Pirates-(Scare Them to Hell!), Reef Hook Sailing Tip, and Scuppers for Bluewater Sailboats

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Most popular comments
for Pirates-(Scare Them to Hell!), Reef Hook Sailing Tip, and Scuppers for Bluewater Sailboats

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Comments on YouTube

richystar2001 - 5 years ago

White people are so dumb thinking that anyone's life is worth anything.. In the third world life is worth shit animal or human... Arm yourself with guns protect yourself because next time you will be sinking toward the bottom of the ocean with a slit throat or worse.

lee moore - 5 years ago

Nanderlizer Nanderlizer you’re very ignorant.

salton gaming - 5 years ago

+Nanderlizer Nanderlizer well if you meet the wrong pirate your dead anyways

Vaughn Cameron - 5 years ago

Why do you just group billions of people into ONE catagory known as "WHITE PEOPLE" theres no way in hell im anything like this guy or millions of others and you know what i bet you theres a black guy like this man or an asain or mexican MORAL IS dont look at people as a race we're all just people so stop being so ignorant

Nanderlizer Nanderlizer - 5 years ago

youre a complete idiot.
1 guns will only escalate the situation and get you killed
2 they wont kill you, just steal your stuff and possible kidnap you for ransom.

joseph james - 5 years ago

Is it illegal to carry guns aboard ship ?

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

On the high seas, one is dictated by the laws of the Flag State, that is the country in which the vessel is registered. Entering the territorial waters of a country, the laws of that country must be followed.

John Wayne - 5 years ago

Yeah.... I'm sure some third world war torn pirates are going to be afraid of a wimpy firework..

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

you are right. Follow the link in the vid description and read the article to fill in the blanks, there you will see not all pirates are the same. Why would you want to sail through known professional pirate territory??

Jimmy .L - 5 years ago

I used to make those flares. I put the percussion cap in the bottom of them. The pains and wessex not the dodgy ones. Interesting story, one of the guys that mixed the explosives cocked up one day and blew himself and a bunch of buildings to utter bits.

Snake Plissken - 5 years ago

The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. You need a high powered semi automatic rifle for everyone on board. Not all pirates are going to be afraid of a flare man, especially when they have such a low success rate....Protect your self and your loved ones with some firepower.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+Nanderlizer Nanderlizer Why would sail your expensive boat through known, professional, pirate territory??

Nanderlizer Nanderlizer - 5 years ago

have fun having a 1v5 firefight against assault rifles. delusional americans.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+Snake Plissken Thanks Snake, I understand. I know people who have suffered terribly at the hands of "pirates" in the Indian and Pacific Ocean and another who was stabbed in the Caribbean. A lot of cruisers out here are close to the subject so do take it very seriously.

Snake Plissken - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing I'm not telling you to commit a crime and brag about it. Just want you to be safe. Take the proper steps to arm your self. It's worth it.

Andres Voolar - 5 years ago

So every time you enter some foreign port you throw your guns overboard? Because if some other than US Coast Guard find a firearm in your boat you get jailed. And jail in Vietnam is not really comfort place to be.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+Snake Plissken That is all reasonable....but the big thing for most cruisers is to not sail in known professional pirate territory, like near Somalia or now, the southern Philippines. So the "pirates" I know my cruising friends have dealt with are pirates of opportunity who are not armed with firearms. They are fishermen or small cargo boats who perceive a sailboat as a soft target. Those guys are easily burned with a flare or snared with a long thin line that wraps around their prop. This is one reason we do not operate our AIS in some areas. I don't want to advertise our presence to the bad guys but also, if I ever have to become overly aggressive with these guys, I don't want our movements tracked by satellites to show we were in the area at that time. I want no evidence, I don't care how right we are. Far too easily, in these foreign countries, justice can quickly turn against what is perceived to be a rich person living on a sailboat. One day I will do another "Pirate" video but will show the deterrents that are theoretical as well as what has worked in reality. Firearms on yachts is such a hot topic amongst liveaboard cruisers, I will stay away from that aspect. That has to be an individual decision for each boat owner. The bravado yap yap responses I see here are certainly not coming from yacht owners who carry firearms. They speak nothing about it and want no problems with any out of the way country, officials. You don't commit a crime then tell everyone about it.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+Snake Plissken Snake, there are again times I would certainly agree with you. I know fire arms well enough. I don't know what sort of sailing you have done but inside the territorial waters of many counties, you shoot someone while defending yourself, you now are the criminal for having an illegal gun and will certainly go to some rat hole prison for a very long time. There is a lot to the equation to consider. These foreign countries and the judicial system is nothing like in the U.S..

Snake Plissken - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing i hate to say it partner but better to be safe than sorry. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

There are times I would certainly agree with you....but we were off of Vietnam, these were fishermen turned pirates of opportunity when they perceived a soft target. It did not take much to change their mind when they saw a rocket coming their way...I was the one heavily armed.

Jonny Begood - 5 years ago

This guy gets it ^

Ryan g - 5 years ago

if your using a flare vrs pirates your already dead ....get a gun

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

On another site I just found this interesting "pirate" encounter and how they scared them off: "Came across a similar situation when I was sailing off the coast of Brazil up to the Caribbean with my son. Had to improvise as at the time the guys in question were visibly armed (AK's from what we could see) and motoring along in a skiff towards us. I took a couple of our spear guns, cut the reel line on them both and taped a marine flare to the other one. Fired at their fuel tank to try and pop it open, before popping the flare on the second spear and firing it into their boat. Created utter panic and they fucked off. Their boat didn't catch fire, but it was pretty obvious what I was attempting to do and they freaked the fuck out. My son still tells the story with relish to this day, but i still don't think he has a true idea of how screwed we would have been if they had boarded us."

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Thanks Mark, I see you are right.

Mark Welch - 5 years ago

Patrick, over the years, I have found that experienced YouTube producers give up on getting into lengthy arguments / discussions with commenters. Believe me, it's a waste of time. I've found your channel to be far more helpful than most. Please keep up the great work and concentrate your efforts on production rather than these endless exchanges with armchair sailors.

Renegade Show - 5 years ago

On the scuppers, using a router with a bearing bit to open up the area inside, then filling the void with thickened epoxy will get you much better performance out of that style of scupper.

As far as pirates go, someone tries to board my boat they are going to be on the receiving end of fire arrows, a whole lotta fire arrows!

Something tells me Pirates don't spend a lot of time worrying about keeping fire fighting equipment onboard.

Renegade Show - 5 years ago

Think Captian Ron when Martin Short shoots the flare on deck!

Many people don't know this but on navy ships they have had wayward flares burn down through several decks before being controlled and finally extinguished.

If it will melt a hole in a battleship, whats it going to do to a wooden or fiberglass boat?

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

You are right and these guys were getting very close to having their boat burned. Flares from a tube or a pistol continue to burn even under water for their full duration. On the deck of a wooden fishing boat they would have no way to put out the fire.

Sl4yerkid - 5 years ago

haha, I don't believe that for a second.

10. comment for Pirates-(Scare Them to Hell!), Reef Hook Sailing Tip, and Scuppers for Bluewater Sailboats

Chris Landry - 5 years ago

Seriously.

A firework is going to scareoff armed rapists and murderers?

Fml.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

And that is why no normal cruiser goes near known professional pirate areas. You have gotten off track. Click on the link in the video description and read the associated article.

patio87 - 5 years ago

No, this guy is fooling himself. Maybe it works with Vietnamese "pirates" but Somalis shoot real guns.

Brian Emery - 5 years ago

Flares to deter pirates? Nah
U need a rifle!

life is awesome in America - 5 years ago

A cannon

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

In some cases you are right but you have gotten off track. Click on the link in the video description and read the associated article. There are different levels of pirates and bad guys to be dealing with. Sometimes a cruiser needs more than just a rifle.

Jay - 5 years ago

Merica! 9:43 i watched just for the missile launch. Sounded like freedom....

tench745 - 5 years ago

I thought that looked like a Valiant 40, beautiful boat. I like the scuppers, they seem to work very well. I seem to recall the side decks on my friend's Valiant being a little damp all the time.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Tench, thanks for the comment. I just put up a video tour of the deck and cockpit of the Valiant 40. It will be first in the list at Patrick Childress Sailing.

George Turner - 5 years ago

I prefer homemade torpedoes and an Assault rifle.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+George Turner There is no country that views firearms the way America does. Even the orange colored Orion flare launchers, we never call them flare pistols, are illegal in most other countries.

George Turner - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing I never have, but the idea is good; however, thinking about it I think it would be easier for small people like us to make missiles instead. The rocketry components can easily be bought online, it is just the high explosives issue. One with a good knowledge of chemistry could make them, or just use gunpowder, but would not be powerful enough to blow a boat out of the water. Probably just be better to us assault rifle. But if you travel overseas you can end up in prison for one in another nation. One would have to check the laws of where you go, however I would still have one, but I do not sail internationally either.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

How do you make a torpedo and what is the delivery system?

Vinícius Rocha - 5 years ago

you must have ak47 in your boat just in case...

Kenneth Howell - 5 years ago

Hey for pirates you better get a belt-fed with some range or start getting good with RPG's

ghpjerry - 5 years ago

Have a Special-FX person make you a full size life like Pirate looking replica, when in questionable waters, hang it from the mast for all to see...Problem solved.

bikebrains - 5 years ago

Back in the day, I did some yacht cruising in the Caribbean and heard the following story. A family was on a yacht near an uninhabited island in the Bahamas. A private motor vessel approached at a 90-degree angle. Two men were on the bow of the vessel and appeared to be prepared to board the yacht. A third man was in the wheelhouse. The teenage son quickly obtained the new, stainless steel sawed-off shotgun that they had just purchased for such an occasion. The first round got one of the two boarders. The second boarder jumped overboard and a few rounds were pumped into the area where he was last seen. The motor vessel reversed course. The family did not report the incident to the Bahamian government. Bottom line: two more bodies were added to the Caribbean. This event took place during the heavy drug importation in south Flordia and yacht piracy was a known problem.

mstngken - 5 years ago

If they were real pirates they would not have run off because of a flare. Real pirates carry ak47's and grenade launchers your about a moron in those areas without good protection a flare is not it.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+Chris Ko Chris Ko, I fully understand where you are coming from but I have to wonder, why were you sailing in known professional pirate territory? We have friends who have been held hostage for ransom in the Philippines. At the time it was perceived to be a safe area. Some of them made it out alive while others did not. We knew a German couple who was held hostage in Somalia and eventually made it out alive….but their mental scars were deep as they endured horrific brutality. In Kudat, Borneo, they ignored all proper warnings and sailed into the no go zone along the north east coast of Borneo. She was soon shot dead and he was later beheaded when ransom was not paid. We had left Ocean View Marina on Samal Island, near Devao City, in advance of the terrible abductions there so we feel close to the people we knew personally who were abducted and just as close to those we did not know personally but eventually had their heads removed. A German couple we know who were abducted from their anchored sailboat in the Philippines said the bad guys came up on them so fast, wearing T-shirts with the word “Police” across the chest, that there was nothing they could do. The bad guys were so heavily armed, that even to brandish their hidden away pistol would have meant immediate death. I did my time in Vietnam and know well the M-16 and 50 cal as well as my own hunting rifles, 308 Remington semi, 12 and 20 ga shotguns, used in the mountains of Colorado. What you have missed is not reading the “Pirate” article. Please do so. The link is in the video description. In short, it explains the pirates we were dealing with were fishermen turned pirates of opportunity when they perceived a soft target. Fortunately the flare worked to change their perception. They were not brandishing firearms so they were soft “pirates”, at least at this point. As the article says, if they had continued on their wrongful course, my defenses would escalate and any normal cruiser would have thought to do the same. I could have easily burned their boat. Flares continue to burn, even under water. If we had encountered these guys, acting this way, in the waters in S. Philippines, I would have taken action much sooner and much more certain. But, we never would be sailing in those known troubled waters. We stay clear of known professional pirate territory. It is so quick and easy for a mom/pop cruiser to get themselves thrown into a foreign rat hole prison for even having a firearm found on their boat let alone using one. There is a lot to consider when dealing with bad people in foreign countries. Very quickly a victim will become the criminal for defending oneself. Bear spray, tasers….there are a lot of options to use. It sounds like your experiences are in the known professional pirate territory, where I can fully agree with your approach. The idea is for a cruiser to stay clear of known trouble areas and to get out of a bad situation with out creating a worse one for oneself. Please read the article then, if you like, come back with another reply. But also, I think it would be important for other responders here, and myself, to read about your unfortunate situation and its outcome. If a person on your boat was already shot, it would appear they had superior fire power and a real battle ensued. What happened?? For the rest of us, what would you have done differently and what weapons do you suggest a sailboat carry?

