This page updated 07-Nov-2007

Avoiding Pirate Attack

There are a few areas in the world where pirate attacks are not uncommon, however it should be kept in perspective, only a small percentage of cruising yachts are ever attacked.

There are many differing opinions on how to avoid pirate attacks. Some yachts sail on their own through high risk areas quite happily and some prefer to sail in the company of other yachts on the assumption of security in numbers, mutual assistance etc.

There are arguments both for and against sailing in company. Some scenarios to consider; are a group of yachts easier pickings because of their number OR are they safer because of higher risk to the potential attackers? Is a yacht on it's own less attractive to attack because of the smaller benefit, or is it an easier target?  Yachts have been attacked both when on their own and also when in groups.

Below are a few points you may wish to consider based on our own experiences. At the end of the day you have to select an option that you are comfortable with.

First hand experience Full story from a skipper who's yacht was attacked by armed pirates in the Gulf of Aden, also an account of a lone women robbed at gunpoint on her yacht in a marina in France.

Know your pirates

Consider avoiding highest risk areas, this seems obvious but if you research the areas of highest attacks it is  possible to plot a course that avoids the worst areas. Somalia and the Gulf of Aden are a case in point; some people keep well offshore and do not go within 100 miles of the coast. You can keep abreast of latest information via SSB nets and the cruising grapevine.

Sailing in company

One option is to arrange to sail in company with a small group of yachts, 6 is probably the maximum so as to avoid confusion and risk of collision. The yachts in the group should either be of similar speed, or have agreed beforehand to sail at the speed of the slowest boat. The group should have agreed all procedures before entering the high risk area.

Formation sailing

• During the day yachts could sail in a tight enough grouping so that assistance can be given to each other if necessary. A group may also dissuade attackers.

• Night time formation sailing without lights is both illegal and dangerous. Low wattage lights at a low level may be a solution. However it is possible to devise a night time plan for a group of yachts using GPS and cross track error.

Lights or no lights

• Warning: Sailing at night without lights is both illegal and potentially dangerous.  We do not recommend sailing at night without the correct navigation lights. If however you or your group choose not to show navigation lights then watch keeping should be 100% and lights should be shown in time to avoid collision.

• Lights at night, both navigation lights and the use of any other lights visible from a distance, may attract pirates. Pirates are mostly low tech opportunists, if they can't see you at night you may have reduced your risk of attack. 

Radio

• Consider restricted use of VHF, although pirates are unlikely to have direction finding equipment, if they hear yacht chatter on the VHF they know you are around somewhere.

• You could use SSB instead of the VHF. We left ours on continuously and had a special frequency for our group. Even if the pirates had an SSB radio they have a lot of frequencies to scan and I doubt that they do.

RADAR

• RADAR may prove useful not only to keep a look out but also to assist with night time formations. It is unlikely the pirates are using RADAR detectors but they may have their own RADAR

Guns - to carry weapons or not

• This is another contentious issue. Most yachts probably do not carry weapons, but quite a few do.

• There are a few recorded accounts of yachtsmen killed by their own weapons.

• Plenty of pirates do carry firearms, are you willing to risk the lives of yourself and your crew by resisting them when giving up some cash and valuables may get rid of them? (and may not!).

• If you carry weapons you have to be an expert in their use, and be capable of using them without hesitation

• Legality - to carry weapons onboard, or using weapons, may place you on the wrong side of the law in many countries. It is also a legal requirement in all countries to declare weapons carried onboard, they are then impounded for your duration of stay, and only returned when clearing out.

• Ultimately the decision to carry weapons or not is a personal judgment 

Precautionary preparations

Consider what you would do if pirates did get onboard, remember they are normally after quick cash or items of value, so you can take some precautions. 

Boat and clearance papers perhaps should not be hidden so that if they are requested they are available.

The strategy we used was simple, if pirates came on board we would let them take what they wanted in the hope of getting rid of them as quickly as possible. If they forced us to reveal hidden money we would work through stashes 1-3 (see below).  We figured by the time we got to confessing our hiding place with valid passports cash and current credit cards they would believe that they had found it all.

We hid our valuables and money in 4 different locations in an order we were willing to lose them

• The first was an initial sacrificial wallet with some cash and out of date credit cards

• The second was a well hidden (under floor boards) goody box containing quite a bit of cash as well as some paperwork of little value

• The third was a significant amount of cash as well as one set of our passports. Also we put in here a couple of valid credit cards and some other genuine valuables. This was hidden in a very difficult to access place.

• The final location was the one we agreed never to confess to. It held passports that identified a nationality that might not please some pirates in that area. It also contained our main cash supply. We were carrying quite a bit to get us up through the Red Sea and Suez canal.

Having a plan

The following items could be considered in forming a plan.

• What formation should you sail during the day and at night if in a group

• What lights will be shown at night

• What are your radio and other communication procedures (VHF, SSB, Sat phones etc)

• Who does what if a yacht in your group is approached or attacked.

• Will you use a radio net to report your position on a regular basis

• What is your plan if you are approached or boarded?

• It is worth putting all plans, frequencies and instructions by the radio for quick reference

Books on modern day Piracy