Your elegant cabinetry, "secret places", etc. will only work to avoid a casual "inspection". In fact, in many countries (including ours), you can get into more trouble for lying to a "federal" official than for the basic crime itself.

If you're not prepared to roll the dice with loosing your freedom, your boat, becoming a felon, etc. -- then realize that carrying weapons in many places is a serious offense.

Our general U.S. perspective of freedoms -- including the right of due process, expression, movement, religion, self defense, or having lethal weapons is not shared around the world. [I realize that I should speak for those of you that don't have the same view of the "right" to bear arms ;^)))) ]

For that matter, the State of Massachuesetts can charge you with having a weapon on board in their waters. (I'm not sure that if you were just transiting "their" waters, that you'd ultimately get tagged -- but a least you'd be "starring down the barrel" of some serious legal defense expenses, jail time, fines, being labeled a criminal, etc.).