Keeping my tender safe

[magic mark]

The boat I just bought ( Dufour Arpege 30) came with a decent inflatable with a pull start. My question is; is there any way I can make it harder to steal for those occasions when we go to restaurant or exploring?

 

[LiftyK]

i once discussed his with the owner of a chandlery. He made a long length of guard rail wire with a loop at each end. I pass the wire through loops on the boat and secure with a padlock.

 

[Graham376]

Chain and padlock deters the opportunists ashore and haul up at night to avoid being nicked while you're asleep.

 

[LadyInBed]

i once discussed his with the owner of a chandlery. He made a long length of guard rail wire with a loop at each end. I pass the wire through loops on the boat and secure with a padlock.

That's what I have.

 

[Stemar]

I have one of those bar type locks that fits over the screw handles, very pretty in stainless steel, but it was such a faff to use and, of course, the one time I didn't use it...

I'm going back to my lump of guard wire.

 

[Bouba]

Only use stainless steel padlocks and constantly maintain them with WD40....or the key will get stuck in it and it will look even more inviting

 

[magic mark]

Only use stainless steel padlocks and constantly maintain them with WD40....or the key will get stuck in it and it will look even more inviting

?

 

[john_morris_uk]

If you’re going to use a length of s/s wire and lock your tender to the dock/pontoon here’s a plea to make it a LONG one.
One of my pet hates is tenders tied up on short lines. It’s rude and selfish.

 

[Boathook]

If you’re going to use a length of s/s wire and lock your tender to the dock/pontoon here’s a plea to make it a LONG one.
One of my pet hates is tenders tied up on short lines. It’s rude and selfish.

and means a lot of people trying to get ashore trample through the offending dinghy.
I saw a tender once with 'bouancy aids' padlocked down to the floor as well. People tried to avoid them but there wasn't really anywhere else to walk in the tender.

 

[[2574]]

One feels like such a misery locking everything up when leaving the tender ashore but regrettably it is necessary. We’re anchored at Tighnabruaich at the moment and brought the dinghy up on the davits last night as I’m aware of a dinghy that’s been stolen from here this summer from the back of a moored boat. Also, believe it or not, a mainsail and genoa were cut off and stolen from a yacht on a mooring at Colintraive last year. Unbelievable but sadly true.

 

[NormanS]

It must depend on where you sail. I never give it a thought.

 

[john_morris_uk]

It must depend on where you sail. I never give it a thought.

We don’t ever lock ours in UK/French/CI waters (but the outboard is locked to the dinghy)
However I’ve heard that tenders regularly disappear in the islands and waters we’re heading for. A long length of s/s wire is on the shopping list. On the mother ship, the tender is lifted onto davits so it’s much harder to swim out and nick it.

 

[Bouba]

How about painting the tender in bold garish colors and patterns....

 

[capnsensible]

Certainly well worthwhile keeping everything locked up in the Windies.

 

[Allan]

We use a long piece of stainless steel wire and a good padlock. A friend once told me he was buying a new outboard, the next time I saw him his outboard was matt black and scratched. I laughed and asked why he'd changed his mind? Very quietly, he explained that he hadn't, but as the new shinny outboard looked such a target, he had painted it with blackboard paint and and scratched it with his thumbnail! Fooled me!
Allan

 

[[2574]]

We use a long piece of stainless steel wire and a good padlock. A friend once told me he was buying a new outboard, the next time I saw him his outboard was matt black and scratched. I laughed and asked why he'd changed his mind? Very quietly, he explained that he hadn't, but as the new shinny outboard looked such a target, he had painted it with blackboard paint and and scratched it with his thumbnail! Fooled me!
Allan

We have an electric outboard. i can’t understand why the manufacturers don’t include electronic security - a proximity tag for example - which would make it worthless to the criminal fraternity. Cant be hard surely?

 

[RupertW]

We have an electric outboard. i can’t understand why the manufacturers don’t include electronic security - a proximity tag for example - which would make it worthless to the criminal fraternity. Cant be hard surely?

It’s fairly easy to lock the shaft and battery of a Torqueedo to the dinghy - we take the tiller with us as it’s very light.

 

[magic mark]

We don’t ever lock ours in UK/French/CI waters (but the outboard is locked to the dinghy)
However I’ve heard that tenders regularly disappear in the islands and waters we’re heading for. A long length of s/s wire is on the shopping list. On the mother ship, the tender is lifted onto davits so it’s much harder to swim out and nick it.

I live in Malta and the previous owner used to leave not only the tender unlocked but also the boat. I intend sailing to Sicily next summer. How have you locked yours? Cables?

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

Get a paint brush and paint casually a few stripes of bright colour on the dinghy. For an outboard engine, wrap masking tape around the engine cover to make it look old and naff. In the majority of cases, thieves want to steal something that looks clean and good so that they can sell it. No-one wants a dinghy with paint slapped on it and an outboard covered in tatty masking tape.

 

[mjcoon]

We use a long piece of stainless steel wire and a good padlock. A friend once told me he was buying a new outboard, the next time I saw him his outboard was matt black and scratched. I laughed and asked why he'd changed his mind? Very quietly, he explained that he hadn't, but as the new shinny outboard looked such a target, he had painted it with blackboard paint and and scratched it with his thumbnail! Fooled me!
Allan

I think that may be Müllerian_mimicry