My first boat - buying tomorrow fingers crossed (advice pls)

[TonyBerkshire]

- 3 seconds to open ?
As for insurance some require certified devices and not “Chinese toys”
Check out this website Sold Secure - Security Product Testing & Approval look for trailers and caravan. Bulldog products are there plus you support local economy. not like I get any affiliation to them

Lowest lifeform of locks ? ... ok got it thanks.

 

[TonyBerkshire]

It's a condition of insurance. No wheel lock, no payout in the event of a claim. I took a photo of mine fitted.

Notice it says AND hitch lock
View attachment 128896

Thank you so much for this. So I need a hitch lock also. Don't mind spending a sensible amount but where at such short notice can I just go pick one up?

 

[TonyBerkshire]

Yes it satisfies Craftinsure's requirements.
Waste of money getting an expensive one when they can unbolt the hitch or use a loop of chain around the tow ball.

Conflicting view vs others on here? So cheap hitch lock to satisfy insurance conditions... but need to spend more maybe on the bulldog wheel lock like someone mentioned?

 

[Seastoke]

two things , is the boat insured for transport by others , and if they say they are covered ,have you seen their policy.

 

[TonyBerkshire]

two things , is the boat insured for transport by others , and if they say they are covered ,have you seen their policy.

1) I haven't got the insurance yet and will ensure it has this.

2) the company advised they are insured and they have a lot of online reviews from customers on a great job plus they stiupate " coverage:
Good In Transit up to £50,000
Other insurance up to £1,000,000"

However, that said... I've now just contacted them asking to see it in addition to their full T&Cs... assuming they pass excess to customers too!

 

[limecc]

Conflicting view vs others on here? So cheap hitch lock to satisfy insurance conditions... but need to spend more maybe on the bulldog wheel lock like someone mentioned?

Personally I'd get a good one but what's the point when they can bring their own hitch and bolt it on? They are not to be stopped. Regarding the Bulldog, nothing stops a cheap battery grinder. May add an extra minute or so?

Tracker gives peace of mind. I'll be chasing mine down the road instantly, but more than likely the movement alarm will trigger before it's even hitched. If it's on the water then I can set an ignition alarm or geofence in addition.
Ease of use of the software is vital and Rewire is the best imho. I tried all the Xexun based Chinese crap, tried really hard in fact.

It's good to have a 12v battery isolator, and usually the plastic key is removable.

 

[limecc]

two things , is the boat insured for transport by others , and if they say they are covered ,have you seen their policy.

Usually a trailer is covered by the tow vehicle except for commercial purposes. That's why I didn't add it to my boat policy. Duplicating insurance may lead to each insurance company trying to palm it off on the other.

 

[Hangie]

Personally I'd get a good one but what's the point when they can bring their own hitch and bolt it on? They are not to be stopped.

Tracker gives peace of mind. I'll be chasing mine down the road instantly, but more than likely the movement alarm will trigger before it's even hitched. If it's on the water then I can set an ignition alarm in addition.

It's good to have a 12v battery isolator, and usually the plastic key is removable.

To replace a hitch you would need good few minutes if not more especially if braked one. I think using a chain as someone mentioned is a bit extreme as you got very poor control and on first brake, trailer will crash into a back of a car
As I sad all of those are aimed to slow and deter. The better protection you have a higher chances they go to “your neighbour” which is secured with that Halfords lock only

don’t forget that insurance will ask you to lock each time you leave it alone - that’s include even when hitched to the car. That is a very good opportunity. You go to pay for a petrol and your boat already left hitched to a transit before you will be back.

 

[Bigplumbs]

This all seems a little last Minute............... Better planning might be a good idea....... When you go to use the boat I feel you need to be more organised than demonstrated in this thread

 

[limecc]

To replace a hitch you would need good few minutes if not more especially if braked one. I think using a chain as someone mentioned is a bit extreme as you got very poor control and on first brake, trailer will crash into a back of a car
As I sad all of those are aimed to slow and deter. The better protection you have a higher chances they go to “your neighbour” which is secured with that Halfords lock only

don’t forget that insurance will ask you to lock each time you leave it alone - that’s include even when hitched to the car. That is a very good opportunity. You go to pay for a petrol and your boat already left hitched to a transit before you will be back.

