Dingy thiefts have been a fact of life for many years--in the US as well as all over the world. I had a new 13 foot with a 25 hp outboard stolen in S. Boston Harbor in 1983 (by GreenPeace vessel). I had an attempt to steal a dinghy at Catalina in 1987. I have seen and a number of dinghy theifs in Mexico and Central America, so that I put the dinghy aboard at night. Certainly there are isolated incidents of Piracy--and one needs to keep his guard up where ever they are. It can happen. Not sure If I would be so complacient about the Gulf of Aman. We knew Robin Lee Graham (his father and Patties father). Robin was 16 when he started off on his Lapworth 24 for a circumnavigation. We were there when he cast off, and had brought him some canned food (varinished and labled). A well prepared teen with a good boat is not that far out of touch with reality. I have not read the article about how well this 16 year old was prepared.