Somali Pirates

[Old Sailor]

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

My neighbor is a merchant marine (just left for sea yesterday) and we've talked on this issue before. Making a wake is about the best the large ships can do. They are not nimble enough to start ramming pirate boats. They could easily sink them if they could.

Most of the pirates go for low sidewall boats and get on at night. The issue of preventing pirate attacks is more complex and has a risk vs. cost element to it that the shipping companies appear to be OK with.

There are many ways to prevent boarding...we practice it all the time....for these ships, firehoses are the best bet.........if they get a boarding ladder up either cut it off, or a sledge hammer on top of the head as they come up works.

[SmokeyJoe]

Ok... now I see...

I have been mispronouncing it.

I have been saying SMELLY Pirates. My mistake.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by Old Sailor

There are many ways to prevent boarding...we practice it all the time....for these ships, firehoses are the best bet.........if they get a boarding ladder up either cut it off, or a sledge hammer on top of the head as they come up works.

He mentioned the fire hoses, but his ship is too big to cover the boat. He's on a tanker with a crew of 25. They like to board when the ship is full of oil so the sides aren't that high.