guns and sailing

[slegg]

Originally Posted by GordMay

The regulation of guns in Brazil is categorised as restrictive.
More ➥ Guns in Brazil — Firearms, gun law and gun control

Gord, you wouldn´t believe in half of it if you lived here. For starts anything "official" about number of guns in Brasil refers to those owned by law abiding citizens (SINARM), the rest is a guess or a official lie. The criminals have better guns than the police with exception of federal police. besides, many things are going on here in terms of new laws on guns owning. With the fall of the corrupt government that was leading us to repeat Venezuela and Cuba many things are going to change in Brasil. Including gun control, with the support of the Armed Forces, we will still have gun control(SINARM) but we won´t have guns forbbiden, that was the intention of the previous government.

[Liburnian]

As European I wouldn't like to welcome tourists with guns. Don't want my neighbours to own guns either. It's different culture here. We kill each other in the organised manner, in state sponsored wars. Folks on the other side of Atlantic seems to me more individualistic and passionate. They kill with more personal involvement and go to war only abroad.
You don't need gun here and the idea is dangerous, because you could be misidentified for a terrorist. It's fine to be a nice cruiser, no need for paranoia.

[Lost Horizons]

Originally Posted by Olddan1943

One remaining question, in my feeble mind. To have a handgun on board, in US Waters, must you have a weapon's permit or is the boat considered your home where a permit may not be required?

Depends on a state and local law; can be anything from "no guns allowed" to "no restrictions to your constitutional rights."

[Exile]

Originally Posted by Liburnian

As European I wouldn't like to welcome tourists with guns. Don't want my neighbours to own guns either. It's different culture here. We kill each other in the organised manner, in state sponsored wars. Folks on the other side of Atlantic seems to me more individualistic and passionate. They kill with more personal involvement and go to war only abroad.
You don't need gun here and the idea is dangerous, because you could be misidentified for a terrorist. It's fine to be a nice cruiser, no need for paranoia.

Nobody is talking about getting off your boat in a foreign port & walking around with a gun on the hip. 99.9% of all gun owners in the U.S. follow all applicable laws, submit to all background checks where applicable, and have a very low rate of committing gun-related crimes. Women are the fastest growing segment of the firearms market, and citizens with concealed carry permits commit crimes at a rate 6x lower than the police! The shooting sports in the U.S. -- hunting, target, competition, etc. -- are more popular than some major professional sports. Gun crimes are predominantly committed by criminals who use stolen guns or have otherwise acquired them unlawfully, and the vast majority use handguns not AR-15's.

As you correctly say, it's a different culture, and I'm sure the last thing any responsible tourist would want to do is violate the laws of another country.

[Olddan1943]

I totally agree with Exile. We are not talking about storming the beaches with gun in hand.

We want a gun on board for personal protection, i.e. boarding parties, sharks and zombies. AND if others are like myself, the gun is not readily available and the ammo is limited. I personally keep my shot gun unloaded rather than risking accidentally shooting a hole in the hull and sink MY boat.

[Lost Horizons]

Originally Posted by Liburnian

As European I wouldn't like to welcome tourists with guns.

The funny thing is, the USA gladly reciprocates and denies you, as a visitor, a right to possess firearms for self defense and other legal purposes.

[Iaangus]

Originally Posted by Pete7

The Sheriff shouldn't comment on things in countries he doesn't understand.

Pete

Wouldn't it be nice if we all followed that advise.

[Jdege]

For me, the issue isn't that I'd think I'd need a gun when visiting Europe, but that in a trip that might last years or decades, would there ever be a place along the trip where I might need a gun?

You can plan your trip trying to avoid dangerous areas, but the world doesn't always cooperate.

And legally obtaining a firearm overseas can be a very difficult task.

OTOH, legally carrying a firearm around the world is also a difficult task.

I don't see any easy answers.

[Exile]

Originally Posted by Lost Horizons

The funny thing is, the USA gladly reciprocates and denies you, as a visitor, a right to possess firearms for self defense and other legal purposes.