Chris Ko - 5 years ago

I am sorry Patrick, I do not travel around the world in a little boat for fun, I do so for work and while you may have encountered a few pirates that you were able to turn away with with flares..... I have watched work buddies shot in the chest at over 100 yards away as the pirates attempted to fire warning shots. You are a weak minded fool to leave your life and the life of any additional crew to parlor tricks. Somewhere in your life you have decided that all human life is valuable, even those that devote themselves to criminal acts, you must remember there will always be those of us who are not willing to allow anyone to bring harm to ourselves or anyone around us.

Registering a firearm with the coast guard if you are wanting to go above and beyond is not a huge ordeal, and paying the fines if and when you have to use an illegal firearm is well worth asking for forgiveness.

Do not listen to this OLD IDEALIST FOOL on this specific topic, always carry a firearm and be prepared to kill other criminal humans.

P.S. - Your sad attempt to discredit anyone else's realistic view on this topic, by claiming superior "Sailing Experience" is rather comical to other level headed adults. You need to take an outside look at what you are even describing and encouraging others to do in a situation where they encounter pirates. While your sailing experience might be great, it is obvious your combat experience is ZERO, hell your experience with international human interaction must be very fucking low as well, and if you had even a tiny amount of common sense on this issue you would clearly see the risks of what you are proposing.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+Chris Ko You have obviously done little to zero sailing in the Pacific or Indian Oceans. Do not rely on what little you see by watching Hollywood movies or a couple You Tube videos about pirates off of Somalia. I know people who have been held for ransom by the bad guys in the Philippines and cruisers who have fended off aggressive fishermen and "pirates" in S.E. Asia. Just like all criminals in the U.S. are not murderers, not all "pirates" look or act the same nor do they have access to the same arms at their disposal. Please do follow the link in the description so you can read the article. It will clarify some points for you...…..just in case you find yourself in the same situation some day.

Chris Ko - 5 years ago

He is pretty clueless about the pirates of the world apparently, they know captured white people equals big money and nothing but superior firepower is going to change their minds.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

What sort of sailing experience do you have to make such a blanket statement? You do live on a sailboat and cross oceans in the Pacific and Indian oceans? Please do not tell me that you gained all your worldly pirate knowledge from watching Captain Phillips or You Tube videos about Somali pirates. Educate everyone; tell us about your personal experiences, at sea, with pirates. I would doubt you have ever been on a sailboat let alone crossed an ocean.

20. comment for Pirates-(Scare Them to Hell!), Reef Hook Sailing Tip, and Scuppers for Bluewater Sailboats

Jim Thompson - 5 years ago

Scare bad people, they kill you. Leave the area , call for help, hide, negotiate.

Rab Nord - 5 years ago

Or get a Gun and remove the bad people from this world so they can't hurt others and create more bad people.....hmmmm.....

Knut Inge - 5 years ago

About deck drain. You can use them to fill water in your tank. Route the drain hose as a goose neck, inn the botom of the goose neck fit a T piece with a valve to water tank. Keep this Valve shut. In heavy rain let rig, sail deck rinse the salt off, then open the Valve to fill water tank.

Tim Erickson - 5 years ago

About pirates there is a German guy that made a crossbow that shoot like 30 bolts in like 10seconds it's powered by a rechargable drill motor.
Would that be legal on a boat

riskinhos - 5 years ago

+uptowndisco2 that's why I said developed and civilized countries. UK clearly is not one of them

uptowndisco2 - 5 years ago

+riskinhos believe it or not guns are banned in the UK but crossbows are legal lol

KingBela - 5 years ago

Jörg Sprave - the slingshot channel

riskinhos - 5 years ago

crossbows are illegal in developed and civilized countries

AltaMirage - 5 years ago

There's another German guy who designed the MG42, but do you need it on a boat? Not really.

S/V Tattoo - 5 years ago

Usually crossbows are legal everywhere, but as with any weapon you may be required to give authorities a good reason why you have it. In some countries self-defense is not a valid reason to own a weapon.

AltaMirage - 5 years ago

How did you know they were pirates?

AltaMirage - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing Oh, and I did like the rest of the video. Nicely presented, and you seem like a credible, nice guy I'd happy share a sundowner with.

AltaMirage - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing Hey there mate, well, ok. I read the blog post. I agree there was something a bit off about the situation. i haven't seen a vessel up anchor and pursue like that while anchored during the day. Then again I can think of other possible reasons for this than piracy, including, as you state, the weird "bad/good spirits" idea. There may also have been something very wrong with the vessel or its crew that had nothing to do with piracy, even some medical emergency. It is strange to me that the tow wasn't cut if they were so intent on successful pursuit. And from a small passing sailboat, what could they really hope to gain? If opportunists they were not likely equipped to kidnap, and clearly were unarmed and relatively small crew by the sounds. I still don't see how you so firmly came to the conclusion of piracy. I am a professional sailor by the way, who sails Atlantic waters in the Spring Summer and Fall, and East Asian waters wintertime, and sometimes year round. I have had MANY such similar encounters myself, from the Arafura to the Andaman, with vessels steering to intercept covered in unsmiling, unwaving, and menacing looking crew, NONE of which I would ultimately account as "pirates", and will be back out in the North Malacca and Andaman Jan-April once more. So I'm not just some guy on the net. Maybe cross wakes out there soon enough.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

We have crossed paths with, and communicated with, plenty of fishermen at sea. These guys did not set out to be pirates but perceived a soft target, so began the situation. There is too much information to repeat here. There is a link, above, in the video description, which will take you to the article, in our blog site.

winger j - 5 years ago

good job on looking into the barrel of the dud flare.

Anthony Lee - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing I'd wear welding gloves

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Good point for others to note. Also, I was wearing safety glasses although that is not shown. Additionally, it would have been best to wear safety gloves.....although no flare manufacturer makes any suggestion to do so.

Ric Gaston - 5 years ago

After reading through the comments, and your blog description of the "pirate" event. My question is not about actually having "firearms" on the boat, but why the GREEN laser? I understand the desire to not be killed by pirates, and the fear of being held up in a jail by blah blah blah if you have actual guns on your boat.

How about a rifle scope, with night vision - with no actual rifle - and a RED laser that you plant on the chest of the captain of the offending vessel?

A red dot on ones' chest can have a very effective "dissuasive" effect.

Of course, if you can hold that dot on that chest is key to it's effectiveness. (best bet is to actually have that laser mounted on an effective rifle)

Smoke and bear spray aside, if you can place a laser dot on the captain of the boat that is offending you, your chances of survival are much greater than if you cannot. (by the way, bear spray is bullshit; Wasp and hornet spray is much more effective against human attackers, and cheaper, and not outlawed anywhere)

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+Ric Gaston You have a good, practical, strategy. Once one sails away from America, a lot of simple things are non-existent. We found Bear Spray in only one store in Malaysia and no where else after leaving the U.S.; it was an ACE hardware. I was quite surprised it was for sale. I will check around here in Tanzania and see if anyone has heard of wasp spray.

Ric Gaston - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing Wasp/Hornet spray is not illegal in any country - as far as I know. Wasp/Hornet spray is targeted at 20 feet, as a single stream, and it cannot be washed out with water, it has to be washed with an antidote, which can only be found at a hospital. Bear spray is just simple hot pepper in water.

Myself, I would keep every weapon with the first shot being "bird shot", it isn't lethal, but it will draw blood, and make a BIG impression.

If they keep coming after the bird shot, all bets are off, and they need to die - or you will.
As for going to places where "I'm an American" and I have guns on my boat - I just will not go there if they don't allow that.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

The green laser was just one more thing to try, hit them in the eyes or whatever. It had no effect on the people on deck or by aiming it on the wheel house.
I know of a person who recently sailed up through the Red Sea to the Med who had to deal with a harassing boat. They had on board a toy M16 with a red laser and did exactly as you suggest. It was effective and the bothersome boat went away. The wasp spray would be a good alternative which I will add to my list. I know of one cruiser who used his Bear Spray on an intruder who was standing in his cockpit. Through the bars of his security, companionway bars, he shot the intruder square in the chest. Immediately "no one could be in that area". What will the wasp spray do. Do you have to hit the person in the face?

Blargenfladibblenohip ! - 5 years ago

God I feel so bad for those countries where you cant keep guns...

psygnale - 5 years ago

+AltaMirage

"Or target the US boat as an easy way to acquire weapons? But yes, you are very much right. The world doesn't need any more guns."

Oh geez, here we go with this crap again...

Look, I'll type this slowly so that it can hopefully get through your brainwashing...

NO ONE ATTACKS ARMED TARGETS TO STEAL GUNS!

THIS. IS. A. MYTH.

Pirates, just like all criminals, are looking for SOFT targets of opportunity. The very few (and I mean VERY few as in statistically insignifigant) criminals that go LOOKING for armed conflict... ARE >ALREADY< HEAVILY ARMED.

https://www.wnd.com/2016/06/57-of-criminals-fear-armed-citizens-more-than-cops/
https://www.cato.org/publications/white-paper/tough-targets-when-criminals-face-armed-resistance-citizens

I swear you anti-gun people's controlling zealotry is rivaled only by your utter ignorance.

AltaMirage - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing Or target the US boat as an easy way to acquire weapons? But yes, you are very much right. The world doesn't need any more guns.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Most countries read about the mass killings and think the people in the U.S. and their fetish for guns, are all crazy. In a way that might be good as bad guys out here might pass up an American for a perceived softer target.

Roger Galbraith - 5 years ago

Are you suppose to fire flares off when it's not an emergency?

Roger Galbraith - 5 years ago

Patrick Childress Sailing thanks for reply. That's all I was checking because I assume it's very expensive if someone sees that flare and sends coats guard or navy to start searching for a ship. Even a plane flying over might see it.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+Roger Galbraith There are plenty of flare demonstrations on You Tube but the proper thing to do is to first notify local police, Coast Guard or any other entity who might respond to an emergency call after sighting a distress signal. In my case, I was far out in international waters with no other vessel on AIS, RADAR or in sight.

Roger Galbraith - 5 years ago

Fred Ormanis I was referring to firing flares for his video.

Fred Ormanis - 5 years ago

I think when you're trying to save yourself ,you can do whatever the hell you want.

ace toxic - 5 years ago

A bow and arrow would be better than no bow and arrow for those countries that don't allow guns. A cross bow would be even better.

AltaMirage - 5 years ago

Course, when you've hit their boat with your carbon stick, and they pull out their trusty AK47, or, well, 7 of them, is when you realise it isn't such a good idea... I've had friends who were fired at in SE Asia simply for getting too close to birdsnesting islands. As in the ones used to farm birdsnest soup. Just warning shots, but hey, 7.62mm warning shots. Best defense in an uncertain encounter: NEVER up the ante.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

A powerful, compact, compound bow is a great idea.

Blametheidiot Clintons - 5 years ago

I think you getting back to CHRIST YESHUA before it is too late is waaaay more important than your little boat show !

AltaMirage - 5 years ago

Hey blame: how much money are you giving to your "pastor"?

Anthony Lee - 5 years ago

He's loving his neighbors by showing us what he has learned over the years. For this I am truly grateful. Give a man a boat and he'll kill himself inside of Friday. Teach a man to sail and he'll live long and prosper.

Mike Luther - 5 years ago

How do you know he's not a believer in Christ. You Christians are some of the fastest to pass judgment on people. Maybe you should look at your relationship with christ

30. comment for Pirates-(Scare Them to Hell!), Reef Hook Sailing Tip, and Scuppers for Bluewater Sailboats

How to Sail Oceans - 5 years ago

I still have my old Orion flare kit buried up forward, trying to figure out how to dispose of it... maybe I will hang on to it!

