Stolen: stereo / speakers Outboard motor gasoline These are items our friends have lost from their boats recently. I use locks on my trailer hitch, and I always take the portable electronics and outboard off. What else can I do?
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
Thieves don't like light
It's why they come at night. Floodlights with motion sensors that turn them on cost about $15/pair at Home Depot etc. and are the best theft protection you can buy, and can replace any outdoor light or be installed anywhere you can run a wire. Mount 'em on the side of the house...in the tree you partk your trailer under. And they don't wake up the neighbors by barking every time a racoon strolls by.
It's why they come at night. Floodlights with motion sensors that turn them on cost about $15/pair at Home Depot etc. and are the best theft protection you can buy, and can replace any outdoor light or be installed anywhere you can run a wire. Mount 'em on the side of the house...in the tree you partk your trailer under. And they don't wake up the neighbors by barking every time a racoon strolls by.
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Ben Allen
Thieft Protection
It's always a good idea to use locks wherever you can, take loose items of value home with you, but the bottom line is if someone wants something bad enough, they will take it not matter what. The best protection I use is keeping my insurance up to date, and using locks wherever possible. Ben Allen Montgomery, AL "Latte Dah" O'Day 26
It's always a good idea to use locks wherever you can, take loose items of value home with you, but the bottom line is if someone wants something bad enough, they will take it not matter what. The best protection I use is keeping my insurance up to date, and using locks wherever possible. Ben Allen Montgomery, AL "Latte Dah" O'Day 26
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LaDonna Bubak - CatalinaOwners
Locks
The best locks are the ones that are protected by a bar or something. I'm not describing it very well but I have one on my outboard. Basically, it would take a chainsaw to cut through it. And I bought the absolutely heaviest chain I could. Even the store cutting machine had a hard time with it. LaDonna
The best locks are the ones that are protected by a bar or something. I'm not describing it very well but I have one on my outboard. Basically, it would take a chainsaw to cut through it. And I bought the absolutely heaviest chain I could. Even the store cutting machine had a hard time with it. LaDonna
thieves
Two years ago a man who keeps his boat down from mine had a great outborad lock combo with chain on his boat, they removed his engine mount from the boat,mine was stolen and I am right in front of one of those huge vapor lights, Insurance is the only key unless you want to email me offsite , for some sure fire claymore style devices, you would need to check with the locals about legality , , good luck thieves beware, Mike
Two years ago a man who keeps his boat down from mine had a great outborad lock combo with chain on his boat, they removed his engine mount from the boat,mine was stolen and I am right in front of one of those huge vapor lights, Insurance is the only key unless you want to email me offsite , for some sure fire claymore style devices, you would need to check with the locals about legality , , good luck thieves beware, Mike
Shoot the bastards!
Shooting the bastards (make sure their dead) is the only way to eliminate them. Of course you always need to worry about the next one, but maybe it will get around town that no one should tread on you!
Shooting the bastards (make sure their dead) is the only way to eliminate them. Of course you always need to worry about the next one, but maybe it will get around town that no one should tread on you!
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R.W. Landau
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LaDonna Bubak - Catalina Owners
My set up
My motor is mounted on the transom, not a bracket, and the chain wraps around the rudder post. They would REALLY have to want that thing and since my moorage also houses floating homes, it's unlikely they'll spend that much time trying to cut through all that. LaDonna
My motor is mounted on the transom, not a bracket, and the chain wraps around the rudder post. They would REALLY have to want that thing and since my moorage also houses floating homes, it's unlikely they'll spend that much time trying to cut through all that. LaDonna
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Greg Ketley
Write the check....
I have my boat in a (so far) safe place that has had little or no trouble. I have replacement value on all my insurance for the boat and everything in or on it. I don't lock my boat at all, I would rather that a theif just walk in and take anything that they want without doing major damage just getting in. I have also been told that the most common reason that boats are broken into is by kids looking for booze. I always leave a bottle in plain sight on the theory that a quick score will encourage a hasty exit.
I have my boat in a (so far) safe place that has had little or no trouble. I have replacement value on all my insurance for the boat and everything in or on it. I don't lock my boat at all, I would rather that a theif just walk in and take anything that they want without doing major damage just getting in. I have also been told that the most common reason that boats are broken into is by kids looking for booze. I always leave a bottle in plain sight on the theory that a quick score will encourage a hasty exit.
