Forget boat security

padlocks

We have a 'hatchlatch' with a serious padlock that you cannot lock without the key. very difficult for bill the burglar to get bolt croppers on. Looks big and strong so acts as a deterent . I must get a spare key as the damage I would have to do to get in without one gives me nightmares!
 
MARNEN said:
We have a 'hatchlatch' with a serious padlock that you cannot lock without the key. very difficult for bill the burglar to get bolt croppers on. Looks big and strong so acts as a deterent . I must get a spare key as the damage I would have to do to get in without one gives me nightmares!
Click to expand...


It's not a deterrent though, as others have said and as you admit the boat can still be got into and they will make one hell of an expensive mess at the same time.

These guys can force some steering locks off by brute force alone, barge through doors with two deadlocks etc. Forget the lock. they won't bother with bolt-cutters they'll just force the catch or hatch off, they might even cut you a new opening :eek:

Putting an expensive lock on reads as though. Hey this guy is worried about protecting what he has inside, he must have some nice stuff, chuck us the crow bar mate!

I agree with the others, just put on a simple lock, it will deter kids and some opportunists, the serious thieves will get in whatever you put on...
 
Babylon said:
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:
Click to expand...

I did EXACTLY the same thing about a month ago.
 
MARNEN said:
We have a 'hatchlatch' with a serious padlock that you cannot lock without the key. very difficult for bill the burglar to get bolt croppers on. Looks big and strong so acts as a deterent . I must get a spare key as the damage I would have to do to get in without one gives me nightmares!
Click to expand...

But how secure are your deck hatches? Many of the old Lewmars can be opened by just tapping the hinge pins out.
 
I once hit a pushpit mounted outboard on a windy day. Called owner to confess and say I would get it fixed. I knew he was not to be on the boat oft a few week's. He was happy and would send me the key to get the outboard off. He was a little perturbed that I said no need the OBn was with local agent and I would put his lock back on when it was repaired. I am an engineer. Simple locks are not a problem . As an apprentice locking your tool box with key in side was fun.
 
MARNEN said:
We have a 'hatchlatch' with a serious padlock that you cannot lock without the key. very difficult for bill the burglar to get bolt croppers on. Looks big and strong so acts as a deterent . I must get a spare key as the damage I would have to do to get in without one gives me nightmares!
Click to expand...

We also have a "Hatchlatch" with one of their "Zone" S/S close shackle padlocks. Even a determined thief will not get in there. The beauty of the "Zone" lock is that it does not snap shut-it requires the key to lock it,so no locking the keys inside. As a retirement job I am working on some retro fitted hatch bars for Lewmar hatches. Got to be carefull here as if they were left on when the boat was occupied getting out in an emergancy would be compromised.
 
Have you a link to these Hatch Latches, when I Google them a load of ordinary catches came up of differing designs.

E.G http://marinestore.co.uk/Hatch_Latch.html

Not the same but I have a similar little latch stopping the hatch from sliding back -although I thought. I thought I had unlocked mine but couldn't move the hatch (they kind of stick sometimes don't they!) so I gave it a good hard shove and the latch half bent back and the hatch lip half cracked. I realised I had just locked it, not unlocked it! Pillock - I now have a nice bit of teak to cover the 8mm crack.
 
Last edited:
Re "Hatchlatch"

Thanks for the link. Looking at the fitting instructions the top part of the latch is just screwed into the sliding hatch :eek: Easy to prise off or thump but not much damage would be done just the small hole left by the screw being pulled out and a bit of possible damage to the wash board as the lower part is forced when the upper part is pulled out.

http://www.ospreymarine.co.uk/hl1000.pdf

untitled-15.jpg


images-5.jpg


A bolt through would be much better but until the material it is srewed/bolted into is more resistant, any catch will always be very vulnerable!

That's a work of art 'Aluijten' very smart, I imagine you must have a very beautiful boat!
 
Last edited:
Zagato said:
A bolt through would be much better but until the material it is srewed/bolted into is more resistant, any catch will always be very vulnerable!

That's a work of art 'Aluijten' very smart, I imagine you must have a very beautiful boat!
Click to expand...

You are absolutely correct. To make sure the top part is secure it needs to be bolted through. Which was possible in my case (with backing plate).
I vaguely remember this also being mentioned in the installation manual though.
Of course there is no absolute security on a boat. I remember my sailmaker telling me a story about a customer that had his winches nicked ... by means of a drill and jig-saw they simply cut them out of the boat. Nothing will help against that apart from 24/7 surveillance.

Thanks for your compliment. Enclosed is a picture of the finished work of the new hatch I did 2 years ago.
The original was made from plywood and looked horrible. This one is from 25 mm solid teak. As we have a cockpit-tent is sits mostly sheltered so it still looks as new.
 
When my boat was broken in to they put their foot through the thick perspex washboard. Quick and easy, and actually, minimal damage.

