Seafaring Tasers – Forcing Piracy to Walk the Plank

Imagine, if you will, that you’ve just set sail on a relaxing, hard-earned vacation aboard your luxury yacht. While relaxing in the afternoon sun, the soothing sound of gentle waves lapping at the side of your vessel is abruptly ended by the shouting and shooting of pirates overtaking your yacht.

It may sound like a scene straight out of the latest box office screening, but this scenario is far from fictitious. In some countries, poorly compensated government employees have done the unthinkable by joining local pirates who are easily earning millions of dollars through ransom payments. The enormous ransoms that ship owners pay pirates are only encouraging more and more people, desperate for money in today’s poor economy, to resort to piracy as the ultimate get rich quick scheme.

Somali authorities, in particular, are alarmed by the surge in piracy along Somalia's 3,000 kilometer-long coast, which is close to key shipping lanes connecting the Red Sea with the Indian Ocean. More than twenty vessels have been attacked this year so far, most of off the coast of Puntland, making that stretch of coastline one of the most dangerous in the world.

Imagine the bumbling pirate’s surprise when he jumps aboard your vessel and is suddenly stunned by the jolt from the onboard Taser or stun gun that you wield. Despite the alarming rise in piracy on the seas, seafaring tourists need not give up the dream of enjoying a luxurious floating vacation. By educating yourselves in boating safety, the local culture, and self-defense weapons, boaters can once again freely enjoy the waters without the fear of being brutally attacked by pirates.