I'd rather make the thief work hard
Theft is a crime of opportunity. For a robbery to be successful, there must be something worth stealing AND enough time to take it without anybody else noticing. My approach is to try and reduce that opportunity to the point where the potential thief won't bother. My boat is in a marina. I keep it locked when I'm away and I try not to leave anything of obvious value aboard. That being said, it was broken into last week along with seven other boats on the same dock. They got the flare gun, flares, and two FRS walkie-talkies They had enough time to search the boat thoroughly and eat a can of ravioli. They got in by breaking the lock on the main hatch. Once below, they were out of sight and could work at leisure. So, over the weekend I bought a motion detector alarm for the cabin ($20 at Home Depot). As long as it is properly fixed to the bulkhead it won't go off even when the boat rocks. However, it will go off if someone opens the main hatch. The noise should deter anyone from staying below for more than a few seconds, which doesn't leave them enough time to search for a "parting gift". The dockmaster has a similar detector with a handheld remote (NOW he tells me). Oh well. Peter H23 "Raven"
Theft is a crime of opportunity. For a robbery to be successful, there must be something worth stealing AND enough time to take it without anybody else noticing. My approach is to try and reduce that opportunity to the point where the potential thief won't bother. My boat is in a marina. I keep it locked when I'm away and I try not to leave anything of obvious value aboard. That being said, it was broken into last week along with seven other boats on the same dock. They got the flare gun, flares, and two FRS walkie-talkies They had enough time to search the boat thoroughly and eat a can of ravioli. They got in by breaking the lock on the main hatch. Once below, they were out of sight and could work at leisure. So, over the weekend I bought a motion detector alarm for the cabin ($20 at Home Depot). As long as it is properly fixed to the bulkhead it won't go off even when the boat rocks. However, it will go off if someone opens the main hatch. The noise should deter anyone from staying below for more than a few seconds, which doesn't leave them enough time to search for a "parting gift". The dockmaster has a similar detector with a handheld remote (NOW he tells me). Oh well. Peter H23 "Raven"
Two sure-fire methods.
1. gun. 2. big dog. 3. tear-gas fixed to underside of hatch fitted with one-way fasteners that set it off if opened wrong, like James Bond's briefcase (idea I had for my Buick convertible's radio). But foget the burglar alarm. All those stupid 'woop-woop' things do is go off inadvertantly, annoy neighbours, and advertise that you think you have something worth stealing, since (round here anyway) no one ever pays them any mind at all. If I were a thief I'd set it off two or three times in one night, break in the fourth time, and then turn it off myself once inside the boat as though I were the owner. No one would suspect a thing and I could check out the ravioli and what have you as I liked. [wink] Sad to say, the only sure-fire way to stop thieves is to STOP them. Not to get political, but if you were a thief and knew you had a 50-50 chance of running into an owner with a gun on board you would definitely think twice before going there. Thieves are not concerned with the legality of you shooting to kill-- any suggestion of potential hassle will probably deter them. Also they are stupid. Make a fake alarm system (battery-powered blinking light and window decal) and make sure it's visible through the window. Ten to one he will hit the neighbour's boat instead. If they were interested in taking the hard or high road they'd get a job and pay for it, right? JC
1. gun. 2. big dog. 3. tear-gas fixed to underside of hatch fitted with one-way fasteners that set it off if opened wrong, like James Bond's briefcase (idea I had for my Buick convertible's radio). But foget the burglar alarm. All those stupid 'woop-woop' things do is go off inadvertantly, annoy neighbours, and advertise that you think you have something worth stealing, since (round here anyway) no one ever pays them any mind at all. If I were a thief I'd set it off two or three times in one night, break in the fourth time, and then turn it off myself once inside the boat as though I were the owner. No one would suspect a thing and I could check out the ravioli and what have you as I liked. [wink] Sad to say, the only sure-fire way to stop thieves is to STOP them. Not to get political, but if you were a thief and knew you had a 50-50 chance of running into an owner with a gun on board you would definitely think twice before going there. Thieves are not concerned with the legality of you shooting to kill-- any suggestion of potential hassle will probably deter them. Also they are stupid. Make a fake alarm system (battery-powered blinking light and window decal) and make sure it's visible through the window. Ten to one he will hit the neighbour's boat instead. If they were interested in taking the hard or high road they'd get a job and pay for it, right? JC
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