Ever Shot a Flare Gun at Something?

[mesquaukee]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Anyone want a couple of fish?”

I have received a lot of fresh fish that way.

Sometimes I have chased them down. Do they give me a worried look. Then I give them a bottle of cheap rum. Then they want me to stay.

[s/v Jedi]

You know, I don't buy these "good fisherman" stories. First of all, I never encountered one offshore. Second, I only see 1 or 2 persons in their boats, not 4 or more and never guns. Third, the ones we encounter near harbor or anchorage always use that universal gesture: they hold up a fish or lobster or whatever they want to sell or trade. Yes, that's right, they never want to donate them, you are expected to give them "a present" too.

I consider a fishing-boat that tries to intercept me offshore without trying to communicate as a hostile. If we can outrun them we do (we always could up til now) but if they come fast I might turn and try to ram. That, at least, is communication, they should get the message.

ciao!
Nick.

[mesquaukee]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

You know, I don't buy these "good fisherman" stories. First of all, I never encountered one offshore. Second, I only see 1 or 2 persons in their boats, not 4 or more and never guns. Third, the ones we encounter near harbor or anchorage always use that universal gesture: they hold up a fish or lobster or whatever they want to sell or trade. Yes, that's right, they never want to donate them, you are expected to give them "a present" too.

I consider a fishing-boat that tries to intercept me offshore without trying to communicate as a hostile. If we can outrun them we do (we always could up til now) but if they come fast I might turn and try to ram. That, at least, is communication, they should get the message.

ciao!
Nick.

It happens in Cuba within site of land.

[hellosailor]

"We choose to skip Guatemala,"
Bravo, Nick. Freedom of choice is the best weapon of all.

In passing, lest anyone mistake some of us Colonials as being holier than they, I should mention that I was recently in Fort Lauderdale on Florida's Gold Coast and heard of a retiree who made the mistake of wearing a gold Rolex en route to the golf course one morning. Score: Machete 1, wrist 0.

Yes, it can and does happen here.

Which is why the Chinese emporers banned all metal implements from the peasants for a thousand years, and chopsticks came to be.

Mesqua-
"Statistics do show in the "normal" life onshore more people and their family members are killed with their own firearms than from weapons brought into the home by intruders."

That's an intentional distortion that's been foisted on you. The correct statistic is that " more people and their family members are killed with their own firearms weapons than from weapons brought into the home by intruders.""

Family violence is family violence. Take the firearms away, and you wind up with kitchen knives being used. In Britain there's an established movement to actually criminalize pointed kitchen knives, since they are so useful in domestic violence but the pointy blade serves no purpose in the kitchen.

Pass the chopsticks, please.

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

I consider a fishing-boat that tries to intercept me offshore without trying to communicate as a hostile. If we can outrun them we do (we always could up til now) but if they come fast I might turn and try to ram.

Jeez Nick! See if I ever offer you a fish!

BTW, Years ago on Barnegat Bay in New Jersey, friends of mine were rafted up for dinner when a Jet Skier flew by and started circling their boats. The wake created started slamming their masts together. First they shouted, then threw empty wine bottles, and finally blew him off the jetski with a 25mm flare gun. My friend was taken to court, and finally won. Once in awhile good does triumph over evil...

[Mule]

You guys do not get it, What you need is an m-79 gernade launching shoulder fired gun. Paint it internanitonal orange and write flare gun on the stock and hope like hell none of the custom officals in any country figger out what you are up to. store you rounds in mast...might work. Then as you rot in a foreign jail after losing your boat you will know down deep you were ready for the pirates.

Truthfully though, I do wish some form of international agreement could be worked out about gun possession of proven law abididng civilians. Mexico, Venesuela among others seem to want the visitors unarmed so the locals can have their way with them. Hell, many of the countries out there should be issuing firearms to unarmed crusers so as to level the playing field.
I have not hit anyone since high school, I have not drawn a gun on anyone ever, and I have several, I have never been arrested except for that minor in possession incident in Jacksonville, TX. back in 1965. The fact of the matter is that I think that a gun is a tool to be used in a responsible manner. I do not think "yachties" or live aboards traveling have a reputation or a measurable instiance of gun related crime.

These countries that prohibit possession of firearms by travelers in either motor vehicles or boats are way out of line. Just how many gun related crimes of violence are carried out by a grey haired husband-wife teams worldwide yearly?

