Well, true enough, pirates don't fly the jolly roger anymore.

In the Caribbean and along the mosquito coast they are fairly easy to
id. They generally are coming at you quite fast, and if you give them
the once over with a good pair of binox you can see the murder in their
eye. At this point, turn bow away and pour the coals to your motor.


If they chase you, its a good bet they are pirates. Just don't take
chances with these boyos. They will kill you and your whole family for
the contents of your fridge or your new fishing reel.

We are talking about a whole different type of animal here. Third
world... They have no "morals" and no conscience. (And no internet rec.
boats discussion group either.) They kill because its a convenient means
to get supplies or money.

If they get too close, put a round across their bow. If they keep
coming, start aiming for between the eyes.

On the other hand, If its someone in distress, you will know it.
A couple of approach rules:

Always approach the "distress" vessel from the stern. Stand well off!
You can see what's happening in their deck and cabin. You can also see
if their engine is running.

Never-Never-NEVER come alongside. Hold negotiations from your bow to
their stern.

If their boat is "on fire" DON'T COME ALONGSIDE! Scream for the COAST
GUARD on your marine radio. Pull the string on the EPRIB. That will
provoke a very fast response.


Order them into life preservers for a swim to your boat. Cover them with
the weapon of choice until you have confirmed they are unarmed. Their
wet clothes will stick to them and outline a gun or knife. If they
outnumber your crew, keep them covered until the Coast Guard arrives.


Regards,

Capt. Frank

Clams Canino wrote:
Serious question here Frank?

When a vessel is far away from you, how can you identify it as "pirates"? I
mean, I don't have to worry about lake pirates where I am, but my instinct
is that most approaching vessels want to borrow a beer, a lighter, a tool,
or at most a spotter.

Let's say I'm in strange water and armed.
OK, with my rifle (assuming I had a bigger clip - LOL) I could prolly kill
the engines and most of the crew of an approaching vessel, or at least
enough to make it turn around in a big hurry. But how the hell would I be
able to guage INTENT untill they got too *close* to be able to outgun a
bunch of people? I mean shooting a boat full of doods that wanna borrow a
7/16 socket is NOT an option anyway I slice it - LOL.

-W

"Capt. Frank Hopkins" wrote in message
k.net...

IMHO it is better to kill their engines while well away from you. In
most cases 2 or 3 rounds in the water near their bow will turn them
quickly. Pirates are thieves, and not too brave. But there are
exceptions, especially in areas of The Gulf of Mexico or Dry Tortugas. I
think its a Macho thing. Or, Perhaps they are just crazy.