because we were not an easy target, they went away. In 1995 we had been hanging out in Venezuela, (before Chavez) and Trinidad and got to know a lot of fine cruisers and locals. We were offered a delivery job bringing a 85' Berger motor yacht from Trinidad to Ft, Lauderdale. You mean get paid to do something like that? Anyway, we were passing about 5 NM west of one of the islands noted for having nasty folks. Just before dark, a panga with several swarthy looking dudes fell in behind us about 100 yards astern. We had heard about these people sneaking up on larger power yachts, boarding via the aft swim step and attacking or killing the crew, then ransacking the boat or using it for one drug deal. As they got closer, I walked back on the after deck with a Winchester Model 94, 30-30, displayed it and levered one round in the chamber. Amazing how they did a 180. I grew up with guns, served in the Marine Corps and have always been a gun collector, NRA member, defender of the Second Amendment, hunter and target shooter. I have been trained and am prepared to protect my family and property. If you are not properly trained and/or not prepared to take someones life who would take yours, then I suggest you stay home and call 9-11, which can be as useful as writing a letter to Santa Claus. End of rant. Cal content: The painter who is almost finished with Bravura our Cal 25, slid out on his motorcycle and broke his foot, so she will not be ready for the Dauphin Island Race, 26 April. Oh well, we will find another Cal to crew on. Tom Vandiver

I am telling you... a stainless Ruger Mini-30 (means it comes in 7.62x39). Load the 30 round mags w/ alternating ball, soft-tip hunting rounds and tracers (yes, you can buy them in free states). >:-) Oh yeah, learn how to shoot -- shooting's fun! Sailing content: I need to work on my boat -- too much working at the day job. Need money for slip fee :-0 Ack! Marsh darr lafon wrote: > > Stand off firepower is always a plus in these situations. Most of > these guys cannot shoot well anyway. They have to be up close. A > 30-30 in skilled hands is a deal breaker for them. > > > > However, I prefer something a little more refined, like an AC-130 > Spectre gunship overhead, sending them small 105 mm love notes from above. > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > *From:* Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] > *On Behalf Of *Tom Vandiver > *Sent:* Monday, April 07, 2008 5:40 PM > *To:* Cal List > *Subject:* [Cal_Boats] Pirates and self defense on Cal boats > > > > Without starting a brouhaha about self, family, boat > and home defense, I wish to share our experiences with > attempted "piracy" at sea. While I will never admit to > having weapons aboard, I think it is stupid to go to > some of the places we have cruised without some means > of defending yourself. In our nine years of cruising > our Cal 46 from California, Mexico, Central and South > America, Caribbean, etc. we have had some threatening > experiences. We were prepared, Bobbie covers me from > down below as I stand with a visible large machete and > a smile. (She is trained also). Because we were not an > easy target, they went away. > > In 1995 we had been hanging out in Venezuela, (before > Chavez) and Trinidad and got to know a lot of fine > cruisers and locals. We were offered a delivery job > bringing a 85' Berger motor yacht from Trinidad to > Ft, Lauderdale. You mean get paid to do something > like that? > Anyway, we were passing about 5 NM west of one of the > islands noted for having nasty folks. Just before > dark, a panga with several swarthy looking dudes fell > in behind us about 100 yards astern. We had heard > about these people sneaking up on larger power yachts, > boarding via the aft swim step and attacking or > killing the crew, then ransacking the boat or using it > for one drug deal. > > As they got closer, I walked back on the after deck > with a Winchester Model 94, 30-30, displayed it and > levered one round in the chamber. Amazing how they did > a 180. > > I grew up with guns, served in the Marine Corps and > have always been a gun collector, NRA member, defender > of the Second Amendment, hunter and target shooter. I > have been trained and am prepared to protect my family > and property. If you are not properly trained and/or > not prepared to take someones life who would take > yours, then I suggest you stay home and call 9-11, > which can be as useful as writing a letter to Santa > Claus. > > End of rant. > Cal content: The painter who is almost finished with > Bravura our Cal 25, slid out on his motorcycle and > broke his foot, so she will not be ready for the > Dauphin Island Race, 26 April. Oh well, we will find > another Cal to crew on. > > Tom Vandiver > > -- Marsh Wise Webmaster: -reenactor.Net: <http://www.reenactor.net/> Read my Blog (bore yourself): <http://www.reenactor.net/rnet_admin/marsh/marshblog.html> -Foresthill.US: <http://www.foresthill.us/> -1./Infanterie-Regiment 23 <http://www.ir23.org> -Legio IX Hispana Penna: http://www.reenactor.net/units/legio_ix_penna/ - 17. Luftwaffe Feld-Division <http://www.reenactor.net/units/17lwfd/> Assistant Webmaster: -VAQ-33 Squadron site: <http://www.reenactor.net/vaq-33/> Netscape Aim/AOL screen name: Sturmkatze Yahoo Messenger screen name: sturmkatze Alteris renumera duplum de quoquo tibi numeraverunt Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress.... But then I repeat myself. ~Mark Twain *Last: Hey Dammit! Have you visited the reenactor.Net FORvMS? If not, WHY NOT? Gett your butt over to: <http://www.reenactor.net/forums/index.php> right now!

