R/C Naval Combat

A quick Google of the UK paintball laws states that paintballs are legal because they fire a "frangible" ammunition which is designed not to penetrate the skin.

Regarding BB guns.  Unlicensed BB guns are allowed as long as they are under a certain energy level.  This link covers it fairly well. 

http://www.airpistol.co.uk/airgun_law.htm

What will need to be determined is if a cannon will be classified as a rifle or a pistol.  They each have a different maximum velocities for unlicensed use in the UK.

For .177 ammunition the limits are:

Rifle: 826 ft/sec
Pistol: 584 ft/sec

I think if someone in the US with a chrono can measure the velocities they are seeing from their guns, it would help too determine the possibility of the Hobby in the UK.

Steve

Seems the UK laws regarding airguns aren't so onerous after all except for that shipping restriction. So build your own guns out of plumbing parts, battle on private land with the land owner’s permission, transport the boat in a case, and during transport have no bb’s or co2 loaded. If your still worried, get a chrono to prove the velocity if asked and carry a copy of the appropriate law. When describing the hobby to anybody, always call the cannons “low powered air weapons” and explain that they are exempt from the UK firearms act of 1962 and the 1997 firearms amendment just like toy bb or Airsoft guns.