Believe it or not, in the BVI, the sailing capital of the Western Hemisphere, posession of any forms of explosive or gas powered projectiles including SOLAS flares, flare guns and other safety pyrotechnics is now illegal and anyone found in posession of any of these devices will be subject to imprisonment.

Go figgr? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

So are they removing flares from all the charter boats now? I believe most have them, don't they?

This would be pretty serious. Do you have a reference so I can follow up with more reading?

I guess the marine stores would be precluded from selling flares too?

I came across it because I had heard that my friend Travon Penn may have to close his paintball operation. Paintball guns are banned too. It appears the law is a cut and paste of a NSW, Austrailia law. It does not appear than anyone was aware of what is in the law. (Kind of like state legislatures here pass laws written by ALEC.) When asked why paintballs and flares were included Dr. Oneal said it was proposed by the police but when asked the police said they had not read the law. That was in mid April. Evidently the police finally got around to reading the law.

Glenn, I really hope that you don't actually believe what you are posting. The BVI, as a signatory to IMO/SOLAS, have no jurisdiction at all to change existing laws for IMO flagged vessels with regards to SOLAS. This is fear mongering at its worst and absolutely incorrect.
Foreign flagged vessels carrying SOLAS approved flares and signaling devices cannot be subject to local BVI laws and there is absolutely no chance of ANY foreign vessels carrying such approved devices to be fined or otherwise punished in the BVI.

The BVI might enact such restrictions within the country, but is bound by their agreement with the IMO to not extend that to visiting foreign flagged vessels.

Glenn, this is pretty dumb, so this precludes all BVI charter boats from entering U.S. waters where flare guns are mandatory. To take it a step further all U.S. charter boats could not enter BVI. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

Arnd, great minds think alike, however you stated it more eloquently. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

That's why the reference to Ripley. It is definitely in the new firearms control law. Exactly how long it will stay there and how it will be inforced is anyone's guess.

This will rank right up there with the traffic lights at the roundabout in BVI legislative history. As it is the election season I am sure some opposing candidate is going to note the thought, or lack there of, that went into writing the law. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

The BVI have sovereignity over their territory. Let us assume that they do indeed enact and enforce this law for visiting vessels, which is their right. The IMO is not a legislative body, but as of the first such enforcement, they would recommend that no IMO vessels enter the territory as they would lose insurance cover. Guess what, cruise ships are registered to flag nations which are IMO signatories. Thus no more cruise ships and no more cargo vessels would be sailing to the BVI as they are required, by their flag law, to carry such flares which are now illegal in the BVI. This would be the natural progression if the BVI loses its signatory status, but everyone knows that it would never escalate so far and thus my comment that the BVI will never let this happen.

Here is the text of the law under "Prohibited Devices":
12. A firearm made up in the form of a stylographic or propelling pen or pencil, capable of being used for the discharge of gas, bullets, shot, dye or pyrotechnic flares.
13. A firearm capable of discharging by any means (a) any irritant matter in liquid, powder, gas or chemical form, or (b) any pyrotechnic flare or dye,

HOWEVER, paragraph 14 covering "canons"does exempt a Very pistol.

Last time we registered a small old fishing boat, flare gun was a requirement along with a long list of things or NO registration was issued! And an inspector came to inspect that it was ALL on the boat!