I tried posting this in the individual and small unit tactics section but couldn't.

After spending several days fishing for stripers on the Hudson River, I began wondering about waterborne operations and if they may have any merit in a SHTF scenario.

At first, I thought that rivers, estuaries, bays and the ocean would be too restrictive for ops, whether they are tactical, militia-related activities or individual or group survival related activities. But I am not so sure. For example, there are thousands and thousands of small boats on the Hudson between Albany and NYC. There are also numerous, navigable streams and rivers that flow into the Hudson and many coves and bays. There are also very few local, state or federal boat patrols in that area. We were on the water for about 60 hours total over the last three weeks and did not see a single law enforcement or Coast Guard boat actually operating. However, I did see a few NG and state police helicopters, that were going from point A to point B. I may look into this a bit more.

Actually T it is a great idea you hsve a PM

around here we have a coast guard unit that keeps the waterways since we have alot of chem plants and power plants near the rivers..and of course they float alot of coal on barges around here..for a state thats no where near the coast we sure gots lots of water and people with boats..about a year ago they caught a couple guys trying to do some supposed sabotage by using a boat on the river and looking to blow up a power plant..

I am currently puting together a powerpoint about Waterborne Operations. We should NEVER limit our operational capacity in any way, especially by staying only on dry land.

Waterways are more important than most people think. A lot of very important infrastructure that may need protecting is located on waterways. Also, the vast majority of important cities are located on waterways BELOW the fall line. This means they are located on navigable bodies of water. Another important aspect is that waterways are not regulated nearly as much as roadways. It is also more difficult to strictly regulate and enforce any regulations on the water. This means we have a lot more freedom on the water than on the highway.

"But I live on the prairie/in the mountains/desert. There's not way I'll need to learn those skills."
We never know where the call of duty may take us. After I had that dream about being in New Mexico, I've pulled my desert BDUs out of the attic.

Remember, you can't win a revolution unless you take the strongholds. The cities will be the strongholds. Especially those on the waterways. They can blow the bridges, but that won't stop us.

Cities, like strongholds, can be starved out.

Not without enough manpower, and that's something we're lacking. Besides, with today's aircraft, there's no such thing as laying siege to a city. Remember Berlin?