Introduction
When you store or transport your firearms, regardless of the means you use, safety always comes first. Once the safe aspect is covered, you will have to make sure that your firearm will not get damaged during transportation, which can happen if it is not handled properly.
If you want to transport firearms in a boat, there are certain aspects you will need to be aware of before you start this type of transportation. We will talk about all these aspects and offer you valuable hints that will help you transport your weapons in a boat, safe and without damaging them!
How should firearms be transported in a boat
Before we get into the depths of transporting firearms in a boat, we have to highlight that all weapons should be unloaded and they should not contain any ammunition in order to be transported safely.
Clear the firearms
Clearing your firearms is mandatory, before you store them or transport them in any way, not just on a boat. Each firearm has its own clearing procedure and you should follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer in order to unload your weapon safely. Your goal, regardless of the type of firearm you have is to make sure it is empty from any type of ammunition and completely clean before you store it or transport it.
To clear your firearm, by following the general method, you will have to take out the magazine first and eliminate all the leftover rounds that might be in the chamber. Make sure you pull the charging handle all the way back to perform this step securely and you can also check by sticking your finger in the chamber to make sure. You can also pull the trigger to make sure the chamber is empty but when you do that, check to see if there is any risk of accident. A shooting range is the best place to pull the trigger as anywhere else might be risky if your chamber is not all the way empty.
There are also situations when you might want to carry a loaded gun for safety. In case you need to protect yourself. Know that this is never a good idea and firearms are not stored loaded not even in the military. So, this is not an option you should consider.
Store the firearms on the boat
Now that you cleared all your firearms, you are ready to store them on the boat properly. To do so, make sure to place each firearm in a safe case that will prevent it from getting damaged. You can place your weapon in such a box assembled or disassembled.
You should store your firearms in the front side of the boat, in a secure location that is not easily accessed. The guidelines also say that the barrel of the firearm should face away from the passengers on the boat which means you want it to be aimed in the direction that the boat is going. Ultimately, regardless to where you place the weapons, they should always aim away from any passenger on board. This rule applies to all the firearms you transport, regardless of their number and models.
What about the ammunition
Chances are that, if you are transported firearms, you will also want to transport ammunition to use with them as without ammunition, your guns will be useless. Your main concern when you transport ammunition is to maintain it in optimum state so you can use it as you want when the time comes.
The main rule says to store your ammunition in a cold, dark and dry place. It is very important to not get your ammo exposed to moisture or a high level of humidity as it will get damaged. Taking these coordinates into consideration, it is recommended to store your ammunition in the same package you purchased it in.
Unloading the firearms from the boat
It is very important to unload the firearms from the boat safely as well. When you do that, remove the cases with the weapons safely, one by one and place them outside the boat, on a flat surface. Make sure you keep the firearms unloaded as well during this procedure. Wait until the boat stopped completely in order to start unloading your weapons.
Once your firearms are safely unloaded from the boat, you can assemble them and add the ammunition in order to use them as you please. As a general rule, make sure you always load your firearm when you are going to shoot with it as it is never safe to store loaded guns.
When you unloaded your weapons completely, make sure you keep applying the safety norms as you store them as well. Storing your weapons is essential in all types of environments and it is an aspect that you shouldn’t neglect.
Legal requirements for transporting firearms in a boat
The legislation on carrying a weapon on a boat, or more weapons for that matter will differ according to what waters are you in. When you are in international waters, you will respect the legislation of the state where your boat is registered at as well as the country of the flag you add on your boat.
As long as you are within U.S. waters you will follow the U.S. legislation. Similarly, if you are sailing in the waters of another state, you will have to respect the regulations of that state.
Make sure to check the legislation before loading your boat so you are aware of all the norms that you have to respect.
Final thoughts
Transporting weapons of any kind on a boat is considered safe as long as the guidelines are respected. It is also important to inform everyone on board that there are weapons stored as well, so they can be cautious and adjust to the situation accordingly. By informing the other passengers, you reduce the risk of accidents and you eliminate the potential damage that your weapons could be exposed to accidentally.