"A for what's it worth" story.

I was talking to a blue water sailor, years ago, When I still lived back
East. I was talking about sailing my own vessel thru the "Canal"

He said, " When you leave US Territorial Water make sure you are sailing
in a group if possible. He was sailing across the Gulf Of Mexico, with
his family, sailing alone, when he was overtaken by Pirates. They too,
were in a fishing boat. They had weapons aboard but he elected to not
use them. He told his wife to go below and hide the guns below and
behind the fresh water tank.

She went below but instead of hiding the weapons, she popped up the
forward hatch with her Beretta and took aim on the Pirate ship.

She never got a shot off. She was killed with a single shot. They said
they were zeroed in on the cockpit and hatches.

They striped his vessel pretty much as describe in the article, offering
apologies about his wife. Along with the Electronic and selection from
the freezer were his guns.

It was after that story I made the decision not to have guns or a
freezer on my boat. I've keep to it thru four boats.

By the way, I've never made it thru the "Canal"

Ole Thom