Boat security?

waynes world

waynes world

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Hi all, how the boating world treating you, good i hope, good weather ahead for you all :) And me to play fixing mine more i hope.

Which brings me to something i have not really thought about until a member on here suggested it. I am doing work on an old cabin cruiser and i am soon to start fitting it out, now before i do i was wondering today how to go about and what type of security i can fit. The cabin door will have a Yale lock and a slide lever lock with T handle as it is in two parts, top and bottom. My main concern is the windows, there are two large side windows with a small section that slide open, they ave the basic thumb screw locks that push against the glass to prevent it from sliding.
There are two fixed small front windows and a Houdini hatch also.

What ways can i make it more secure, i used to think that to make it hard to get into will just get damaged more when morons try to break in so minimal security was best.

Thoughts and ideas please.

Wayne :)
 
I have seen or heard of a few boats being broken into . The locks did prevent entry in one case but the door frame was damaged. Others were not so lucky with doors damaged and navigation kit ripped out causing even more damage.
A good lock does no harm but if you fear a break in I would say security lighting, cameras and alarms are the best way forwards.
Perhaps a little flashing LED light to give the impression of a fitted alarm would be a cheap start.
 
Most boats are pretty insecure given the materials they made of, which can often be broken by a bit of brute force. In many ways, I'd prefer not to make it too difficult to break into the boat, thus avoiding damage caused by a determined thief and living with whatever they nick. Indeed, short of replacing my companionway hatch and washboards with steel, I don't think there much I can do to change things beyond the padlock and bolt I have already: it's probably enough to deter an opportunistic thief but would yield to a more determined one with minimum damage.
Down below when the boat is left for any longer periods everything really valuable is taken home. Shorter periods iPads and the like are hidden, money and passports locked in the strong box and a decoy wallet is left in the chart table. I think that's just about all that's reasonable.
 
The general opinion seems to be that if you make entry too hard, they will cause more damage when trying to enter, so measures to deter the casual thief are all that are necessary. My boat has a Yale-type lock on the companionway, and I think that this may even be too much. As long as the windows can't be prised open without tools, that should be enough.

Most of us don't leave valuables more than we have to, and for the rest, rely on good insurance.
 
You haven't said how its parked up... ...are you in a marina, mooring etc?

Mooring: two types of scroats - general yobs taking a chance and targeted thieves. Yobs are mindless - they don't know what the boat is. They probably paddled a 'borrowed' tender out for a nosy and then when they get there get carried away realising how badly secured boats are! However, make it moderately secure and they wont be out to break in. Targeted thieves are different. They know what you have that is valuable and will have it. They either know how to defeat alarms or don't care about them and on a mooring I'm not certain its going to attract much attention.

In a Marina - is the marina secure? If so I suspect the Yob risk is lower. The targeted risk is the same, BUT alarms etc may make you less of a target especially as they can move on to the next boat. Your best bet is to tie up next to the fancy looking boat ;-)

Always surprises me when windows without a 5 lever lock get mentioned as a security risk... ...its made of glass that construction material that is highly recommended for secure vault construction ;-)
 
Select from http://www.sillyjokes.co.uk/practical-jokes/fakes/bullet-holes
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I had trouble with bandits on my boat on a swing mooring. Firstly I had not locked the cockpit locker which gave them access to tools and secondly they broke through the plywood washboards. Now with a heavy ali wash board and always locking the cockpit locker no problems for many years. olewill
 
Morning all, say here reading through the replies it sounds a little like my first thoughts, to much security can be a bad thing, i would rather loose a few items than have the boat trashed more. I will have gadgets but all will be removed if/when left long periods. Just hope they dont pinch the cooker, its my pride and joy :)
The boat will be left for long periods on rivers/canals and lakes, not sure where though yet but for Lake Windermere and York, it is a trailer boat so it could be anywhere, even canals which are the biggest concern for the vandals. . My main concern should be the outboard i guess, easy access and the most expensive item. I have a thought of an alarmed cable, the kind if it is cut the alarm sounds to deter them, besides locked and bolted down. I cant see them cutting around the 2inch thick transom to get it off. Or do they actually do that.

