Tender/Dinghy & Oars Lock/Security?

CaptainBob

CaptainBob

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I've been looking for a cable type lock with a very small diameter at when end when unlocked so I can pass it through a small hole drilled in the blades of my oars, and through a cleat on a pontoon (or round a tree) so that I enjoy my time ashore more rather than worrying that my oars/tender will be there when I get back.

Can't seem to find anything that wouldn't necessitate a pretty massive hole in the oars.

Any suggestions?

TY!
 
Rock Climbing "Nuts"

Small stainless wire loops, about 6" to 9" long, can be found in climbing shops on "Nuts" (jamb into rock cracks). They are very strong and of a small diameter. The bight of the loop is easily compressed such that you could pop it through a 10 mm hole drilled in the oar (maybe smaller for the very small nuts), the nut would prevent the loop from being pulled through. Then just get a regular length of wire with two crimped eyelets from a rigger and feed it through the towing eye on your boat, through the loops on the "Nuts" and all will be secured.

The point about the "Nuts" is that where the wire loop is joined, the joint is very strong. I am not so sure that a standard rigging crimp on say 3 mm diameter wire is as strong.

Just an idea which may give you the functionality that you are looking for.
 
I will make a plea to lock your oars to the dinghy and then to lock the dinghy using a LONG wire strop.

One of the most annoying and antisocial habits of some people is to secure their dinghy with short painters to the pontoon - and its even more annoying to find that they have locked their dinghy to the pontoon with a short length of chain/wire.

Long painters (or wire locking devices) mean that many more people can use the pontoon.
 
I use a bike combination lock but not to lock the oars, just the tender. The small end is about 10mm. Needs a regular spray with anti-rust to stop it corroding and sticking.
 
john_morris_uk said:
I will make a plea to lock your oars to the dinghy and then to lock the dinghy using a LONG wire strop.

One of the most annoying and antisocial habits of some people is to secure their dinghy with short painters to the pontoon - and its even more annoying to find that they have locked their dinghy to the pontoon with a short length of chain/wire.

Long painters (or wire locking devices) mean that many more people can use the pontoon.
Click to expand...

Whole hearted agreement, often been tempted to go and get my wire cutters.
 
john_morris_uk said:
I will make a plea to lock your oars to the dinghy and then to lock the dinghy using a LONG wire strop.

One of the most annoying and antisocial habits of some people is to secure their dinghy with short painters to the pontoon - and its even more annoying to find that they have locked their dinghy to the pontoon with a short length of chain/wire.

Long painters (or wire locking devices) mean that many more people can use the pontoon.
Click to expand...


Absolutely and this is one of my pet hates. Best suggestion I have heard is to get a selection of cheap padlocks and keep one in your pocket for when you find one of the inconsiderate few, then just add your lock to his to give it extra security. You don't need to carry the keys for it, just snap the lock shut.:)
 
An old dinghy shroud with a long soft loop in one end will go through an 8mm hole.
I normally leave the o/b locked to the dinghy, then lock the o/b to the pontoon or whatever using the shroud if necessary.
Mirror dinghy shrouds come with a soft eye to go over the top of the mast, or a chandler will crimp an eye in for a few quid. For about 30 quid you can get an ormiston tool and diy.
 
I have a fitting that looks line a rams horn that clamps the oar shafts to the center seat of my dingy by passing through a hole in the seat with a padlock through a hole in the center part of the rams horn.
 
john_morris_uk said:
I will make a plea to lock your oars to the dinghy and then to lock the dinghy using a LONG wire strop.

One of the most annoying and antisocial habits of some people is to secure their dinghy with short painters to the pontoon - and its even more annoying to find that they have locked their dinghy to the pontoon with a short length of chain/wire.

Long painters (or wire locking devices) mean that many more people can use the pontoon.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. It also stops everyone walking through your dinghy if they can move it out of the way when it is on a long 'strop'.
 
Robin said:
Absolutely and this is one of my pet hates. Best suggestion I have heard is to get a selection of cheap padlocks and keep one in your pocket for when you find one of the inconsiderate few, then just add your lock to his to give it extra security. You don't need to carry the keys for it, just snap the lock shut.:)
Click to expand...

Cheap shackles done up with a spanner may have the same effect. Must look into it !
 
As an observation for those who want to lock up dinghies secured with a short painter and blocking access, perhaps consider a note attached to the offending dinghy. You never know for what reason the offender may have to get to their main boat in a hurry.
 
BlowingOldBoots said:
As an observation for those who want to lock up dinghies secured with a short painter and blocking access, perhaps consider a note attached to the offending dinghy. You never know for what reason the offender may have to get to their main boat in a hurry.
Click to expand...


Whilst understanding your concern, the same might equally apply to the person who cannot either get ashore or back into their tender because some inconsiderate dipstick has been selfish!

In recent years this short painter problem has increased, maybe because there are just more people, but the new trend of locking tenders to the pontoons makes it much much worse. We have seen quite large RIBs tied alongside and padlocked in place on short scopes as well as standard tenders. In one case the tender was padlocked tightly across the safety ladder for people to get out of the water if needs be, or for use by the less agile to get in/out of a tender before moving it away on a long scope. These are perhaps the same mindless morons that park across a driveway whilst they go and do their shopping on the assumption nobody needs to get in or out do they. [/RANT]
 
Before you start drilling holes in your oar blades .....

You may be able to lock your oars in place by using the oarlocks/rollocks by fitting them through holes in the centre thwart, and passing padlocks through the end of the rollocks. The rollocks should constrain the movement of the oars enough to prevent them being lifted above the gunwhale and hence slid out of the rollocks.
 
Appologies if this reply is doubled ..... but the forum had me down as replying, but wouldn't list the reply!


Before you start drilling holes in your oar blades .....

You may be able to lock your oars in place by using the oarlocks/rollocks by fitting them through holes in the centre thwart, and passing padlocks through the end of the rollocks. The rollocks should constrain the movement of the oars enough to prevent them being lifted above the gunwhale and hence slid out of the rollocks.
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I have screwed a biggish metal eye to the end of each oar, secured with araldite to deter all but the most determined scrote; we then use a chain and padlock to lock the outboard and oars to the dinghy.

And then we use a long painter to tie the tender to the pontoon, quay or whatever.
 
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