Protocol When Cruising With Guns

[xymotic]

Does anyone know what treaties govern the Navy's rights regarding guns?

I also often hear about big ships hiring well-armed mercenaries to provide armed protection to cargo ships. How are they getting around these laws? Are they surrendering 10 fully automatic weapons in each port?

[Capt Phil]

My experience with Canada Customs and Immigration has been nothing but friendly and professional. Arriving at one of the seasonal offices accessed only by water at the head of the Straits of Juan de Fuca, I presented passports from four different country's prompting the Immigration Officer to observe, 'what have we here? The United Nations'? He asked about firearms aboard and I told him we had one shotgun, no handguns. He asked to see the registration for the shotgun which I fetched from the boat.
As I stood in line to present the shotgun paperwork, the guy in front of me (American) aboard a sailboat told the Officer he had a shotgun, a 30.06 rifle and a revolver for personal protection as he was on his way to Alaska and felt he needed it in remote areas.
The Customs Officer said he was allowed one shotgun and one long gun (rifle) but hand guns were illegal in Canada even though he was just 'passing through'. He suggested that the sailboat owner return to Friday Harbor in the San Juan's and mail the hand gun to himself, c/o General Delivery at his first port of call in Alaska. He suggested further that he could not mail ammunition for the hand gun and should get rid of it and plan on purchasing ammo in Alaska.
Don't know whether those rules are still in force but I've never forgotten the tact and professionalism with which the Canadian Officials conducted themselves.
Not sure that other C & I Officers either in Canada or elsewhere would be that understanding and helpful. Phil

[Kiwi303]

Originally Posted by Kanani

That depends on the country and it is always subject to change.

When we visited NZ the 1st time ('84), we entered at Opua. Customs took my weapon to Wangerai(sp?) where we had to return to, to retrieve it. We then HAD to leave from Wangerai (could not leave from any other port with the gun). I think that may have changed now and that is just one of the things that you must get used to while cruising.

If you want to bring a gun to NZ these days, so long as it is a legal firearm covered under NZ law as a sporting/hunting firearm, you can get a "import of firearm" form from the NZ police and fill it in prior to arrival and get an import permit, just bring that to NZ with the gun. Same as a trophy hunter after Tahr flying in to an airport with his rifle in the planes baggage hold. You will get a temporary NZ firearms licence valid for the length of your visa. then you need a solid method of securing the firearm, same as a NZ gun owner needs for their guns in houses on land.

a bit different from your experience in '84 unless you just sailed up to the dock and said "I have a gun, what do I do" with no import permit.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Nessus.

[saltyseadog]

My opinion is simple, when sailing one is vulnerable, radioing for help doesn't stop the rotten eggs from cracking and making a stink. Should be personal choice to carry or not to carry. But use it wrong and pay the piper.

[goboatingnow]

My opinion is simple, when sailing one is vulnerable, radioing for help doesn't stop the rotten eggs from cracking and making a stink. Should be personal choice to carry or not to carry. But use it wrong and pay the piper.

of course once you leave good-auld-USA, its no longer a personal choice and totally governed by very restrictive national laws and excessive penalties, Better leave it at home, based on all the guns , all the bad guys in the world are in the US anyway.!!

dave

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by xymotic

Does anyone know what treaties govern the Navy's rights regarding guns?

I also often hear about big ships hiring well-armed mercenaries to provide armed protection to cargo ships. How are they getting around these laws? Are they surrendering 10 fully automatic weapons in each port?

There is all sorts of problems with these mercenaries on board freight vessels, some brits got arrested a while back when they came ashore.A lot of vessels pick up the mercs at sea and unload them again. The IMO does not sanctions crews being armed at sea on merchant ships and few captains want a cache of arms aboard for any length of time anyway.

Dave

[Tellie]

I try to never ever get involved with gun threads. But I just thought it interesting that there was a member here who once was jailed for a bit in Mexico for bringing in a gun and declaring it. Now we have a Marine in a Mexican jail for bringing in an antique shotgun. I know it's their country and they're just trying to keep gun crime down. As long as you don't count the drug cartels with Jeep mounted machine guns, fully automatic, AK 47s, RPGs and the hit squads.

[goboatingnow]

I know it's their country and they're just trying to keep gun crime down. As long as you don't count the drug cartels with Jeep mounted machine guns, fully automatic, AK 47s, RPGs and the hit squads.

hey you have to have some advantages as a Mexican citizen

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Tellie

I try to never ever get involved with gun threads. But I just thought it interesting that there was a member here who once was jailed for a bit in Mexico for bringing in a gun and declaring it. Now we have a Marine in a Mexican jail for bringing in an antique shotgun. I know it's their country and they're just trying to keep gun crime down. As long as you don't count the drug cartels with Jeep mounted machine guns, fully automatic, AK 47s, RPGs and the hit squads.