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+AltaMirage We are on the east coast of Africa, in Tanzania. We were going to haul out in Richards Bay, S. Africa for several months but now S. Africa is looking very iffy. The country is not what it once was. That makes for a major problem....push on to Trinidad or back to Malaysia. Practical Sailor has some good information on life raft repacking, packing facilities and what to watch for. I have visited no repackers in Malaysia that would meet U.S. or Australian/New Zealand standards, just for the physical facilities, let alone procedures.

AltaMirage - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing Generally like Penang, though get almost all and any work done in Thailand. Thanks for that. Will have a look. Are you likely to be in the area this NE Monsoon?

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+AltaMirage The repacker is in Penang, Malaysia. I wrote up a negative critique about them on Noon Site.

AltaMirage - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing Good words about liferafts. Mixed blessing. Only the more expensive ones such as Viking and, perhaps Plastimo are really worth having IMHO. I always make certain I am present at repacking and supervise, also as I include more specialist kit and discard a lot of the toy crap they include as "essential" survival equipment. I have encountered one outfit in the Caribbean which were aggressively strange about my requirement to observe my own raft. I found it very suspicious and had further reason to feel that they were not on the up and up. I have heard one story where, in the Southern Caribbean, the raft seems to have been stolen wholesale and the pack filled with sand... but which outfit in Malaysia? You needn't be very specific if worried about repercussions, but I spend a lot of time there and would like to know, at least, general location. Pangkor? Langkawi? Malacca? Klang?

How to Sail Oceans - 5 years ago

+Rebecca Childress Ha!

Rebecca Childress - 5 years ago

How to Sail Oceans and Patrick Childress...Thats it you two...Now I want two rafts to increase the odds of one of them working! Love, your wife

How to Sail Oceans - 5 years ago

Interesting, thanks for the input. I've also heard of repacking scams. I remember when my father took his Winslow liferaft in to be re-packed, the thing inflated and then practically took off like a deflating balloon --thank God we never had to use it, we would have all drowned.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+How to Sail Oceans If I had known years ago that I would one day make videos, I would have made movies of some of the things I saw happen, and did not happen, at life raft inspections. There are very good raft inspectors and then, like in one shop in Malaysia, very bad inspectors. Then there was a raft belonging to a friend, when inflated in a shop, could not hold air for all the long lines of leaks. Next time. I don't blame you at all for not having a life raft. The first time I sailed around the world I did not have one. None of us go out there to sink. The odds are greatly in our favor, especially if one is sailing near the U.S. where a helicopter is generally near by. I have watched enough repackings of life rafts to see the price for the inspection far exceeds the value. And some of those cheaper "coastal" model rafts are nothing more than plastic toys.

How to Sail Oceans - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing Have you done a vid on liferafts? I've stopped carrying one (heavy, bulky, expensive to maintain ...).

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

The odds of needing it, like the life raft, are remote, but you never know.

Thomas ANGELO - 5 years ago

wow your going fire a flare at people who carry RPGs yes your plan makes much sense....If you took the threat seriously you would carry proper fire arms for ship offense/defense

S/V Tattoo - 5 years ago

+Anthony Lee - I will agree that in very rare instances a gun may come in handy. When someone is about to board would be a good time to blast them. However I don't feel they would be very effective against a distant target. Depending on the assailants it could possibly be used to scare them off before they come closer. I don't want to get into the details but I have first hand experience dealing with terrorists/thugs and know for a fact it would take a lot to discourage them once they set their sights on a yacht. The millions they can make in ransom is a huge draw for these people, and they desperately want to please their masters.

Anthony Lee - 5 years ago

+S/V Tattoo that's why you train and get good.

S/V Tattoo - 5 years ago

It takes an incredible amount of skill and training to hit a moving target while the shooter is also moving. Most people can barely hit a stationary target while they are sitting at a shooting bench. In the real world a gun is practically useless on a yacht.

Anthony Lee - 5 years ago

If they carry RPG then we must carry TOW

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+ace toxic In international waters, you are still subject to federal laws of the flag state (country in which the vessel is registered). The real problem comes when entering territorial waters and coming under the rules of a new country. Too many Americans have a big misconception about fire arms and grandiose talk. Other countries will not tolerate many "rights" that Americans have. There was a terrible situation reported in Seven Seas Cruising Association long ago about a U.S. Coast Guard boat doing a "courtesy check" of an American boat in international waters. The boat was carrying a small arsenal of weapons, all registered in the state the owner was from. But the Coast Guard reported the boat to customs in St. Thomas because of all the weapons on board. From what I recall of the story, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. has two different laws on the books regarding firearms. When clearing into St. Thomas, the officials chose to prosecute the owner for violating the other law on the books even though his weapons were all legal. The man spent tens of thousands of dollars on lawyers, was not allowed to sail away till trial and eventually paid a big fine. And that is a U.S. territory. A very costly ordeal for wanting too many firearms on board.

ace toxic - 5 years ago

What are the laws when it comes to sailing off shore and carrying fire arms? It seems like a shot gun would be the absolute minimum. Being that a shot gun out to sea is very much a defense weapon and not too much of an assault weapon

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Thomas, Thomas, Thomas.....Where does the article or I say these people were waving around RPGs or any sort of gun at all? If you haven't already, follow the link in the video description so you can read the article which will help fill in the blanks. This experiment was to determine the trajectory and range of a particular flare when held at about 45 degrees.

patrick pat - 5 years ago

Best tool for pirates is a stainless steel shotgun 12 gauge with slug for long range and buck shot for close range .
Or best a MK12 , it has a charger .
Fuck the sissy thing with flares ....

oldschooldiy - 5 years ago

Private boats are not usually boarded and searched, even in foreign ports! Most port authorities have their hands full just inspecting the commercial boats and ships! Cursory inspections are the norm, unless you've done something suspicious! And in international waters, your boat would have to be on a watch list! So, all the pooh poohers talking about foreign prison and stuff don't really have a clue! A rifle with scope, and a couple of hand guns are the minimum, when facing boarding by pirates! Or hungry fishermen for that matter!

Rebecca Childress - 5 years ago

oldschooldiy And you know they were un-armed? I personally think it’s a 50/50 shot either way...Armed...and you escalate what may have been a simple possessions robbing and not a death...Unarmed and they kill you cuz you can’t defend yourself. Yeah...hopefully Patrick and I are never faced with that. At sea or on land....

oldschooldiy - 5 years ago

+Rebecca Childress Two locations, and please understand, I don't blame the regions, because there are evil people the world over! First was southeast Asia, man and woman found floating open water, both naked and mutilated! Boat and young son missing! As far as I know, never found! Second, Caribbean, found boat, half sank, half clothed woman on board, dead! Husband missing! The world is an unforgiving place to the unprepared! That is my only point! Those that would prey on others should be met with deadly force! God willing, you never meet anyone like that!! Prayers for your safe travels!

Rebecca Childress - 5 years ago

oldschooldiy wow...what countries did you actually see the aftermath in? Were you a cop or something overseas? We will try to avoid where you saw it happen! We have never seen pirates with guns and never want to either ;)

oldschooldiy - 5 years ago

+S/V Tattoo Not really, more like standing in a rocking chair, and returning fire!

oldschooldiy - 5 years ago

+Rebecca Childress Just the aftermath! That's enough!

AltaMirage - 5 years ago

+S/V Tattoo HAHAHAHA! Love it.

S/V Tattoo - 5 years ago

+oldschooldiy - like shooting at a pheasant or quail while you are jumping up and down and the pheasant or quail and six of his friends are shooting back at you with AK47's.

AltaMirage - 5 years ago

Never been to Oz then eh? And the likelihood of discovery is remote, as is the likelihood of ever needing to use them, let alone doing so successfully. The downsides, mind you, are steep indeed: how about decades in a third world prison for gun running?

Rebecca Childress - 5 years ago

oldschooldiy Have you seen yourself what you say above on a sailboat, overseas?

Anthony Lee - 5 years ago

Sometimes things are better left unsaid. Keep the tactical advantage. Incremental De- escalation is key, have a plan and train for it. Always good to have some tricks up the sleeve.

oldschooldiy - 5 years ago

+Rebecca Childress Sorry, I can't go with the "best not to have one" thinking! I've seen too many situations, actually the aftermath, when people are not prepared to defend themselves! There are true two legged animals out there that do not even recognize people as people! They will do things to another human being that would make you sick! If you feel you can travel the world with impunity, God bless you! I truly pray you are successful! Would the man have been in the same trouble if he had declared his weapon? Who knows, but, sounds like this guy was traveling with people he couldn't trust in the first place, and that is a real "NO NO"!

Rebecca Childress - 5 years ago

patrick pat Yeah...that kid...probably so ;) But it was too late for that in this case. Luckily the guy was smart enough to throw the kid AND his mother on land and leave! He was actually kinder than I would have been...he bought them both a ticket home ;)

patrick pat - 5 years ago

Rebecca Childress throw the kid in water in middle on nowhere....

Rebecca Childress - 5 years ago

oldschooldiy Ha...we knew a guy on a boat that didn’t declare his gun anywhere..after all...nobody was searching the boat anyways. Then in one port his girlfriends kid got mad at him and blabbed to the police and that guy had to go to jail, get bailed out, deal with lawsuits for YEARS, for a LOT of money for not declaring that gun! Best to simply not have one...nothing goes wrong that way! If you have to right with guns, you are probably in big trouble anyways...shooting back is only gonna make it worse!

oldschooldiy - 5 years ago

+patrick pat That's not bad for close quarters! The idea in my mind is to keep them from getting that close! If they do though, I'm partial to my .45 Ruger P90 with Winchester 165 grain silver hollow points!

patrick pat - 5 years ago

oldschooldiy i still goes with my MK12 with slugs and buckshot.

oldschooldiy - 5 years ago

+patrick pat Yes, I've "went at sea"! And, yes I've fired rifles and guns at sea! Once you adjust for the rocking, aiming, while not "bench rest" accurate, can become surprisingly good! It's not much different than shooting at a moving target! You know, wink wink, like pheasant and quail!

patrick pat - 5 years ago

A rifle with scope at sea ? With the wave ? Did you ever went at sea ????

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Like in any country, you have to declare the weapon upon entry so now it does a cruiser no good as it is held by the officials. In Australia, they will take the gun till you clear out. They will even send it across the country to your departure point. In Indonesia, I don't know of anyone who has declared a gun. But if you used a fire arm in Indonesia good bye to you for a long time in prison. These foreign countries do not fool around and are not lenient. Many people have been put to death in Indonesia for trafficking drugs or spend many years in prison for a small possession. The consequence/benefit ratio of having arms on board is something each cruiser has to determine for them self. Will your boat be confiscated? Potential loss of ones boat would be the least of the problems.

oldschooldiy - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing Granted, the last time I was on the water, drugs were not the problem they are now! But, what would the Indonesian authorities done if you did have weapons for personal protection? Would they confiscate your boat and weapons, charge you, and take you to jail?

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

For the most part you are correct about inspections.....but in Indonesia, they are so interested in stopping drug smuggling destined for Australia, even our boat got a very thorough search. Although officials have looked through our boat in some countries, the Indonesian officials even found their way into the engine room, behind the companionway stairs. In many years of cruising, that was a first. In the engine room is where I would have hid something. In one food compartment in the main saloon, they wanted to know why we had so many cans of tuna fish. Apparently smugglers have stashed things in cases of similar labeled cans. I did thank them for finding some very old rusty cans from Panama that should have been thrown out long before, so I told them to please keep searching for whatever they are looking for! This video is not about whether or not to carry firearms and when to use them. That is a personal decision no one can make for another cruiser. Using an expired flare is one possibility for warding off the bad guys and not allowing the situation to develop. There are other methods that cruisers have used. Hmmmm, another video.

Dwight Hicks - 5 years ago

Boring

Gary Miller - 5 years ago

I don't even take my bay boat out without an AR in the rod box. And it just kills me how many fools trot all around the world with no way to protect yourselves.

Daniel Troyer - 5 years ago

Gary Miller this comment is cancer

Gary Miller - 5 years ago

+Rob Meyer I've done enough.