Thanks for the replies;)
 
Sadly yes I've heard of entire transoms being chainsawed to get locked outboards off; the worst culprits around here seem to be organised gangs of Eastern European appearance, they have been known to empty well secured clubs of 40 engines in one go.

Propellers are apparently targetted by scrap dealer types too - tragic as they presumably only get a fraction of what the things cost.

If the engine is too heavy to stow ( or take home ) it's difficult to think what you can do apart from locks and postcode marking, PIR lights etc to put off yobs.

I tend to agree with not making it too difficult so as to minimise damage, but it's hard to judge what level; my father's boat was broken into by yobs - she was the only boat on the moorings at the time so a magnet to lowlife - the good news was the trail of blood after they shattered the perspex hatch !

I hope to travel the French canals one day, and as it gets very hot there in summer I will have wire grids so I can leave the hatches open for ventilation, I don't know if that's any good for you.

I don't think audible alarms are much use - nobody responds to car alarms - but a strobe light up a mast with a shielded cable might help.

If keen you can get alarms which call you in event of a break-in; I don't do phone app's but I think such things are available that way too, and these things have the bonus of being able to turn kit like fridges or heaters on or off before one arrives on a Friday evening.
 
I agree with much that been said especially alarms which make a noise - even in a remote location these might seem to the thief to be a risk. Plus some can make a mobile text and even send a photo.
 
I once asked a pal with a big boat how good his lock was. "It'll keep an honest man out" was the reply.

One more vote for a loud alarm.
 
Laundryman said:
I was in an Agricultural Supplies place the other day and stood looking at an Electric fence generator which worked off 12v. Less than £200 including a reel of cable. Certainly made me think. Trouble is, some scrote gets a jolt, falls in and drowns. Who gets the blame?
Click to expand...

You do if it is a ' a man trap '.

You might get away with claiming it was a bird defense.
 
Mike Peyton did a great cartoon of a boat anti -burglar system consisting of a footpad by the main hatch, activating a crossbow mounted opposite on the cabin table; trouble is one knows what will happen, especially if coming back from the pub...

Some alarms are painfully loud to intruders, which I'd think more effective than just alerting any other people around - but I suspect one might get sued by the scrote for hearing damage or similar.
 
Whatever you decide take photos of it and sent to your ins co and ask if they accept the arrangements if the boat gets damage on break in you should have no problem in a claim .
 
Seajet said:
Mike Peyton did a great cartoon of a boat anti -burglar system consisting of a footpad by the main hatch, activating a crossbow mounted opposite on the cabin table; trouble is one knows what will happen, especially if coming back from the pub...

Some alarms are painfully loud to intruders, which I'd think more effective than just alerting any other people around - but I suspect one might get sued by the scrote for hearing damage or similar.
Click to expand...

There are rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty.... oops, where did that come from... [start again] There are well defined limits to alarm sounder loudness (and probably maximum sound pressure level in an enclosed space). I suggest that anyone going the loud as possible route research those levels and aim just a tad over them (you can always unplug some of them when you find a pool of ex-burglar). Strobe lighting is good too (indoors), loud noise and flashing lights cause such disorientation that they might just bugger off somewhere else.
But, you had better be sure you dont have too many false alarms else your neighbours might disable your alarm with a trip to the bottom of the mooring.
 
I would have thought that the theft of a propeller was very unlikely if not impossible on a swinging mooring - they don't usually come off that easily.
As far as general theft is concerned, I think it's only necessary to take 'reasonable' precautions ie good quality padlocks on main and cockpit lockers. My boats live on a drying mooring which can be easily accessed at low water so I take precautions like chaining outboards to the bracket, closing curtains so potential thieves can't see valuables like radios etc and removing small valuables when not aboard. I've never suffered a break in as boat crime is very low in our area.
 
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