Locking the Companionway on a small Hunter

rgranger

rgranger

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Jan 19, 2010
12,776
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Hi Hunter Owners.

On the cruising forum I read a post titled
Securing the companionway and other approaches to burglary mitigation

It got me thinking about my H26 and the total lack of any real security. I have a simple hasp on the companionway hatch that latches over onto the top washboard. Then I attach a simple padlock.

Twice now I have forgotten to slip the lock before I shove the hatch forward and the top board simply pops out and I'm in my boat without unlocking it. So.... the lock is really there for looks only. Anyone can get in my boat anytime they want to.

Has anyone on this site figured out a way to secure their H26 or similar Hunter in a fashion that is better than a simply hasp and lock?
 
Kermit

Kermit

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Jul 31, 2010
5,721
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
Rob, our boats can not only be stolen but sailed with the companionway closed and locked. Just untie the lines and off you go. I leave mine unlocked. I learned to keep it unlocked the hard way when I locked my car keys down below at midnight. Fortunately the front hatch was not locked. I was able to wriggle in and get them. Of course, I had to hand the keys up through the front hatch so she could unlock the companionway. I also learned how to change the door code on my Expedition to something I could remember. Same night.
 
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Dennis Kitchen

Dennis Kitchen

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Jun 4, 2004
392
Hunter 31 and 25 and fomerly 23.5 Stockton State Park Marina; MO
Perhaps a marine version of the Trunk Monkey is in order:

Dennis
 
Parsons

Parsons

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Jul 12, 2011
1,165
Leopard 40 Jupiter, Florida
I used to have a little sister of the H26, a H216, and it was actually pretty secure for a sailboat. It had a stiff stainless strap that run up from a fitting below the companionway, over the hatchboards, to a padlock hasp on the companionway cover (photo below). We secured it with a luggage padlock. There was no forward hatch. You'd need either a good pair of wire pliers or a crowbar (short) to steal my cushions :). You might want to rig something like that.

For my current boat, I've got much more valuable stuff inside, and it's the same rig as you have with a lock between a top hatchboard and sliding hatch. I think the same tools will get you in. We've never had problems where we are in a fairly secure yacht club or stored in a marina. I think I'd be more concerned to the damage of breaking in, or vandalism, than I would be for losing my binoculars or handheld radio.
Serenity from astern.jpg
 
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Justin_NSA

Justin_NSA

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Jul 7, 2004
8,502
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
If you have wifi, you could mount a camera and one of those "smile, you are under surveillance" signs.
 
Maxx Mayhem

Maxx Mayhem

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Nov 10, 2018
30
Hunter 22 Baltimore
The best security is to have more apparent security than the boat on either side of you. A locked chain to the dock, keep your wheel, or tiller locked below. A heavy, locking door over your switch panel, at least on larger boats, a unique paint scheme, atypical procedures needed to operate the boat. Cover the B&G with a crappy home made plywood box with mold on it... Securing the companionway hatch would involve major customization, which depending on your skills/budget may or may not be worth it. Cheap trackers are available on ebay which will work if cell service is available. Hiding an AIS transponder is a better option. Last but not least, don't live in Florida, 1/2 of all boats stolen are from the sunshine state.
 
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Will Gilmore

Will Gilmore

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Oct 19, 2017
8,049
O'Day Mariner 19 Littleton, NH
Put a pair of these on the inside of the upper board so they catch the sides of the slideways.
You unlock the top hatch, push it back and reach down inside from above to pull the bolts back. If you want to get fancy, you can get them spring loaded too. Secure and simple and cheap. Of course, if you lock your car keys in the boat, not so simple to get to. Consider a combination lock


-Will (Dragonfly)
 
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G

GBGraham

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Nov 10, 2017
258
Hunter Legend 260 Epidavros
Here in Greece we get so little theft but IMHO the more secure you make the boat the more damage they would make entering or trying to. Depending on where you keep the boat I think I'd rather alarm the entry.
 
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