Bit of a skeptical view Hangie.
These criminals might have stolen the car or else be using a tipper lorry they normally use for tarmaccing drives. They might prefer a scaffold pole with a hitch and they attach the free end to the drawbar or jockey wheel tube using scaffold clips. They know all the techniques so I'm not giving them anything new here, just informing anyone else.

Yes you have to be careful at motorway services. One of us always stays with the vehicles.

Regarding a mooring stop for lunch where the boat is unattended, it prohibits in reality leaving it floating overnight. And I got my insurer to specify it in writing I could leave mine floating at Salcombe for two specific weeks, and there was no extra cost.

 

[Bigplumbs]

It is very very hard to buy one that a good thief cant break or open it is all about slowing them down, Stopping the Opportunist and satisfying the Insurance company...... Also as I said before don't get locks that make a rod for your own back when going to unlock and use the boat....... All these locks need a little oil from time to time and don't loos the keys

 

[limecc]

This all seems a little last Minute............... Better planning might be a good idea....... When you go to use the boat I feel you need to be more organised than demonstrated in this thread

But we only just discussed it. Tony's more organised than most by coming on here and asking the advice he has.

 

[Alicatt]

This is similar to what we use, though ours has a ball that fits into the trailer hitch before you put on the hitch cover. Not too expensive and works well.

 

[limecc]

This is similar to what we use, though ours has a ball that fits into the trailer hitch before you put on the hitch cover. Not too expensive and works well.

Scaffold tube method bypasses any hitch lock. They'll cut it off in private. Just need to satisfy the insurance requirement in case the tracker fails.

 

[TonyBerkshire]

This all seems a little last Minute............... Better planning might be a good idea....... When you go to use the boat I feel you need to be more organised than demonstrated in this thread

Ha ... my wife always tell me I plan way too much normally... spreadsheets, project programmes and timelines, comparison charts, SWOT analysis, detailed cashflow forecasts, etc... this time around I'm doing JIT... Just In Time management ?

Joking aside, my wife did only at the start of Jan tell me she's buying me a boat for my birthday ? and on 7th Jan we won the bid on ebay (few weeks ago) ??

But we only just discussed it. Tony's more organised than most by coming on here and asking the advice he has.

Thank you. So much invaluable information on here from people that have tried and tested everything boating... normally I spend a long time on YouTube or Google but this forum has helped with both learning and providing me with the direction needed ??

 

[Nito]

Good luck for tomorrow Tony, wish you all the best with it and look forward to further updates!

 

[limecc]

Good luck for tomorrow Tony, wish you all the best with it and look forward to further updates!

Yes agree with Nito, am personally excited for you. Takes me back only a few years, and so many happy memories and adventures since then. Also get as much pleasure working on it as using it. Fantastic Covid relief when that first kicked off.

 

[Alicatt]

Yes agree with Nito, am personally excited for you. Takes me back only a few years, and so many happy memories and adventures since then. Also get as much pleasure working on it as using it. Fantastic Covid relief when that first kicked off.

Yeah as above looking forward to hearing/reading/seeing the results
Takes me back to getting my second boat, a 24ft dory in Bosham and then towing it from Bosham to near John o' Groats, a marathon journey
My younger brother travelled down from Wick to Fareham where I was living at the time. He had bought a second hand car for our mother just so we could tow the boat and his girlfriend's horse box, a 2 litre diesel non turbo Nissan Sunny, the boat was just within it's towing limits, great little car, 65 to 70mpg normal, and she returned 36mpg over the 700mile plus journey with the boat on the back. About Macclesfield one of the tyres gave out and we had to replace all 4 tyres on the trailer

So, bon voyage Tony and smooth roads

This is my second boat, the one we towed from Bosham to Wick

 

[bowler]

I will second the rewire tracker recommendations. I had several in use and the customer support and quality were good.

D

 

[Bigplumbs]

But we only just discussed it. Tony's more organised than most by coming on here and asking the advice he has.

Yes as I said all very last Minute.... Not good. As for asking advice that is good but of course it is very important who's advice he takes. Those with years of experience or those that have very little experience.