Clearwater has moved to the Caribbean?????
"NH~_/)~" wrote in message
news:FUMWc.1346$OP2.1001@trnddc01...
Just be thankful they were not down here in the Caribbean
Drug runners steal and loot boats all the time.

NH_/)_

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"kvn87" wrote in message
news:UNHWc.14576$nk.4525@okepread05...
Kuods to you max for keeping a cool head and taking positive steps to
not
be
a victim. The encounter may have been innocent but your insticts said it
wasn't quite right. I agree with the other guy who said report it to the
coast guard "just incase" It's always better to be safe then sorry. Also
you'd be surprised what a flare pistol can do to flammable (and not so
flamible) odjects.

Good sailing to you
Kevin


"Maxprop" wrote in message
ink.net...
Last Saturday, while returning home from a nearby port (35nm to the
north)
on Lake Michigan this happened to us when we were about 8nm from our
port.
I'll report the incident and let you all make your own judgments.

It was a sunny day, 10kts. from the west, and we were making roughly
6kts.
southbound, my wife at the helm. I'd just lain down on one of the
cockpit
seats when I heard the rumble of a couple of large gas engines
throttling
down. I peeked over the coaming to discover a go fast boat,
approaching
from the rear, had slowed and nearly stopped about 30 yards off our
starboard beam. I grabbed the binocs and took a look. The skipper
was
a
shaggy-looking middle-aged man dressed in a muscle shirt and his three
passengers were all younger men dressed in heavy, dark
clothing--sweaters,
dark pants, etc. Not exactly what one would expect for an afternoon
outing
on the old go-fast. All were standing in their boat, the Panama
Jeanne,
about 38' long. They turned toward us and approached at slow speed,
came
up
behind us, and stalked us for about 5 minutes. Then they pulled up
along
the port side. During this time I went below and obtained our 25mm
flare
gun, loaded it, and stuck two additional flares in my pocket. A lot
of
good
it would have done, but it made me feel that I was at least doing
something.
The skipper then yelled something to us. We asked him to repeat and
he
inquired as to the distance and direction to our home port. We told
him
6
miles (a lie, but we could see the breakwalls of the channel in the
distance). He then conferred with the other young men, and finally
said,
"You have a beautiful boat." I said, "Thanks." After stalking us for
a
while longer they finally drifted off to port (toward shore), idled
along
for another five minutes, then sped off to the south.

The experience was unnerving, to say the least. It certainly makes
one
feel
vulnerable when traveling at 6kts. My take on this is that they
thought
a
single woman was traveling alone, and when they saw me they decided to
check
things out further before reacting. It is possible they might have
thought
me armed, as my arm and hand were extended into the cabin, holding the
flare
gun, while I was standing in the cockpit.

OTOH it could have been innocent, but such behavior is certainly
suspicious.

What's your take?

Max

I'm not another guy....

"kvn87" wrote in message
news:UNHWc.14576$nk.4525@okepread05...
Kuods to you max for keeping a cool head and taking positive steps to not
be
a victim. The encounter may have been innocent but your insticts said it
wasn't quite right. I agree with the other guy who said report it to the
coast guard "just incase" It's always better to be safe then sorry. Also
you'd be surprised what a flare pistol can do to flammable (and not so
flamible) odjects.

Good sailing to you
Kevin


"Maxprop" wrote in message
ink.net...
Last Saturday, while returning home from a nearby port (35nm to the
north)
on Lake Michigan this happened to us when we were about 8nm from our
port.
I'll report the incident and let you all make your own judgments.

It was a sunny day, 10kts. from the west, and we were making roughly
6kts.
southbound, my wife at the helm. I'd just lain down on one of the
cockpit
seats when I heard the rumble of a couple of large gas engines
throttling
down. I peeked over the coaming to discover a go fast boat, approaching
from the rear, had slowed and nearly stopped about 30 yards off our
starboard beam. I grabbed the binocs and took a look. The skipper was
a
shaggy-looking middle-aged man dressed in a muscle shirt and his three
passengers were all younger men dressed in heavy, dark
clothing--sweaters,
dark pants, etc. Not exactly what one would expect for an afternoon
outing
on the old go-fast. All were standing in their boat, the Panama Jeanne,
about 38' long. They turned toward us and approached at slow speed,
came
up
behind us, and stalked us for about 5 minutes. Then they pulled up
along
the port side. During this time I went below and obtained our 25mm
flare
gun, loaded it, and stuck two additional flares in my pocket. A lot of
good
it would have done, but it made me feel that I was at least doing
something.
The skipper then yelled something to us. We asked him to repeat and he
inquired as to the distance and direction to our home port. We told him
6
miles (a lie, but we could see the breakwalls of the channel in the
distance). He then conferred with the other young men, and finally
said,
"You have a beautiful boat." I said, "Thanks." After stalking us for a
while longer they finally drifted off to port (toward shore), idled
along
for another five minutes, then sped off to the south.

The experience was unnerving, to say the least. It certainly makes one
feel
vulnerable when traveling at 6kts. My take on this is that they thought
a
single woman was traveling alone, and when they saw me they decided to
check
things out further before reacting. It is possible they might have
thought
me armed, as my arm and hand were extended into the cabin, holding the
flare
gun, while I was standing in the cockpit.

OTOH it could have been innocent, but such behavior is certainly
suspicious.

What's your take?

Max

My Apologies, I didn't rember who had posted the CG referrall when I posted
previously.
Kevin

"katysails" wrote in message
...
I'm not another guy....

"kvn87" wrote in message
news:UNHWc.14576$nk.4525@okepread05...
Kuods to you max for keeping a cool head and taking positive steps to
not
be
a victim. The encounter may have been innocent but your insticts said it
wasn't quite right. I agree with the other guy who said report it to the
coast guard "just incase" It's always better to be safe then sorry. Also
you'd be surprised what a flare pistol can do to flammable (and not so
flamible) odjects.

