Great 2 posts Scott, re the pangas and long lines and the issue re:
forearms on board.

On the long lines, similar fishing practices can be encountered throuout
the Med, but usually not more than 10-20 m offshore.

Regarding firearms; I have an observation to make, and hope that people
will take these questions with the extreme seriousness they deserve.
a firearm, if one is taken on board, is meant to be used by you to shoot
at and seriously wound or kill another human being.
You may often have only 3-5 seconds to make this decision.
It is NOT MEANT to fire warning shots, although they may sometimes be
used effectively.

Q1 Can you make the right decision in that time ?
Q2 If you have to shoot, will you hit your target ?
Q3 Can You live with the consequences (legal and moral) ?

A firearm has very little deterrent value.
It has excellent effectiveness when utilised.
This is not a movie scene. The bad guys will not back off, if they have
weapons (as most do) and are  serious. 3/4 or so of the bad guys are
not serious, but you will often not be in a position to know this in
advance.

In many parts of the world, firearms are common, and the people you will
encounter will be ready and willing and able to handle and utilise them.
It may be a daily occurrence to them.
Caribbean, most of central and south america, russia, santo domingo,
eastern europe (finland) come to mind from my own experience.

Have you ever been a member of the military or a paramilitary police
force, and/or received significant training in weapons ?
(I have, and so speak from some real personal experience and also from
observations made over a lifetime of traveling).

In a firing situation (witnesses) this is what will happen;
In many (most) parts of the world, You will be arrested. You will go to
jail. You may go to trial (this varies greatly).
But it is mostly better to defend yourself in a court, than be
robbed/raped/killed and almost all self defense shootings are finally
seen as such.

Please do take a moment to consider Questions 1., 2., and 3. before
making your (highly personal) decision.

In Spain, at this time, an unlicensed firearm carries a mandatory 5 year
jail sentence, for having one. Plus one year/bullet. Has to do with the
basque terrorists.
OTOH in Finland You may get to keep the gun, and it will not be a big
thing if no-one is dead.

Using a weapon for firing "warning shots" will often get you fired at if
the bad guys are serious. It is an escalation of the situation.
This is not the same as a team of police, note the very important key
word "team", with a. official status and backing, b. radios and backup
and c. several trained people and mostly a larger arsenal available to
them than the bad guys.

For me, in my situation, with my experience, I would have one, with a
license. Otherwise not.
Please note, that in my experience, you can have a license practically
anywhere in the world - and when you do, it will not be an offense to
have one. It will then need to be declared when cruising and may be held
by the police while in their country following their rules.

But I am not advocating one way or the other, and do not pretend to know
the right choice for anyone else -
I think this is a very important question that regards a serious think,
thats all.

BTW - a shotgun or rifle is much, much more effective and useful than a
handgun, and in most countries will be easier to have a license for.
If you get a skeet trap thrower, you may be allowed to have them on
board as sports equipment, and maybe only surrender the key to the local
head of police or seal it.

The firearms issue have been discussed in many areas--As a previous hunter/sportsman I still enjoy guns. When I had kids the guns went away, and now as a cruiser I am gonna get rid of them again a .410 single shot and a semi-auto 22 Nylon 66-I can't do the simple things like the Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico with them on board without possiable arrest-and these are US related territories.

I do carry bear spray and a machete,, the fire extinquisher sized bear spray will take out a small boat boarding party at 20ft with one application. I use the big bladed thing to cut fish, dock lines and such. Both are near my cabin entrance.

I am considering a paintball gun-loaded with teargas balls-they are available in close (pistol size co2 powered) range and longer range submachine gun size with compressed air.

The teargas/paintball things have a certain toy quality-and since they don't use gunpowder they are not FIREARMS-they are defensive-but not deadly-you might be arrested for assault-but not for causing death, they should pass muster on international inspections-and not make you lie -since they are not firearms--like a slingshot or potato cannon or bb/airgun, or crossbow/speargun are not firearms either.

I haven't made this purchase yet-I am getting rid of the firearms--I have checked out that teargas balls are available (not easy or cheap) 10 for $80-but in close quarters (sub100ft) and a hopper fed machine gun like system they should be a deterant--What do you think?

hannu venermo hanermo@a2002sl.com wro
In many (most) parts of the world, You will be arrested.

Using a weapon for firing "warning shots"

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I thought that a 12 gauge shotgun was acceptable in most parts of the world.
There are a few non-lethal but impressive cartridges one can buy. Two
examples are a round which projects a flame 40 feet and one that produces a
flash, bang.

The paintball is a neat idea for folks without firearms. Those with will
think that you have a real weapon. I would interdisperse some paint rounds
to mark the offenders. I wonder if there are paint rounds with indelible
paint?

Ron Rogers

Hi, well if you are going to have a gun then have a gun but remember if you pull a paint gun and he pulls a real gun  he turns green and you turn dead.
Regards
David

Ron Rogers rcrogers6@kennett.net wrote:
I thought that a 12 gauge shotgun was acceptable in most parts of the world.
There are a few non-lethal but impressive cartridges one can buy. Two
examples are a round which projects a flame 40 feet and one that produces a
flash, bang.

The paintball is a neat idea for folks without firearms. Those with will
think that you have a real weapon. I would interdisperse some paint rounds
to mark the offenders. I wonder if there are paint rounds with indelible
paint?

Ron Rogers

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I have been reading a story from the Seven Seas Cruising Association Newsletter about Both the USVIs and PR-Lots of trouble/lawbreaking trouble even approaching these Islands with a gun-

Ron Rogers rcrogers6@kennett.net wrote:  I thought that a 12 gauge shotgun was acceptable in most parts of the world.
There are a few non-lethal but impressive cartridges one can buy. Two
examples are a round which projects a flame 40 feet and one that produces a
flash, bang.

The paintball is a neat idea for folks without firearms. Those with will
think that you have a real weapon. I would interdisperse some paint rounds
to mark the offenders. I wonder if there are paint rounds with indelible
paint?

Ron Rogers

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