Guns on your boat

Gofirstclass said:
northern, to answer your question--yes, I have had an occasion when I wished I had one on board.

We were anchored overnight in a fairly secluded area off the main channel of the Columbia River. Mid summer, nice evening, all the windows open and a gentle breeze drifting through the boat. I awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of a small outboard motor very close to the boat. I got up and peeked up over the boat's helm and could see a small, aluminum boat with two guys in it, but I did not see any fishing gear. They were idling around my boat about 10 yards away. They made a couple of circles around the boat then idled off about 30-40 yards away.

I could hear their voices but couldn't tell what they were saying. About that time I realized that I had no way to defend myself if they were intent on boarding us and robbing us. They sat there talking for several minutes then fired up the motor and idled away.

Since then I usually have a handgun hidden on board.
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They might of just been admiring your beautiful SeaRay ; )
I know I like to motor around and admire boats at anchor, kind of like my dock walk.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
A gun on your boat is a big responsibility. You need to always know where it is, and have a means of locking it up where it is not easily seen, and not easily accessed by someone else. The last thing you need is to come back from shore and be held up with your own firearm. Or boarded for a safety inspection and find yourself with some 'splaning' to do. What you do need is a plan for defending yourself and your crew from unwanted visitors, and those who would seek to do you harm. Wasp Spray, Bear Spray, taser, regular pepper spray, baseball bat, gun, big dog, name your poison. The most important things are to be alert, and observant. Know the area where you are anchored, or moored. And have a plan. Predators are generally looking for a easy mark, and assess risk over possible profit. There is a reason why Maritime courtesy is to ask permission to come aboard. Stepping onto a vessel is like walking in to somebodies home. If you get caught in someone's home without invitation, you had better state your intent and purpose pretty fast. We carry a gun onboard most times. Sometimes we have our dogs.
 
northern said:
We boat in Washington, BC and Alaska. We have never had the need of a gun. All you people that carry guns have you ever had to use it? If yes what was the reason?
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Do you have more PFDs than people on board? Do you ever wear a PFD underway? Any fire suppression equipment on board? You may see where I'm going here.
 
Use it or need it?

I hope to to never have to use any of my firearms!

Need it, yes twice. Once when a boater came in on plane then came down to yell at us for fussing at him. He wanted to fight and he picked me to fight with. One of my neighbors stepped in and strongly advised him to leave while he still could. PD was coming down the hill as he walked towards his truck. He was the closest I have ever gotten as his fingers were in my face. I think someone told him later just how close he was. He has overly nice to me ever since.

My second was off Jamestown Beach. While anchored for a Sunday nap I woke up to find two teens sitting on my swim platform. They had swam out to the boat and said they got tired and needed to rest. I had a park ranger met them at the beach after I pulled anchor and took them closer to the beach.
 
dwna1a said:
Use it or need it?

I hope to to never have to use any of my firearms!

Need it, yes twice. Once when a boater came in on plane then came down to yell at us for fussing at him. He wanted to fight and he picked me to fight with. One of my neighbors stepped in and strongly advised him to leave while he still could. PD was coming down the hill as he walked towards his truck. He was the closest I have ever gotten as his fingers were in my face. I think someone told him later just how close he was. He has overly nice to me ever since.

My second was off Jamestown Beach. While anchored for a Sunday nap I woke up to find two teens sitting on my swim platform. They had swam out to the boat and said they got tired and needed to rest. I had a park ranger met them at the beach after I pulled anchor and took them closer to the beach.
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Teens on the swim platform eh ? Sounds like a life threatening situation. Unarmed guy pointing his finger at you? Bud, you pull a gun out in either of those situations gets you a free ride in a police car.

Grow a set. Your gun is def not the answer in either of those scenarios.
 
dwna1a said:
Use it or need it?

I hope to to never have to use any of my firearms!

Need it, yes twice. Once when a boater came in on plane then came down to yell at us for fussing at him. He wanted to fight and he picked me to fight with. One of my neighbors stepped in and strongly advised him to leave while he still could. PD was coming down the hill as he walked towards his truck. He was the closest I have ever gotten as his fingers were in my face. I think someone told him later just how close he was. He has overly nice to me ever since.

