How Should Firearms be Transported in a Boat?

From hunting and fishing expeditions to shooting your target from within your boat, there are unlimited possibilities of what you can do.

Nevertheless, because guns can be extremely harmful if they are incorrectly transported or handled, you must learn how to move them around.

How to Transport a Single Firearm

Summary of Steps

1. Discharge and secure the gun before boarding (put it in a weapon safe or disassemble it).
2. Put the gun safely into the front section of the boat.
3. Ensure the muzzlweapon’s muzzle faces outside when the boat moves (far from all people inside). (1)
4. Sit behind the back of the weapon, its handle/butt facing you, and continue to drive the boat as required.

Explanation of Steps

The precaution you choose needs to be the safest for the particular kind of gun you are carrying. This differs from weapon to weapon.

Once you’ve secured the gun in the mentioned ways, there will be no possibility for the gun to go off accidentally or pose a threat while traveling. The purpose of putting the gun in front of the boat is to ensure it is far away from everyone on board and that only the boat’s driver is within the range of its access.

Moreover, another precaution to take is to ensure that the weapon’s muzzle must always faces outwards when the boat is moving. In other words, whichever direction you or others are sitting, the firearm’s muzzle also called its barrel, has to face the opposite side.

Once that’s done, remain seated behind the weapon and operate your boat as necessary.

How to Transport Multiple Firearms

When any hunting and fishing expedition is planned, there is a high possibility of more than one person associated with the activity. Because more individuals will be onboard, more guns will be available.

Now that you understand how to transport one weapon in your boat effectively, you will need to understand what to do when more than one needs to be carried.

Look at the steps below to discover how you can safely transport several guns in a single boat.

Summary of Steps

1. Discharge and encase all guns before boarding (put them in a weapon safe or disassemble them).
2. Put one of the guns safely into the front section of the boat.
3. Ensure the first firearm faces outwards in the direction the boat is moving, away from everyone onboard.
4. The first passenger should sit straight behind the back of the weapon (after it is secured in the front). This individual is most likely to be either the boat’s driver himself/herself or a trustworthy friend or relative. Only someone reliable must sit here as the firearm will be very much in the range of the passenger.
5. Place the other gun into the back of the boat.
6. Make certain the second gun is also facing outwards, towards the back of the boat, in the opposite direction of where the boat is heading, once again away from everyone onboard.
7. The closest traveler should be seated in the back of the boat so that the gun’s handle is towards them and the barrel or muzzle is facing away. 

Explanation of Steps

The preliminary actions of transporting multiple firearms are similar to the procedure explained in the previous section, except there’s more than one gun this time.

All weapons must be thoroughly dismantled and unloaded, with the first being put in the front of the boat facing outwards. The first passenger is seated behind the gun in front of the boat. If that place happens to be reserved for the driver, then no other passenger should be allowed there.

The other passenger who owns a gun will put their unloaded firearm in the opposite direction towards the back of the boat.

The front of the weapon needs to be facing externally in the opposite direction of where the boat is going. The traveler closest to this gun will be seated in the back of the boat, straight behind the handle so that its muzzle is facing away.

Safety Tips

Now that you understand how guns should be transported in a boat, the next thing would be to figure out any additional safety tips you can follow.

• Make certain that you don’t go beyond the boat’s weight capability. Follow the guidelines and directions of the manufacturer to prevent any mishaps.
• Follow your city’s hunting and gun laws to avoid unnecessary issues. Whatever firearms you carry, ensure you have the appropriate license for them. (2)
• If you are bringing a dog, ensure that it is trained and not easily distracted. He must be resting on the bottom and in the center of your boat.
• Examine the weather condition and remain near the land as much as possible. In case of an emergency where you get stranded, it’s a good idea to bring along a survival kit to prevent hypothermia and any other danger while at sea.
• Use your gun only once the boat has entirely stopped, and the motor is off. The boat must be anchored too. This will prevent you from hurting anybody near your target.

We hope this article on how to transport your firearms in a boat helps you. 

References

(1) muzzle – https://www.thefreedictionary.com/gun+muzzle
(2) gun laws – https://www.dw.com/en/8-facts-about-gun-control-in-the-us/a-40816418