Anti-Theft Devices

[Bigd0170]

I plan on purchasing a 21 foot Cabin Cuddy withing a month or two, I live in a a new subdivision still under development, so parking this at my house is out of the question, so I'm going to have to store it at an outside storage facility right up the road, I live in a low crime area, but am worried about the boat getting stolen, other than getting a trailer couple lock and keeping the boat covered, does anybody have any other ideas about securing the boat?? Thanks for all Input

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Anti-Theft Devices

take a wheel off, chains thru the wheels. leave nothing valueable aboard. moving to trailers. there are several security post there.

 

[LongLine]

Re: Anti-Theft Devices

The easiest to take are the ones that get taken. Remove license plate; put the trailer on blocks (thief will have to jack it down); remove wheels (thief will have to supply his own wheels); take coupler off (usually 2 or 3 bolts - this will drive thieves nuts); block tongue up & remove jack; when you park it, manuver it by hand so the front is blocked by something else such as another boat, vehicle, fence, structure etc and do the rest of the items. An insurance agent once told me that theives generally won't bother with stealing stuff that is work to take or that they have to make a lot of noise stealing.

Tom B.
(LongLine)

 

[Shizzy]

Re: Anti-Theft Devices

Is the storage facility secure? fenced in and all that?

Ill also agree with all that is said. make it difficult to steal and they will pick another boat. Also, I would check local laws before removing the license plate from the trailer. depending on location, you may need to maintain current registration on things. here in minnesota, thats the quickest way to have a vehicle tagged as abandoned and towed off your property.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Anti-Theft Devices

if you have a stainless prop, remove it.

 

[Bigd0170]

Re: Anti-Theft Devices

Thanks for all the replies, the storage facility is fenced in and you need a password to enter and exit, I like the chain through the wheel thought, I'll have to look more into that.. that sounds alot easier than removing the wheels everytime I want to haul it to the lake or my house to work on it..

Personal Note:

Tashasdaddy: I apologize for posting this in the wrong forum. thanks for moving to the correct one..

 

[Godfirst]

Re: Anti-Theft Devices

Hi, I agree with the other advice, there are many companys that make wheel lock devices one is trailer keeper, that mounts on the rims of your trailer. then there are many boat alarms available they make portable alarms with shock sensors and perimiter beems try doing a internet search hope this helps.

Take care

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Anti-Theft Devices

perimeter beams are bad in public storage, the guy parked next to you could easily set it off, and who is going to come turn it off. problem with chains, they are easily cut. these guys come prepared. the best bet is good insurance.

 

[JorgeE]

Re: Anti-Theft Devices

We also live in a low-crime area, with very good neighbors who watch out for each other, but why make it easy.
I ran across a Hitch lock made by Master Lock (probably others, meybe even better quality) that we use. It is a die cast piece, and goes in the trailer tongue where the ball would go. It the locks in place.
Thieves would have to drill out the lock, or use a torch to destroy the piece to get it off. It makes it impossible to tow the trailer when in place. I realize that if someone REALLY wants MY boat, they will get it, but as others mention above, make it hard and time consuming or noisy to take, and it lowers the odds.
Go to their website http://www.masterlock.com/ and do a search for "trailer", they have a numnber of items you might be interested in.

Jorge

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Anti-Theft Devices

all they have to do, is use short chains, and tow your boat off. hitch does not stop them.

 

[mthieme]

Re: Anti-Theft Devices

I'd worry about pieces of the boat disappearing before the whole boat.
I assume the storage facility is insured and bonded?

 

[JorgeE]

Re: Anti-Theft Devices

Thanks a lot TD... there goes my confidence
Makes sense though. I suppose the hitch lock is just another hurdle to make them jump over... hopefully discouraging them!
Maybe goes back to if the really want it, they'll get it.
One thing I've thought about is installing a car alarm, with shock and tilt sensor to protect boat, and Ultrasound sensor to protect interior. As long as we're relatively close to boat, we would hear alarm.
By the way, there are alarms with pagers that have pretty decent range. They claim 1500' remote range, I would imagine the paging range would be greater (see Crutchfield's alarms); so if someone were to mess with the boat, you'd be warned.
Nothing's simple.

