Shotgun vs Pirates

[spyderco monkey]

I don't believe the video in the OP is from the story posted at the THR link. Events do not match.

Yes, the video is Event 1, which prompted me to google 'shotguns vs pirates' to see if any other incidents had occurred, which lead to the THR thread which is Event 2.

The Video I believe is from the Caribbean, whereas THR event was off the gulf of Yemen.

*edit* first video is also from the adriatic sea / yemenish zone per active self protection:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdjs5T9vM-w

Heres the official writeup of the Yemen event:
https://www.thecoastalpassage.com/mahdi.html

Relevant section:

Our position was 13 degrees 28 North 48 degrees 07 East.

At about 1600 we observed two different boats approaching us head on from the SW. These boats were 25-30 feet long, had higher freeboard and diesel powered. They were coming very fast directly at us. There were 4
men in each boat. The boats separated at about 200 yards, one boat ahead of the other, coming down Mahdi's port side and firing into the cockpit. The other boat was firing an automatic weapon at both Gandalf and Mahdi from ahead, more at Gandalf. These guys were shooting directly at the cockpits, and obviously intended to kill us. The first boat swung around behind Mahdi's stern to come up and board us.

At that point I, Rod Nowlin aboard Mahdi and armed with a 12 gage shotgun loaded with 00 buckshot, started shooting into their boat. I forced them to keep their heads down so that they could not shoot at us. I am not sure
I hit anyone at that point although I could see the driver of the boat crouched down behind a steering console. After firing 3 shots at them their engine started to smoke and I swung around to shoot at the boat ahead.

At that point, I saw Jay Barry on Gandalf ram that boat amidships almost cutting it in two and turning it almost completely over. I turned back around to shoot again at the boat behind Mahdi and that is when they turned away from Mahdi and were heading toward the stern of Gandalf. Gandalf was beside us, about 100 feet away.

The bow of the pirate's boat came right up against Gandalf's stern and two men stood up on the bow to board Gandalf. That was a serious and probably fateful error on their part. I shot both of them. That boat then veered away and I shot the driver, although I am not sure of the outcome because they were farther away and I did not knock him down like the other two.

...
Gandalf was struck by bullets about 14 times. Mahdi was struck 3 times. Fortunately none penetrated the hulls and no one on either boat was wounded. Thank goodness for steel boats!

Rodney J. Nowlin, USN Retired March 11, 2005
S/V Mahdi
Jay Barry
S/V Gandalf


Needless to say, I now have an irrational desire for a boat, some marine shotguns, and a letter of marquis and reprisal to go after pirates.

[Phaedrus]

A buddy of mine worked security on tankers and container ships for awhile. Big fish for a pirate to take on! The pirates in the Gulf of Aden often have old Soviet gear, sometimes including 20mm guns. Their big problem, according to my friend, is that they're high on [I forget the name of the stuff] and have zero training, if they hit you it's basically a miracle. He and his associate had microwave/heat weapons and water cannons and when that didn't work, select fire 7.62 NATO battle rifles.

There's a youtuber, think the name is Chief Makoi, that chronicles the life of a Chief Engineer at sea. He did a video where they take on their security detail. Pretty interesting! In that particular case they rendezvoused at sea a few hundred km from the dangerous areas of the Gulf. The armed detail stays with them as they transit and departs before they reach port. The laws concerning weapons can be a tangled mess in the various ports around the world but generally in International Waters pretty much anything goes, it's kind of the Wild West. Just don't want to get boarded by the Port Authority with a bunch of machine guns, depending on the port!

[mmc45414]

The laws concerning weapons can be a tangled mess in the various ports around the world but generally in International Waters pretty much anything goes, it's kind of the Wild West. Just don't want to get boarded by the Port Authority with a bunch of machine guns, depending on the port!

I think they have vessles that just loiter in international water with all the arms.



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[Phaedrus]

Yeah, I think that's pretty much how they do it. That's why the Chief mentioned they don't ride the whole way, just through the most dangerous parts.

[Le Français]

*edit* first video is also from the adriatic sea / yemenish zone per active self protection:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdjs5T9vM-w

Haha...as if any more was needed to suggest that something rings false with the whole thing: The Adriatic Sea, as I earnestly hope most people know, lies between Italy and the Balkans, nowhere near the "yemenish zone".

[blues]

Haha...as if any more was needed to suggest that something rings false with the whole thing: The Adriatic Sea, as I earnestly hope most people know, lies between Italy and the Balkans, nowhere near the "yemenish zone".

Tomato, Toe-Mah-toe

Balkanish, Yemenish...

Let's call the whole thing off.


(Hopefully no one thinks that having a lone shotgun aboard their vessel is an adequate deterrent or counter-piracy solution.)

[flyrodr]

A friend of a friend, according to the friend, used to carry a .50 Barrett on his boat, among other deterrences. Not sure of the tactical niche that fits into with pirate vessels, distances, follow-ups, etc., but I expect even a miss would give bad guys pause.

[RJ]

Well, heck, what an interesting thread. Mrs. and I are contemplating taking an ASA Basic Keelboat Course ahead of (maybe) renting some day sail boats and (remote possibility) buying a 30-35’ sailboat.

I was pondering self defense while on board, but only got so far as to Google Search ‘Maritime Cups’ for Glocks. It hadn’t occurred to me to think about a long gun; I had in mind a Cutlass and brace of pistols stuck in my sash...

[blues]

Well, heck, what an interesting thread. Mrs. and I are contemplating taking an ASA Basic Keelboat Course ahead of (maybe) renting some day sail boats and (remote possibility) buying a 30-35’ sailboat.

I was pondering self defense while on board, but only got so far as to Google Search ‘Maritime Cups’ for Glocks. It hadn’t occurred to me to think about a long gun; I had in mind a Cutlass and brace of pistols stuck in my sash...

It had better not be your father's Oldsmobile...

...sink or swim.

[Zincwarrior]

Tomato, Toe-Mah-toe

Balkanish, Yemenish...

Let's call the whole thing off.


(Hopefully no one thinks that having a lone shotgun aboard their vessel is an adequate deterrent or counter-piracy solution.)

Well, if the seagulls get uppitty its adequate...probably.

This is why I only go boating in my bathtub. Mr. Ducky and Captain Triceratops can handle any pirates.