Yacht security - marina berth

horatio_nelson

horatio_nelson

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If you had an AWB moored in a marina, easy to walk straight onto, miles from home, with a standard fore hatch and the usual washboard / sliding hatch as the vulnerable access points, what security measures would you employ? Any recommendations or advice? Thanks.

Sensible suggestions and A-Team / McGyver fantasies welcome :)
 
horatio_nelson said:
If you had an AWB moored in a marina, easy to walk straight onto, miles from home, with a standard fore hatch and the usual washboard / sliding hatch as the vulnerable access points, what security measures would you employ? Any recommendations or advice? Thanks.

Sensible suggestions and A-Team / McGyver fantasies welcome :)
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A determined thief will get in, regardless. Not being funny, but unless the AWB is a bit special, there's not too much motivation to break in. Most important thing is to take anything of value home with you.
 
The distance you live away from the boat is irrelevant. Even if you live only 10 minutes away like me you don't watch your boat 24 hours a day, although you might visit more frequently to discover any damage. Suspect the incidence of break ins is very small - ask the marina management. If you are paranoid about the potential or you do keep the boat in a known insecure location then there are all sorts of ways of installing alarms on openings or internally - including ones which text an alarm to your home. Your choice as to whether you think it a good idea to fit security - but suspect most people do not bother.
 
I wouldn't bother - and indeed I don't bother. As nicho said, if they want to get in, they will. Break-ins in marinas are pretty rare.
 
First point is that you choose a marina where those incidents are low
Second choose a marina where they have security people walking about & security fences, gates etc
Third choose a marina where the staff get to know you & take an interest & know if someone is a stranger
Fourth choose a marina with a reasonable video system so they can see what is happening

As for taking expensive items home -- you must be joking- have you any idea how many items that might be
In the river Blackwater moored boats (not marina) have been stripped of everything from complete Esbatcher set ups to plumbing & sinks to complete electronics all installed & screwed in place, to all the sailing gear. Rather as if each setup has been stolen to order & i am told really carefully removed. On my friends 38 ft Etap they gained entry by removing a window first
You cannot take all that home with you each weekend
 
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Learnt from past experience a lock or any security is only as good as the fibreglass you attach it to...... a crow bar is the quick and easy way in...... one of my old boats was broken in too all electrics and winches and safety gear went.... expect ebay or boat jumble.

don't bother protecting, just park next to a nicer boat than yours and hope they get done before you
 
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About the only thing I would be tempted by would be a loud magnet door/ window alarm Maplin sell them. If they are going to break in they will get in but one of those might stop them going any further...
 
You can get more sophisticated alarms that text you if the sensors trip. If you have cameras connected, you can then log in on line and have a look! So then you either whizz down yourself and see what is going on or call the Marina (if someone is there) or even old bill. These systems are also connectable to bilge and fire alarms etc., and that in my experience is what the texts tend to be, mostly false alarms!

On my current boat, I have a loud noise maker (like onesea mentioned) with warning stickers. Its likely they will be after the Nav gear, so any items like that and all security marked. You could go for something like smartwater too.

All in, if they are determined, they will get in and nick what they like.
 
An option is to use cheap thin padlocks which will only deter the undetermined - anything more substantial or complex juts means more of your boat gets broken when the proper thieves try to get in.
 
The vast majority of incidents I dealt with in the past were to boats where the hatches and not been locked down properly.

Also, site security is irrelevant to many sites where intruders come by sea, either as light fingered visitors already in the marina (often with a strong french accent) or by night visits by RIBs which sneak in and out again (this is not a problem in Lymington, moreso in the Hamble)
 
BlueSkyNick said:
I had circumstantial evidence at the time, but not any more. Not prejudice, I have a lot of french sailor friends too.
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So one incident, without even any firm evidence, and you jump to conclusions and damn a nation. I guess you were a copper once (still are?)

I wonder if your french sailor friends would bother with you if they knew what you really thought of them?
 
Our boat is in France so we can't even just 'pop down' to see it without major ferry/time hassles, so:

We got to know the neighbours. They keep an eye on the boat for us. Earlier this year we asked some English friends who were passing by to go and check on it after a really bad storm. When they were on board they were actually asked who they were. OK, can't work all the time but quite comforting.

We got to know the staff who open the gates. Told them that we would NEVER lend our boat to anyone so if they see the boat moving they know there's a problem.

I have wired up a very simple red LED which sits behind the acrylic washboard. It won't stop anyone breaking in but might make them think twice.

I have a rape alarm velcro'd just out of sight. It works on the principle of pulling a pin out resulting in an ear-shattering noise. The routing of the fishing line I use requires a bit of ingenuity as the hatch going forward towards the alarm works the wrong way round but it is possible. The test to see if it worked was both painful and embarrassing as I couldn't get the pin back in :cool: Ouch, it hurt.
 
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