After they did that, in full view of the marina office and CCTV, they calmly hung around and carefully unscrewed and removed the Origo stove and Plastimo Contest through-bulkhead compass.

They did very little damage to the boat, but they had the time, tools and serenity to do a lot more damage if breaking in had been more dificult. Perhaps something like putting their foot through the forehatch.
 
Last edited:
A well known local boatyard recommended we buy an "insurance padlock" for the winter (ie a lightweight flimsy padlock) He suggested it is needed to meet insurance requirements, but anybody that had climbed a 10 foot fence and got to the boat was not going to stop for anything, so best not to make too difficult.
A cordless angle grinder will remove sections of the hatch to cut round any security mechanism.
Even been cases elsewhere of chain saws used to cut stern off small power boats to remove large outboards - security locks can then be removed at leisure later.
 
Zagato said:
Re "Hatchlatch"

Thanks for the link. Looking at the fitting instructions the top part of the latch is just screwed into the sliding hatch :eek: Easy to prise off or thump but not much damage would be done just the small hole left by the screw being pulled out and a bit of possible damage to the wash board as the lower part is forced when the upper part is pulled out.

http://www.ospreymarine.co.uk/hl1000.pdf

untitled-15.jpg


images-5.jpg


A bolt through would be much better but until the material it is srewed/bolted into is more resistant, any catch will always be very vulnerable!

That's a work of art 'Aluijten' very smart, I imagine you must have a very beautiful boat!
Click to expand...

On our "Hatchlatch" installation I exchanged the 30mm screws supplied for 70mm ones. The sliding hatch cover edge is 4 inch solid teak and the screws are big. The washboards are 3/4 inch solid teak. It is obviously possible to break in but it wont be easy-or quiet. Because of the design it is not easy to insert a crowbar behind the hatchlatch.
 
Last edited:
rotrax said:
On our "Hatchlatch" installation I exchanged the 30mm screws supplied for 70mm ones. The sliding hatch cover edge is 4 inch solid teak and the screws are big. The washboards are 3/4 inch solid teak. It is obviously possible to break in but it wont be easy-or quiet. Because of the design it is not easy to insert a crowbar behind the hatchlatch.
Click to expand...

How hard is it to get a crowbar between the washboard and the wood at the sides? I'd imagine once those are removed your washboard would pull out towards the cockpit. As has been said above, because this installation looks like you've put effort into making it secure it also looks more worthwhile trying.
Of course that padlock also looks to have a cylinder lock so they probably wouldn't bother with breaking in, they would just open it easily
 
lustyd said:
How hard is it to get a crowbar between the washboard and the wood at the sides? I'd imagine once those are removed your washboard would pull out towards the cockpit. As has been said above, because this installation looks like you've put effort into making it secure it also looks more worthwhile trying.
Of course that padlock also looks to have a cylinder lock so they probably wouldn't bother with breaking in, they would just open it easily
Click to expand...

Thats not my padlock......................As I said, it would be possible to break in but it would not be easy or quiet. The companionway has a good taper and solid teak washboards. We considered all the implications of easy access against damage. We decided we are letting the side down unless we try and make it difficult. The reason we left a syndicate some years ago and purchased our own boat was so we could leave our kit on board. Our system is what our philosophy requires-visual "That looks a Bas*ard-lets go and do that white one" We use the same philosophy in our home. Primary safety-no alarms to go off and pis* the neigbours off, good locks and let others know we are away.
 
rotrax said:
On our "Hatchlatch" installation I exchanged the 30mm screws supplied for 70mm ones. The sliding hatch cover edge is 4 inch solid teak and the screws are big. The washboards are 3/4 inch solid teak. It is obviously possible to break in but it wont be easy-or quiet. Because of the design it is not easy to insert a crowbar behind the hatchlatch.
Click to expand...

That is some weight and construction, a beautiful piece of work. Sadly unless there is good secondary security, CCTV and proactive security they will just do more damage on the way in :confused:.

Ok the boat next door might get broken into first :(, but if some one decides they want in :eek:...

Main hatch to difficult, what about the fore hatch? If you can get a pry bar in that latch is a goner. If not sledge hammer? unless the surrounds are steel something will give...

Sorry I am in the insurance lock camp on this one...
 
rotrax said:
Thats not my padlock......................As I said, it would be possible to break in but it would not be easy or quiet. The companionway has a good taper and solid teak washboards. We considered all the implications of easy access against damage. We decided we are letting the side down unless we try and make it difficult. The reason we left a syndicate some years ago and purchased our own boat was so we could leave our kit on board. Our system is what our philosophy requires-visual "That looks a Bas*ard-lets go and do that white one" We use the same philosophy in our home. Primary safety-no alarms to go off and pis* the neigbours off, good locks and let others know we are away.
Click to expand...

Wise words.
And the padlock in the picture is certified with a proper cylinder. So it will take some time. That is the best you can do anyway.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top