Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Pirates of the Caribbean.....

Kate and Allen anchored next to
'Persephone' in Grenada
I am not talking about the Disney, romanticized Pirates of the Carib, I am talking about the dirtbags that prey on cruisers.  This summer, our friends Kate and Allen on 'Mendosino Queen' were viciously attacked in the Tobaggo Keys.  The Keys are a National Park and turtle sancuary located just north of Grenada in the Grenedines.  This is a prestine reef system, frequented by cruisers for snorkelling, diving and turtle watching.  While anchored there, Kate and Allen were the victims of an armed robbery.  The full details are available on the following link: http://www.noonsite.com/Members/sue/R2011-07-12-2     

As a result (and as part of our systems upgrade), we have installed a panic alarm system as suggested by Kate and Allen.  Panic buttons are located in the V birth, and in the nav station.  A push of the button activates two LARGE bells, turns on the deck lights, and turns on a bright cockpit light.  One bell is located in the cabin, to disorient and the intruder, and to prevent any intruder from hearing what is happening outside;  the other bell is located in the cockpit to alert other cruisers.  We have also installed a remote radio microphone in the sleeping quarters; along with stainless steel bars over the hatch above the V birth.  I am sharing my design of the Panic Button Alarm System with fellow cruisers....hopefully none of us will ever need it....

   
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3 comments:

  1. AnonymousOctober 13, 2011 at 6:59 PM

    It's a shame to have to resort to the North American urban philosphjy of "lock yourself in" but as Dylan Sang "the times, they are a changing"
    On a prcatical note, you mention bars over the V berth. Does that mean you can lock your companion way from inside and is the main hatch door solid wood?
    Curious Geoff
    s/v Beach House

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  2. moonbowOctober 14, 2011 at 1:04 PM

    May I suggest that you change the the switches to toggle, so that if you take your finger off the switch, the alarm continues to sound until you return to the switch and turn it off.

    George Capra

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  3. AnonymousOctober 20, 2011 at 10:52 PM

    The whole point of using momentary pushbutton alarm switches on a self-latching intruder alarm is that it can NOT be turned off by anyone who doesn't know the location of the system reset. On Silverheels III, even shutting down the vessel's main battery switch will not affect the alarm.

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