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At the end of the big cocaine years of the late eighties, theft of recreational vessels sailing in the caribe were quite common. The smugglers would leave a port, pirate a boat, transfer the load and come in with a boat that was legit as the owners were now shark poop and vessel not reported stolen.
Approx 2004-5
A smuggler brought a stolen sportfish into Daytona Beach. He ported it and left in the night. The marina owners boarded it to try to find contact info as they needed to setup to collect dockage. I went aboard with them snoopin' and it was obvious that the last voyage was not recreational in nature. The boat had lots of visible blood but no fishing gear and hatches that would normally hold voyage supplies were completely empty yet personal affects were every where. I was on the property when the boat came in and when we returned in the AM it was done... For 6 months they tracked and got the CG involved... Final outcome was an older couple had departed for the Bahamas but never made port of call or customs. The relatives said they never heard from them as planned and had reported the vessel to Bahamian officials as well as CG. The relatives suspected a sinking, not piracy. The boat in Daytona had a blacked out transom which obscured the original name.
I, nor anyone I know will do so much as an over night trip with out substantial arms with the 12 GA being a minimum with a .45 and a mini 14 being sought as well.
Brent
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