Do you mean the right of a visitor to visit the U.S. with an otherwise lawfully acquired firearm onboard their boat, or to walk the streets with one? I'd be surprised if there was a country on the planet that grants a visitor the latter. The U.S. does, however, allow non-citizen permanent resident aliens ("green card" holders) the right to purchase/possess a firearm with certain qualifications, and subject to any restrictions under state law.

[DeborahLee]

The 12 gauge insert allows you to use both 12 gauge, 25 and 25 1/2 gauge flares while only needing one flare gun. If you should put anything else in it, it would be illegal or really needed. A 25 1/2 mm flare can really do a lot of damage including starting a fire in which case it could turn a fire fight into fighting a fire and make the worst enemies into instant friends.

[a64pilot]

The insert for a flare gun other than likely being very unsafe, as in blow off your hand is still a firearm, one that you are obviously trying to conceal.
I can only imagine the trouble you would be in if caught with one. Gun smuggling is often considered a very serious crime.
Now imagine if you used the thing, an illegal, smuggled firearm and God forbid killed someone. Do you think your cry of I was just trying to defend yourself is going to matter?

Reminds me, I need to get rid of my bang sticks as I am sure they are a firearm.

[Lost Horizons]

Originally Posted by Exile

Do you mean the right of a visitor to visit the U.S. with an otherwise lawfully acquired firearm onboard their boat, or to walk the streets with one? I'd be surprised if there was a country on the planet that grants a visitor the latter. The U.S. does, however, allow non-citizen permanent resident aliens ("green card" holders) the right to purchase/possess a firearm with certain qualifications, and subject to any restrictions under state law.

There are almost no legal differences between US citizens and permanent residents when it comes to gun laws. However, as a tourist one cannon even rent a gun in a commercial shooting range and hold it on premises even on private property. That law is not typically enforced, but it exists. The only exception for visitors brining the firearms is participation in competition matches with proper documentation. I don't think you can legally have a gun on board when visiting the USA as a foreign national even if it is locked in a safe. Some countries allow that. The Bahamas is one good example.

[Olddan1943]

What are the rules and cautions when it comes to visiting the Bahamas on your private boat ??

Cruise ships generally, these days, have a sizable arsenal on board. How is this handled when entering a foreign port?

Sometimes it just might be better if it were, "don't ask, don't tell nor confess."

[Exile]

Originally Posted by Lost Horizons

There are almost no legal differences between US citizens and permanent residents when it comes to gun laws.

Makes sense when you consider that green card holders have to undergo a thorough background investigation to become permanent residents, whereas people born in the US become citizens automatically. The rights under the 2nd Amend. are also not restricted to "citizens," but to the "people."

However, as a tourist one cannon even rent a gun in a commercial shooting range and hold it on premises even on private property. That law is not typically enforced, but it exists. The only exception for visitors brining the firearms is participation in competition matches with proper documentation. I don't think you can legally have a gun on board when visiting the USA as a foreign national even if it is locked in a safe.

Interesting. Never knew. One rationale might be that tourists are by definition transient, and are therefore more difficult to track down should they commit a gun offense. Also no background info on the person or the gun. Same rationale probably applies to countries outside the U.S. as well. I imagine there are exceptions under the laws of the US & other countries under specified circumstances, but I'm sure they require a good deal of paperwork & bureaucracy.

Some countries allow that. The Bahamas is one good example.

There was a poster from the U.S. awhile back who sailed through C. America & Cuba with several guns onboard. He claimed he checked into every country's laws & regs ahead of time, and always properly declared his guns. Not sure if he always got to keep his guns onboard, but the only country who had an outright ban upon penalty of imprisonment (guns declared or not) was Mexico which he avoided. Comes down to whether you think you need to have them bad enough to overcome the hassle factor.

[Exile]

Originally Posted by Olddan1943

What are the rules and cautions when it comes to visiting the Bahamas on your private boat ??

Cruise ships generally, these days, have a sizable arsenal on board. How is this handled when entering a foreign port?

Sometimes it just might be better if it were, "don't ask, don't tell nor confess."

It's been a few years, but the last couple of times we checked into the Bahamas you were required to declare your firearms and your ammo, and then left alone following a stern warning from a customs officer that guns could not leave the boat, and that you had to leave with the same no. of rds. of ammo.