bring a bag of quikcrete and a few 5 gal buckets...and some rope

It's all about self-reliance when the cops are too far away to help. In a marina you're almost certainly fine, but if you anchor out away from others you are more at risk, especially if you have a boat that makes you look well-to-do.

Check out this blog from a local preparedness/defense training/firearms store for an retired cop's view on self-reliance. http://annarborarms.blogspot.com/

If you carry on your boat in Michigan remember it's zero tolerance for you with alcohol consumption, just like on land.

Agreed, and I know "up here" you can't rely on a bunch of bleeding heart left wing liberal judges to give these scumbags a fitting sentence, so, I agree that protecting your family mainly comes down to YOU.

Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6

I can help you out there, I haul cement for a living. Lol

I guess we just do it two different ways. Our gun laws as you know are very restrictive, I carry a baseball bat in my "PETE", also one in my boat. Certainly no chance against a gun but I will get the MOFO when it comes to my family.

Wouldn`t you rather have the freedom to choose instead of the Gov. telling you how you can protect yourself? States with stricter gun laws consistently have higher crimes rates.. look at Chicago.. or Chiraq.. 8 dead 46 shot.. thats just this weekend!! Illinois have THE strictest guns laws anywhere..only state not to have a conceal carry law .. not for long thou.

I just read that today in the paper, Is Chicago making change (CPL)?

Peter I totally understand where your coming from when you don't understand why people need to carry, but I can assure you that your baseball bat will not stop someone who is all jacked up on crack looking for his next fix. I hope you and your family will always be safe just like I hope I never need to pull out my weapon for protection but lets face it we live in a crazy world and I will protect my family at any cost and don't wan't my GOV telling me that I can't protect my family.

Oh no argument from me. A baseball bat won't cut it, but we're under different circumstances. I'm not here to preach what is right and what is not. I'm from a society where we just don't see sidearms, and let me tell you it's some scary looking. A friend of mine is ex military and was telling me what and how the gun gets transported to a firing range. You need to be a friggin lawyer to understand the laws, yet he is an ex sniper, and even he can't carry. Go figure.