Good sailing to you
Kevin


"Maxprop" wrote in message
ink.net...
Last Saturday, while returning home from a nearby port (35nm to the
north)
on Lake Michigan this happened to us when we were about 8nm from our
port.
I'll report the incident and let you all make your own judgments.

It was a sunny day, 10kts. from the west, and we were making roughly
6kts.
southbound, my wife at the helm. I'd just lain down on one of the
cockpit
seats when I heard the rumble of a couple of large gas engines
throttling
down. I peeked over the coaming to discover a go fast boat,
approaching
from the rear, had slowed and nearly stopped about 30 yards off our
starboard beam. I grabbed the binocs and took a look. The skipper
was
a
shaggy-looking middle-aged man dressed in a muscle shirt and his three
passengers were all younger men dressed in heavy, dark
clothing--sweaters,
dark pants, etc. Not exactly what one would expect for an afternoon
outing
on the old go-fast. All were standing in their boat, the Panama
Jeanne,
about 38' long. They turned toward us and approached at slow speed,
came
up
behind us, and stalked us for about 5 minutes. Then they pulled up
along
the port side. During this time I went below and obtained our 25mm
flare
gun, loaded it, and stuck two additional flares in my pocket. A lot
of
good
it would have done, but it made me feel that I was at least doing
something.
The skipper then yelled something to us. We asked him to repeat and
he
inquired as to the distance and direction to our home port. We told
him
6
miles (a lie, but we could see the breakwalls of the channel in the
distance). He then conferred with the other young men, and finally
said,
"You have a beautiful boat." I said, "Thanks." After stalking us for
a
while longer they finally drifted off to port (toward shore), idled
along
for another five minutes, then sped off to the south.

The experience was unnerving, to say the least. It certainly makes
one
feel
vulnerable when traveling at 6kts. My take on this is that they
thought
a
single woman was traveling alone, and when they saw me they decided to
check
things out further before reacting. It is possible they might have
thought
me armed, as my arm and hand were extended into the cabin, holding the
flare
gun, while I was standing in the cockpit.

OTOH it could have been innocent, but such behavior is certainly
suspicious.

What's your take?

Max

"kvn87" wrote in message

Kuods to you max for keeping a cool head and taking positive steps to not
be
a victim. The encounter may have been innocent but your insticts said it
wasn't quite right.

I guess one had to be there to understand exactly why it felt wrong.
Normally when someone is approaching, either by sail or power, they wave
and/or smile. These guys did neither. They also conferred among themselves
while looking our way--a suspicious behavior to be sure. Then they stalked
us from astern for about 5 minutes--equally suspicious. During the entire
episode, all were standing in the boat, none sitting, which is odd because
the rear seats were just that--not bolsters. It just felt wrong from the
get-go. We've been approached while on Lake Michigan before, on a rare few
occasions. And in each case nothing seemed amiss. This time nothing seemed
right. In a discussion following the incident, my wife's impressions
mirrored my own to the letter. It just wasn't right.

Max

Was there no other boats in sight?

SV

"Maxprop" wrote in message
link.net...

"kvn87" wrote in message

Kuods to you max for keeping a cool head and taking positive steps
to not
be
a victim. The encounter may have been innocent but your insticts
said it
wasn't quite right.

I guess one had to be there to understand exactly why it felt wrong.
Normally when someone is approaching, either by sail or power, they
wave
and/or smile. These guys did neither. They also conferred among
themselves
while looking our way--a suspicious behavior to be sure. Then they
stalked
us from astern for about 5 minutes--equally suspicious. During the
entire
episode, all were standing in the boat, none sitting, which is odd
because
the rear seats were just that--not bolsters. It just felt wrong
from the
get-go. We've been approached while on Lake Michigan before, on a
rare few
occasions. And in each case nothing seemed amiss. This time
nothing seemed
right. In a discussion following the incident, my wife's
impressions
mirrored my own to the letter. It just wasn't right.

Max

"Scott Vernon" wrote in message
Was there no other boats in sight?

There were several other boats in sight, but none closer than 5 or 6 miles.
We were about 3/4 mile offshore, so lots of houses in view. It struck me as
odd that this boat would approach us in light of the fact that anyone
watching with binoculars from a house could have seen everything, including
the name of the go-fast boat, emblazoned down the gunnels.

Max

That's why I asked. Pirating on the 'high seas' , out of sight is one
thing, but on a lake, near shore. Unless these were really, really
dumb pirates. Maybe they were Canadian afterall.

Scotty

"Maxprop" wrote in message
link.net...

"Scott Vernon" wrote in message
Was there no other boats in sight?

There were several other boats in sight, but none closer than 5 or 6
miles.
We were about 3/4 mile offshore, so lots of houses in view. It
struck me as
odd that this boat would approach us in light of the fact that
anyone
watching with binoculars from a house could have seen everything,
including
the name of the go-fast boat, emblazoned down the gunnels.

Max

"Maxprop" wrote in message link.net...

What's your take?

You did all the right things except you did not have a proper Pirate
rifle on board.

Most likley they were just impressed with your vessel our the fact a
lady was the only one in view. Just trying to pick up a babe until
they saw she was not alone.

Joe



Max

On Tue, 24 Aug 2004 01:09:57 GMT, "Maxprop"
wrote this crap:

from the rear, had slowed and nearly stopped about 30 yards off our
starboard beam. I grabbed the binocs and took a look. The skipper was a
shaggy-looking middle-aged man dressed in a muscle shirt and his three


What's your take?


You just met my relatives. It's a good thing you didn't offer them a
drink.





Pathetic Earthlings! No one can save you now!