Jorge

 

[mthieme]

Re: Anti-Theft Devices

How about chocking it up on blocks and removing the wheels?

 

[timdan94]

Re: Anti-Theft Devices

if you use chains through the wheels just make sure you remember to take them off before moving the boat. it could get expensive if you don't

 

[LongLine]

Re: Anti-Theft Devices

Don't depend solely on a hitch lock!!!! I picked my boat up from a mechanic, drove off & forget the key. At home, 70 miles later, I realized I didn't have it. oh darn! Not what I really said, but anyways, one frustrated smack with a medium sized ball peen hammer & the top cap came off. It exposed two rods that were conneted with a thin plate. The rods were simply peened on either side of the plate. One screwdriver & one more shot with the hammer; one rod pulled right thru the plate & the lock was in two pieces on the ground. Took longer for me to get the screwdriver than the job took.

Like I said, don't depend soley on a hitch lock. They're expensive & may be impossible to cut, but they're easy to disassemble.

Tom B.
(LongLine)

 

[pteal28377]

Re: Anti-Theft Devices

We also live in a low-crime area, with very good neighbors who watch out for each other, but why make it easy.
I ran across a Hitch lock made by Master Lock (probably others, meybe even better quality) that we use. It is a die cast piece, and goes in the trailer tongue where the ball would go. It the locks in place.
Thieves would have to drill out the lock, or use a torch to destroy the piece to get it off. It makes it impossible to tow the trailer when in place. I realize that if someone REALLY wants MY boat, they will get it, but as others mention above, make it hard and time consuming or noisy to take, and it lowers the odds.
Go to their website http://www.masterlock.com/ and do a search for "trailer", they have a numnber of items you might be interested in.

Jorge

Master lock that he is describing is the easiest to get off. I used to use them at my shop locking trailers. Until I lost a key and had to cut one off. A cordless saz-all and a new blade and less than a min. Surprisingly little noise. Since than I had had a loop system put in and lock all trailers with a brinks wheel lock. The only way getting that off is cutting torch or a miracle.

Chain through the wheel just keeps an honest person honest.

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Anti-Theft Devices

Master lock that he is describing is the easiest to get off. I used to use them at my shop locking trailers. Until I lost a key and had to cut one off. A cordless saz-all and a new blade and less than a min. Surprisingly little noise. Since than I had had a loop system put in and lock all trailers with a brinks wheel lock. The only way getting that off is cutting torch or a miracle.

Chain through the wheel just keeps an honest person honest.

This thread has definitely got me nervous!

Not about my boat...it remains attached (and locked) to my truck 24/7.

But sure got to thinking just how easy it would be to 'borrow' my PWC! So I just purchased this Brink's wheel lock from Amazon.com...!

 

[mikeneal]

Re: Anti-Theft Devices

I would recommend a macguard or similar outdrive lock. Back a couple yrs ago a ring went thru my area and almost got my outdrive while boat wa sin driveway. A local storage lot had 17 stolen that night. That being said, don't sweat it too much, boating is a hobby and supposed to be fun, don't let the possible thief remove the fun, just insure it, be somewhat prepared and forget about it.

 

[Wee Hooker]

Re: Anti-Theft Devices

"all they have to do, is use short chains, and tow your boat off. hitch does not stop them."

Amen to that. my sister brought a brand new Mako 19 package to the local state ramp and launched for a day of fishing. She parked in a visable location and had the trailer locked to the hitch on her Jeep. When she returned with the boat 3 hrs latter she found the trailer had been cut clean just behind the coupler and was gone! Nothing left but the coupler hanging on the hitch!

If it were me, i'd be tempted to mount one of the auto type alarms that calls your cell phone when somebody repeatedly gets within a certain perimiter and /or shocks the boat. You might get some false alarms but a call @ 2AM is likely to be the one you should answer with the 12ga.

p.s. Use wheel locks /chains on all your wheels (including your spare.) Trailer wheels are worth $100 /each and a easy/frequent target.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Anti-Theft Devices

this is the best protection you can get. when they bark, it is time to look.

Tasha (darker) and Damon. i have never heard him bark.