Mike Harker Savagely Beaten In Carribean

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themadscientist

themadscientist

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May 8, 2010
71
AmericaSail 14-6 my driveway
The world is increasingly unsafe. I scare my wife sometimes watching for threats. Never get too comfortable. As many have suggested, just demonstrating that you are aware of your surroundings and confident should go a long way in deterring thieves and other scumbags. Be careful out there everyone.
 
rpwillia

rpwillia

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Sep 29, 2008
1,954
Catalina 310 #185 Quantico
Better than Pepper Spray

Ross said:
Pepper spray is good, nails in the floor mats would help, a paintball gun may be enough.
Click to expand
Wasp spray is apparently better at incapacitating people than pepper spray and can be sprayed up to 30' away.
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Re: Better than Pepper Spray

I have some old wasp spray that is an organic phosphate compound and that is the same family as nerve agents. I just want to drive the intruders away I don't want to do anything I will have to explain to a judge.
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Doesn't anybody realize how much it costs to defend a felony charge?
 
KD3PC

KD3PC

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Sep 25, 2008
1,069
boatless rainbow Callao, VA
if they don't charge the criminals, what makes you think you will be charged, especially a felony...

save your own life, worry about the charges later...

if in a foreign port, weigh anchor and get out...don't wait around to see what "help" you are going to get...no matter how frugal you really are....to them (here and there) you are a rich american...
 
Bad Obsession

Bad Obsession

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May 23, 2004
3,319
I'm in the market as were . Colonial Beach
OC spray is not really as effective as people think. I have sprayed a few people in my time and it works some of the time. A person who has enough drive and motivation can fight through pepper spray. Some people are barely affected by it.

We never know what we will do in a situation unless we are in the situation. If you train yourself and have the right attitude it goes a long way to winning a situation. I teach those principles when teaching defensive tactics and firearms.

In truth, anything could be used as an effective weapon. A winch handle could be a striking tool and so could a boat hook if used right. Fillet/kitchen knives are deadly. Air Horns can be used to disorient someone or you can cause a huge amount of pain of you placed it on their ear when you blew it (if someone has an ear drum rupture they loose their equilibrium and can not fight well). Fire extinguishers can also be used on a person and they can blind them (I have one in my V-berth). l
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
I have mallets, knives, cast iron skillets, fire extinguishers, dinner plates, coffee mugs, shoes.
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
In the book "Any Four Women Can Rob The Bank of Italy" the weapon of choice was spray bottles filled with household ammonia. It is an eye irritant and causes severe breathing difficulties with the first lung full.
 
jimmcgee

jimmcgee

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Feb 26, 2008
603
Catalina 30 Marathon, FL
Reality Check

In this case, pulled from his bed in a sound sleep, none of these things would have helped.

An inside latch or a motion sensor triggering bright light might have helped by keeping them out or scaring them off. Thieves want easy targets.

All this talk about guns, frying pans, pepper spray, battle axes and RPGs is just fantasy.

And let's not forget there's an element of luck here, albeit bad luck. There were other boats nearby and he is an experienced world traveler. This time lightning struck his boat.

My two cents,
Jim
 
Bad Obsession

Bad Obsession

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May 23, 2004
3,319
I'm in the market as were . Colonial Beach
Luck is only a small part of it. Fantasy has nothing to do with it. If you are woken in this fashion it is best to have a clear plan and not panic. I teach trainees in my line of work to always think of that what-if situation. If you are mentally prepared for a situation your are far better at defending yourself and you will react much quicker and favorably.

You can grab any item available as part of defense. You can fight open handed, but weapons make it easier. Seek any method of upping your odds.
 
jimmcgee

jimmcgee

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Feb 26, 2008
603
Catalina 30 Marathon, FL
Bad Obsession,
I'm curious about your line of work as you've mentioned it several times.

I still say keeping the bad guys out in the first place, or making sure you're awake before someone can get in is prudent. Situational awareness and common sense are your best defense.

Most of the "self defense" threads I've seen on other sites have little basis in reality. It's fine to imagine what you'd do in that situation, but you never really know how you'll react.

Everyone has a plan -- until they get hit
~ attributed to multiple people...

Jim
 
jimmcgee

jimmcgee

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Feb 26, 2008
603
Catalina 30 Marathon, FL
BTW, while it's natural to wonder what we'd do in a similar situation, let's hope Mike Harker is OK. Hopefully someone will post an update when there's news.

Jim
 
Bad Obsession

Bad Obsession

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May 23, 2004
3,319
I'm in the market as were . Colonial Beach
I am in law enforcement.

I have been in my field for a while. What I have learned is that a person's attitude usually has a strong parallel to the ending of an outcome. If you think you are going to die it won't be a favorable outcome. If you are forced to fight then you have to feel that you will win. You may not be the biggest and baddest dog on the block, but the more tenacious dog usually ends up winning anyway.

Mike did a lot of things right. He tried to get them to take the stuff and leave him alone. That is probably the best thing to do because property can be replaced, lives can't. He tried to talk with them and get them to focus their attention on property rather than him.

If the thieves were bent on killing him they would have. They were looking for easy money.

A lot of you guys hit the nail on the head. A pound of prevention is worth a ton of cure. Motion sensors would work great in that case. Dogs aboard would work in that case. The harder the target, the less likely it will be struck.

If most criminals thought that the person on the boat has a loaded gun and that person was pointing it at the door when they came in and that person would use that gun, do you think that most criminals would go through that door?
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
The less you look like a victim the less likely you will be one
 
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