Concealed Weapons on Board

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Add in some countries, civilians aren't allowed to wear camoflauge clothing either. That's right, an army surplus camo t-shirt can get you busted.

Correct 12 of us came very close to being arrested, in the United States of all places

All we did was drive 3 British Army landrovers in camo colours through down town Seattle on a wet Saturday afternoon in March 1988 looking for a bit of R&R. One landrover broke down so we pulled over in a disused car park only to be accused by Police at gun point for being "paramilitaries". One of the lads went for his wallet in his back pocket to show his ID card and came very close to being shot. The rest of us made like Italians and put our hands up. Eventually they realised the funny accents probably meant we had sworn an alllegiance to Her Majesty and we were the good guys, but all rather scary at the time.

Strangely I had no problem walking around East Germany or Poland carrying a gun.

If you are carrying anything then please send it to Davy Jones' locker before arriving in Europe.

Pete

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

why not turn up at airport security screening and give it a go..! Dave

No, no, no. Phone them in advance and tell them you want to carry a large diving knife on the flight. Now you have a plausible reason for carrying something resembling a machete, what's more its quite a common piece of diving kit so you won't be the first. Before 9/11 the knife would be taken off you and given to the Captain for safe keeping and returned once you had landed. Now its probably cargo hold only.

Northern Ireland used to require a licence from the Police to purchase or carry flares of any description. Mintyspot might know the latest for the Province.

Pete

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

David_Old_Jersey,

Nice one
Is that a SS cup your wearing

Apparently armor turns him on... :-)

[Caribsailors]

Originally Posted by boatman61

If your that paranoid stay at home.... but there's lots n lots of us out here who go to all kinds of dodgy places/countries and leave ok....
S*#t happens everywhere/anywhere if your in the wrong place at the wrong time..

***** Happens, If you not ready to live your life...don't untie

[Ziggy]

Originally Posted by GordMay

In Canada ,all products with a label containing the words pepper spray, mace, etc, or otherwise originally produced for use on humans are classified as a prohibited weapon

Almost as effective for self defense as cheese (in Canada, that is!):

[Caribsailors]

Originally Posted by smallyachts

Not paranoid, scared or intimidated but:

1 Qt glass bottles filled with a homemade "napalm" brew labeled as "Sailor Sams Magic wood finish" and plenty of flares for the flare gun.

High Pressure/volume pump on separate flexible diesel fuel line with a stream dispersion nozzle conveniently and securely located topsides, and plenty of flares for the flare gun.

And a few "specially modified" flares for the flare guns if it comes down to an onboard confrontation.

Multiple convenient flare gun stowage locations, along with flares/modified flares.

All of the above are only effective in close or extremely close encounters.

I've always been a believer of using what you have, kinda I hate to say "McGiver" like use the resources you have in different ways as intended, diversion safes, alternate defense, Louisville & Sherwood are my favorites....but try to explain a hockey stick in the Caribbean....have always been a fan of pepper spray but hard to get here.

[pullord]

if you got trouble sleeping with a loaded gun onboard then declare it as im sure most countries will give it back when you er check-out,,otherwise say nothing and party on,,my uncle had handguns hidden all over his house in arizona which he showed me when he left me in charge while he went elsewhere for a while,,told me a story how some burglers broke in to a neighbours place and tortured the guys wife then murdered them both,,told me shoot to kill i got best lawyer money can buy here if needed,,told me criminals prey on old people in usa,,young guy in florida on his way to handgun range told me if its a legal "shoot" he taking it,,personally legal/illegal dont matter to me if its a righteous move,,to many stupid laws on this planet allready,,cant possess handgun greater than .38 in mexico,,hilarious,,i think if i decide to sail into the ghetto im bringing some tnt from the jobsite and primacord ha,ha i will blow that somalian skiff to smithereens and laugh about it later,,sue me,,

[timbenner]

Originally Posted by chadlaroche

lose your boat , go to jail........... sounds better then what happened to the canadian in Honduras

The Canadian was shot and killed!! He's lucky the bad guys didn't do the same or worse to his 24 year old daughter! A couple of months prior to that a Gentleman in St. Martin was beaten to near death, he was unarmed also.

You're not going to loose your boat if you have enough $100's on board. The problem will end with a payoff.

Take your guns to the Bahamas and declare them with your ammo, they don't care and you keep your guns on board. God Bless the Bahamas. If you go to the windward islands don't declare them or they will take them and steal them.

