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Fire extinguisher as non-lethal protection?

2K views 15 replies 9 participants last post by  SJ34 
#1 ·
Curious how effective the standard ABC type fire exyinguisher would be in defend your vessel against unwanted people boarding.

We had a situation while chartering the BVI's that have explained in a trip report here, a couple of dinghies full of drunk idiots waking us up in the middle of the night and threating to board us.

I had a high powered flashlight and a flare gun in hand but knew firing a flare into their dinghy would be quite an incident.
I managed to fend them off without firing the flare gun, I had 4 teenage girls, 2 wives and a very good friend aboard, these guys meant harm and showed it the following night assaulting me, 8 on one.

Dousing them with the fire extinguisher would mae a huge mess, so outside of our charter yacht and into their dinghy was a thought, they were along side at the sugar scoops ready to board.

I believe this would send them on their way in a hurry, would any serious injury be sustained from such a retaliation??

A link to my trip rport is here:
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/chartering/46122-bvi-trip-report-june-july-08-grab-cold-one.html
 
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#2 ·
I would think a fire extinguisher would Pi$$ them off. The large Pepper Sprays might be better than the extinguisher. You’re right on the flare gun. If you sank them you’d be obligated to rescue them.

Two wives? Does that come with two Mother’s in law? Ouch!!!
 
#6 ·
Two wives? Does that come with two Mother's in law? Ouch!!!
Should have worded that differently, my Wife Lynn (The Admiral, Happy Hooker) and my buddy Bipto's Wife Nina (Den Mother and Chef Extrodinaire)

Pepper Spray is illegal in the BVI's.
 
#3 ·
Never a pleasant experience, especially with family aboard.

This info might answer your questions on the Fire Ext. -

http://www.pyrochem.com/pdfs/msds/PC2003220.pdf

I find that a 3 or 4 cell mag light is handy in illuminating choices for unwanted guests. Not useful in a gun fight but neither is a fire extinguisher :D .

Regards, John
 
#4 ·
I find that a 3 or 4 cell mag light is handy in illuminating choices for unwanted guests. Not useful in a gun fight but neither is a fire extinguisher :D .
A 3 or 4 cell Maglite isn't much but a 6 D-cell loaded with alkaline batteries is practically a baseball bat with a really bright bulb ;)
 
#12 ·
For non-lethal use at night, nothing beats a powerful photo flash. One of my toys is an ancient Auto-Strobinar (sp?) that I picked up in a pawn shop for about $20.

If it's a really dark night and someone's eyes are acclimated, you pop that thing in their face and they are blinded for at least ten or fifteen minutes. That should be more than sufficient time to boat hook them overboard. An ophthalmologist friend told me that if it were dark enough (i.e., no moon), and late at night, the strobe could probably do permanent damage.

Personally, I'll stick with more reliable methods of keeping bad guys away, and take my chances with the law later.
 
#14 ·
Curious Indeed

I am curious how these guys came to harass and attack you. I read your sail report and you don't mention which boats were involved. If it was bareboats, i would notify the bareboat company that their passengers are using their boat and dinghy to harass and threaten you and if they can't bring them under control, you will have the marine police involved.

It it's a profesionally crewed yacht, there are clearning houses to report them to, and chances are the crew will lose their jobs and reputation.

I don't know why you are protecting their idenity. I would not have hesitated to shoot a hole in the dinghy with the flare gun or to douse them with the fire extinguisher.

Alternatively is to dump a full bottle of super hot sauce into a bucket of water and heave that at them! This however takes time to prepare and you need the bottle of hot sauce available.

The marine police will respond faster than the land police. Ironically, had you asked around in Cane Garden Bay, you would have found the police station across from the beach. You could have asked them to summon the marine police ASAP.

I beleive you DO have the right to DEFEND yourself against boarders. I once heard this on the VHF Radio:

Mayday Mayday Mayday

Coast Guard answers and the mayday and asks for details

The mayday aswered they were being boarded by hostile people

The coast guard asked them if they had weapons onoboard

After a hesitation, the mayday answered he did have a lone weapon

The Coast Guard replied

USE IT THEN!

**************
"Maritime piracy, according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) of 1982, consists of any criminal acts of violence, detention, or depredation committed for private ends by the crew or the passengers of a private ship or aircraft that is directed on the high seas against another ship, aircraft, or against persons or property on board a ship or aircraft. Piracy can also be committed against a ship, aircraft, persons, or property in a place outside the jurisdiction of any state."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piracy#UNCLOS_Article_101:_Definition_of_]Piracy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
*************
The fact that it was late at night, you were sleeping at sea on mooring, and that they seemed to be threatening you, you have every right to defend yourslef, your two wives, your kids and your boat.

At the very least I would have called the emergency number for Voyage or whoever your chartered from and asked them what to do? Though they may be stumped too...they may have had a great answer.
 
#15 ·
The typical ubiquous dry chemical powder extinguisher makes a bloody *ing mess when you discharge it. "powder" is the wrong word, it discharges a fine yellow dust that chokes you, blinds you, really makes you want to be someplace else if it is aimed at you. (Of course, if the other guys are upwind of you--you're going to get it too.)

It may not STOP anyone, but it sure will make them slow down and choke and hack and wheeze for a bit.

If you've never used one, ask your local FD if they ever demonstrate them, or if they'd hold a demonstration for your local YC. Many will do so. If not, take the oldest smallest one aboard, USE IT on a bbq or fire pit, and then replace it with something newer and better. You'll be surprised at how fast they are used up, the typical "arm size" ones are only good for a "trash basket" sized fire. Six guys on a dink would be asking too much for one of those.
 
#16 ·
Spraying the boarders/terrorrists (terrorrizing your family makes them terrorrists) with the extinguisher may distract them just enough so you can re-arrange their hairlines with the cannister.

Most boats are brimming with weopons that can be used in a pinch for self defense; boat hooks, hand tools, flash lights, flair guns, starting fluid, deisel and gas (I doubt these guys would be too enthusiastic if they were covered with flammables and you were standing over them with a flair gun), rigging knives, kitchen knives etc, etc, etc.

If you have trouble mustering the will to do serious bodily harm, just let yourself imagine what they could do to your loved ones!

Sorry to get a little dark on this subject, but I have been on the receiving end of this kind of senseless violence and I believe it is better to deal with the authorities later than with thugs in the dark of night with nobody to come to your aid.
 
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