Honduras: Sailing Boat Boarded and Robbed by Pirates

[micah719]

This would be a good alarm. Even runs on intruder meat. Looks like this one has had some supplements though....

[minaret]

What is THAT!! Run away, run away!!

[Sand crab]

Originally Posted by Therapy

Part of the reason is the fact that they don't last long in the marine environ and they have a high rate of false alarms.

I have read multiple threads on several sites for years and don't remember that someone has suggested a specific brand and model number that fits the bill.

There are bike lock alarms for your dinghy. Cut the cable and the bad guys eardrums are ruptured. There are magnetic door and window alarms, infrared alarms, line of sight alarms like the garage door opener sensors and others. Many of these are less than 50 bucks. At that price who cares how long they last?. Just by a bunch and you're good for years. Way cheaper than replacing that dinghy and motor? They are all over the internet. My friend uses one of the magnetic ones when she travels.

[Therapy]

I used an infrared (?) one and after a couple of months it seemed to go off all by itself at odd times. The marina guys did not like it much.

I agree something is better than nothing but since there are so many out there why has no one been able to answer specifically?

[zooter]

I spend a lot of time where the offending thing could be a bear. I have a 25mm flair gun in my overboard bag, however, in another place there is a 10" insert that takes a high base 12 ga. shell. It fits right into a rod holder in the dink. This thing will deal with about anything at close range and doesn't look like what it is. I wonder what would happen if you fired a flair over the bow of an approaching boat and perhaps another into it? Makes me think about where I want to keep a flair gun? I would guess that sitting ducks will always get shot by someone.

[xxuxx]

Zooter, I too have a 25 mm flare gun. Could you explain more about this 10" insert? Did you make it or buy it. What is it made of. Sounds like a great idea.

[zooter]

I used a surplus piece of ground steel shaft. I have a small lathe and bored it to fit. Borrow a shot gun and bore to it's dimensions. Of course you wonder if the thing is going to blow up so pick your material well. I would not use welded tubing. I keep it in my tool box well oiled and it looks like a cheater bar. I also made one for a 410ga shell. It is no longer than the gun barrel and has almost no kick. Depending on the shot you use, it can be good for critters.

[stillbuilding]

Originally Posted by zooter

I used a surplus piece of ground steel shaft. I have a small lathe and bored it to fit. Borrow a shot gun and bore to it's dimensions. Of course you wonder if the thing is going to blow up so pick your material well. I would not use welded tubing. I keep it in my tool box well oiled and it looks like a cheater bar. I also made one for a 410ga shell. It is no longer than the gun barrel and has almost no kick. Depending on the shot you use, it can be good for critters.

Actually, as a practising veterinarian I used a "Greener's" which comprised three pieces of different diameter tubes which screwed together plus a firing pin and a manual striker - fired a .45 or thereabouts shot. An English device for veterinarians which was small enough to keep in a pocket of my overalls or coat when attending horse events. Much less concerning than carrying a pistol and did not scare the public as much as a rifle. Was very effective for euthanasing animals at close quarters but would be bloody useless as a defensive firearm. Heard enough funny stories involving its use that I reckon you would be more likely to harm yourself if used in anger.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by zooter

I used a surplus piece of ground steel shaft. I have a small lathe and bored it to fit. Borrow a shot gun and bore to it's dimensions. Of course you wonder if the thing is going to blow up so pick your material well. I would not use welded tubing. I keep it in my tool box well oiled and it looks like a cheater bar. I also made one for a 410ga shell. It is no longer than the gun barrel and has almost no kick. Depending on the shot you use, it can be good for critters.

Depending on your location, this is very likely highly illegal. I would not recommend posting this sort of thing to the web.

[Sand crab]

Originally Posted by minaret

Depending on your location, this is very likely highly illegal. I would not recommend posting this sort of thing to the web.

Originally I thought that this may be illegal under US law. Apparantly it is not. But like Minaret says it might be illegal where the boat is now. From the ATF website. Interesting what one can learn in these forums.

9. May I lawfully make a firearm for my own personal use, provided it is not being made for resale?
Firearms may be lawfully made by persons who do not hold a manufacturer’s license under the GCA provided they are not for sale or distribution and the maker is not prohibited from receiving or possessing firearms. However, a person is prohibited from assembling a non-sporting semiautomatic rifle or shotgun from 10 or more imported parts, as set forth in regulations in 27 C.F.R. 478.39. In addition, the making of an NFA firearm requires a tax payment and advance approval by ATF. An application to make a machinegun will not be approved unless documentation is submitted showing that the firearm is being made for the official use of a Federal, State, or local government agency (18 U.S.C. § 922(o),(r); 26 U.S.C. § 5822; 27 C.F.R. §§ 478.39, 479.62, and 479.105).

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Sand crab

Originally I thought that this may be illegal under US law. Apparantly it is not. But like Minaret says it might be illegal where the boat is now. From the ATF website. Interesting what one can learn in these forums.

