Forget boat security

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Babylon

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Just got back to the boat having stupidly (drunkenly) locked the keys inside! :o
Luckily a bloke was aboard a neighbouring yacht: it took but one snip of his boltcroppers to destroy the medium-security padlock and gain access.

Doesn't say much for boat security! :eek:
 
Aren't you glad? A half-decent padlock will deter most thieves who are opportunists. The determined ones will get in anyway and if you give them something they can't chop through they are likely to find more damaging ways through or round the obstacle.
 
Babylon said:
but one snip of his boltcroppers
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But that's what boltcutters are designed for, no surprise there :confused:

(Padlocks are all rated for how tough the metal is and how difficult they are to cut or for the lock to be tampered with).

+1 I would also rather they got in than break up my cocpit lockers and roof.
 
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Always been my "take" on security - better to deter the oportunist, but not give the "determined" the need to wreck your boat/house/car getting in.
Make it look secure.
My boat is a mile across the sea-loch. Only the determined will go there and I'd rather lose stuff than have a wrecked boat.

As for thieves with using bolt-croppers, well they are rather bulky to carry around - and dificult to explain to the constable.
Imagine the scene? Yoof, in non-boaty-wear on pontoon, or rowing across to moorings wiv bolt-croppers up his hoody sleeves:-
"Just found these, guv. Was takin' 'em to this boat to see if them was 'is. 'onist." ;)
 
Deterrent.

Depending where the boat is moored, you normally have amateurs and professional thieves.

As has already been said, a decent locked boat will cause amateurs to move on. A professional will always get in.

It's better to keep nothing of value on board and leave the inside visible if possible.
 
Under the seats! Tssk. That's far too obvious.

Best to leave a flowerpot on the deck, and put the key under that.
 
Robert Wilson said:
As for thieves with using bolt-croppers, well they are rather bulky to carry around - and dificult to explain to the constable.
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Well they probably wouldn't use bolt cutters against wood or GRP just knock or prise it off with a small jemmy or screwdriver.

The guys I worked with (in a professional manner of course :eek:) were very proud of the tools they would develop for jobs. E.g. they would machine/weld their own tools to make or adapt sliding hammers, mini jacks, cutters etc so that a usually quite big tool could be taken apart/folded etc so that it could be concealed on the body. It's a full time job for these guys, they put hours of skill and ingenuity into planning and preparing for the job, it's a pride thing, shame it's just not the right job :rolleyes:

There is just no way you can make a boat secure simply because it is made of GRP or Wood and the hatches would be easy to access also (maybe similar to your supposedly very secure plastic home double glazing, no point in putting a lock on that apart from psychological, it can be got into without breaking any lock, window, cutting any glass or main frame and as quietly as you like :eek:). Inside metal shutters are the only way to stop easy access. Even wood and the old metal frames are better. A row of houses was done last year apart from one which had old metal frames, the rest were plastic double glazed! Quick and quiet to do.

Put yourself into the mindset of a teen or twenty year lad that "NEEDS" money to survive. Physically strong, can scale up to a second floor from a drain pipe, jump over a 7' high side gate, kick in a solid front door on a street with no one passing by batting an eyelid. Spend all day most days with your mates talking about and planning future jobs, the tools, casing out the job, researching the area, nicking a job car, making your tools, who are you going to flog the stuff onto, or where are you going to use the stolen card bla bla. It's a full time job ,these guys are VERY skilled and have balls to match, you find one of them on your boat or in your house you won't scare him off even if you call the Police he knows he has 5-10 mins before they arrive. A combination lock!!!! One good belt with a hammer.

It's just a shame the skills, abilities these guys have can't always be channeled into honest work!
 
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JClarkes said:
I used to work on hundreds off boats I was surprised how many people left keys "hiding" under the seats and they were not left just for me.
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I know of one owner who used to leave his keys in the gas locker, boat was stolen and was taken to Santander where the delivery skipper employed to move it ran out of money.... and "owners' said leave it there we will get it trucked the rest of the way.

suffice to say it was found in santander, I was asked to bring it back to Southampton.
 
+1 for combination locks. All the marina regulars look out for each other's boats and, as we live 1000miles away, it's useful to allow access to someone if say, she looks like she's taking water etc.
 
reginaldon said:
Stick it in your mobile as a contact no..
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Now, where did I leave my mobile?
Oh yes, under the driver's seat, in the car, in the car park - the other side of the estuary..................:o

Ah well, I wasn't going to sail far today ;)

Sorry folks, I shall refrain from such comments. I didn't intend to hijack the OP; which after all is a very serious issue.

I stand suitably chastened.:o:o
 
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