Rob Meyer - 5 years ago

Yes, Gary. Approximately 45 countries. Lived in two different countries.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

It is a tough call on whether to be armed or not and how to deal with not only pirates but intruders on an international boat. Just like in America, a victim defending himself can quickly now become the criminal and find himself in a lot of trouble. To get into any sort of legal trouble in these foreign countries is a total nightmare where the lawyers who are hired to help, see a foreigner as an ATM. I would never tell another cruiser to be armed or not. That is a personal call but they do have to have a plan in case they ever do use a weapon on someone or if it is ever discovered by customs. In the video description, please click on the link to the article and I think it will fill in some blanks.

Gary Miller - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing I get it. And I understand your side. But I don't go places where I can't be armed. I certainly wouldn't take responsibility for someone else's life out there. There are plenty of places that you can sail to that respect maritime law. Have fun though. It sounds like you have a nice life. enjoy.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Gary, Right now I am in Tanzania on my sailboat named Brick House. Backtracking a little for you, a few months ago it was Mayotte, Madagascar, Reunion, Rodrigues, Chagos, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia.......This is year 12 of this voyage and now I have sailed 1.75 times around the world. I do not write articles or make these videos from an armchair.

Gary Miller - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing Have you ever actually researched sailing international with firearms? Hmm?? Perhaps you should.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

All the bravado talk comes from people who are not in real life cruising in foreign countries. Real cruisers, if they should have arms on board, say nothing, even to their cruising friends. This video is not about whether or not to carry firearms and when to use them. That is a personal decision no one can make for another cruiser. Using an expired flare is one possibility for warding off the bad guys and not allowing the situation to develop. There are other methods that cruisers have used. Hmmmm, another video.

abarronboy - 5 years ago

Gary Miller Enjoy foreign prisons do ya.

Rob Meyer - 5 years ago

Gary Miller done a lot of fun international have u?

kragseven - 5 years ago

Get caught in another country with that AR

Gort Newton - 5 years ago

They weren't pirates. Every intending takeover of a vessel, the pirates WILL have guns. DEFINITE. What you encountered was a bunch of broke fisherman. Enter pirate waters at your own risk. Radio ahead for where is safe.

MegaBait56 - 5 years ago

I think if there's pirates around shouldn't you have a good S.S. firearm ? That far offshore a couple for each of you would be a good idea.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

That would be a good approach but once away from the U.S. such hardware is extremely difficult to obtain.

don mertle - 5 years ago

I would guess the low flare trajectory looks more like a firearm and is more intimidating, even if it falls short. A high flying flare looks like a flare and less mysterious.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

You could be right. If there should be a next time, I want a better idea of the proper trajectory to use. 45 degrees is just too much and 10 degrees is too little.

Emmanuel Samaras - 5 years ago

Flare launchers would be good if they were accurate. Pirates are not dum. They know what flares are and they will be forewarned and deadly assailants. Carry a rifle with scope and be prepared to kill. Best is avoid known pirate areas. Prevention is better than cure

Mc Filthy Mc Nasty - 5 years ago

In most areas the sailors are sailors, not the Navy.

don mertle - 5 years ago

In most areas pirates are the local fishermen, not really professional gunmen.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+Mc Filthy Mc Nasty Emanuel Samaras, You guys have good points and in some situation could be the best option. But the idea is there are different sorts of pirates in different areas of the world. What is talked about in the vid were fishermen who suddenly turned pirates when they perceived a soft target. Here is a link to the Pirate article: http://whereisbrickhouse.com/2017/07/16/vietnamese-pirates/ In some areas of the world that is true about using a flare as a defense and an RPG would be a far better option. We have a friend who was at anchor in the Philippines with her husband. The heavily armed bad guys approached their boat in a high speed boat and were on board in a blink. Even if the cruisers had arms, it would have done them no good unless they carried them around the boat with them in a holster. They might have been able to get off a shot but then they would have been immediately shot themselves. In that part of the world, it is worth laying down a heavy wall of defense at any high speed boat approaching your cruising sailboat. It took many months but they were eventually released. It was a terrible ordeal. We know another German couple who were abducted from their boat in the Philippines. Actually, she never made it off the boat as she emerged into the cockpit with a pistol in her hand. She never got off a shot before being killed by a single bullet. He was eventually beheaded when the ransom was not paid. As it says in the article, the people we encountered did not leave shore to be pirates. These people were fishermen who saw a soft target and went in pursuit. Their minds were changed pretty quickly. We are not the only cruisers who have used flares to deter the bad guys. There are some waters where I would want to be heavily armed despite the legal problems ...but we do like to give those areas a big miss.

Mc Filthy Mc Nasty - 5 years ago

What happens when the Pirates reply to your flares with an RPG ?

Me Magoo - 5 years ago

How about a sling shot and a bucket full of jelly fish

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Here is a link to the Pirate article: http://whereisbrickhouse.com/2017/07/16/vietnamese-pirates/ The article will clarify some pirate points for you. You are right, in some areas of the world an RPG would be a far better option. We have a friend who was at anchor in the Philippines with her husband. The heavily armed bad guys approached their boat in a high speed boat and were on board in a blink. Even if the cruisers had arms, it would have done them no good unless they carried them around the boat with them in a holster. They might have been able to get off a shot but then they would have been immediately shot themselves. In that part of the world, it is worth laying down a heavy wall of defense at any high speed boat approaching your cruising sailboat. It took many months but they were eventually released. It was a terrible ordeal. We know another German couple who were abducted from their boat in the Philippines. Actually, she never made it off the boat as she emerged into the cockpit with a pistol in her hand. She never got off a shot before being killed by a single bullet. He was eventually beheaded when the ransom was not paid. As it says in the article, the people we encountered did not leave shore to be pirates. These people were fishermen who saw a soft target and went in pursuit. Their minds were changed pretty quickly. There are different sorts of pirates in different parts of the world. We are not the only cruisers who have used flares to deter the bad guys. I put a link in the video description to the article which would clarify some of the blanks for you. But yes, there are some waters I would want to be heavily armed despite the legal problems ...but we do like to give those areas a big miss.

Rigging Doctor - 5 years ago

Like the reef hook idea! We tie the tack with a Dyneema pennant making a similar setup to your second reef.
With the flare guns, sorry, flare launcher, we will test ours out when we are on the high seas and no one is around. We have thought about using the flare launcher as a deterrent of pirates on the African coasts, but have never actually tested it! We will try it out next time we are truly alone ;)

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Bring plenty of cartridges with you. We only have a couple left and no way to get more in these foreign countries.

Rom Ulen - 5 years ago

Thanks and well done!

Brent Brown - 5 years ago

I am working toward retiring and cruising in about two years. I have found a lot of sailing YouTube channels that are entertaining and maybe a little informative. I appreciate that your videos emphasize the sharing of your experiences and wisdom to help us learn to cruise and take care of our boat.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Thanks for watching.

D G - 5 years ago

Later in life I will be crusing around the world but I have a hard time imagining not keeping a firearm on board. Do you know of other cruisers who hide weapons on their ships?

AltaMirage - 5 years ago

+Billy Nowhere No, I will NOT find "an expontentially greater number of successes". What utter bullshit. Where's your evidence, then? You are talking to a full time professional sailor, by the way, bucko.

Billy Nowhere - 5 years ago

+AltaMirage For the amount of situations that turned bad, you will find an exponentially greater number of successes. Gun laws should apply on vessels according to the laws of the country that it's flagged under. When in countries where firearms are not allowed, there should be Maritime law that agrees if they're under lock & key and out of immediate reach, they refer back to previous mentioned laws.

AltaMirage - 5 years ago

You don't need firearms aboard. 99% of cruisers don't have them and never feel the lack. A good proportion of those who do have them are living with a false sense of security, and many examples exist of their being horrifically counterproductive.

D G - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing Great point with the bear spray! Out of most piracy incidents that occur where and when are they most likely to occur? Open water, at the dock, day or night? How much of a warning is known by the cruisers before they are boarded? thanks for the reply!

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

I highly suspect so but no one talks about it. Even Bear Spray is illegal in many countries but I would rather defend myself with Bear Spray, within a country's territorial waters, and answer to that, than having to deal with the consequences of having a gun on board. It is a difficult call that no one can make for another cruiser. I know a cruiser who used Bear Spray on an intruder.....it is extremely effective.

nicougrikify Pelletier - 5 years ago

i love you

David McKeever - 5 years ago

You are a rare breed mi compadre! I lift a pint to you, Rebecca, your lifestyle and thank you for the videos! Safe Travels!

ThomasG10mtn - 5 years ago

We had an incident and we tried firing flares, but they kept coming. So we jerry rigged some trash with a bunch of line we had laying about, and created a tangle web for their props. It worked like a charm, and now we have several already made, and at the ready...just in case. #PerfectlyLegalEverywhere

We are also planning on rescue smoke cans which are, as far as today, legal everywhere. A friend makes his own, and intentionally makes them ride just under the surface. This causes the smoke to cool, and hug the surface. He has already used them twice to ward off fish thieves from his sets. Maybe they think it's poison gas or something, I don't know.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

I will definitely check the link. We have a friend who had a similar experience as you while passing through the Malacca Straight. Despite firing a number of Orion flares over their boat, he never gave me a good reason why he did not aim at their boat, the boat kept coming and gaining ground. He had a big wad of polypropylene line ready to string out just for a situation such as this. But the line was in a big tangle and was getting in his way to maneuver his sailboat to stay ahead of the bothersome boat. To get it out of the way, he took the big wad of line and threw it overboard. The bothersome boat ran right over it tangling in the propeller and stopping them dead in the water. In the video you can see my fishing line trailing off the stern. That is 300 lb test line and about 250'. It can do more than catch fish.

Douglas R - 5 years ago

youre lucky to be alive you salty old dog

lookronjon - 5 years ago

A launching tube for the flare round would help. All you gotta do is land one in their boat and That would be a game changer. Always carry when on the high seas. AR15 is a great rifle to have onboard or a lever action 30-30 would shoot through their vessel.

Mike R - 5 years ago

How about a 45-70 and you can say you have it for throwing lines! 45-70 will put a hole below the water line!

50. comment for Pirates-(Scare Them to Hell!), Reef Hook Sailing Tip, and Scuppers for Bluewater Sailboats

Cameron Turner - 5 years ago

A lot of times the pirates themselves don't have firearms. They know you're not armed and they outnumber you and have some hand weapons, clubs, machetes, etc. What are you and you're wife going to do when 15 men with machetes are trying to get on your boat? Anything you can.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Exactly. All the bravado you read in comments is not from actual cruisers out there doing it. Those experienced cruisers are quiet, yet you do not want to fool around with them.

fredbrackely - 5 years ago

If both of you deploy your M-4's, they'll get the fuck out of dodge promptly. Give them a volley at 200 yards out.

Dingus E. Dow - 5 years ago

Scare lolol...

The pirates are going to return fire with actual bullets....

Ben A1 - 5 years ago

You turn the tables on them pulling out your AR15 and firing back and that will send the message.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Dingus, In some parts of the world they will and other parts of the world they have no weapons, other than knives. We have a friend who was at anchor in the Philippines with her husband. The heavily armed bad guys approached their boat in a high speed boat and were on board in a blink. Even if the cruisers had arms, it would have done them no good unless they carried them around the boat with them in a holster. They might have been able to get off a shot but then they would have been immediately shot themselves. In that part of the world, it is worth laying down a heavy wall of defense at any high speed boat approaching your cruising sailboat. It took many months but they were eventually released. It was a terrible ordeal. We know another German couple who were abducted from their boat in the Philippines. Actually, she never made it off the boat as she emerged into the cockpit with a pistol in her hand. She never got off a shot before being killed by a single bullet. He was eventually beheaded when the ransom was not paid. As it says in the article, the people we encountered did not leave shore to be pirates. These people were fishermen who saw a soft target and went in pursuit. Their minds were changed pretty quickly. There are different sorts of pirates in different parts of the world. We are not the only cruisers who have used flares to deter the bad guys. I put a link in the video description to the article which would clarify some of the blanks for you. Thanks for your comment.

