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Loopy4sailing · 14-02-2011, 18:43

Hi,

Anyone traveled with a BB gun on board to countries in central america especially but anywhere in the world as well? I have one on board as the occassional bird deterrant, is it worth having on board or should I ditch it? Any thoughts? Does it carry enough significance to be declared?

Colin

lorenzo b · 15-02-2011, 04:36

Trow it overboard, shooting at birds without a proper license is a crime almost anywhere.

MarkJ · 15-02-2011, 05:24

Try explaining to a soldier/policeman who doesn't speak your language and you don't speak his: "Yes, I know it looks like a gun and shoots things but its fine in my country and should be fine in your country if it wasn't governed by a pack of corrupt 3rd world gangsters. Here, let me show you how I can shoot your national emblem out of the sky"

By the way: The more despotic the country the tighter the Police wear their uniforms.

Mark

**boatman61** · 15-02-2011, 05:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkJ

By the way: The more despotic the country the tighter the Police wear their uniforms.
Mark

And the more likely the waiters are to piss you off by resting their nuts on your table while they take your order... chuck the gun and take a pin hammer.... its more fun

**GordMay** · 15-02-2011, 05:56

BB guns are a type of air gun, and generally are regulated in the same manner as air guns.
I believe the classification of Air Guns (as a “firearm”) might depend (in some jurisdictions) upon their muzzle velocity/energy.

* ie: In Canada, air guns with a muzzle velocity of over 500 ft/s and a muzzle energy in excess of 4.2 ftlLbs (5.7 J) are classified as firearms and must be registered, transported, stored, and used as such.

Even air guns not considered firearms are subject to regulation in many areas; and they may be considered "dangerous or deadly weapons".

See the discussion ➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...m-20285-2.html

kenny chaos · 15-02-2011, 06:07

Lose the gun and hand over a fake wallet to the bird.

Mark Johnson · 15-02-2011, 06:17

Not wanting to escalate a minor situation, or spend time in a third world jail, I carry only defensive weapons myself... Things like pepper spray, (that always stays on the boat), a hefty stick, a flare gun "as a truly last resort", and a "Wrist Rocket" slingshot.

If someone, (presumably without a gun), was making off with my dink, a sling shot with ball bearings would be a hell of a deterrent! It would not break the skin, or really injure someone, but would likely make them jump in and swim for it.

I have on occasion needed to use my slingshot to deter large birds from my rig, when after a week, it was clear that that particular bird considered my masthead his "condo at the beach". Not wanting to damage my mast, hurt the bird, or get in trouble, I used the slingshot with chocolate covered raisins! They are SO soft that they can do no more harm than annoy... It worked!
Mark

Ram · 15-02-2011, 06:18

if you must shoot at birds get a sling shot,you will likely miss but still scare the birds away!

David_Old_Jersey · 15-02-2011, 06:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Johnson

I have on occasion needed to use my slingshot to deter large birds from my rig, when after a week, it was clear that that particular bird considered my masthead his "condo at the beach". Not wanting to damage my mast, hurt the bird, or get in trouble, I used the slingshot with chocolate covered raisins! They are SO soft that they can do no more harm than annoy... It worked!
Mark

Hoist some CD's up the mast (Val Doonican works well

) - won't "scare" them away, but the glint / movement unsettles them enough not to feel comfortable with making your mast (or boat) there new home / perch...........the trick is to displace onto someone elses boat, just like armed intruders

osirissail · 15-02-2011, 06:49

Piano wire tied an inch or two above the spreader keeps most birds off them. A dog or cat also keep them off the decks and railings.
- - BB guns are really close to toys and would most probably rust away in a few months in the salt/seawater air environment of a boat.

- - MarkKJ's "By the way: The more despotic the country the tighter the Police wear their uniforms." is a classic great observation which I can affirm is quite true. Especially in corrupt Spanish islands the uniforms get even more elaborate with special batons and fringe and tons of medals. It is important to remember the fancier the uniform the more you want to avoid dealing with these types.

Bash · 15-02-2011, 07:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by osirissail

A dog or cat also keep them off the decks and railings.

If I wanted to use my cat to keep birds off the boat, I'd have to throw the cat at the birds.

senormechanico · 15-02-2011, 09:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ram

if you must shoot at birds get a sling shot,you will likely miss but still scare the birds away!

I just whack the rigging, and clap my hands rapidly as hard as I can.
If they circle around to land again, I immediately whack it again.
They quickly learn to land on other people's boats.

Once while underway sailing across the Sea of Cortez, a Boobie insisted on landing on my masthead.

No amount of whacking the rig did any good, so I extended a boathook and made a continuous loop with a spare masthead halyard. I duct taped the bottom and middle of the boathook with the working end facing up, and ran it up the mast. When it got to the top, it perfectly hit the Boobie with an uppercut. He made a backwards summersault before getting his wings out and flying away. After a quarter mile circle, he tried to land in the same spot, but as he got a few feet away I screamed at the top of my lungs.
He left, never to return.

True story.

capn_billl · 15-02-2011, 09:22

A BB gun will have all of the liabilities of carring a 50 cal machine gun with none of the advantages. A lot of countries don't legally recognize the difference.