[Daddy's Dream]

The gun control issues as other countries see it are far more deeper than that. First and foremost are the political climates that can be very explosive to say the least. In Mexico the gun control issue is to prevent rebels from getting guns. Or with their economic conditions consider how many new robberies they would have to deal with if hand guns were making it into their country at a much higher level than they already are. Countries pass laws to protect their people for whatever reason. They don't pass laws so they can take advantage of tourist, (other than financially).

For me I stand behind the right to bare arms. The US Constitution gives us that right. That said, for the most part our constitution doesn't extend our rights beyond our own borders nor does it give us the right to force our will on other countries. We're visiting their country and in their country they have the right to form their own laws and as visitors we must respect those laws or pay dearly.

Now as to the topic of this thread and lets please keep it on topic! I think it was a good question considering the amount of times I've seen people say they'd use a flare gun we should discuss it's effectiveness.

I'll carry a flare gun. And if and only if it can be used as a deterrent safely. I will carefully consider it. The factors to consider from the other post are that: The flare would bounce off them. It might or might not produce a fire for them to put out buying me time to escape. With my luck it would just bounce off them into the water and only serve to piss them off. How many there are and how they're armed are also important factors to consider. I will add that if one can safely use a flare gun as a deterrent then they most likely the odds of them being in real danger were low anyway. As someone else said taking a knife to a gun fight isn't a good idea and will must likely get someone killed. I'm not going to throw spit wads at a guy with a knife either.

[Mule]

DR, you are correct in all you say...BUT.. you have to check in through customs, and you have to check out. Claiming your guns on the way in and customs inventoring same on the way out does not add to your argument of tourist providing an armory for rebels or criminals. Perhaps the easiest thing to get if you are a criminal in Mexico is a gun. Seems their war on guns is about as successful as our war on drugs

[Daddy's Dream]

To start with if we were allowed to have guns on board then the bad guys looking for guns would be breaking into our boats a lot more offten searching for the guns they just know we crazy gun toating Americans have. And while it wouldn't be enough to arm a revolution it would put a marked differance in the number of guns on their streets, thus raisng their crime rates. Higher crime rates = fewer tourist

If someone came on my boat and stole my guns, I'm the one with a nasty problem getting checked out when I left. I don't think the bad guys is going to care about my problem.

It's only a small part of their answer to their war on guns, but I'm sure they see it as every little bit counts. Keep in mind their laws were set up to go after the gun runners not us. Any guns we would have are only a small peice of their answer.

And I agree Guns are an easy thing for criminals to get all over the world no matter what the economy is there.

[Mule]

I really do not follow your logic, criminals are going to be MORE likely to break in to get guns? Money, electronics, shipboard treasures are not enough incentive?
I think I will leave the rest of that alone, but suffice it to say 'I don't buy that argument."

[Daddy's Dream]

I agree this would all be a different thread. We don't need to hijack this one.

[Factor]

Originally Posted by Mule

These countries that prohibit possession of firearms by travelers in either motor vehicles or boats are way out of line. Just how many gun related crimes of violence are carried out by a grey haired husband-wife teams worldwide yearly?

That would be us _ feel free to bypass australia on your travels.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Factor

That would be us _ feel free to bypass australia on your travels.

Us too. and ditto

(and the irony is that our local gun laws are very relaxed (not UK mainland) - even to heavy calibre tripod based weapons ......but we don't need them).

[Mule]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Us too. and ditto

(and the irony is that our local gun laws are very relaxed (not UK mainland) - even to heavy calibre tripod based weapons ......but we don't need them).

Now that is brilliant, haven't you noticed that all countries are not like UK or Austraila? Hell just sailing withing 300 miles in international waters of some countries put you at risk. I wish guns were not in possession of anyone world wide but for controlled hunting.

Thing is not all areas of the world is like UK or Austraila, or have you not noticed? Hell things are not so good in many areas of the USA. In every instance in the USA when citizens were licenced to carry violent crime went down. The instance of violent gun crimes by licenced carriers is so small as to not even be measurable. The armed citizens are not the problem, and in fact a deterrent of crime.

I would have no problem with sealed compartments with firearms where upon checking out of customs the seal verified in civilized countries. Leveling the playing field is not necessary in UK and the like. Somolia however?

[Hud3]

Hello, All.

Just a friendly note that you're straying from the original topic of this thread. Time for a reset...