Swing mooring tender security

[Lodds]

I am thinking of getting a Bic 245 and to use it as a tender to get to my boat that is on a swing mooring at the top of Chichester harbour. I am concerned about security while i'm away sailing for a week or so.

So far my plan is to use a 6mm chain through the front hand holds and chain it to the pick up buoy.

What I need is two good submersible padlocks. Does anyone have a view on tender security, perhaps you have had one stolen while you were away. I'm looking to gain information (sorry) from others misfortunes and what lessons were learnt.

Does anyone know where I could get hold of a couple of good padlocks?

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Whatever lock you leave it will be vulnerable to salt.
Perhaps to saturate the mechanism with something like a silicon spray??...what do others think/do?

 

[Rigger Mortice]

Very occasionally I lock my tender to the mooring and I arrange it so that the lock stays inboard. Sometimes the lock gets pulled into the water without causing a problem but it is only in the water for at most 24hrs. If it does go in the water I rinse it out, dry and oil it. If I'm away for longer I take the tender with me but that may not be so easy with a Bic.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

other thoughts....
1. if the dinghy is very well and easily identified with totally individual obvious markings it may be less vulnerable to theft ??

2. Put the chain through a heavy guage reinforced plastic pipe if possible to reduce chaffe on the dinghy.

 

[doug748]

I try to do the same a Rigger Mortice and keep the lock well greased and oiled.

Another problem is folk motoring over the dinghy, so fit a bit of reflective stuff. I always flip the thing which helps put thieves off and also stops gulls carping all over the inside.....not so good on a drying mooring I must admit.

 

[Madhatter]

Use a really carp tender the scruffier the better, and leave your biro home

 

[VicS]

So far my plan is to use a 6mm chain through the front hand holds and chain it to the pick up buoy.

I take it that the pick up buoy is on chain. No good padlocking it to the buoy if its only on rope

 

[Fantasie 19]

Very occasionally I lock my tender to the mooring and I arrange it so that the lock stays inboard. Sometimes the lock gets pulled into the water without causing a problem but it is only in the water for at most 24hrs. If it does go in the water I rinse it out, dry and oil it. If I'm away for longer I take the tender with me but that may not be so easy with a Bic.

+1

Lock the pick up buoy to the seat or any other immovable object in the tender.. I use a cycle lock the type with a long cable to integral lock...

 

[Giblets]

I am thinking of getting a Bic 245 and to use it as a tender to get to my boat that is on a swing mooring at the top of Chichester harbour.

If my BIC goes missing I shall know where to look first!

PM sent.

 

[neil_s]

I would suggest making your dinghy unattractive to thieves by heavily branding it with your own and your boat's name, and your post code.

This will not be easy with the BIC because the plastic material they are made from will not hold paint. Maybe a GRP dinghy would be better?

Neil

 

[Giblets]

I would suggest making your dinghy unattractive to thieves by heavily branding it with your own and your boat's name, and your post code.

This will not be easy with the BIC because the plastic material they are made from will not hold paint. Maybe a GRP dinghy would be better?

Neil

Agreed that the BIC's are difficult to paint but with the careful use of a Dremel type tool and suitable bit the plastic can actually be engraved with whatever details are required.

 

[Lodds]

Thanks to all those that have responded. I have now contacted Bic too see what products they recommend to security mark the boat. I think Large 6" letters on the side as has been previously mentioned is a good idea. Just have to find a product that would work on the material.
I used Hammerite paint on the pick-up buoy and that material seems similar to that of the Bic, but just how long it will last is another question.

If an when I hear from Bic then I'll let you know what they say.

Tony

 

[uxb]

Buy the mankiest old heap of cr ap that still floats , leave one broken oar in it while you are away. Take the good ones with you...

 

[fireball]

We've left the tender on the mooring for several weeks ...

If going for more than a weekend I'll take the oars as well - otherwise it's just attached to the mooring in the normal way - two lines 1 clipped to the shackle on top of the mooring buoy and the other attached to the secondary strop. But we're not at the top of the harbour, through traffic is minimal and it's a deep water mooring not easily accessible.

 

[TQA]

Make your dink undesirable by all means, [ large pink polka dots are good ] tie up as normal and add a slack wire security cable with the lock on board and in an oily baggie. This deters the casual passing scrote. Lightweight stuff will do fine.

If a pro scrote wants your dink they will arrive armed with a 6 ft set of bolt croppers and or a cordless angle grinder. Bye Bye dink regardless of any security system that you employ.

 

[Moonshining]

Buy the mankiest old heap of cr ap that still floats , leave one broken oar in it while you are away. Take the good ones with you...

That sounds like the best advice. The area around Dell Quay is full of mankey old tenders and the Conservancy even auction abandoned ones off from time to time, so I doubt that anyone could be arsed to go out to a mooring to nick a similarly scruffy old thing.

 

[jamesjermain]

I wouldnt worry too much about the quality of the padlock. Even if it does seize up, it wont take you a second to cut through the chain with bolt croppers.