Steve Legend - 5 years ago

A flare? Haha, you better thank your lucky stars, most would laugh and keep coming knowing you arent armed. No fool like an old fool.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+kragseven That is a whole different scenario and ocean. Cruisers who sail those waters do so at their own risk and best be heavily armed and 24 hour vigilance. Those areas, most cruisers stay away from. Here, we are dealing with fishermen, suddenly turned pirates of opportunity.

kragseven - 5 years ago

Watch videos of the navies or cargo ships taking on pirates . The pirates keep on coming at the ships even under 50 mm or bigger fire

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

You are right Steve. In some areas of the world that is true about using a flare as a defense and an RPG would be a far better option. We have a friend who was at anchor in the Philippines with her husband. The heavily armed bad guys approached their boat in a high speed boat and were on board in a blink. Even if the cruisers had arms, it would have done them no good unless they carried them around the boat with them in a holster. They might have been able to get off a shot but then they would have been immediately shot themselves. In that part of the world, it is worth laying down a heavy wall of defense at any high speed boat approaching your cruising sailboat. It took many months but they were eventually released. It was a terrible ordeal. We know another German couple who were abducted from their boat in the Philippines. Actually, she never made it off the boat as she emerged into the cockpit with a pistol in her hand. She never got off a shot before being killed by a single bullet. He was eventually beheaded when the ransom was not paid. As it says in the article, the people we encountered did not leave shore to be pirates. These people were fishermen who saw a soft target and went in pursuit. Their minds were changed pretty quickly. There are different sorts of pirates in different parts of the world. We are not the only cruisers who have used flares to deter the bad guys. I put a link in the video description to the article which would clarify some of the blanks for you. But yes, there are some waters I would want to be heavily armed despite the legal problems ...but we do like to give those areas a big miss.

ChrisCo - 5 years ago

A couple of 100yd capable guns on board is a great safety net.

ChrisCo - 5 years ago

Wow!! I've only cruised the Caribbean and the east coast of the US. Had a couple sketchy boats come up on us in the middle of the night, radar sees them coming. No radio contact with approaching vessel, one open water shot has turned around a few. Great video and very informative!!!

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

I fully agree with you....but there are complications that go along with just carrying such things on board a cruising boat. In many countries, just a simple plastic Orion flare launcher is illegal so you can imagine the headaches of having a real, worth while, rifle or pistol on board and the terrible mud pit one falls into for using it, at least in territorial waters. We have a friend who was at anchor in the Philippines with her husband. The heavily armed bad guys approached their boat in a high speed boat and were on board in a blink. Even if the cruisers had arms, it would have done them no good unless they carried them around the boat with them in a holster. They might have been able to get off a shot but then they would have been immediately shot themselves. In that part of the world, it is worth laying down a heavy wall of defense at any high speed boat approaching your cruising sailboat. It took many months but they were eventually released. It was a terrible ordeal. We know another German couple who were abducted from their boat in the Philippines. Actually, she never made it off the boat as she emerged into the cockpit with a pistol in her hand. She never got off a shot before being killed by a single bullet. He was eventually beheaded when the ransom was not paid. As it says in the article, the people we encountered did not leave shore to be pirates. These people were fishermen who saw a soft target and went in pursuit. Their minds were changed pretty quickly. There are different sorts of pirates in different parts of the world. We are not the only cruisers who have used flares to deter the bad guys. I put a link in the video description to the article. .

Dan Somebody - 5 years ago

I hope you were prepared to fight if they returned fire. An RPG in your direction would be a game changer. Be Safe.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

If we were in the Philippines, I earnestly would want an RPG. But we try to stay away from known trouble areas. Yes, we would ratchet up our defenses as necessary. We have a friend who was at anchor in the Philippines with her husband. The heavily armed bad guys approached their boat in a high speed boat and were on board in a blink. Even if the cruisers had arms, it would have done them no good unless they carried them around the boat with them in a holster. They might have been able to get off a shot but then they would have been immediately shot themselves. In that part of the world, it is worth laying down a heavy wall of defense at any high speed boat approaching your cruising sailboat. It took many months but they were eventually released. It was a terrible ordeal. We know another German couple who were abducted from their boat in the Philippines. Actually, she never made it off the boat as she emerged into the cockpit with a pistol in her hand. She never got off a shot before being killed by a single bullet. He was eventually beheaded when the ransom was not paid. As it says in the article, the people we encountered did not leave shore to be pirates. These people were fishermen who saw a soft target and went in pursuit. Their minds were changed pretty quickly. There are different sorts of pirates in different parts of the world. We are not the only cruisers who have used flares to deter the bad guys. I put a link in the video description to the article which would clarify some of the blanks for you.

aussie guy 85 - 5 years ago

Good video but I'm not sure a flare is going to do much good against fully armed "pirates" that are wielding akm's and rocket propelled grenade launcher , hmm these guys shoot back at the navy !!!! Real pirates are not afraid of death or to kill innocent people for their belongings .

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

You are right Jonathon. We have a friend who was at anchor in the Philippines with her husband. The heavily armed bad guys approached their boat in a high speed boat and were on board in a blink. Even if the cruisers had arms, it would have done them no good unless they carried them around the boat with them in a holster. They might have been able to get off a shot but then they would have been immediately shot themselves. In that part of the world, it is worth laying down a heavy wall of defense at any high speed boat approaching your cruising sailboat. It took many months but they were eventually released. It was a terrible ordeal. We know another German couple who were abducted from their boat in the Philippines. Actually, she never made it off the boat as she emerged into the cockpit with a pistol in her hand. She never got off a shot before being killed by a single bullet. He was eventually beheaded when the ransom was not paid. As it says in the article, the people we encountered did not leave shore to be pirates. These people were fishermen who saw a soft target and went in pursuit. Their minds were changed pretty quickly. There are different sorts of pirates in different parts of the world. We are not the only cruisers who have used flares to deter the bad guys. I put a link in the video description to the article which would clarify some of the blanks for you.

Carl Larsen - 5 years ago

Ak47's are great protection against bad guys too...

AltaMirage - 5 years ago

Yeah, maybe. Unless they have superior firepower, which they usually do if it comes down to it. Other than that you'll likely find yourself killing some innocent fishermen for no damn reason other than your own fear.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Sometimes an RPG would be better but there are different types of pirates in different parts of the world. We have a friend who was at anchor in the Philippines with her husband. The heavily armed bad guys approached their boat in a high speed boat and were on board in a blink. Even if the cruisers had arms, it would have done them no good unless they carried them around the boat with them in a holster. They might have been able to get off a shot but then they would have been immediately shot themselves. In that part of the world, it is worth laying down a heavy wall of defense at any high speed boat approaching your cruising sailboat. It took many months but they were eventually released. It was a terrible ordeal. We know another German couple who were abducted from their boat in the Philippines. Actually, she never made it off the boat as she emerged into the cockpit with a pistol in her hand. She never got off a shot before being killed by a single bullet. He was eventually beheaded when the ransom was not paid. As it says in the article, the people we encountered did not leave shore to be pirates. These people were fishermen who saw a soft target and went in pursuit. Their minds were changed pretty quickly. There are different sorts of pirates in different parts of the world. We are not the only cruisers who have used flares to deter the bad guys. I put a link in the video description to the article which would clarify some of the blanks for you.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Steve, there is a link in the video description to the article about the situation which will fill in the blanks.

A Rottie - 5 years ago

I am seeing a lot of questions pertaining to how they knew they were pirates?
I'm not certain. However having, "Not Read the article!". I believe two of the
presumed pirates" had patches over one eye!? Haha great story Mr Childress.
Thank you for sharing it. <3;) Grrrrr.

mixter7x7 - 5 years ago

interesting - you're sailing around the world and you don't have a firearm for protection.
it doesn't matter if i'm offshore or on a river - i have a firearm.

Eric Echols Sr. - 5 years ago

+mixter7x7 - I hear ya' OORAH! .....However, going into these Countries you will be boarded, searched, and sometimes they even bring the dog on board. I thought the same until I started watching these sailing shows on YT,blogs, forums, as I'm getting prepared to try and sail around the World....per se.

Sometimes it's not worth taking chances that can send you to Prison in a Country that makes America's Prisons look like daycare......js ツ✌

mixter7x7 - 5 years ago

+Eric Echols Sr. 5x5. loud and clear. all you have to do is actually catch me with the gun. until then - i don't have one. it also sounds as though you didn't read my response. the question at hand is - which is a greater risk ? being killed in paradise living a golden lifestyle or being caught with a means of self protection ?
which is a greater threat to your safety ? pirates or cops ?
until you actually catch me with a gun - i don't have a gun.

mixter7x7 - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing what firearm. i don't have a firearm. maybe you've mistaken my boat with a different boat you were trying to rob. i hear and understand your concern, but 1 live round whizzing past your head will deter almost everyone in the world. no need to actually shoot anyone. considering the potential consequence - only the hardest of the hardened criminals would dare possess equal firepower. yes, i'm in the u.s. and having been in the atlantic off the coast of fla and in the gulf - you just have to be prepared for anyone you might meet. we were boarded by the coast guard and they specifically asked us if we were packing. we told them we were and told them where all the hardware was including our carry pistols. they thanked and commended us on being prepared and not being foolish. however - we all have to do what we think best and most wise. i can understand no wanting to jeopardize such an awesome lifestyle.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Sounds like you are in the U.S.. Just like it is absolute certainty one gets the death penalty for peddling a little marijuana in some S.E. Asian countries, just having, let alone using a firearm to defend yourself, is equally as against the law. The victim suddenly becomes the criminal is a very real possibility in most countries outside of the U.S.. One has to really think it through beforehand how they are going to use a firearm and how to handle the post situation or if the risks of having a firearm on board outweigh the remote benefit. For close in, bear spray would be a viable option. There is a lot to the equation to consider and there is no perfect answer. Here is a link to the pirate article. http://whereisbrickhouse.com/2017/07/16/vietnamese-pirates/

Andie deRoux - 5 years ago

great video! Subscribed!

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Thanks, Andie. Good to have you onboard.

Stephen Bray - 5 years ago

I need a sugar mama who has enough enthusiasm to bring me along.

Stephen Bray - 5 years ago

I'm more like a stay at home private chef can fix anything that breaks types that are going to die alone.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

There is another guy out here, and his wife came with a 43 foot boat!

juan Carrera - 5 years ago

I want to crew on a boat going from Los Angeles to the Philippines !

Anybody need crew men ?

- Anonymous - 5 years ago

Yes, email me. Killthehumanoid1@gmail.com

Gonagain - 5 years ago

Hello Patrick! When I met you in Pango Pango back in 1980, we always carried a 12 gauge and 00buck. Of course we had to check it in with customs, but that was ok back then. Not sure what it would be like now. You may remember us; Rick and Linda Herzog, SV Kinohi.

Gonagain - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing, don't tempt me! The compass from Kinohi and my sextant are literally within arms reach and I may head for the door.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+Gonagain Last November, I timed our rare return to New England so I could do a Swan trip from Rhode Island to St. Maarten for Offshore Passage Opportunities. One crew brought along his plastic sextant. I could show a lot of vagaries about that sextant that is not explained in any manual. But he had to run me through a couple aspects of the sight reduction I had forgotten about in the tables. I used to reduce a sight in 12 minutes on a plain sheet of paper. So much easier now to push a couple buttons. On Brick House, we have PrediceWind which even gives mid ocean current information. From Iridium Go satellites, we can get precise weather and current updates 24 hours a day. Certainly takes the fun and anticipation out of a crossing. Cruisers now get all excited if they hit a big storm of 35 knots. It is a lot easier these days. You can fly down to Malaysia and pick up a good cruising boat cheap, cross to the Caribbean or where ever, sell it and look back on a lot of fun.

Gonagain - 5 years ago

You're right, things have certainly changed. You and I actually know how to use a sextant and read the weather! But GPS, weather on demand and instant communication is sure nice. It's everything I can do to keep from getting sea fever all over again.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+Gonagain I can imagine how crowded Suwarrow atoll is these days. Now there is a care taker on Tom's Island. I met John Neal, no relation to Tom, in Tahiti back in 1980 when he was on his 27' Vega. Now he and his wife Amanda are still at it but doing ocean sailing training. It seems impossible that one day we would become the "old timers". Lots of fun though...Now Rebecca and I get to explore the east coast of Africa.

Gonagain - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing, I figured if Robin Lee Graham could handle Montana, so could I! It's going to be nice to catch up with you through your videos. Nice to be in touch with "Juggernaut Heading West".

