Just saw Captain Phillips for the first time...

[Press Check]

All that aside, it was a great movie.

[brettkeating]

I thought the movie was a perfect metaphor for the disarming of the American citizen: Render the population defenseless, which only encourages criminals to prey upon them, necessitating a massive, far-reaching police force that specializes in over reacting to any event.

This

[BrassCase]

When I first started sailing after graduation from Cal Maritime in the 70's the Captains all had handguns in their safes. Sometimes they had a shotgun and some may have brought a rifle but I was never aware of any that did. We didn't have these type of pirate issues back then. In the 80's all the shipping companies that I know removed the guns from the ships for various reasons. Most thought it was antiquated to have them aboard. Mutinies don't happen. A few ships got robbed in port and a Captain got killed when he tried to use his company provided gun to stop one. I also think there was a Captain or two that committed suicide at sea using the company gun. The US gov't ships that are manned by Merchant Marines now carry weapons and training courses are provided. I believe some have pistols and M16's. The civilian ships still do not. I might still be sailing if I could have shot skeet off of the stern.

[bsg]

i still haven't seen the movie.

[ZirconJohn]

As soon as Merchant vessels start carrying arms,or people carrying arms,they can be deemed
"Man o war" or Naval vessels,which carrys a whole new set of rules when
calling in ports worldwide. As a general rule US flagged vessels,container ships,
tankers,etc do not carry weapons on board. Some companies I sailed with
had the captain keep a handgun locked in the ships safe( usually in his
office). I know my present employer does NOT allow any
weapons on US or foreign flag vessels,no matter WHAT waters they are in,
they also do not allow any armed personnel on board,either.We have had
Nigerian pirates board some of our vessels in that part of the world and
kidnap people for ransom.My employer does not acknowledge these
incidents.
Pete

Exactly... word for word... what a friend up here in town, Captain for Maersk on a Pacific Ocean freighter... same answer when In asked him... hey... what's the deal...?

[CitaDeL]

i still haven't seen the movie.

Sorry to spoil it for you, but Captain Phillips comes home in the end.

[bsg]

Sorry to spoil it for you, but Captain Phillips comes home in the end.

thanks. i'll just watch the movie vicariously on Calguns, and then decide if i want to see it as a rerun at the theatre.

[MXRider]

It was an entertaining movie, but the crew members who have talked about the incident and the movie said it was all bull****. Captain Phillips didn't heed the warnings, and was reckless with the crews lives. In the movie they make him seem like he took every possible precaution and was concerned with safety and he was hero. The crew tell a far different tale.

http://nypost.com/2013/10/13/crew-members-deny-captain-phillips-heroism/

http://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/captain-phillips.php

[CK_32]

Yea that movie had me clinching my fists too.

But I've seen a ride along and documentary on those pirates. And the ones on the movie had nothing on these guys. New age pirates plan for ships to have guns and are equiped with full MG's and RPG's with the thought of if we can win well just sink the ship. So your 5.56 and 308 wont be as effective as you might think.

My full proof plan is to make sure my a** is never on a ship in that area haha

[SuperSet]

Great movie. I liked it better than Lone Survivor, which was also very good.

Another ocean-faring movie that I really dug was All Is Lost with Robert Redford. I went into it thinking that it was going to be boring but it was not. Awesome movie. Better than Cast Away.

[m03]

It was an entertaining movie, but the crew members who have talked about the incident and the movie said it was all bull****. Captain Phillips didn't heed the warnings, and was reckless with the crews lives. In the movie they make him seem like he took every possible precaution and was concerned with safety and he was hero. The crew tell a far different tale.

http://nypost.com/2013/10/13/crew-members-deny-captain-phillips-heroism/

http://www.historyvshollywood.com/re...n-phillips.php

Coincidentally, they're also involved in a lawsuit, so I'd take what they claim with a grain of salt.

The actual Captain did an AMA on Reddit a couple of months ago, and covered some of these things in detail.

[MXRider]

Coincidentally, they're also involved in a lawsuit, so I'd take what they claim with a grain of salt.

The actual Captain did an AMA on Reddit a couple of months ago, and covered some of these things in detail.

I think that lawsuit has been pending since before the movie deal. Think they filed it shortly after the incident for endangering their lives.

My post was just to point out that even though it's based on an actual event, it's still Hollywood.

[BKinzey]

...My post was just to point out that even though it's based on an actual event, it's still Hollywood.

Somali Pirates board an American ship and take the Captain hostage. The Captain is saved, it doesn't end well for the pirates. That's what based on an actual event often means.

[MrExel17]

Seat #15 for the win!

[Jimi Jah]

That's because Forrest Gump doesn't like guns, like most of his co-workers in Hollywood.