Is it legal to shoot from a boat?

[Krayzcolt]

Can I take out a sailboat and do some target/skeet shooting?

[Bangzoom]

I was thinking about this too but using floating targets ....fishing and shooting at the same time

[teg33]

Interesting, tagged

[billybob_jcv]

Go 12 nautical miles offshore and you are no longer in the USA, let alone California.


Edit: Corrected by more knowledgeable people below - you still have to follow US law on a US ship even when you are in Int'l waters.

My niece would be so ashamed - she's in the Coast Guard...

[Dano3467]

Did you mean Ocean ?

Not to sure about the target shooting thing, sounds like trouble.

But when hunting, in a boat, motor off boat not moving, (lake) and of course in a non prohibited area, I believe your GTG, at least in my area...

Idk about So Cal, could be a big problem IMO...

[Ronin2]

Twelve miles out and you are good but be careful, water can do strange things to bullets (deflection). You really need to be ABSOLUTELY certain of what's around you, esp what's behind where you are shooting and do NOT shoot in the direction of land.

[robcoe]

Can I take out a sailboat and do some target/skeet shooting?

If you are far enough out yes, though have someone stand by the radio and/or announce over it you will be shooting.

Gunshots are used as a distress signal on the ocean so expect someone to ask questions.

[Spyder]

Gonna collect the target fragments when you're done?

[basalt]

Pretty sure in CA (I don't know about anywhere else) you cannot shoot over/across ANY body of water. Shotshells may be different.

EDIT: Trying a little more research and this may be limited to NF regs...

[kayaker]

Years ago I called F&G to ask about hunting on Lake Shasta from a canoe. I was told; If the boat has a motor then the motor can't be running and the boat can't have any foreword motion from the motor. You can paddle all you want. You can legally shoot from a boat, safety rules all in effect.

[VictorFranko]

Having shot off a small boat (41 foot) and somewhat larger boat (82 foot) many times while in the CG, I can tell you one thing to be careful of: your projectiles will ricochet or "skip" across the top of the water very easily and carry much further than you may think.
The smaller the boat, usually the lower you are to the water which creates less of an angle to your target, which increases the chance of your projectiles skipping.
Larger boats, you are usually shooting in more of a downward angle resulting in less skipping.

It is fun trying to time your shot so that both your boat and your target are on the high of their respective swells, and quite a bit harder than you might imagine.

Gunshots are used as a distress signal on the ocean so expect someone to ask questions.

In four years of working search and rescue on the ocean, never heard of gunshots being used as a distress signal. Flares, yes, gunshots, no.

[newair]

Bullets skip across the water, just like skipping a rock. Only much much more velocity.
Really not a good idea.

[FIRSTGUN]

Gun shot once per minute - distress signal
12+ nm from the shore - OK
Paper plates as targets - OK
Can not see any boat in the direction you are shooting - OK

Do not shoot the shore......

Or just go to Alaska

[RickD427]

Go 12 nautical miles offshore and you are no longer in the USA, let alone California.

Billybob,

This is not actually correct.

If you're on a boat that is registered in a U.S. state, or is USCG documented, then you're subject to U.S. law on the high seas, all of the way up to another country's 12 mile limit. Please refer to 18 USC 7.

Having said that, there is no U.S. federal law that prohibits the simple discharge of a firearm from a vessel. I'm not familiar with Fish and Game statutes covering inland waters. There is no California state law that prohibits the simple discharge of a firearm from vessels on the ocean. Penal Code section 246.3 would make such shooting unlawful (a felony) if is was done in a reckless manner.

I've done a great number of small arms exercises from Coast Guard vessels in the waters off California. It's not a big deal if done safely. Range control is a big issue. Previous posters have accurately stated the propensity of rounds to skip over water. You may want to consider a "securite" broadcast on VHF Channel 16. Gunfire at 1 minute intervals is a recognized distress signal. Making a false distress signal is a crime. The broadcast would pretty much stop folks from construing your shooting as a distress signal. It may also be wise to make a telephone report to the controlling Coast Guard Sector. That can help them "connect the dots" if they get a call and may help prevent them from launching a response that isn't needed.

[dozer wright]

We have in the past find floating debris log or what not and use the flip style targets that stake into the ground. Just be very careful of direction.. And surroundings . If shooting against shore make it steep for backstop