[Chaparral]

Arrrrrrgh! ya call them scurvy scalawags in them little binnacle barges pirates? I bets 'dey don't even talk like us real pirates arrrr 'dey don't! Why nots a one o 'dem even gots a peg leg or parrot. I hear dey's a runnin der boats wit outboard motors these days. What'r dem scurvy lubbers gonna dos when dey can't afford da gas for dem Mercurys or Evinrudes. What'r dey gonna do when dey run outta dat ammo fer der AKs? Arrrr, da lot o dem ae bunch o' misfits if'n y'ask me.

Real pirates run a sustainable ship matey! Dat means sails and oaken ships and cutlasses ya lubbers. Arrr dem and der fancy guns and motors ae not long fer dis world dey not! Now don't get me wrong matey, i liken guns and cigarette boats just as much as the next lubber arrrrr i do, but we's a gotta get dis pirate thingey on a sustainable track fer when da last o' the black goo runs out. Arrrrr we do!


Arrrr! Support sustainable piracy now ya scalawags or we'll taken ya ta see Davy Jones locker!

[TommyJefferson]

I'm sick of my job, so I'm brainstorming ideas on the feasability of becoming a successful sea pirate. It seems to me that this field is ripe for exploitation. Currently only rag-tag goons in third-world countries do it. Surely a group of technically savvy, educated professionals like myself could do it far more successfully.

What would be the most lucrative items for theft? They would need to be relatively untracable, highly portable, and desirable in third-world countries. Money from casino cruise ships? petroleum? minerals? consumer electronics? In what ports could one purchase advanced weaponry such as heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, and ship to ship missles? Somolia? Timor? Lybia?

Would the greatest threats come from naval aircraft or submarines?

I know radio devices exist which are capable of overpowering ship emergency signals such as this: link Would it be better to start off small attacking private yachts in the Caribbean, or work towards jump straight into container ships?

[rogerhb]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TommyJefferson', 'W')ould the greatest threats come from naval aircraft or submarines?

[PrairieMule]

Sign me up Captain! Whose flag shall we fly under?

[rogerhb]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PrairieMule', 'W')hose flag shall we fly under?

[Eli]

I think drug production would be more lucrative than sea piracy. For quick cash growing pot in your house would be the best bet. The key would be to always be ready to leave your house in thirty seconds and never go back. Which is really no way to live at all but I digress.

Funnel your cash into Mexico or some other country friendly to gangsters so when the heat comes down you are ready to book it south. Sea Piracy would require too much killing and once the coast guard or Navy does come down on you, that is it you're as good as dead.

Nope drug dealing is the way to go no killing and lots o sacks of cash. And if you are extra smart with your cash and hide it well you could even go to jail and still have money in the bank.

[PrairieMule]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('rogerhb', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PrairieMule', 'W')hose flag shall we fly under?

[Tyler_JC]

Actually, producing LSD might be easier than trying to grow pot in your basement. The math is just so much more interesting. 6 Kilos of LSD is 100 MILLION doses. That's the entire current North American demand for the drug.

All you need is a basic chemistry kit and some rye. The ergot fungus grows on the rye, do a little chemical magic and you can be tripping like the Beatles in 1967. Or you could permenantly alter your brain chemistry and end up sucking down liquified carrots from a feeding tube while restrained to your bed in McLean Hospital.

As a side note, acid is five as effective at treating alcoholism as Alcoholics Anonymous. Just something to think about...As for being a post peak pirate, I say go for it. If you need someone to help load the cannons, I'm your man.

Fly under the Deathray Jesus Flag.

[Zardoz]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PrairieMule', 'M')aybe Halliburton can sponsor us?

[nemo]

When you take to the seas, best keep a sharp eye to windward. When you least expect it, I'll be careening down on you with my neo-clipper, studdingsails aloft and alow. After raking your stern* my crew of beautiful but fierce amazon women will carry you in a boarding action and all your loot will be mine. Arrrrr.
(*sounds a bit dirty, no?) Edit: Modern High Seas Piracy

[PrairieMule]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Zardoz', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PrairieMule', 'M')aybe Halliburton can sponsor us?

[Daculling]

There was a Soviet attack submarine on boats.com for years at $500k USD. I tried to get my friends to invest but they said it was a bad idea It had a deck gun and torp tubes but no ammo sadly. That being said I don't think piracy is like Disney portrays it... must be a lot of killing involved, count me out.

[Laughs_Last]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TommyJefferson', 'W')hat would be the most lucrative items for theft? They would need to be relatively untracable, highly portable, and desirable in third-world countries.

[Pretorian]

Why dont you, instead of investing hard-earned money and stuff, join the navy or Coastguard? You will have everything ready overthere. You will work with the team gradually, hiring people you need and firing ones you don't, and voila!! a whole ship! a LEGAL pirate under US Navy flag! And you dont even have to pay the maintenance!
Mind reminding you, ship-to -ship missiles are expensive (1M+ each ), so it will be cheaper anyways.

[OneLoneClone]

I'm currently reading "Under the Black Flag: the Romance and Reality of Life Among the Pirates". Good stuff. Interestingly, Buccaneers (mostly french expats) started off as hunters in the Caribbean , living on pigs and cattle. They dressed in blood stained leathers (the hides of last nights dinner), had butchers knives in their belts and generally looked like somebody from a slaughterhouse. Sounds pretty freaky. They must have smelt real real bad.

Later they began organizing to attack Spanish merchant ships and became loosely organized as"the Brethren of the Coast". Anyhow, its a good book. Doesn't go into the modern 'speedboats & grappling hooks' kind of piracy, tho.

[Dreamtwister]

Here's the problem as I see it:
The only thing that's shipped by sea these days that would a) continue being shipped post-peak and b) actually be worth stealing would be...oil. And I garentee, if you tried to jack a tanker, you'd find yourself at the business end of an anti-ship missile faster than you could say "bad plan".

Now, if you are looking at pre-peak, yeah you can probably make a good living. As has been pointed out by others, the bulk of the world's oceans are completely undefended.
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I')n what ports could one purchase advanced weaponry such as heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, and ship to ship missles? Somolia? Timor? Lybia?

[Cid_Yama]

Somali pirates capture a Ukrainian ship carrying 33 T-72 main battle tanks along with associated spare parts and "a substantial quantity of ammunition".

Woo Hoo! (Sorry, I couldn't resist. The day has been full of WaMu jokes.) Bet they're about to become land pirates.
link

[Tanada]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cid_Yama', 'S')omali pirates capture a Ukrainian ship carrying 33 T-72 main battle tanks along with associated spare parts and "a substantial quantity of ammunition".

Woo Hoo! (Sorry, I couldn't resist. The day has been full of WaMu jokes.) Bet they're about to become land pirates.
link

[Cid_Yama]

Hell, no! Where's the nearest oil refinery? Somalia's about to have a new government.

33 T-72's can give you a distinct advantage. These guys already control an autonomous region called Puntland, including a port called Eyl. Once they get a handle on operating these tanks, they will be a force to be rekoned with.(at least within Somalia)

[Fishman]

Actually I agree with you Cid, they will give firepower. Possible more like artillery pieces. I can see them enslaving large groups pulling those tanks around by hand and rope. Those shells make great roadside weapons also. Create chaos, then step in.