Guns on board

Greetings all,

My wife has a 38 special hand gun and carry permit. She purchased it so its in her name. Does anyone know if I can legally make it part of the "ships equipment" and keep it on board even if she is not?

I am taking the boat from Ga to Florida and then to the Bahamas. I think I understand the Bahamian rules of declaring the gun upon entry but not sure about the rules if I get boarded by the CG or god forbid had to use it for defense.

Thanks for any comments or guidance on the matter.

What exactly is "in her name?"

This seems pretty straight forward. If you don't have a permit, you can't legally have a gun. If the boat is not her official residence, she can't leave her gun there either.

do you have to have a permit to have a gun?? the only permit you have to have is to buy it and you leave it at the store. you do have to have a concealed carry to conceal it. I don't know where the whole boat thing comes into play so I leave mine at home.(or do I)

In the southern states, there is nothing wrong with having a gun on the boat. There is no registration, no permits, no nothing needed. Just be safe with it. I have been boarded by the coasties and always tell them there are guns in X location. No big deal to them.

In northern states, things are different, but I do not go there and do not know their rules.

In the Bahamas, you need to declare your weapons on entry, with serial number and ammo count (exactly), and weapons must be locked up securely while there and NOT used while there. No plinking in the Bahamas!!

For commercial vessels. http://m.amo-union.net/article.php?a=676

But slightly different for yachts. I’d recommend calling and getting Bahamian regulations in writing. Florida regulations in writing. And Ga regs in writing.

http://www.professionalmariner.com/December-January-2014/firearms/

Reiterating the federal form to have filled out.

timb said:

...so I leave mine at home.(or do I)

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You've gotta ask yourself one question: "Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya', punk?"

Not to start an argument but.... I think most people are better off with loaded flare guns rather than loaded handguns. Flareguns are cheaper, easier to explain to officials why you have them, anyone hit with a flare will stop what they are doing, if you think you can hit something with a handgun then you should be able to hit them with a flare, a miss with a flare is ALOT more impressive than with a handgun. You hit the wrong person or thing with a flare the repercussions are ALOT less.

Downside flareguns are slower to reload so you need more of them.

Simi 60 said:

There really is something very wrong in a country and people that feel they can't go anywhere without a device for killing humans.

50 years on this planet and never once have I wanted or felt the need to have one and the majority of the planet thinks the same way.

Think on that.

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Most Americans don't own guns. Last data that I have seen is that for 2016, gun ownership was around 36% of the population. Of this, some are for defense, but many are guns used for hunting.

I fall in the majority and don't own a gun. Not getting into the politics as this isn't the time or place to do so.

Jim

I declared my firearm in the Bahamas, they counted rounds, I locked it up, end of story. The one requirement they did have was the firearm be in a locked case.

As far as not needing a firearm, if you have ever encountered a restafarian (spelling) boat coming at you fast and stopping you, you’re pretty glad you have someone in the cabin who would be able to get the job done. Happened in my crossing on my sea ray 10 years ago. Luckily they didn’t think we were drug runners after the asked, “where’s the party mon?” The response was “no party here” and gunned it outta there. My sea ray had a 454 engine and was capable of outrunning their much larger boat. I observed a firearm on their boat next to the cooler one of them was sitting on. My daughter who they didn’t see was in the cabin with a loaded 9mm ready to take a shot if need be. (She was trained by deputies) So, do I need one? Probably not with the boat I have now. Do I carry one? Absolutely.

I spent 30 years on the fire department and did not own a gun. After I retired I began flyfishing in Alaska. I purchased a hand gun and took a two day gun safety so I became comfortable with it.

I now own two guns and plan to have one on the boat when I travel.

Simi
To say it's sad that someone owns a gun with the intent of shooting someone is a sad state of affairs for the country. This is your perspective. While I do not have a CCP (carry a weapon), I cannot tell you how much I disagree with you. Turn on the news in any major city. I can tell you there are many stories of people who wish they had a gun.

Do I plan on shooting someone? No, it would be my worst nightmare. I could if I had to tho.

Simi 60 said:

There really is something very wrong in a country and people that feel they can't go anywhere without a device for killing humans.

50 years on this planet and never once have I wanted or felt the need to have one and the majority of the planet thinks the same way.

Think on that.

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I certainly do not feel like I need a gun with me anywhere I go. Quite the contrary. I never carry a weapon on my daily travels and certainly am no gun nut. But I do keep two guns on the boat. I actually had to brandish one to confront what was likely thieves or druggies on a skiff approaching to board my anchored boat in the middle of the night. Still in the USA, but ten miles from nowhere. Just the sight of it and they hauled a$$, actually running up a nearby bank. I never fired a shot, but dang sure glad I had the rifle.