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Amazing how the paths of sailors cross again. Great to hear from you. I see you are in Montana. I subscribed to your channel. If you don't do the ocean then you have to have the mountains. I used to love it in Colorado before setting off on my first voyage but I think Montana would now be a better bet. A lot of people had guns on their boat back in the 1980s. It is a whole different, crowded, rule bound environment these days and guns, in my opinion, are not worth the repercussions and customs headaches. There are other alternatives, like a spear gun and bear spray. But those items can be illegal also. You guys are looking well!

J W - 5 years ago

Goes to show they don't make shit like they used to :(

Stephen Lediard - 5 years ago

God save the queen would have been more appropriate than stars and stripes. But, are you sure they were pirates? Pirates usually have Kalashnikovs don't they? A flare against Kalas is not much good.

A Rottie - 5 years ago

@ Stephen Lediard , No doubt about it. You never want to be caught bringing a flair to a fully automatic weapons fight!! EeeYicks. That's maybe one small step
better than bringing a knife!? Maybe. Ha! ;) Grrrrr.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Stephen, there are fishermen who suddenly become pirates of opportunity. One has to know the nature of the people working in the waters through which one travels. It can be a difficult call. Here is a link to the pirate story on our blog site http://whereisbrickhouse.com/2017/07/16/vietnamese-pirates/

Seth Williamson - 5 years ago

Pretty embarrassing if it turned out they were just hoping to sell you some fish.

AltaMirage - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing Both I and a good friend of mine have had the surreal experience of being approached for drink, being beer, around 800-1000 miles South West of Galapagos... by guys in outboard motor boats. True story. Obviously a mothership somewhere nearby but we never saw it.

Seth Williamson - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing Touche :) Fair winds to you!

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+Seth Williamson I wish I could run videos past you prior to posting. You have good criticisms that would make for a better product. Every writer needs an editor...but I am very new to this video thing and don't mind the good tips. I just put a link in the description leading to the pirate story at our blog site. I should have done that earlier. I thought just mentioning the articles and blog site would be enough but certainly posting a link is best. Thanks again.

Seth Williamson - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing With the extreme poverty in Vietnam, it is not surprising you'd be wary of crimes of opportunity, let alone organized crime.

My comment had a tongue-in-cheek tone, sure, but it was meant constructively. You didn't give the viewer anything to go on as to how you came to the conclusion that you were in danger and needed to defend yourself. Judging the video on its own, you precisely exercised the "shoot first, ask questions later" response you say you worry about. I'm not saying you don't; I'm saying you didn't share any of that with us.

Also, mentioning the article is fine, but it would be a huge improvement to include links in the video description and/or use the new YouYube cards. If a written article is how/where you think such additional detail is most appropriately shared, provide an expedient (one-click) means for your audience to get there.

Again, meant constructively and positively. Above all, I'm glad you and Rebecca are safe. :)

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Seth, not just wanting to sell fish in the middle of an ocean, which is not likely, but trying to scarf up any sort of alcohol they know most cruising sailboats have on board, which is very likely. We have encountered plenty of fishing boats well off shore, with different motivations. That is what worries me about some of the gun slinging shoot first talk I hear. We have a German friend who was abducted by very bad people in the southern Philippines. The people that boarded her boat and took her and her husband hostage for ransom, were wearing T-shirts with "Police" emblazoned across the front. But that is not the only couple we know who has suffered greatly at hands of pirates taking hostages. You have to know the water and propensities of the environment through which you are sailing. I can't write it all out here. Read the article and you will see why these guys crossed the line for me not to be a docile, smiling, victim.

t pw - 5 years ago

Did I miss something how did they know they were pirate's?

Rob Davidge - 5 years ago

You know they are pirates because when you launch your mildly annoying rocket at them they return fire with an AK47. Best way to deal with pirates is to give as much distance between you and other vessels, stay out their way.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

t pw, here is a link to the pirate story http://whereisbrickhouse.com/2017/07/16/vietnamese-pirates/

John Gillin - 5 years ago

Enjoyed the video, keeping making them as long as you can.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Thanks, John.

runristaren2 - 5 years ago

I have My reefhooks welded on the side of the main attachment and dogbones to connect when reefing workes great

VillageIdiot8055 - 5 years ago

Will definitely be watching more, fair winds Captain

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Thank you Village.....I like the name.

Eric Smith - 5 years ago

If I'm not mistaken, the flare "gun" types are also being targeted during the check in process in some ports. They know they are a very popular item, and so use it as an excuse to extort additional fees from you. The old "we will have to arrest you.....orrrr you could pay us $400 each and problem will go away.....maybe."

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

I have not heard of that happening but would not be surprised.

Bill Hamilton - 5 years ago

Tell the man with the machine shop what you need for a starboard reef hook and I'll make one for you...

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Thanks for the great offer. I just dropped of my port reef hook and a spear gun head at a machine shop. Late afternoon on Friday, I will see how he did. I have had spare spear gun heads on this boat for the past 12 years and never needed them so I don't mind sacrificing one more to get a higher use out of it.

Thanos - 5 years ago

If you're a sailor and traveling I dont see what the problem is on having a rifle for self-defense.

David Harris - 5 years ago

The law in various countries

Thanos - 5 years ago

+Rob Meyer so you're basically just give up?...don't even try?

Rob Meyer - 5 years ago

You have a rifle and they have 5 rifles. Who’s going to win?

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

The only snag is what to do with it when in the territorial waters and clearing into another country. That is the major complication.

russell3380 - 5 years ago

Great work, great content! Ty!

russell3380 - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing Yw, ty. Good on you guys.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Thank you, Russell.

Edward youngbloom Youngbloom - 5 years ago

I a motor ship 331 ft

Edward youngbloom Youngbloom - 5 years ago

Our ship is in fetlock getting new Engel and a, water maker

DCD 1972 - 5 years ago

How about an AK-47 in about 3,000 rounds on board? I think I would rather spend a little time in jail then be murdered by some freaks.

jjaus - 5 years ago

+nicole075 I am keeping up. I just resent ignorant Americans dividing the world into two - America and the rest - and presume that everything American is better. It's not. Particularly crime and prisons compared to other civilised countries. As for me, I am army trained but I wouldn't carry automatic weapons, nor would I go anywhere there might be pirates. I will stick to the Med and Caribbean.

Michael Gaines - 5 years ago

+jjaus Very classy comment jjaus. Probably to be expected from someone with your prison experience. If nothing else, being under foreign custody adds a whole slew of extra expenses and obstacles to obtaining your freedom. Maybe write Amanda Knox and ask her thoughts.

nicole075 - 5 years ago

+jjaus And apparently you can't keep up with the plot. Do you find a lot of pirates in these first world countries YOU brought up? "Foreign Prisons" implies places in the world that are NOT first world countries, where they don't fuck around, and if you're toting an AK, you'll be lucky to make to prison alive.

Troll.

jjaus - 5 years ago

+Thanos Apparently you don't understand English and the term "FIRST WORLD". Dickhead.

Thanos - 5 years ago

+jjaus lmfao you obviously dont know what you're talking about! I'd rather be in a American prison then a.... just an example "Brazil prison"...

jjaus - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing "Foreign prisons"? Do you imagine prisons in other first world countries are worse than the US? I've got news for you. American prisons are the worst of all first world countries.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

The problem is, you can't think like an American then go travel the world. As one foreigner once told me "Americans have too many freedoms." In these foreign countries, they don't pansy around with what they think to be a criminal. You don't spend a "little" time in jail in these foreign countries, you get thrown in and forgotten about. If you can get a local lawyer, they will see you as a cash machine and get you for everything you own. Legal thieves. American prisons are luxury hotels in comparison to foreign prisons. If you have a fire arm on board and are near or in a foreign port, you should stash it so far away it would be nearly impossible to be found by a customs man searching your boat. And here is a big rule, do not talk about it to any other cruiser. Ditch the bravado stuff. You cannot be committing a crime and go tell everyone about it. Just like in America, at times, the victim is turned into the criminal. I hope this helps.

Jeffry Matzdorff - 5 years ago

Great idea on reefing.

Regarding the warning of boats to stay away:

I carry this laser with me everywhere I go! I have picked up blips on my radar that were pacing me but no running lights were seen. Fortunately an alternate course was taken by whoever was behind me.

These lasers are a solid beam and no one wants to see a solid laser beam pointing at them. It’s not just a dot, it’s a solid beam. They think they are being targeted.

I would also use this pointing straight up for search and rescue to find me.

While anchored in San Carlos at the top of Vascaino Bay,
I have used this several times to help boaters getting into the anchorage coming up the Baja coast. I told them on the VHF to take a bearing on the beam shining over their heads and follow it in.

The beam can be seen for many miles.
Great “homing” signal for others.

https://m.laserpointerpro.com/uking-zq-012l-30000mw-532nm-green-beam-4-mode-zoomable-laser-pointer-pen-kit-black-p-3805.html?currency=usd&gclid=Cj0KCQiAi57gBRDqARIsABhDSMoYLEcUcyykqoiw1eRJLJ27AJn3CrjFSkM5SJsDbA2092I9uBAKKwsaAtGtEALw_wcB

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Jeffry, That is a great piece of equipment and you found very good uses for it. On Brick House, I have a similar green laser of 5,000mw. As a comparison, a Great Land laser, which is marketed as an alternative to pyrotechnics is 5mw. That is right, no zeros after the 5. Within a few inches my 5k laser can start toilet paper on fire. I did not mention it in the magazine articles but I did my best to aim my laser at the pirates on deck and at the wheel house. It had no effect on them. Like you, I have used it to signal ships and fishing boats of my presence. The beam at night is incredibly bright and I like your idea of using it as a leading light for another boat to home in on. Thanks for your comment.

S/V Tattoo - 5 years ago

I am interested to know how you determined they were pirates. While cruising I have often been approached in sketchy situations. I predominantly sail solo, and having a speedboat coming along side when I am 125nm offshore is quite nerve wracking. It is almost always bored fishermen looking to trade fish for whatever I can give them. A couple cigars and a handful of hard candies is usually enough to send them on their way with a big smile.

AltaMirage - 5 years ago

S/V Tattoo: Likewise. I am both a professional sailor and a worldwide cruiser. My thoughts echo yours very closely.

S/V Tattoo - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing - I have been in the southern Philippines for a long time, and most of what I could tell you should not be shared on a public forum. A little over a three years ago four people were kidnapped from our marina, and sadly two of them did not survive. Needless to say it is something I think about a lot.

I am terribly sorry to hear about your friend's experience. I could have warned them about the black t-shirts with POLICE brazen across the front, but it wouldn't have made any difference. Criminals like the Abu Sayyaf group are desperate to please their masters, heavily armed, and usually high on methamphetamine. Besides having a heavily armed paramilitary person on board there are really very few real world options.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+S/V Tattoo One other thing about pirates. We have all heard stories about hooded men in black outfits coming up to a yacht in a speed boat and they turn out to be police or military men on patrol. Our German lady friend, and her husband were captured by Abusayef and held for ransom in the southern Philippines. Our friends boat was approached by men all wearing T-shirts with the word "Police" displayed across the front. Everything happened so fast, even if they had pistols hidden below, there was no time to do anything to protect themselves. Holding an approaching boat at a distance seems the best way to go.

S/V Tattoo - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing - Thanks. The blog post definitely fills the blanks.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Tattoo, that is part of the long story. We have met fishermen out in the middle of nowhere as they wanted alcohol or other things. These guys were quite different and adamant. Best to go to our blog and read the article. Search "pirates" at www.WhereIsBrickHouse.com Otherwise this would be an incredibly long reply.

David Rix - 5 years ago

Valiant 40- I met Robert Perry a few weeks ago, he came to speak at Skagit Community College Marine Maintenance program. What a talent!

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+David Rix I get on the Face Book, Bob Perry Fan Club site and chat about his designs. I learn a lot from that site.

David Rix - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing Yes, I can say after meeting him he would agree he is far from perfect...HA! Just seems to do his thing the best he can, just seems to have a passion for it. I enjoyed meeting him and am looking forward to learning from him- and you! Cheers!

