Maritime law and the 2n'd amend.

[hoffmang]

However, even in countries with severe gun controul the laws tend to be a bit different when it comes to ships in port. A country that may otherwise prohibit a type of firearm may allow it to be kept at customs for the duration of stay in port or sealed in a locker aboard the ship, among other arrangements. This tends to be recognition of the fact that ships do travel armed and that there is a legitimate reason for this. There are some ports that totally prohibit firearms but they are not nearly as numerous as some think. Some though are frequented by major shipping companies.

I'm well aware of the "captain's keys to the gun locker" customs tradition. It's still a pain in the *** though.

-Gene

[junkilo]

Mexico is usually the short reason why most don't carry underway in California since most california seamen want to visit mexico in some fashion. Mexico can fine hundreds of dollars per round they find and can jail you if you have guns in their waters without the necessary permits from the consulate/embassy first, i.e. this poor chap:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f47/cruising-in-mexico-7-days-in-a-mexican-jail-40170.html

conceal well if you intend to carry arms in other words.

1. You can carry pretty much any non FA firearm you want between ports in the USA, but if you brought an AR from WA to CA, you'd violate California law on landfall in CA.

2. You can carry a shotgun or rifle to Canada from Seattle, but if you brought a handgun into port in Vancouver, you'd be a felon under Canadian law.

3. If you get into Mexican waters - much less make landfall - with any firearm in MX, you'd go to jail in Mexico for many, many years.

[ubet]

Our biggest problem in stopping the pirates, is they know we wont fire on them if they have live hostages. If we could get past our touchy feely ways, and fire upon pirate ships, EVEN IF THEY HAD LIVE AMERICANS on them, the pirates would quit attacking USA ships real quick. The bestway to diffuse a hostage situation, is to take the hostage out of the equation.

[nicki]

Pirates.

As I see it, we need to go on offense against these pirates, take the fight to them.

Bait a few merchant ships with a detachment of say 100 or so special forces types who will quitely dispatch the pirates as they enter the boat then discreetly throw them overboard.

By now they have to have the MO of the pirates down and traps could be set to clean up the problem.

Nicki

[Fyathyrio]

As I see it, we need to go on offense against these pirates, take the fight to them.

Bait a few merchant ships with a detachment of say 100 or so special forces types who will quitely dispatch the pirates as they enter the boat then discreetly throw them overboard.

By now they have to have the MO of the pirates down and traps could be set to clean up the problem.

Nicki

This would hardly put a dent in things, and wouldn't get the right people. The ones financing and supporting from a distance are the real culprits...the poor bastard in the skiff with a grappling hook is just a pawn...and there's plenty to replace him.

[Manolito]

MP 301
I should have included the links the first is the 1958 Geneva convention on Maratime law the second is 1982 United nations Convention on High Seas http://www.un.org/Depts/los/conventi...s/unclos_e.pdf
I sent a private resonse but I wanted to apologise publicly for not including the link I am new to the site and left it out for brevity. I will include them in the future.
The big point here is what is coastal waters? You can be in what you think is High Seas and the country closest to you can declare a 200 mile limit and confiscate your vessel and put you in a very ugly prison. As was said earlier mexico has some vey ugly laws about Transceivers (Radios) If you enter their waters with these radios you can receive harsher punishment than carrying a weapon. The Captains arms locker is a gentlemens agreement and not international law so if you trust your life to foreign countries playing fare so be it.
Respectfully,
Bill

[MP301]

IIRC, The US and many or most countries recognize a 12 mile limit to a nations water boundries.

[MP301]

Mexico is usually the short reason why most don't carry underway in California since most california seamen want to visit mexico in some fashion. Mexico can fine hundreds of dollars per round they find and can jail you if you have guns in their waters without the necessary permits from the consulate/embassy first, i.e. this poor chap:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f47/cruising-in-mexico-7-days-in-a-mexican-jail-40170.html

conceal well if you intend to carry arms in other words.

Ok, this is depressing, but not because the guy was messed with in Mexico. Even I know from a small bit of research that nothing over a .380 is allowed even with a permit. And as jacked up Mexico is with all the cartel crap, why anyone would go there is beyond me.

What pisses me off is the OP in the link has a CCW.....from Panama! You mean to tell me Panama is even with or even ahead of CA in the RKBA game. Well slap my *** and call me spanky!

I guess I didnt even know guns were allowed in Panama..

[Dr.Lou]

I was watching Whale Wars a while ago and the Japanese whaling ships used loud sound and water cannons to repel the idiots who were trying to thwart their operation and it seemed to work well.

[bigstick61]

This would hardly put a dent in things, and wouldn't get the right people. The ones financing and supporting from a distance are the real culprits...the poor bastard in the skiff with a grappling hook is just a pawn...and there's plenty to replace him.

The one's financing the pirates are the people or companies who pay ransom to free their crews/friends/relatives and their property (the ships/vessels).

[tabrisnet]

Both true, and untrue. That's akin to saying the true and untrue statement that the people financing the drug dealers is the buyers... but it's also the case that there are the street level dealers and the medium distributors and the big distributors.

I'm not much of a fan of disingenuous statements.