Uh Rah! Semper Fi Randy CAL 2-29 Out Patient Channel Islands CA Tom Vandiver <bs… [at] yahoo.com> wrote: Without starting a brouhaha about self, family, boat and home defense, I wish to share our experiences with attempted "piracy" at sea. While I will never admit to having weapons aboard, I think it is stupid to go to some of the places we have cruised without some means of defending yourself. In our nine years of cruising our Cal 46 from California, Mexico, Central and South America, Caribbean, etc. we have had some threatening experiences. We were prepared, Bobbie covers me from down below as I stand with a visible large machete and a smile. (She is trained also). Because we were not an easy target, they went away. In 1995 we had been hanging out in Venezuela, (before Chavez) and Trinidad and got to know a lot of fine cruisers and locals. We were offered a delivery job bringing a 85' Berger motor yacht from Trinidad to Ft, Lauderdale. You mean get paid to do something like that? Anyway, we were passing about 5 NM west of one of the islands noted for having nasty folks. Just before dark, a panga with several swarthy looking dudes fell in behind us about 100 yards astern. We had heard about these people sneaking up on larger power yachts, boarding via the aft swim step and attacking or killing the crew, then ransacking the boat or using it for one drug deal. As they got closer, I walked back on the after deck with a Winchester Model 94, 30-30, displayed it and levered one round in the chamber. Amazing how they did a 180. I grew up with guns, served in the Marine Corps and have always been a gun collector, NRA member, defender of the Second Amendment, hunter and target shooter. I have been trained and am prepared to protect my family and property. If you are not properly trained and/or not prepared to take someones life who would take yours, then I suggest you stay home and call 9-11, which can be as useful as writing a letter to Santa Claus. End of rant. Cal content: The painter who is almost finished with Bravura our Cal 25, slid out on his motorcycle and broke his foot, so she will not be ready for the Dauphin Island Race, 26 April. Oh well, we will find another Cal to crew on. Tom Vandiver __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

Tom Vandiver wrote: > > We were offered a delivery job > bringing a 85' Berger motor yacht from Trinidad to > Ft, Lauderdale. > I interrupt this story only to correct the name, which is "Burger." The Burger Boat Company is an old, distinguished boatbuilder in my cherished Great Lakes, over on the Wisconsin side of Lake Michigan. Read their history here: http://burgerboat.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6&Itemid=8. Once we had the schooner over in Sturgeon Bay at an old boat festival. An old, very heavy gentleman had a big old Burger yacht, a steel powerboat, and I was looking it over and chatting with him. He had run down from another WI port, he said. I asked him what speed he'd run at. "Oh, about 300 RPM," he said. His boat was powered by an old Kahlenberg engine, another piece of Great Lakes lore, built in WI. These were big diesels, wonderful things to behold, with low speeds and mounds of torque. The Kahlenberg company now makes air horns, including the one we have on the schooner. Chris Campbell