Pirates seize French cruise ship

Associated Press ^ | 04/04/08

[1rudeboy]

That might work, although I suppose you’d need some sort of thermal imaging for those dark nights. Never tried it myself. In any case, you’d still need a couple of guys who are awake.

[mad_as_he$$]

Bridge watch. Night vision has reached a level that many do not understand. FLIRS are getting very good and can reach out a long way. A hot boat motor would be like a torch to one.

[AnAmericanMother]

In any case, you’d still need a couple of guys who are awake.

I don't care if all you have is a 40' sloop, if you don't set a watch while under way, you're criminally negligent.

Forget the pirates -- unlit fishing vessels, drifting deck cargo off container vessels, anchors dragging, etc. And if you don't set a watch while at anchor, you need to have tin cans on the deck lines to keep the locals from stealing your outboard motor.

[1rudeboy]

I agree on the negligence part. But it happens. Talk to any blue water sailor who’s ever been almost run down by a container ship.

[CodeToad]

“international concealed-carry permit, cowboy.”

Who brought that up?? Jeez you’re just swinging into the wind, aren’t you. “Cowboy”, well, you’re just all mouth calling people names because you have this anti-gun agenda we don’t subscribe to. I hope no one close to you ever needs to depend on you being brave enough to do more than just lie there and die like a coward.

[1rudeboy]

I brought it up because you have confused sailing from Florida to Bermuda with running out for milk and eggs. I’m speaking maritime security. You are waving your e-peen around.

[Owl558]

“Perhaps, but I sense the French are once again transforming themselves into a great power.”

French bashing aside, I’ll take the 1000 more soldiers that Sarkozy promised for Afghanistan.

[SunkenCiv]

Exclusive:
French warship diverted to free luxury yacht crew seized by pirates off Somalia
Debka.com | April 5, 2008
Posted on 04/05/2008 7:39:50 AM PDT by HAL9000
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1997169/posts

Pirates seize French ship off Somalia
AP / Yahoo | April 4, 2008 | Jamey Keaten
Posted on 04/04/2008 2:01:16 PM EDT by prairiebreeze
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1996792/posts

-earlier incident-

Man speaks of Somalian pirate hostage drama
Daily Telegraph (UK) | 04/04/2008 | Richard Savill
Posted on 04/03/2008 7:04:09 PM PDT by PotatoHeadMick
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1996460/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/somalia/

[garbanzo]

Piracy is not new, but the way to deal with them sure is.

I want to bring back the letters of marque and reprisal.

[Little Ray]

Its called “surface-search radar”. If you're in a bad neighborhood (like Somalia or the Straights of Malacca) you keep a security watch. If someone gets too close, you go to a heightened alert status. If they actually start to approach you, you let ‘em know you're awake and armed. They go look for an easier victim...

If you actally read reports on piracy (they publish ‘em on the net) a lot pirates are stopped by alert crews and high-pressure hoses. Alert crews and autocannons might go a long way toward putting them out of business.

Of course the only way to actually put them out of business is to pursue 'em into their home ports and burn the port down around the ears of the pirates and their supporters. Nobody really seems to have the balls to do that any more.

[1rudeboy]

Zodiacs don't show up on radar. Your only options are either floodlights or as mentioned above, thermal imaging. And again, you have to have one or two people awake and dedicated solely to the task.

The notion that some guy standing on the bridge periodically glancing at the scope is enough is simply not realistic.

[Doohickey]

If you’re wanting to transit the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, aside from taking the long way around your options are relatively limited.

[AnAmericanMother]

There are better options than just hoping for the best and not even setting a watch.

1. Hire an escort with significant firepower

2. Travel in company like the East Indiamen used to do

3. Leave the low-freeboard vessel in the Med and use something more defensible.

[Little Ray]

You are right, a ship would need a dedicated security watch with decent sensor equipment (I’d go for thermal over floodlights - floodlights help the pirates find you...).
Then they would have to decide what was a potential “mothership” and go on heightened alert - with many potential false alarms.
Its up to the company to decide which is better - paying ransom for a ship and crew, thus encouraging more pirates, or paying for a security watch and sufficienct armament to, hopefully, make life dangerous for pirate wannabes.
The good news is that Zodiacs can’t cross that much distance, and they’ll have some issue finding a ship at night, too. And, if you spot a zodiac approacing, you KNOW its up to no good - no warning shots required...