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From: B. K. Myers III (no email)
Date: Mon Dec 10 2001 - 15:55:23 EST
Aerofoam,
A 3-pound dry chemical fire extinguisher filled with hot cayee pepper. What
a great idea! Hope I don't ever accidentally board your boat uninvited
<ggg>.
I have wrestled with the idea of carrying weapons on my boat for years.
Finally decided against it. I don't want to live with the thought that I
might accidentally shoot and kill someone unnecessarily.
I finally came to this conclusion after imagining myself in the perpetrator'
s position. If someone were to board my boat with the intent of murder or
rape, they would most likely come well prepared. In that case, even if I
did have a weapon I probably wouldn't stand much of a chance. However, this
is the one case where I probably would want to have a weapon. At least I
might stand a fighting chance. This would indeed be a true case of
self-defense. And if I did end up killing the perpetrator, these are the
types of people that I would feel little or no remorse killing.
But I believe that most pirates are nothing more than thieves. I can
actually feel some empathy for the underprivileged people of the world. It
may not be their fault that they have been placed in such desperate
situations that they resort to thievery in order to survive. Of course, if
they resort to thievery simply to better their own lives at the expense of
others, I feel less sympathy for them. In either case, I don't want to be
their executioner. Let their local society deal with them.
I do want to protect my property from these thieves. So I have looked for
something other than deadly force to protect my property. Police and
anti-gun advocates in my community suggest using an air horn for protection.
A loud sustained noise will often scare off thieves...often with better
results than a gunshot.
Obviously this only works where there is someone who will hear the loud
noise. Rick Kennely's advise - "carry an array of effective but non-lethal
devices aboard, avoid known trouble spots, and try to travel or at least
anchor in groups" rings loud and clear.
Although I have read several accounts of Sir Peter Blake's death, it is not
clear whether this tactic would have worked for him. What we do know is
that his choice of actions was unsuccessful and it cost him his life. If
the pirates boarded his boat with the intent of killing everyone, the
pirates probably would have fired the first shots and probably would have
killed everyone after he shot one of the pirates. Since only Sir Peter was
shot, the pirates were probably nothing more than petty thieves.
This incident is such a tragedy. The world has lost a great sailor and
peaceful environmental activist. I will mourn his death for years to come.
End of Rant.
B.K.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Aerofoam" <>
To: <>
Sent: Monday, December 10, 2001 12:29 PM
Subject: lv-ab: Re: [ in Self Defense!]
>
> > I personally would carry a gun and hope never to use it, but how do you
> get
> > through countries like Mexico where (I have heard) they will lock you up
> > for having one?
>
> I would carry a fire arm if the political climate wasn't as hostile
towards
> it. As it is, I don't think I would risk it in my boat, it could cost you
> your boat.
> What you can do is:
> A: most 12 guage flare guns will fire at least 3 rounds of #6 or #7 bird
> shot before breaking.
>
> B: A 25mm flare gun will hold a 12 guage adaptor. (West Marine cariies
> these)
> The adaptor can be modified by filing the lip from the narrow end and it
> will shoot unlimited rounds of shot gun ammo.
> These measures only require that you smuggle ammo......
> These are only single shot weapons though......
>
> What I have done is unconventional, but also not illegal.
> I took a 3 pound dry chem fire extinguisher and cleaned it out, then
> refilled it with
> the hottest cayee pepper known to man.
> This will blow an orange cloud about 60 feet from the nozzle, anyone
unlucky
> enough to be in it's way will end up on the ground coughing up a lung.
> You definitely need a respirator if it has any chance of drifting back on
> you.
> This would even take care of the boat load of well armed thugs.
> The cayenne pepper is relatively cheap, I have a local source that is
about
> $15 to $20 per pound. (a pound is enough, really...)
> Just check with a local natural foods dealer.
>
> M.Mech
>
>
>
>
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