How to secure a liferaft

get a stencil made of your boat name and port. Use it to spray these details onto the canister (+ maybe a little roughing up of the surface with some wet & dry first) lurid or even plain colours will ensure the life raft has little resale value.
 
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I'd place the tracker in a roll of bandages in the First Aid Kit (How big are they?)
As far as battery life is concerned wouldn't they be "dead" until switched on remotely?

6-12 months

How long can a GPS tracker battery last? The battery life of the GPS tracker varies from one to another. But on average, a GPS device can also last up to 6-12 months without active tracking.


7 Best GPS Trackers With Longest Battery Life | Family1st


I know nothing about them but doesn't this indicate there are 4G models?
Tracking devices 4G - Google Search

Believe me ..... go ask any Radio Model flyer about trackers and real life. Its a common discussion amongst RC flyers ..... no longer are we flying those 5 quid stick and tissue models ...... my camera drone is over 1500 quid and that is CHEAP.

1. The tracker maintains link to Cell System same as your phone. It is not dead. Its waiting for your SMS text from you to get it to send back its location.
2. Yes there are various models .... even using Satcom ..... you pays your money .....
I have various 2G ... 3G .... and even ones with own WiFi out .... NONE regardless of the sales blurb of months stby etc. l;ast long enough for this ...
3. If you stash it inside the raft .... a) it needs to be included when service guy sorts ... b) how will you recharge it ?
 
Are rafts often a target? We had one opened, looking for drugs we assumed. They aren't easy to manhandle off a boat. If they come with bolt croppers then they will probably open the boat for the electronics etc.
Rafts aren't saleable for ready money. They also have serial numbers that are on the service certificate.
 
Are rafts often a target? We had one opened, looking for drugs we assumed. They aren't easy to manhandle off a boat. If they come with bolt croppers then they will probably open the boat for the electronics etc.
Rafts aren't saleable for ready money. They also have serial numbers that are on the service certificate.


mmmmm I'm not 100% with you ....

Plenty of rafts get sold on eBay and other advert sites ..... wonder how many check the serial number ??

I can think of quite a few 'service centres' that would service the raft and likely not check SN against any database - if such DB exists .... that's if owner ever registers fact of such SN stolen ??
 
get a stencil made of your boat name and port. Use it to spray these details onto the canister (+ maybe a little rouging up of the surface with some wet & dry first) lurid or even plain colours will ensure the life raft has little resale value.
This idea I like!
 
They can't reach the switch, but it's under the cover ? A LATCHING SWITCH.

So, they are going to be so afraid of the light and siren, they are going to swim away (empty handed) leaving the dinghy or boat that they arrived in behind ?

I DID NOT MEAN SWIM LITERALLY.



Expect to see a thief in a hoody giving you the finger, laughing up his sleeve because he knows he'll be long gone by the time you even get in your car or finish the phone call.
]
YOU MUST KNOW MORE ABOUT THIEVES THAN I DO.
I WILL ACCEPT WHAT YOU SAY.

I WAS TRYING TO BE HELPFUL, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO BE.

[/QUOTE

I participate in a few forums; this one does have more hostility about it than I have seen before. I will learn to shrug off it off.
 
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YOU MUST KNOW MORE ABOUT THIEVES THAN I DO.
I WILL ACCEPT WHAT YOU SAY.

I sometimes have to deal with the aftermath of their deeds. They don't care about cameras, alarms or pretty much anything else. There is a post in your "how many have alarms" thread mentioning stolen chart plotters, i dealt with both of those on behalf of the owners/insurance companies. These were stolen from boats in a well lit marina, with CCTV and a lock tower manned 24/7, didn't bother the thieves one bit.

WAS TRYING TO BE HELPFUL, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO BE.

Realistic.

I participate in a few forums; this one does have more hostility about it than I have seen before. I will learn to shrug off it off.

Do that. While you are at it, practice with the quoting system :)
 
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My friend had his yacht penned in Darwin harbor for a week or so while he was away. When he came back the radar up the mizzen mast had gone. (None of the harbor people knew how that could happen):(
 
My boat lives on a swinging mooring in Poole harbour, and over the last couple of years neighboring boats have been broken into and had equipment stolen. So, having just got a life raft fitted to my boat, I want to secure it with a padlock when I'm not on board. However, I can't work out a way to do it. The problem is the mounting frame can be taken apart too easily. I need a way to lock directly to the life raft. It's a Seago 4-man cannister type, but there is nowhere on the cannister I can secure a padlock to. Has anyone else had this problem, and found a solution?
View attachment 147868
1. Lift the life raft drill and bolt/screw the cradle in places where would be in accessible once you replace the life raft.
2. Use a long plastic covered cable to weave through all four parts of the cradle
3. Apply combination lock - so you can never put to sea without the key - stick label with combination code above chart table.
 
1. Lift the life raft drill and bolt/screw the cradle in places where would be in accessible once you replace the life raft.
2. Use a long plastic covered cable to weave through all four parts of the cradle
3. Apply combination lock - so you can never put to sea without the key - stick label with combination code above chart table.


I hate to admit this .... but when in School - I was 'infamous' for being able to open Combination locks. It was a 'party trick' of mine and others would try give me a lock I could not open.
 
How often do they go missing? See this;
Is life raft theft a problem? - Cruisers & Sailing Forums
Every fishing boat in the UK over 7 mts has one, some bigger ones have two. Plus all those on leisure craft, some alongside pontoons. I've not heard of problems. Thieves, as in the link, want something transportable and readily saleable. Even if they come looking for one, what is the chance you are the target? Not like the multiple outboard thefts we have had at times round here.
Insure it.
 
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