My second was off Jamestown Beach. While anchored for a Sunday nap I woke up to find two teens sitting on my swim platform. They had swam out to the boat and said they got tired and needed to rest. I had a park ranger met them at the beach after I pulled anchor and took them closer to the beach.
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You have to be kidding right? Two teenagers sitting on your swim platform? Wow! Was the guy on the deck preforming the Dim Mak?
 
dwna1a said:
Use it or need it?

I hope to to never have to use any of my firearms!

Need it, yes twice. Once when a boater came in on plane then came down to yell at us for fussing at him. He wanted to fight and he picked me to fight with. One of my neighbors stepped in and strongly advised him to leave while he still could. PD was coming down the hill as he walked towards his truck. He was the closest I have ever gotten as his fingers were in my face. I think someone told him later just how close he was. He has overly nice to me ever since.

My second was off Jamestown Beach. While anchored for a Sunday nap I woke up to find two teens sitting on my swim platform. They had swam out to the boat and said they got tired and needed to rest. I had a park ranger met them at the beach after I pulled anchor and took them closer to the beach.
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You said you didn't pull it on the drunk and I'll assume you didn't on the kids. If you didn't have to pull it why do you count these stories as examples of 'needing it'?
 
Guy on the dock was drunk. I had no reason unless he went to far. He did get very close. As for the two teens, they were just there.

scoflaw, I invite you to come down here one week. Let me take you to a simulator at the range. You will have a real gun and placed in real situations. If by the end of the simulation you can pick the correct situation to defend yourself then call me out and tell me to grow a pair. Until YOU are in that kinda situation don't judge.

And let me ask you this, how do you know the drunk was unarmed? How would you know if the teens weren't there to take the boat YOU DON'T

Ive been shot at while tring to stop a guy from bleeding to death in a ditch, lit on fire by a husband that busted up his wife so bad she had to have surgery to stop the bleeding, and come after with an ax because he did want the person living there any more. Even pulled a dead child and her grandfather out of a gutted home. I've delivered two children to mothers that swore they weren't pregnant in roach invested home. I don't put holes in people until they threaten my life or mean to do me harm and when I ever have to, I will be the medic that has to fix them. I think I've grown my pair, HAVE YOU?
 
Woody, no. I've never pulled the gun from its holster. I hope I never have to.

you never know what a drunk is going to do. He was the closest to ever but I didn't feel the need. Yes it would have been my ass on the line. But he was an angry drunk. Now if he had hit me or started to fight, then I have the right to protect myself.
 
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I would agree, but it only takes a few seconds to change it from an unloaded gun to a loaded gun.

Sliding four shells into a shotgun's tubular magazine only takes a few seconds. Racking one into the chamber a couple of seconds more.

At that point your useless tool now has functionability.

Scoflaw, to each his own. If you're more comfortable with not having any kind of weapon on board, that's great. But why would you attempt to denigrate someone who chooses to have one on board.
 
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dwna1a said:
Woody, no. I've never pulled the gun from its holster. I hope I never have to.

you never know what a drunk is going to do. He was the closest to ever but I didn't feel the need. Yes it would have been my ass on the line. But he was an angry drunk. Now if he had hit me or started to fight, then I have the right to protect myself.
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I'm not being smartazz, I say this in a constructive way.....I really think you need to review the law pertaining to the use of 'deadly force'.
 
Well there are the criminal law aspects of deadly force and the jungle law aspects of deadly force. I would rather be judged by twelve than carried by eight. Aside from carrying life jackets, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, a back up gps and a back up VHF. I also commonly carry a fire arm. The theory is the same. Hope I never 'need' any of them.
Never pointed a gun at another human being. Never threatened anyone with the knowledge I was armed. If you came along on our annual backpack, or buddy boated with me to some remote anchorage, you would never know I had a gun. If you think a big set of stones is going to protect you from a real criminal, well I wish you the best! Each to thier own. My friend had a guy break into his trawler while he was sleeping onboard! He caught the guy climbing through the window, leveled a taser at him and told him to freeze. The guy dropped back, pointed a 9mm back at my friend and said "no you freeze 'mf'." One split second of hesitation and what do you know "life and death situation"! Fortunately my friend is retired special forces. He may be unpolished with a taser, but he was able to get to the 45 under his pillow and he can use that as good as anyone I know. Mr would-be thief was never shot, but he left in a patrol car. I was in Alamitos Bay in a marina late one evening. It was dark and I was enjoying the warm night with a cold beer when two tube "fisherman" came up to the stern of my boat. I could see they had poles but no fishing line strung. The first one was climbing aboard when I let them know I was there. I put up such a fuss I woke half the marina. Yelling and screaming and eventually blowing my air horn and following them with a flash light. Morons! Wanted to be sure they did not come back. Slept with a loaded gun that night though. You bet I did!
 