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

He has been at it a long time and has some classic designs....but I do not always agree with some of the things he has done and continues to do. But that is a topic for a different post...except you can see his lack of side deck drainage on the Valiant 40.

Mike H - 5 years ago

Good name for your invention ( give your dog a bone)

Great Dane Rv - 5 years ago

I keep 25mm flares guns scattered in handy places around the boat and have had to use them twice. They re-think their idea when one drops on the deck. This was between Panama and Cabo San Lucas

Great Dane Rv - 5 years ago

I have to agree with the burn out. After being a corp yacht captain and long range deliveries since the mid 70's, I tired. I ran the Eastern Pacific, n &sans 170 east.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

It was once fun, getting paid to sit on an airplane and fly somewhere tropical to then sail a nice boat across an ocean. How could that get tiring? But it did. Even fun can get a little old. But it was all part of a good basis and education for doing these videos....But what is the motivation for doing these videos? None. Just for fun.

Stephen Bradley - 5 years ago

I used to work in the flare factory for Pains-Wessex. The name is hyphenated so I’m not sure why you refer the the company as Pains AND Wessex! Great products... very reliable and put through some very rigorous proofing trials during production! Enjoyed the video...

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Ted, In 2006, there was a terrible incident where an in date, Pains-Wessex, white flare backfired and caused severe injury to the person setting off the flare. Pains-Wessex recalled not only that batch of flares but all white flares of that model. We have friends who have been held hostage for ransom, in the Philippines by the bad guys. Two men, grabbed at the same time did not make it out alive. We also met two Germans who were released from being hostages in Somalia. Against warnings, they went on to sail north east of Borneo and were approached by Philippine bad guys. He and she, did not make it out alive. AK47 toting pirates in very fast boats are a whole different ball game from the opportunistic fishermen in S.E. Asia, or a not so fast mother ship trying to close the gap.

ted renard - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing Hi Patrick. The reduced lifespan may be because a few years ago in the UK an instructor was demonstrating the use of flares and one of them effectively blew half of his stomach away. Stephen Bradley may know more about the incident, and I'm not even sure who the manufacturer was. The guy was in hospital for something like two years, and will require lifelong treatment. Since then, instructions have been to always fire the flare to one or other side of your body, out of the line of a misfire. Also, wear a heavy glove on the hand holding the flares. Any misfire, such as you had, drop the flare overboard immediately, you have effectively an armed bomb in your hand that could ignite at any time. Don't look at each end as you did, just drop it. Even where you were, you were too far away from medical help to survive if that thing had got hold of you. Many boats are carrying laser flares instead (pretty good defence you can carry with you as well). Don't come to Europe with expired flares, it's a heavy fine, even in countries where it's difficult to get flares (last I was in Portugal, you had to go to Spain to get them) and in the UK there are no disposal facilities for expired flares any more. Even an innocent test firing as you did without notifying the coastguard will get you a severe ear bending. Kudos for you for putting this on here though, many even experienced sailors have probably never seen one fired. Don't count on it as a defence around the Red Sea and East African coast. Even toting a decent gun there won't stop those pirates, and the thought of them being scared, after watching the way they'll even board a supertanker going flat out from a ski boat, is just laughable. Great vid.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Stephen, I am not sure why either. The first time I said it properly then switched to saying it improperly for the rest of the video. I did not want to go back and refilm the whole thing again. Obviously I have no on screen career past making my home videos. Thanks for pointing it out so other viewers will know the proper way of saying the name. Since you worked at PW, why do you think they assign such a short shelf life when obviously they can work properly years longer?

Richard Myhan - 5 years ago

Excellent flare demo Sir, much needed info!

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Thanks for watching and your comment.

Graeme Dernbach - 5 years ago

,I have a great solution for the pirates or any major security issue.so listen up.Every boat has a co2 extinguisher on board.Attach a piece of 1/2 copper pipe to the extinguisher about 24".Fill up the tube with screws and nuts add a piece of wading to keep the contents in the pipe.Sqeeze off the trigger and see the damage,pack away all the parts and it's all legal.

Sam krieger - 5 years ago

You might not co2 bb guns get about 500fps, with a small nut at that speed. With the mods I suggested lethal at 150yds + holes in a boat.

Dingus E. Dow - 5 years ago

I would laugh my face off if you sprayed me with a co2 fire extinguisher filled with screws lol.
Then I'd throw you overboard....

Sam krieger - 5 years ago

Not enough pressure to get enough velocity . A scuba tank works better. Iron pipe should be used also. If you shape it like a cop's night stick the handle will allow bearings to feed machine gun style. Glass jars of fuel breaking in there boat and they won't chase a source of ignition like a flair .

Terry Peake - 5 years ago

Expierd flares = fines in Australia.

ted renard - 5 years ago

+Kit Griffin Hi Kit, Yes, that is correct. Most European countries too.

John Henderson - 5 years ago

Unfortunately in Australia that's the way it is. I like to keep my last set of flares as back up, after assisting some people 30 kn miles offshore, when we only just caught a feint shadow of orange around a mile from us. I think you should carry all the flares you can. However in Australia, even if you have the full compliment of in date flares, yes you will get fined for out of date flares. Best to the ones in date to show the Feds and spares tucked away somewhere they won't find them.

Kit Griffin - 5 years ago

So Terry you're saying: if I have the legal and correct quantity of flares on my boat I would be fined for any extra flares that are expired?

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

That is good to know. Plus cruisers need to know the plastic Orion flare launchers are illegal in Australia. It would be a surprise to some Americans to hear that they are also illegal in the island of Bermuda and are supposed to be declared.

Scramasax - 5 years ago

I recently made a video compairing hand flares. I too noticed age does not necessarily go hand in hand with the reliability. I know what brand to support in the future too. ;-)
The oldest hand flare in my video expired 25 years ago and it was by far the best performer.
I don't say you need to store 25 year old flares in your boat, but I do say you might want to have some exra...

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

I watched your video and commented. Your test and the experiences of others show that flares do have a much longer life than the 3 year period stamped on them. Thanks for posting your helpful comment.

livin the dream bright eyes - 5 years ago

liked and subscribed very cool

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Thanks for the sub, Livin.

Tony Alexander - 5 years ago

Anti pirate precautions, you buy an AK-47 you learn how to break it down to a smallest components and hide it in various places throughout your boat and then if pirates appear or you feel the need to you can put it together in less than a minute load and lock it and it's in standby... And if you're worried about breaking the law remember it's always better to be judged by 12 then carried by 6

ted renard - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing Hi Patrick. My understanding was that you don't have to get caught trafficking it. If you have possession, it is automatically assumed that you are trafficking and there is no legal argument or defence against that which will alter your fate. Undeclared weapons are almost as bad (something iro of a 15 year stretch) and declaring them means they're impounded for the duration of your stay, and not always returned. Please don't assume any foreign (ie UK/EU/US) embassy is going to be able (or, in the UK's case at least, even willing) to render assistance. They have no say.

Kit Griffin - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing Thank you, well said.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Tony, I understand what you are saying but American principals and law have absolutely no bearing in these other countries of the world. Like in Thailand and Malaysia, you get caught trafficking a little weed, it is the death penalty. No congressman or embassy representative will be able to help. This is not the U.S. judicial system. Plus there are halo head cruisers who would rat you out if you ever mentioned to anyone you had the sort of anti-pirate equipment you are suggesting here. Reality is a whole different ball game.

Rebecca Childress - 5 years ago

Thanks Patrick, and good job! You even remembered to mention our blog! Http://Www.WhereIsBrickHouse.com

Lyfan Deth - 5 years ago

I would think any good stainless welding shop or machine shop could take a portside reef hook and make up a mirror image for the starboard. A good torch, some stainless rod, not a big job.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Today, Tuesday, I took off the port side reef hook and took it to a machine shop. I also brought along a spear gun head. The machinist, here in Tanzania, seemed a little dicey in understanding that the coil of the mounting part of the hook has to curl to the right and not the left, as per the example. After drawing it out on a piece of paper, I thing he got it. We will see on Friday when I pick up the new one, made of 316 and my barb off the spear head. They can't, duplicate the barb from lack of materials. Cost, $25. I will let you know on Friday how it worked out.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Two commenters have serious concerns about setting off out of date flares. I respect fully their thoughts. I will copy here my reply to one of the posters and hope anyone setting off a flare, for any reason, takes all precautions available: Des, Thank you for your valuable information. I hope everyone reads your comment. I did not show it in the video but I was wearing safety glasses. I had thought about wearing safety gloves but should have. I recently checked the Pains-Wessex site and could not find any warnings about out of date flares, which I am surprised at that. In 2006, there was a terrible incident where an in date white flare backfired and caused severe injury to the person setting off the flare. Pains-Wessex recalled not only that batch of flares but all white flares of that model. I really did not trust that failed Huahai flare so dropped it into a bucket of water. Doing more research on flares, on the internet, there is a person selling out of date parachute flares to be used as toys....and over land. That is a forest fire that will happen. Being accosted by the bad guys in S.E. Asia is a definite problem and what is the deterrent one can carry on a sailboat without causing major legal problems for themselves is the conundrum we face. I have one cruising friend who waved off a menacing boat in the Melaka Straights, by firing several rounds from his Orion flare launcher. Those rounds were out of date, but such a launcher is illegal in some if not all, S.E. Asian countries so the new rounds are impossible to get. If I ever have to fire off an expired flare again, it will certainly be a newer flare and your warning is well etched in my memory, and hopefully in other cruisers who read this.

hsandeson2 - 5 years ago

Patrick Childress Sailing Molotov cocktail? Old cheap glass bottle, fuel, and lit wick. For when they’re close

Des Silverson - 5 years ago

What a complete idiot. Flares have an expiry date for a reason. Old flares can fire off on their own and I do have proof for the non believers. Firing a flare in front of you is stupid, they can come out the bottom, right in line with your nuts. I know a lifeboat crew without as many fingers as he should because one came out the other end. By all means use a flare but an in date one, you will stand a chance if the desired affect.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Des, Thank you for your valuable information. I hope everyone reads your comment. I did not show it in the video but I was wearing safety glasses. I had thought about wearing safety gloves but should have. I recently checked the Pains-Wessex site and could not find any warnings about out of date flares, which I am surprised at that. In 2006, there was a terrible incident where an in date white flare backfired and caused severe injury to the person setting off the flare. Pains-Wessex recalled not only that batch of flares but all white flares of that model. I really did not trust that failed Huahai flare so dropped it into a bucket of water. Doing more research on flares, on the internet, there is a person selling out of date parachute flares to be used as toys....and over land. That is a forest fire that will happen. Being accosted by the bad guys in S.E. Asia is a definite problem and what is the deterrent one can carry on a sailboat without causing major legal problems for themselves is the conundrum we face. I have one cruising friend who waved off a menacing boat in the Melaka Straights, by firing several rounds from his Orion flare launcher. Those rounds were out of date, but such a launcher is illegal in some if not all, S.E. Asian countries so the new rounds are impossible to get. If I ever have to fire off an expired flare again, it will certainly be a newer flare and your warning is well etched in my memory, and hopefully in other cruisers who read this.

