How many of you do this?

[nimmor]

Re: How many of you do this?

Looking at most of the post I guess I don't trust my fellow man. I fish smaller lakes, creeks, and rivers, so when I launch I don't use the big motor. If worse comes to worse I can retrieve the boat with very little effort with out it so I never start the engine before I have parked the truck. I am not aware of any joy riders in the area but you never know. Good discussion though, thanks.

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: How many of you do this?

I keep boat at the dock, so if I forget my key I hop in golf cart fr the 0 second ride to get it. If I drag it leave key in it.

 

[Andy'sDelight]

Re: How many of you do this?

For those that leave your keys in the boat at home, just a little warning. Many years ago a friend of my father's found the neighbor's kid (7 years old or so) sitting in his boat with the engine running on the trailer in the driveway. No hose hookup and a fried impeller, which is the least of the damage concerns you can imagine (overheated blown engine, ground up 7 year old from the prop, etc...). Gotta watch those kids.

 

[kemer1]

Re: How many of you do this?

Been lucky enough to not to leave the keys in the truck. And I have gotten into the habbit of not leaving my keys in the ignition. I just don't trust people enough to leave my boat with nothing more then lines securing it to the dock and the keys in it ripe for the taking. As one of you said...keepin the honest men honest.

 

[Lakemeadan]

Re: How many of you do this?

I've always left the key in the ignition until one time after I arrived home and started cleaning up I noticed the key was missing. We did join up with some friends at the Marina for pizza after we pulled off the lake that day. I hadn't made a spare yet (two years after I bought it used, no spare). Had to buy a new ignition switch. Still wondered what happened to the key, would someone steal a boat key? Can a key shake out, bounce and fly out on the road? Lost a few vests that way. Nothing else was missing.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: How many of you do this?

mine is slip kept so i use a special set of keys truck and boat on one ring

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: How many of you do this?

Growing up we kept a small boat and motor moored at the house. It was a pull start, so at night we'd remove the "key" by taking the gas hose up to the house.

 

[12vMan]

Re: How many of you do this?

would someone steal a boat key? Can a key shake out, bounce and fly out on the road?

As far as would someone steal the keys..let's just say I just wouldn't put it past some jokers and leave it at that.

As for having a key blow out..first hand experience here while towing on the highway. There was the float and leash attached to it that caught the wind I'm sure. I even had the other end of the leash on the throttle lever and it still managed to find it's way out of the boat. So I don't leave the keys in while towing anymore.

 

[ngt]

Re: How many of you do this?

I was born with my boat keys attached to my shoulder, lol. Yes I'm a broke pull start boater.

 

[rivermouse]

Re: How many of you do this?

I just use an unmarked master kill switch for the boat , However I do always have an emergency key hidden on my truck just in case I were to lose the other one on my key chain while I am out in the boat. Now that would be one hell of a fix to to return to the ramp and then not be able to start your tow vehicle because you lost the key.It wont happen to me.

 

[DBreskin]

Re: How many of you do this?

I'm actually going to put a push start ignition in my boat when I redo the gauges this winter, but I will probably have a hidden kill switch for when I slip it unattended.

Now I know where to go for a joyride next July 4

 

[freddyray21]

Re: How many of you do this?

I haven't taken a set of keys out of a boat in years. If I don't feel I can leave them in the ignition I will stash them somewhere. I store my boat at the lake and have in years past driven 1.5 hrs to get there and found I had forgotten the keys.

 

[skargo]

Re: How many of you do this?

Now I know where to go for a joyride next July 4

If you can find the kill switch before I shoot you, enjoy your ride!

 

[beezee28]

Re: How many of you do this?

I have 2 sets of keys. One is in the boat all the time, either in the ignition or in the 'glove' compartment. The other set of keys is
together with my pickup key. The thing is you need the pickup key to drive the pickup and haul the boat so it is always available
should you forget or loose the one from the boat. And you pay more attention to the set of pickup key because you would need it to drive the pickup or else you are SOL.

 

[Lakes84]

Re: How many of you do this?

I have 2 sets of keys. One is in the boat all the time, either in the ignition or in the 'glove' compartment. The other set of keys is
together with my pickup key. The thing is you need the pickup key to drive the pickup and haul the boat so it is always available
should you forget or loose the one from the boat. And you pay more attention to the set of pickup key because you would need it to drive the pickup or else you are SOL.

I do this exact same thing with my camper key as well. The camper is a 7 hour drive North of me. Could you imagine getting up there and forgetting the key?.....Usually getting there around midnight or later. Both my boat and camper keys stay on the truck keychain year round.

See you on the lake

Joe

 

[204 Escape]

Re: How many of you do this?

Hmmmmm when we bought the boat the key was in the ignition. I didn't think they would come out. ( I thought a removeable key was a "option".)

 

[cribber]

Re: How many of you do this?

One day we went down to the ramp, launched our boat, parked in the parking lot and headed back to the courtesy dock to take off for a day of fun on the water. While I did this I notice a 24 foot cabin cruiser just drifting out in the cove and didn't really give it any thought. As we start heading out the guy on the cruiser starts waving and yelling for us to help him out. Turns out he launched his boat, pushed off from the courtesy dock, and realized he left his boat key in his truck. So we towed him back to the dock so he could get his keys and turn around what could have been a bad day into a fun day.

 

[halfmoa]

Re: How many of you do this?

I don't untie from the dock until motor is running.

Right on! No way I'm pushing off until she's gurgling....

 

[Hydra-sport_Road-kill]

Re: How many of you do this?

Having the experience of pushing off the dock before getting started, and then indeed not getting said motor stared, and having that awful silly feeling of being the center of admiration from all those in attendance, pointing there fingers or calling out weather or not assistance is needed and general sub mayhem at the boat ramp all being my personal fault, I never put myself there again. Keys stay with boat. Everything runs from a checklist now.

 

[sw33ttooth]

Re: How many of you do this?

keys stay in the ignition, unless i leave it moorned to the docks when i go camping then i stow them out of sight. i always prestart the motor and let it warm up for about 30-45 seconds before i get out to undo my dock lines. i also hook my key ring to the kill switch clip so i know it wont get lost if it comes out.