Wow, what a lot of testosterone.
I'm glad I live in a land down under where the only thing that you can't take from my cold dead hands is a beer.
It must be quite nerve racking to live in a society where your constantly under threat of being shot at.
But I have a solution......more guns. Have a nice day
 
Meathead said:
Wow, what a lot of testosterone.
I'm glad I live in a land down under where the only thing that you can't take from my cold dead hands is a beer.
It must be quite nerve racking to live in a society where your constantly under threat of being shot at.
But I have a solution......more guns. Have a nice day
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With that attitude, many of us are glad you live there as well.
 
Gofirstclass said:
I would agree, but it only takes a few seconds to change it from an unloaded gun to a loaded gun.

Sliding four shells into a shotgun's tubular magazine only takes a few seconds. Racking one into the chamber a couple of seconds more.

At that point your useless tool now has functionability.

Scoflaw, to each his own. If you're more comfortable with not having any kind of weapon on board, that's great. But why would you attempt to denigrate someone who chooses to have one on board.
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I'm not paranoid enough to carry all the time, but when I do the weapon sure as hell isn't unloaded. Not sure how you come up with the denigrate someone comment.
 
2000SR380 said:
Well there are the criminal law aspects of deadly force and the jungle law aspects of deadly force. I would rather be judged by twelve than carried by eight. Aside from carrying life jackets, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, a back up gps and a back up VHF. I also commonly carry a fire arm. The theory is the same. Hope I never 'need' any of them.
Never pointed a gun at another human being. Never threatened anyone with the knowledge I was armed. If you came along on our annual backpack, or buddy boated with me to some remote anchorage, you would never know I had a gun. If you think a big set of stones is going to protect you from a real criminal, well I wish you the best! Each to thier own. My friend had a guy break into his trawler while he was sleeping onboard! He caught the guy climbing through the window, leveled a taser at him and told him to freeze. The guy dropped back, pointed a 9mm back at my friend and said "no you freeze 'mf'." One split second of hesitation and what do you know "life and death situation"! Fortunately my friend is retired special forces. He may be unpolished with a taser, but he was able to get to the 45 under his pillow and he can use that as good as anyone I know. Mr would-be thief was never shot, but he left in a patrol car. I was in Alamitos Bay in a marina late one evening. It was dark and I was enjoying the warm night with a cold beer when two tube "fisherman" came up to the stern of my boat. I could see they had poles but no fishing line strung. The first one was climbing aboard when I let them know I was there. I put up such a fuss I woke half the marina. Yelling and screaming and eventually blowing my air horn and following them with a flash light. Morons! Wanted to be sure they did not come back. Slept with a loaded gun that night though. You bet I did!
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So what you're saying is that:

1. You had two guys on a boat.
2. One with special forces training.
3. Both with weapons.
4. Both hesitated or were afraid to use said weapons.
5. Nobody was shot.

Please explain... if NONE of the weapons were used why they were necessary? Why did someone with Special Forces training hesitate to pull the trigger on either of his weapons?
 
dwna1a said:
Use it or need it?

I hope to to never have to use any of my firearms!

Need it, yes twice. Once when a boater came in on plane then came down to yell at us for fussing at him. He wanted to fight and he picked me to fight with. One of my neighbors stepped in and strongly advised him to leave while he still could. PD was coming down the hill as he walked towards his truck. He was the closest I have ever gotten as his fingers were in my face. I think someone told him later just how close he was. He has overly nice to me ever since.

My second was off Jamestown Beach. While anchored for a Sunday nap I woke up to find two teens sitting on my swim platform. They had swam out to the boat and said they got tired and needed to rest. I had a park ranger met them at the beach after I pulled anchor and took them closer to the beach.
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Granted its up to the prosecutor and jury and maybe there's more to the story but to draw your firearm based on the information you provided IN MY OPINION doesn't constitute eminent threat of death or bodily injury and yes I know you didn't draw it but to consider it a valid point to do is a cause for concern.
 
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