Roy Clare - 5 years ago

Hi Patrick, just found your channel. Subbed, many thanks for the interesting content. Re anti-pirate measures ... everyone will have their own methods, a subject for an entire episode on its own! With an operational background in the British navy, I’ve just one cautionary message about the use of time-expired pyros ... from my professional knowledge they do become unstable over time. Instability can result in unpredictable results in use. There are documented examples of injuries resulting from misfired pyros ... hands burned, that sort of thing. For what it’s worth, whether for anti-piracy or any other purposes, I’d recommend that people avoid using time-expired pyros. Even the great quality ones made in England! Thanks for reading ... go well, sail well. Enjoy your sailing life ... Roy

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Roy, one other poster had concerns about out of date flares. I want to post my reply to him, here, so these serious concerns get proper attention. Des, Thank you for your valuable information. I hope everyone reads your comment. I did not show it in the video but I was wearing safety glasses. I had thought about wearing safety gloves but should have. I recently checked the Pains-Wessex site and could not find any warnings about out of date flares, which I am surprised at that. In 2006, there was a terrible incident where an in date white flare backfired and caused severe injury to the person setting off the flare. Pains-Wessex recalled not only that batch of flares but all white flares of that model. I really did not trust that failed Huahai flare so dropped it into a bucket of water. Doing more research on flares, on the internet, there is a person selling out of date parachute flares to be used as toys....and over land. That is a forest fire that will happen. Being accosted by the bad guys in S.E. Asia is a definite problem and what is the deterrent one can carry on a sailboat without causing major legal problems for themselves is the conundrum we face. I have one cruising friend who waved off a menacing boat in the Melaka Straights, by firing several rounds from his Orion flare launcher. Those rounds were out of date, but such a launcher is illegal in some if not all, S.E. Asian countries so the new rounds are impossible to get. If I ever have to fire off an expired flare again, it will certainly be a newer flare and your warning is well etched in my memory, and hopefully in other cruisers who read this.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Thanks for subbing Roy. That is valuable info about expired flares learned from your Navy back ground. Others will read this and be cautioned by it. I was very uncertain about the failed Huahai flare so put it deep into a bucket of water, just in case. Other anti pirate methods is a very hot topic....too hot for me.

johnny llooddte - 5 years ago

find me a gal like that..
doc johnny
sicily

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

When some sailing friends saw that video, they immediately emailed Rebecca as her husband also says that he "couldn't pass up that deal". But in their case, she had a 43 foot boat. So that potential is out there!

Sailing S/V Slipstream - 5 years ago

Great video question regarding your provisioning list is it on your old web site or new one thanks Rob

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

I was able to get the admin. Rebecca, of WhereIsBrickHouse.com to rearrange things so you can view the PDF directly or enter your email address to have the PDF sent to you. I just tried copying and pasting into word and that worked but then zoomed in sufficiently to read the words. It should print out good enough in that view. Let me know if there are any complications for you.

Reset Your Dream - 5 years ago

Enjoyed the video.

Allyn Onderdonk - 5 years ago

Never sail alone in the PAcific or off the coast of Africa. Pirate abound in those waters! Small timers often, but enough to ruin a single handed cruiser's day

100. comment for Pirates-(Scare Them to Hell!), Reef Hook Sailing Tip, and Scuppers for Bluewater Sailboats

Mike Phillips - 5 years ago

Had the same problem of water running down the decks and coming over the cockpit coaming into the cockpit on our Tashiba 40, very similiar to the Valiant 40 in the deck design (although the Tashiba already had several deck scuppers). If we shipped green water over the bow the cockpit could flood from all that water rushing down the deck and then dumping over the cockpit coaming when the water hit the terminus of the coaming and deck, which I'm sure happens to you too seeing your design. I solved the issue by making a wavebreaker out of teak, it was installed athwartships on the deck, about midships between the coachroof sides and the gunnels, it redirected 90% of any green water rushing down the decks overboard and could be easily removed when not needed. Only used it during passages, when it got lively offshore I simply went forward and pushed it into place via some teak sleeves I had installed. Worked quite nicely and never again took water into the cockpit.

gwwinder - 5 years ago

Ha. I get it now. That is a good idea. I have a Valiant 32 with the same issue.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

+gwwinder Just like a companion way slat/washboard, slides down into a slot, a slot on the port and a slot on the starboard, in the companion way, the same sort of slot can be made with two small stick of teak mounted on the side of the cabin and another slot made on the toe rail.

Mike Phillips - 5 years ago

+gwwinder I wish I had a picture for you, but try to imagine two pieces of teak mounted vertically, one set on the coachroof side & one set on the gunnel side, each with a space between the two pieces equal to the width of the board you are going to use for the wavebreaker. The board simply slides down in between the two slots created by the vertically mounted teak pieces & is held in place by friction. Mine fit very tightly, I would "pound" them in with my foot & then had a couple of finger holes in the top of the board to pull/wiggle them back out. You don't want them loose or they could possibly pop or float out when a wave rushing down the deck hits them. Many other ways to secure them too, pin them, lash, etc. Since the gunnels on most boats aren't as tall as the coach sides, some people use the standing rigging hardware for the cap shroud to brace them against as well (since this is usually close to midships), or, the hardware for the aft lowers, Each boat will be a bit different of course. The point is to stop the rush of trapped water down the "ditch" created by the coachroof sides and the high gunnels with far to few scuppers (as opposed to a metal toerail or otherwise flush decked boat). If you get as tired as I did standing in knee deep water in the cockpit after waves sloshed over the cockpit coaming, you'll figure out a way! Good luck!

gwwinder - 5 years ago

Mike and Patrick, that sounds like a good idea. I am not understanding how they are set up to be detachable.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

The 60 degree angle forward is a good idea. We have only destinations, not ETAs so maybe in a year we will be hauled out in S. Africa for several months. If I don't find the materials sooner, I will get to it in S. Africa. In the Indian Ocean, boat repair materials have been extremely difficult to find. Just yesterday, I removed the final of 4 fresh water copper water tubes. This one being the cold, running to the head sink. The only PEX like tubing to be found was so thick and non flexible, it was a bear of a job. The stuff is made for burying in the earth so dump trucks can run over it. Life on the other side....of the world.

Mike Phillips - 5 years ago

+Patrick Childress Sailing I don't mind at all, share away. Wish I still had pictures of how I set it up but based on your grasp of the idea I think you get the gist of it. Designers have used wavebreakers for a long time on certain designs, nothing new really. The "trick" is to angle it slightly forward on the coachroof side so that its not perfectly perpendicular to the fore & aft axis of the boat. This helps direct water flow overboard rather than just hitting the board square on & sloshing over. Mine were at about a 60 degree angle. Just be sure you remember they are in place when you have to go forward on a dark stormy night, otherwise they can be a trip hazard and a faceplant onto the deck the resulting effect. Ask me how I know, lol! Good luck, hope you show the project on your channel so I can see how they turned out!

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Mike, that is a very good idea which I am going to work on for our own boat. If you don't mind, I would like to share it with the Valiant-40 owners group. We will eventually head down to the southern tip of Africa and possibly cross the Atlantic to far south S. America. Stormy weather up ahead.

HeathLedgersChemist - 5 years ago

What???? I can't hear you over the wind noise...

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Heath....thanks for bearing through that noisy part of the intro till the audio got better. I know how annoying that can be. I was really hoping viewers could bear with it just long enough. I am new at this video making thing and here on the other side of the world, there are no real camera shops or places to buy a needed shotgun microphone with a dead cat (wind dampener). Import duties, shipping and all the hassles make it difficult to get anything sent here. So like patching an old boat with materials on hand, I have been using cotton balls taped on with blue tape then draping towels over the microphones on the Canon and GoPro,camera to help cut the wind noise. There are times I have to wait days and days for the wind to stop sufficiently to be able to record on deck, then a motor boat goes by or the Muslim call to prayers starts blaring over the loud speakers, or a siren goes by on shore....It aint easy. For the outro in this video, I wanted to walk around the deck while filming. With big wads of cotton strapped onto the GroPro, I filmed it 4 times and gave up because of the wind noise. I had to stand stationary holding the GoPro right behind the mast, as much out of the wind as possible. Then, to give some sense of motion and scene change, I shifted the view around a bit to soften the idea of a fixed view. Without the challenges though, making videos probably would not be as much fun. I will certainly do better in future videos. Comments like yours help me a lot. Of particular concern to me is the music, if it is acceptable and if the volumes are too loud.

Houses Built Tiny - 5 years ago

Awesome. In glad I didn't throw my glasses away

Declan Green - 5 years ago

Hey Patrick Re your starboard hook , can't you get one made,I did 40$ ,realize stainless might be a problem in your area of the world, you can do it. Been down that way ( Kenya Tanzania ) loved it, great people. Keep up the blog's vlogs vids whatever they call em nowadays.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Thanks for motivating me. Now that we are in the big city of Dar Es Salaam, I will give it a try. As you probably know, 316 SS is pretty much nonexistent in these small countries but there is better hope for 304. We have one more week here before moving on to Zanzabar. I will let you know if the people I approach can think in mirror mode and give it the proper curl.

Declan Green - 5 years ago

Damn, been struggling with reef hooks for 50 years and you fix it in 5 minutes, I'm on it this afternoon, thanks .

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

I had been thinking of this remedy for quite a while but thought if it would really work, it would have been commercially made long ago. Finally, I had enough hassle in rough weather and decided to do the modification.

Massimiliano Pianigiani - 5 years ago

I have mounteed Dyneema rings on each reef: seems working fine

Amandla - 5 years ago

Love to hear you singing Rebbeca's praises. Sweet! Congrats on 1K!

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Thanks, Leisa. I do have it good here.

Paul Fitzgerald - 5 years ago

Patrick, rather than reef hooks have you tried a Cunningham?
It’s just an S hook attached to a 4:1 tackle with a cam cleat on the bottom pulley.
Easy to loop into the reef eye, doesn’t need dog bones, and you don’t have to use the halyard to tension the luff, just cleat the halyard so the reef eye is a few inches high and tension the luff with the 4:1 tackle.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Hi Paul, Yes I have tried that, with the cunningham attached to the ring at the base of the mast. In my situation, it allowed the tack of the reef to be pulled too far aft, away from the mast so something else would have to be tied around the mast to pull the tack forward again. The same problem exists with the hook on the starboard side, tied on with the green line to the gooseneck, but it is not as extreme. So I wonder if you have used a similar method with better results?

Paul Beebe - 5 years ago

I keep a big box of these too.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

You never know when they might be useful. I try to add to our collection anytime we are near a life raft repacker….but I will shy away from the Chinese made flares.

Julian Osgood - 5 years ago

Patrick Childress Sailing I guess the morel of the story is quiet clear? Don’t buy the Chinese ones!

Love the videos, keep it up, we’re enjoying them very much!

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

The British made, Pains-Wessex flare used in the demonstration was expired in 1996, 22 years past expiration. Orion flares are made in the U.S.A. While at a life raft repacking facility in Malaysia, the repacker was adamant about not using Chinese made flares. Two out of two of the Chinese flares I have tried, only 2 years past expiration, failed to launch. I see two warning have come up from viewers about out of date flares possibly misfiring, so that should be a serious consideration.

R Marsello - 5 years ago

Thanks for sharing your journey and it's experiences. Great video! Stay safe.. -- Marsello, in Sangihe island--

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Good to hear from you Marsello. I hope all is well in Indonesia!

Sailing Channel Marinus - 5 years ago

Nice touch Patrick canonizing a flare... Look at the succor go ...Love it.. Love it Rebecca for sure carries a flare in her handbag these days .

Jedrima Amerike - 5 years ago

Thank you video,sharing knowledge and say hello to Rebecca from sailors in West Florida

Sailing Salacia - 5 years ago

Great info

Ron Canizares - 5 years ago

Another great video. I always look forward to them.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Thanks, Ron.

Reload 'n Charge! - 5 years ago

Thanks! Was just about to toss out all my 1997 Pains Wessex flares....keep tripping on the box! But they now have a new life! Good video, reffing information will be appropriate for many new sailors/ cruisers just stepping away from marinas or home shores. Andrew

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Andrew, any time I hear there is a life raft repacking facility we will be near, I try to stop in and pick up a bag full of expired flares they are happy to get rid of.

O'day 35 - 5 years ago

What you call a "Dog Bone" is also known as a "flying cringle"

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

You have just added to my vocabulary. Thanks.

Kevin - 5 years ago

Thanks Patrick. Just a thought; with your lifetime of experiences maybe you should consider writing a book to pass along your knowledge and also just for fun reading.

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

Kevin, that is always a possibility.....but over the decades, I watched the well known sailing magazines drop in their page count from over 200 pages per month to now, under 100 pages per month. Marine publishers of books have equally disappeared. The internet and formats like You Tube have been the demise of the print media. Hopefully after I am long gone, these videos will still be here to help others.

Raireva - 5 years ago

Keep making them...like idea about reefing hook flopper .!

Patrick Childress Sailing - 5 years ago

I never heard that before but now have a larger vocabulary. Thanks

About Pirates-(Scare Them to Hell!), Reef Hook Sailing Tip, and Scuppers for Bluewater Sailboats

The "Pirates-(Scare Them to Hell!), Reef Hook Sailing Tip, and Scuppers for Bluewater Sailboats" video is part of the Sealing, tipps, boating category, which contains similar videos like this one.