5 ms·

Dear Somalian Pirates, You're never going to believe this.

by njloof 15y ago

yummyfajitas 15y ago
Dear Internet Guy who's clearly never sailed, Have we mentioned our rubber dinghy's and fishing boats can only sail a few hundred kilometers?
- viscanti 15y ago
  I think the idea of security still exists, regardless of the viability of one particular group of pirates. Given a big enough target, someone will be motivated to come see what they can get. The question really is, what level of protection/security is necessary to defend a sea-stead?
  - deleted 15y ago
    [deleted]
- arethuza 15y ago
  It's actually a pretty big area where they have been operating: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Somalian_Piracy_Threat_Map_2010.png http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Somalian_Piracy_Threat_Map... [NB I actually did some sailing in 2010 right on the edge of the area on that map, just north of Mombasa - I did wonder about pirates at the time, but I assumed I was being silly!]
  - tryitnow 15y ago
    I think the answer to that would be: "Don't set up a seastead near where pirates have been hanging out" Now that can change, but piracy is usually related to failed states (hence Somalia). Seasteads would have to be built relatively close to peaceful stable countries. Honestly, I just don't see how priacy can be an issue, if the seastead is outside of government jurisdiction they can use high tech weaponry to counteract pirates. Of course, this increases the cost of the seastead, which tilt the scales against it.
    - rdl 15y ago
      Actually a government or PMC seastead near Somalia (to operate UAVs for monitoring and response) would be a great way to police to sea lanes at lower cost than a naval task force with ships.
- njloof 15y ago
  What's Peter Thiel worth in ransom? We're going to need a bigger boat.
- urbanjunkie 15y ago
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_York http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_York The MV York is a liquified gas tanker that was captured in 2010 and is/was used a mothership. The use of larger and more robust vessels as support / launch platforms greatly increases the operational range of piracy.
- cturner 15y ago
  Somali pirates vs seasteaders has potential as as a Neal Stephenson plot.
ams6110 15y ago
... stay away from those "seasteads", they have Exocet anti-ship missiles and Aegis missile defense systems, as well as conventional artillery and gun defenses and an army employed from Blackwater.
- Czarnian 15y ago
  In other words, Blackwater got there first. Maybe they'll leave some scraps we can salvage after the mercenaries bleed them dry.
  - arethuza 15y ago
    What would there be to stop the mercenaries from simply taking over the "country" they were hired to protect? It's not like this hasn't happened before....
    - Czarnian 15y ago
      Off the top of my head, the only things of value on a seastead are the salvageable materials, which would be a hassle to collect and sell, and the net worth of the various residents. They have no strategic value, it would cost a lot to keep them supplied, and you're in the middle of the ocean. To me, it would be much easier to to just bill them 10 mil a month for protection against a low-risk to non-existent threat until they can't afford it anymore.
      - arethuza 15y ago
        "To me, it would be much easier to to just bill them 10 mil a month for protection against a low-risk to non-existent threat" The protection racket business model? "Nice seastead you have there, real shame if it was to have a revolution".
        Czarnian 15y ago
        Wouldn't even have to go that far. Seasteaders are already paranoid enough that you can just play on the fears they already have. "Nice seastead you have here. It'd be a real shame if some country decided to come out and take your strategically worthless, resource barren, unstable platform from you." Then sit back and collect a paycheck.

Dear Somalian Pirates, You're never going to believe this.

by njloof 15y ago

Dear Somalian Pirates, You're never going to believe this.

Dear Internet Guy who's clearly never sailed, Have we mentioned our rubber dinghy's and fishing boats can only sail a few hundred kilometers?

viscanti 15y ago
I think the idea of security still exists, regardless of the viability of one particular group of pirates. Given a big enough target, someone will be motivated to come see what they can get. The question really is, what level of protection/security is necessary to defend a sea-stead?
- deleted 15y ago
  [deleted]
arethuza 15y ago
It's actually a pretty big area where they have been operating: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Somalian_Piracy_Threat_Map_2010.png http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Somalian_Piracy_Threat_Map... [NB I actually did some sailing in 2010 right on the edge of the area on that map, just north of Mombasa - I did wonder about pirates at the time, but I assumed I was being silly!]
- tryitnow 15y ago
  I think the answer to that would be: "Don't set up a seastead near where pirates have been hanging out" Now that can change, but piracy is usually related to failed states (hence Somalia). Seasteads would have to be built relatively close to peaceful stable countries. Honestly, I just don't see how priacy can be an issue, if the seastead is outside of government jurisdiction they can use high tech weaponry to counteract pirates. Of course, this increases the cost of the seastead, which tilt the scales against it.
  - rdl 15y ago
    Actually a government or PMC seastead near Somalia (to operate UAVs for monitoring and response) would be a great way to police to sea lanes at lower cost than a naval task force with ships.
njloof 15y ago
What's Peter Thiel worth in ransom? We're going to need a bigger boat.
urbanjunkie 15y ago
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_York http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_York The MV York is a liquified gas tanker that was captured in 2010 and is/was used a mothership. The use of larger and more robust vessels as support / launch platforms greatly increases the operational range of piracy.
cturner 15y ago
Somali pirates vs seasteaders has potential as as a Neal Stephenson plot.

ams6110 15y ago

... stay away from those "seasteads", they have Exocet anti-ship missiles and Aegis missile defense systems, as well as conventional artillery and gun defenses and an army employed from Blackwater.

Czarnian 15y ago
In other words, Blackwater got there first. Maybe they'll leave some scraps we can salvage after the mercenaries bleed them dry.
- arethuza 15y ago
  What would there be to stop the mercenaries from simply taking over the "country" they were hired to protect? It's not like this hasn't happened before....
  - Czarnian 15y ago
    Off the top of my head, the only things of value on a seastead are the salvageable materials, which would be a hassle to collect and sell, and the net worth of the various residents. They have no strategic value, it would cost a lot to keep them supplied, and you're in the middle of the ocean. To me, it would be much easier to to just bill them 10 mil a month for protection against a low-risk to non-existent threat until they can't afford it anymore.
    - arethuza 15y ago
      "To me, it would be much easier to to just bill them 10 mil a month for protection against a low-risk to non-existent threat" The protection racket business model? "Nice seastead you have there, real shame if it was to have a revolution".
      - Czarnian 15y ago
        Wouldn't even have to go that far. Seasteaders are already paranoid enough that you can just play on the fears they already have. "Nice seastead you have here. It'd be a real shame if some country decided to come out and take your strategically worthless, resource barren, unstable platform from you." Then sit back and collect a paycheck.