[PUP] Nightime fishing and firearms on board

[hannu venermo]

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.