Build secret compartments, NOT IN THE MAIN CABIN, and use lots of screws to make it appear the compartment is sealed. Varnish over the fake screws, so it appears that it hasn't been removed in a long time. The boarding officials are lazy and won't usually open a compartment with lots of screws, unless of course you hand them a power drill (DON'T DO THAT).

A Bahamian customs agent asked me last year why I bring (among other things) a 50 caliper. I explained it was so that I don't have to shoot any people. Now, the agent is even more inquisitive, and I explained that I will instruct an approaching boat to stand off. If they want to approach me (within boarding distance), they can do it in the harbor, at the dock. If they continue the approach and represent a threat, I shoot their engine and then their water line. Now their boat does not run and it's sinking. Yes the 50 caliper will penetrate the engine block and any hull.

All situations are different and one should be very very reluctant to pull out a gun. I'm pushing 60, have always carried a gun and have never pulled one out yet. Keep a cool head and continue to waive them off, but if they're trying to board, it's time to bring out the guns and fight.

I have a young daughter and wife to defend and I would much rather fight to my death, than sit and listen to criminals torture and/or rape my women.

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by timbenner

Build secret compartments, NOT IN THE MAIN CABIN, and use lots of screws to make it appear the compartment is sealed. Varnish over the fake screws, so it appears that it hasn't been removed in a long time. The boarding officials are lazy and won't usually open a compartment with lots of screws, unless of course you hand them a power drill (DON'T DO THAT).
.

Note to anyone relatively new to cruising; it is not wise to believe that anyone not American is a lazy idiot. What this person is describing is a recipe to lose your boat. Intelligence as I know it is evenly distributed throughout the World. Except possibly in this thread... :-)

[markpierce]

There is a loaded .357 caliber revolver within immediate reach of me now, but it stays at home.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Christian Van H

Note to anyone relatively new to cruising; it is not wise to believe that anyone not American is a lazy idiot. What this person is describing is a recipe to lose your boat. Intelligence as I know it is evenly distributed throughout the World. Except possibly in this thread... :-)

Right On...
Do you guys honestly think that Marine Customs people are not educated in the construction and layouts of the various production boats....
I know that maybe in some outlying regions in the Far East or Africa this may be so... but I would not trust W Indies folk to be that dumb if they've a suspicion... or anywhere in Europe for that matter...
Apart from which have any of you guys seen them take a boat apart... they don't worry about screws.. they smash their way through.. and hand held metal detectors are easily carried... dogs are pretty nifty as well.... it'll cost you a lot of money to put it back together... and no.. you can't claim damages if your innocent
There's been a lot of changes over the time I've been on the water and things are not as lax as they once were...
If they think you look even the slightest bit suspect they'll have you... even if you are Rambo...

[bljones]

Originally Posted by pullord

ha,ha,yes,, your flagged and just like the movie BODY OF LIES the nsa can turn yor cellphone into a microphone when you think its off,,believe it or is it more lies from the media,,im sure the authorities got bigger fish to fry than the boater with a firearm such as maniacs ruining their tourism business,,id rather be judged by1-12 than carried by 6,,and who says im sticking around to discuss it,,when righteous men fail to act evil prevails and there is no 911 to call ,,its a serious move best left untold..trespassing has always been a serious offence as stated in the lords prayer,,abd forgive us our trespasses as we shall sprat 9 all over the deck,,

I think i have all of these bumper stickers. Did I collect the whole set?

[bljones]

Originally Posted by timbenner

I'm pushing 60, have always carried a gun and have never pulled one out yet.

You realize you just provided the best argument against being armed, right? You have never needed it. Therefore, the risk of carrying far exceeds the need for carrying.

[muskoka]

Originally Posted by Christian Van H

Note to anyone relatively new to cruising; it is not wise to believe that anyone not American is a lazy idiot. What this person is describing is a recipe to lose your boat. Intelligence as I know it is evenly distributed throughout the World. Except possibly in this thread... :-)

In my experience the boat is always searched casually by swarthy mustachioed gentlemen who aren't too bright and who are only looking for booze and bribes.

Is this not the case in all non-English speaking countries?

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by bljones

I think i have all of these bumper stickers. Did I collect the whole set?

Do you have "Guns don't kill people, people kill people", "You can have my gun when you pry from my cold dead hands", and the famous "Keep your laws off my body / Don't tread on me" stickers? If so, I believe you've collected the whole set... You are now ready for a reality show... :-)