Bob, We have been doing a similar analysis. In our 40K miles of living aboard and cruising, we have only been seriously nervous four times, had only one unauthorized boarding, and called 911 only once (not the boarding). Three of our four incidents involved drunken 20-somethings late at night. If you follow the posts on this and other lists, I believe you'll find that the rate of these incidents is low. Low, but not zero. It's only a matter of luck - wrong place, wrong time - if you have not had one of these incidents in 40K miles of cruising. And if memory serves, there have been incidents in Canada (in Ottawa, and at rural Young's Point on the TSW) in the last couple of seasons, and routinely in Nassau and Freeport. So not just a US concern. If you want objective, factual advice on US gun laws, I recommend a paperback book called, "Traveler's Guide to the Firearm Laws of the Fifty States," J. Scott Kappas, Esq., Seventeenth Edition, 2013. The author also has a web site at: http://www.gunlawguide.com. The easy-to-read guide has a page for every state. The page format is the same for each state and covers that state's laws for each of the following categories of interest: standard firearms ownership semi-automatic gun ownership machine gun ownership firearm law uniformity right to self-defense open carry concealed carry vehicle carry by non-permittees state parks restaurants serving alcohol duty to notify LEO of permit status vehicle gun possession at colleges Suffice it to say, each of the 50 states are different, reflecting very different philosophies. Some states believe guns kill people; others believe people kill people. In many states you have the right to "stand your ground." In some states, you have a duty to run away. As you cruise the Great Loop, you will pass through regions that reflect each of these philosophies. Travel between states within the US may not be as onerous as other posters have suggested (Chicago City, where local laws are different from Illinois State Law, New York City, where local laws are different from New York State law, Washington, DC, which is different from surrounding Maryland and Virginia, for example). In the referenced text, page 5, under the heading, "Interstate transport through restrictive states," the author discusses the US Federal McClure-Volker Act of 1986. Quote: "Individuals transporting firearms through a certain state that would otherwise view such transport as illegal may do so under this law if the weapons are unloaded, cased, and stowed in a trunk or other vehicle storage compartment which is not readily accessible to the occupants. Any ammunition must also be kept separate from the firearms. Persons operating vehicles without trunks or external storage compartments may transport firearms in 'locked' cases." It continues with additional detail. The above certainly applies to uninterrupted travel by car through the "restrictive states." It may or may not apply to boats that might not be able to make "uninterrupted" transit between allowing jurisdictions. However, you'd have to go investigate case law to verify what is and is not allowable for boaters under this federal law. And then, law or not, there's no doubt defending yourself against improper search, seizure, arrest and prosecution would be costly and complicated. DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE ON THIS HIGHLY EMOTIONAL TOPIC VERY CAREFULLY. DOUBLE VERIFY EVERYTHING. This is another aspect of being a boater/liveaboard/cruiser where it is impractical at best, nearly impossible at worst, to actually be in compliance with the law everywhere you might find yourself. But the consequences on this one involves more than fines. Laws in Canada and the Bahamas are very much more restrictive than in much of the US. None of the above applies in those countries. Hope this is useful. Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary Currently at Charlotte Harbor, Punta Gorda, FL Monk 36 Hull #132 MMSI #367042570 AGLCA #3767 MTOA #3436