Believe it or not, I don't run into ski masked cartel guys with rpg's too often. There are places with cartel violence, but you wouldn't reorganize the contents of your wallet on the sidewalk of plenty of US cities.

The US had terrible gang violence in the 90s, I highly doubt a single person on this forum was remotely impacted by it. Minus the folks who think every minority in a hoodie is obviously up to no good.

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

Believe it or not, I don't run into ski masked cartel guys with rpg's too often. There are places with cartel violence, but you wouldn't reorganize the contents of your wallet on the sidewalk of plenty of US cities.

The US had terrible gang violence in the 90s, I highly doubt a single person on this forum was remotely impacted by it. Minus the folks who think every minority in a hoodie is obviously up to no good.

Oh great Rebel, drag me right in I would disagree with the statement "I highly doubt a single person on this forum was remotely impacted by it." If you mean physically I think your tossing the dice and guessing it won't come up snake eyes. But I believe we all have been impacted by (US) gang violence. The costs alone can be staggering. The economic impact on the neighborhoods these violent gangs did in the 90's and in many cases all across the US still do exist today in greater numbers and violence have a great impact on us all. The cost of gang violence in medical terms alone is staggering. What about the impact of the neighborhoods where gangs still roam freely and were innocent people live in fear of turf wars. Have you ever visited a public school that is in the heart of gang territory? What impact does it have on children who have to live in these neighborhoods? Hoodies? Really? Are you aware of how many gang related drive by shootings there are in areas where you could be shot just for wearing the wrong color jacket? How many innocent bystanders take a bullet that was intended for another gang banger? Though I wouldn't guess as to how many people are killed by gang bangers I'm pretty confident that it's a far far bigger number than a guy like George Zimmerman has killed. How many tax dollars in many cities across the US go to local police departments for gang task forces? What about property values where tagging anything that stands still for more than a minute costs? I don't even need to go into the gangs from south of our boarders, MS-13 known to the FBI as the most dangerous gang in the US in 42 states. Dominicans Don't Play (DDP), is notorious for recruiting in high schools throughout New York and New Jersey and is said to be behind a number of teen shootings and machete deaths. The FBI numbers the most violent number of gangs in the US at 13.

And to loosely keep it cruising related, Somali gangs are more prevalant across the US and taking a strong foothold as well. Yeah, I think it impacts us all greatly.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Tellie

...And to loosely keep it cruising related, Somali gangs are more prevalant across the US and taking a strong foothold as well. Yeah, I think it impacts us all greatly.

More than 1.4 million Americans are wearing the colours of more than 33,000 gangs across the country, according to an FBI report*.

Somali gang presence has increased in several cities throughout the United States. Somali gangs are most prevalent in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota; San Diego, California; and Seattle, Washington areas, primarily as a result of proximity to the Mexican and Canadian borders, according to ICE, NGIC, and law enforcement reporting. Somali gang activity has also been reported in other cities throughout the United States such as Nashville, Tennessee; Clarkston, Georgia; Columbus, Ohio; East Brunswick, New Jersey; and Tucson, Arizona. Unlike most traditional street gangs, Somali gangs tend to align and adopt gang names based on clan or tribe, although a few have joined national gangs such as the Crips and Bloods.

NGIC reporting indicates that East African gangs are present in at least 30 jurisdictions, including those in California, Georgia, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.

Somalian gangs are involved in drug and weapons trafficking, human trafficking, credit card fraud, prostitution, and violent crime. Homicides involving Somali victims are often the result of clan feuds between gang members. Sex trafficking of females across jurisdictional and state borders for the purpose of prostitution is also a growing trend among Somalian gangs.

* ➥ FBI — 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment

➥ FBI — 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment Issued
➥ FBI — Latest Gang Threat Assessment Released

[David_Old_Jersey]

The trick when dealing with foreign officialdom is to open fire when you see the whites of their eyes.

[goboatingnow]

Somali gangs in the US. Maybe we've convinced all the world to send you their gangs. The final massive shoot up between all the gangs and the RTBA crowd will be massive !
Dave

[s/v Beth]

Sounds like a gun safe with a 222 or 30.06 is in my future. I do see sharks out here in the water, sometimes. :-)
BTW, couldn't the gentleman who was going to Alaska just flown his Q flag and not stopped till he reached the Alaskan border?