Not everywhere in the USA is civilized. Or areas in other countries. Travel there and you need to be able to protect yourself, crew and vessel.

An older gentleman I used to shoot targets with had a saying........"If the chips are down, would you rather be the dog or the tree?"

I am so tired of gun threads, gun discussions and gun control debates. Drop your friggin' guns and go boating.

Simi 60 said:

There really is something very wrong in a country and people that feel they can't go anywhere without a device for killing humans.

50 years on this planet and never once have I wanted or felt the need to have one and the majority of the planet thinks the same way.

Think on that.

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Thumbs up!!!

Xsbank said:

I am so tired of gun threads, gun discussions and gun control debates. Drop your friggin' guns and go boating.

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And yet you still follow gun threads

Benthic2 said:

This seems pretty straight forward. If you don't have a permit, you can't legally have a gun. If the boat is not her official residence, she can't leave her gun there either.

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not true, I legally have a gun with no permit.

ok with even NJ prosecuters offices.

just cant sell it or give it to someone without a transfer permit.

because I live i. NJ, I havent owned ammunition in 10 years.

maybe if I lived elsewhere, I could agree that personal safety without guns is easy, but I dont live there, I live here so misplaced guidance is easy to ignore.

the best advice given on forums about travelling with guns is to make a list of jurisdictions travelling through.

Then go to the gun legislation authorities to find out your requirements. One answer does not fit all.

I have 1 12-ga marine pump shotgun. The stock is painted orange with "Flare Gun" stenciled in black. It shoots 12-ga flares an amazing distance. There may also be some buckshot rounds in the boat for "sharks".

Better to "have it an not need it" than "need it and not have it."

Okay, I'll provide the OP with some factual information for him to utilize:

First, neither Florida or Georgia require that a firearm be registered or a permit to purchase a gun.

There is no such thing as "in his/her name" in these states. While your wife may have bought the gun, as long as you are not prohibited from owning or possessing a gun (felon, domestic violence injunction, adjudicated mentally incompetent, and some others...) then you can.

Having a gun on a boat has been discussed numerous times but you need to make sure that if it is in your possession while in Georgia or Florida that you do not have it concealed. You CAN have it in a zippered case (loaded or unloaded) and store it that way.

When you get to the Bahamas, as Donna said, you declare it, advise on the number of rounds that you have and you keep it locked up.

I carry a gun for a living and it goes with me to the Bahamas when I do.

Simi 60 lives in a country where almost every animal or insect is a device for killing humans... LOL

I stand corrected..Thanks PSN.

The OP asked a legitimate question. We should try to focus on the answer to that question. If someone wants to discuss gun control, crime, or how wonderful their country is, they should go start a new thread.

Easier to ask gun specialists whether the NRA, individual jurisdictions or legal web sites dedicated to addressing gun legality.

They best explain where and how to properly carry guns than sift through a lot of maybe correct info that seems to surface in these threads.

It is less about having a gun on a boat than it is what the local jurisdiction LEOs and prosecuters have actual legal authority over.

menzies said:

What exactly is "in her name?"

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Pluto?

Ahoy OTDE! Incoming! Are you ready?

?

Here we go. I’m not a member of the NRA. When I worked in Alaska, on the DEW line, I carried a sidearm outside, sometimes an M1. Big white bears. I have a 54cal. muzzle loader and a shotgun. I used to bow hunt too. Never pointed any of them towards a human. In the AF, I used an M16.

What’s the big deal? Get over it.

For the most part, thank you for staying on topic. For the ones that strayed from the question of the OP, watch out. I had a tendency to go on a full blown clean up deletion raid. But for the most part, y'all have behaved. There was nothing wrong with the question. Answer the question or move along. No need for you opinions on why!!!!

As you were...

To the OP, get a concealed carry permit. They aren't attached to a weapon but you will then have all your bases covered. And be careful driving to your boat. Cars kill a great many more people each year than guns and I wouldn't want you to hurt anyone. Besides, cars scare me, so I am not sure you should be allowed to own one.

To the OP...I would buy one of those small handgun safes, secure the safe somewhere that it is accessible, and leave it in there loaded and hopefully never needed.
Whether or not the revolver is in "her name" or not is immaterial as long as it was not stolen.
Happy boating!!

One point about taking the gun to the Bahamas...

They will want a count of your rounds of ammunition when you enter the country. When you leave they will count again. The numbers had better match EXACTLY, or you will have problems. They don't want to know that you have "about 50 rounds." If you have 52 unfired cartridges when you enter, then you had darned well better have 52 unfired cartridges when you leave.

Thanks all for the comments. I like the idea of the flare guns as deterrent.
I also thought about a dummy shot gun. Seems to me if a threatening boat comes up on you just showing what appears to be a functional shot gun would scare them off.
Having a fake gun is not an issue with CG or Bahamas is it?