Fired a shot across thier bow!

[brian.cunningham]

I got this off the kayak-sailing mailing list:

Let me give a tip Bill from experience
And I do a lot of Coastal..
I do use bright colors always..
But try to rig your boat with a long sprig up alert flag that can be seen... Ya know like you see on cycles ect...
I have been known to raise a divers flag on ocassion to alert people I seen skipping across the water in my direction....
A simple radar reflector is also a high plus in sea lanes and whereever "idiots" travel...

I carry VHF and will hail a craft coming to close...
I also will shoot up a star flare if need be...
Im not bashful in doing so.....
Two years ago of Boca Grande Pass I was almost run down..
I had a flag up, sea had slight chop...
A idiot came outa Lemon Bay into the pass to head for the open Gulf..
He and his buddies was partying heavy and had locked the wheel unattended to "drink " a few....
He came within 50 ft of me in a cigarette boat...
When I popped off a star shell across his bow, it didn't take long for them to back off from the wide open boat.....
I grabbed the VHF and hailed the skipper.... he didn't answer. But the USCG did, as they had a craft in area.... They got him for being under the influence...
One can never be to careful in open seas or close to power craft.. That's one way to get thier attention! :eek:

[Leon m]

Coooool!
Flare over the bow...Sounds effective !
There's been a few jet skis I'd like to
launch a flare towards.

[ishmael]

Sterling Hayden to his young, green crew, before setting off for Tahiti aboard 'Wanderer':

"If you see a ship close aboard and in danger of colliding, fire a flare at their pilothouse." :D

Close paraphrase.

[ 04-06-2003, 09:48 AM: Message edited by: ishmael ]

[Tom Galyen]

It is a wonder that the Coasties did not haul you in for firing the flare, as they did a certain captain in Maine who did a similar thing on a run in with a jetski.

Consider yourself lucky.

Tom G.

"Confusion to our enemies. May they be cursed with itching without benefit of scratching."

[Ian G Wright]

Originally posted by Tom Galyen:
Consider yourself lucky.

Why? A white flare to attract attention and prevent collision is perfectly normal. Careless use of red flares is frowned on and would earn you a telling off for sure. Best not to use either as artillery though,,,,,,,
IanW.

[Mike Field]

Tom, I seem to remember that in that case the bloke actually used a rifle.

He still got a pretty rough deal though -- they should have given him a medal....
.

[JeffH]

Originally posted by Mike Field:
Tom, I seem to remember that in that case the bloke actually used a rifle.....
.Nope, even better... A black powder canon. Bugger that he only used blanks.

[seafox61]

don't understand ??
if he used blanks ie just made some noise what was the big deal?
jeffery

[Ken Hall]

Next step: modify that brass 10ga swivel gun to fire white flares.....

[JeffH]

Originally posted by seafox61:
if he used blanks ie just made some noise what was the big deal?Well, the guy on the jetski wouldn't know they were blanks. Besides, black powder isn't allowed on Coast Guard documented boats without a permit. Not to say that the rest of the schooner fleet doesn't have a little stash kicking around....

[brian.cunningham]

Funny I thought flare guns were require and it was fired over not at

[paladin]

an M-79 with them BIG flares really get attention......... :D :D :D

[Donn]

An M-79 with a thermite gets even more attention.

There appears to be a new version...I've seen it in a few clips from the war. Fancy new sights, and, apparently a higher charged cartridge..not as much trajectory required. Fine little weapon.