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31-12-2018, 21:34
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 3
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Question re: guns on board in Bahamas
Planning to cross in May, clearing customs at West End. Fully understand the need to declare all firearms and ammunition, and intend to comply. Second night, we plan to anchor at Great Sale. So this is my concern...we're anchored, it's late and quite dark. We hear a boat approaching and so retrieve one or more of the weapons to have at the ready. Approaching vessel turns out to be Bahamian Defense Force, and they want to board. So now I have weapons that are properly declared, but which are not at that moment, in a "locked compartment." How much trouble am I in?
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31-12-2018, 21:45
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#2
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Port Credit, Ontario or Bahamas
Boat: Benford 38 Fantail Cruiser
Posts: 7,101
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Re: Question re: guns on board in Bahamas
You are in deep ****. They don't play with stuff like this.
__________________
If you're not laughing, you're not doin' it right.
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01-01-2019, 00:21
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Australia
Boat: Milkraft 60 ex trawler
Posts: 4,653
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Re: Question re: guns on board in Bahamas
5 minutes into the new year and a gun thread already.
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01-01-2019, 02:14
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#4
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Moderator and Certifiable Refitter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: South of 43 S, Australia
Boat: C.L.O.D.
Posts: 20,396
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Re: Question re: guns on board in Bahamas
Quote:
Originally Posted by z28jimi
.......... How much trouble am I in?
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A shipload....
__________________
All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangereous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. T.E. Lawrence
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01-01-2019, 02:53
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 500
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Re: Question re: guns on board in Bahamas
Long time ago one of our American cousins visited our fair country and somehow word got out (maybe beer talk) about an undeclared firearm on board. Next day they got a visit and the owner spent the next 6 months in a cell waiting for his court date. He was then sent home with a "never to return" order.
His boat was confiscated as it had been used to transport illegal weapons and it was later sold at auction.
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01-01-2019, 03:50
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#6
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W
Boat: (Cruiser Living On Dirt)
Posts: 49,362
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Re: Question re: guns on board in Bahamas
Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, z28jimi.
__________________
Gord May
"If you didn't have the time or money to do it right in the first place, when will you get the time/$ to fix it?"
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01-01-2019, 04:34
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#7
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Port Credit, Ontario or Bahamas
Boat: Benford 38 Fantail Cruiser
Posts: 7,101
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Re: Question re: guns on board in Bahamas
Quote:
Originally Posted by GordMay
Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, z28jimi.
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Now that is funny
__________________
If you're not laughing, you're not doin' it right.
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01-01-2019, 05:20
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#8
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cruiser
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Pangaea
Posts: 10,856
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Re: Question re: guns on board in Bahamas
I'll be following this thread, but I think anyone trying to circumvent the rules of another country by not declaring or not properly storing a long gun such as a shotgun aboard a vessel..... really doesn't have my sympathy when they get into trouble. When you're in another country, you need to abide by their rules or be willing to pay or serve the consequences..
Second thought on the original post: If you're that concerned about approaching boats in foreign countries, cruising might not be the best life choice for you. Most of the time, the fast approaching boats are manned by officials with 50 caliber automatic weapons onboard checking out the newcomers.
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01-01-2019, 05:37
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London, Ontario
Boat: Hunter 340
Posts: 639
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Re: Question re: guns on board in Bahamas
Quote:
Originally Posted by z28jimi
Planning to cross in May, clearing customs at West End. Fully understand the need to declare all firearms and ammunition, and intend to comply. Second night, we plan to anchor at Great Sale. So this is my concern...we're anchored, it's late and quite dark. We hear a boat approaching and so retrieve one or more of the weapons to have at the ready. Approaching vessel turns out to be Bahamian Defense Force, and they want to board. So now I have weapons that are properly declared, but which are not at that moment, in a "locked compartment." How much trouble am I in?
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A helluva pile of trouble, even though you declared the weapons on board.
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01-01-2019, 05:39
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#10
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W
Boat: (Cruiser Living On Dirt)
Posts: 49,362
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Re: Question re: guns on board in Bahamas
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenomac
... If you're that concerned about approaching boats in foreign countries, cruising might not be the best life choice for you ...
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Indeed.
You're (probably) not going to cruise in a war zone, where one might stand armed guard against approaching "strangers", - certainly The Bahamas is not.
__________________
Gord May
"If you didn't have the time or money to do it right in the first place, when will you get the time/$ to fix it?"
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01-01-2019, 05:48
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: New Orleans
Boat: Bruce Roberts 44 Ofshore
Posts: 2,859
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Re: Question re: guns on board in Bahamas
Quote:
Originally Posted by B23iL23
Long time ago one of our American cousins visited our fair country and somehow word got out (maybe beer talk) about an undeclared firearm on board. Next day they got a visit and the owner spent the next 6 months in a cell waiting for his court date. He was then sent home with a "never to return" order.
His boat was confiscated as it had been used to transport illegal weapons and it was later sold at auction.
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The moral of that story of course is DECLARE them and keep them locked up as required, unless there is a compelling reason to use a firearm or have it ready that makes the possibility of prison and boat loss acceptable. Cause apparently it's a thing in the Bahamas. It does tend to make a visit to the Bahamas much less attractive, though. But it is the same in many or most places these days, not just there. Sad but true. One of the downsides of cruising. Cant change it, just got to deal with it or stay home. In that, at least, everyone has a choice.
__________________
GrowleyMonster
1979 Bruce Roberts Offshore 44, BRUTE FORCE
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01-01-2019, 06:11
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,909
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Re: Question re: guns on board in Bahamas
Not many other countries are as accommodating in regard to the violation of their customs and immigration laws as the USA is.
Obey the laws of the Bahamas while visiting and your visit will be a lot more fun.
__________________
Founding member of the controversial Calypso rock band, Guns & Anchors!
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01-01-2019, 06:27
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#13
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: PORTUGAL
Posts: 30,616
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Re: Question re: guns on board in Bahamas
Quote:
Originally Posted by Group9
Not many other countries are as accommodating in regard to the violation of their customs and immigration laws as the USA .
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An Americans viewpoint..
__________________
You can't beat a people up (for 75yrs+) and have them say..
"I Love You.. ". Murray Roman.
Yet the 'useful idiots' still dance to the beat of the drums.
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01-01-2019, 06:34
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,007
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Re: Question re: guns on board in Bahamas
Quote:
Originally Posted by z28jimi
Planning to cross in May, clearing customs at West End. Fully understand the need to declare all firearms and ammunition, and intend to comply. Second night, we plan to anchor at Great Sale. So this is my concern...we're anchored, it's late and quite dark. We hear a boat approaching and so retrieve one or more of the weapons to have at the ready. Approaching vessel turns out to be Bahamian Defense Force, and they want to board. So now I have weapons that are properly declared, but which are not at that moment, in a "locked compartment." How much trouble am I in?
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If you pull out weapons just because a boat approaches "your" anchorage at night you are a menace to civilized people everywhere.
STAY HOME!
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01-01-2019, 06:41
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,909
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Re: Question re: guns on board in Bahamas
Quote:
Originally Posted by boatman61
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Oh, we in the US have tons of customs and immigration laws. We just hardly ever enforce them from my experience as a US federal agent for 21 years.
We mostly use the honor system. The law abiding do have to jump through a lot of hoops here. The non-law abiding, not so much.
I worked some in other countries (including the Bahamas) and while so engaged, developed a strong desire to not do any third world prison time!
__________________
Founding member of the controversial Calypso rock band, Guns & Anchors!
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