9. May I lawfully make a firearm for my own personal use, provided it is not being made for resale?
Firearms may be lawfully made by persons who do not hold a manufacturer’s license under the GCA provided they are not for sale or distribution and the maker is not prohibited from receiving or possessing firearms. However, a person is prohibited from assembling a non-sporting semiautomatic rifle or shotgun from 10 or more imported parts, as set forth in regulations in 27 C.F.R. 478.39. In addition, the making of an NFA firearm requires a tax payment and advance approval by ATF. An application to make a machinegun will not be approved unless documentation is submitted showing that the firearm is being made for the official use of a Federal, State, or local government agency (18 U.S.C. § 922(o),(r); 26 U.S.C. § 5822; 27 C.F.R. §§ 478.39, 479.62, and 479.105).

Exactly. Depending on the jurisdiction, it would almost certainly be an NFA firearm. This particular device would fall into that group on at least two counts. One- it is a shotgun with a barrel length of less than 18" AND an overall length of less than 26". Two-It also clearly falls into the AOW (Any Other Weapon) category. It may also fall into the DD category.
If you notified the ATF, cleared the design with them and obtained all the proper permits, this MIGHT be legal. Unless you want them knocking on your door to ask whether you have done this, I would not recommend talking about it here. Unless of course you are from a country other than the US, and know a bit about your local laws.





There are two kinds of firearms under U.S. (federal) law, title 1 firearms and title 2. Title 1 firearms are long guns (rifles and shotguns), handguns, silencer, and firearm frames or receivers. Most NFA weapons are also title 1 firearms. Title 2 weapons are NFA weapons. Title 2 of the 1968 Gun Control Act is the National Firearms Act (codified at 26 U.S.C. sec. 5801 et seq.), hence NFA. Title 1 is generally called the Gun Control Act, (18 U.S.C. sec. 921 et seq.). NFA weapons are also sometimes called class 3 weapons, because a class 3 SOT is needed to deal in NFA weapons.
These weapons may also be further regulated by states or localities, and while these weapons can be legally owned under federal law, some states and localities further regulate ownership or prohibit it. The NFA Branch of ATF administers the taxation of the guns, and the registration of them in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
NFA weapons are: machine guns, sound suppressors (a.k.a. silencers), short barreled shotguns, short barreled rifles, destructive devices and "any other weapons". Exactly what these weapons are is defined in the law, as well as in court cases interpreting the law. Without going into to much detail, these are what the categories encompass:
A machine gun is any gun that can fire more than one shot with a single pull of the trigger, or a receiver of a machine gun, or a combination of parts for assembling a machine gun, or a part or set of parts for converting a gun into a machine gun.
A silencer is any device for muffling the gunshot of a portable firearm, or any part or parts exclusively designed or intended for such a device.
A short barreled shotgun is any shotgun (which is defined as a shoulder fired, smooth bore firearm) with a barrel of less than 18" or an overall length of less than 26", or any weapon made from a shotgun falling into the same length parameters.
A short barreled rifle is a rifle (which is defined as a shoulder fired, rifled bore firearm) with a barrel length of less than 16", or an overall length of less than 26", or any weapon made from a rifle falling into the same length parameters (like a pistol made from a rifle). In measuring barrel length you do it from the closed breech to the muzzle, see 27 CFR sec. 179.11. To measure
overall length do so along, "the distance between the extreme ends of the weapon measured along a line parallel to the center line of the bore." 27 CFR sec. 179.11. On a folding stock weapon you measure with the stock extended, provided the stock is not readily detachable, and the weapon is meant to be fired from the shoulder.
A destructive device (DD) can be two basic categories of things. It can be an explosive, incendiary or poison gas weapon, like a bomb or grenade. It can also be a firearm with a bore over 1/2", with exceptions for sporting shotguns, among other things.
I call the second category large bore destructive devices. As a general rule only this second category is commercially available.
Any other weapons (AOW's) are a number of things; smooth bore pistols, any pistol with more than one grip, gadget type guns (cane gun, pen gun) and shoulder fired weapons with both rifled and smooth bore barrels between 12" and 18", that must be manually reloaded.
These definitions are simplified, to see if a specific gun is a title 1 or 2 firearm one needs to refer to the specific definition under the statute(s), and possibly consult with the Technology Branch of ATF. There is also case law on the issue of whether a specific item falls into one of these categories. In addition, as a general rule, a parts kit, i.e. all of the parts to assemble an
NFA firearm, whether a parts kit is specifically included in the statute or not, is usually considered to be the same as the assembled firearm.

[David_Old_Jersey]

What about a compressed air gun?

Homemade air gun

Homemade does not have to look like a gun and can disassemble into innocuos parts when needed (checking in?!). maybe double barrelled - and used close up.

2 of these from close range into the chest is likely gonna ruin someones day........




.......at least enough so can then brain them with the axe (you do have an axe?! ).

[Sand crab]

OUCH!

[Travelnik]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

What about a compressed air gun?

Homemade air gun

Homemade does not have to look like a gun and can disassemble into innocuos parts when needed (checking in?!). maybe double barrelled - and used close up.

2 of these from close range into the chest is likely gonna ruin someones day........




.......at least enough so can then brain them with the axe (you do have an axe?! ).

If anyone asks about the parts, you can tell them that it is for cleaning drains!
http://www.sentex.net/~mwandel/cannon/drain_clear.html

[goboatingnow]

While Its a good laugh and a joke. It would be wrong to encourage anyone to carry aboard illegal or potentially illegal firearms or devices that resemble them including homemade. Such actions can result in severe penalties in many countries.

Dave