Trailer security, locking trailer jack?

[poconojoe]

What does everyone do to protect their boat while it is parked on its trailer?

A nearby neighborhood had some cars broken into and three cars were stolen completely. My boat sits in my driveway during the boating season and would seem to be easy prey compared to a car. What can I do to protect it besides putting it in my garage every time?

I put a chain through one of my wheels, but I can just picture someone driving away with the tire skidding on the ground.

Is there some way to lock the jack so it can't be lowered or pivoted to the stow position? My jack is mounted to the side of the frame and swings up for travel. Heck, they can just unbolt the jack from the frame. They do sell jacks that lock, but those are not side mount and would not work, the winch would be in the way and I don't feature drilling a hole through the frame support anyway.

All those hitch locks look useless. They can just use the chains to pull the trailer.

My trailer brakes are electric with the on-board 12v battery for breakaway. I thought about pulling the pin to lock the brakes, but the battery would just get drained. Maybe I could keep it plugged into a charger. Put the charger in my garage and run 12v from the charger to the breakaway battery.

The most fool proof secure method would be just keep the boat in the garage all the time, not just for winter storage as I now do.

I can't sit there in my lawn chair with my 12 gauge all night.

The boat/trailer are insured by Boat U.S. (Geico).I'll have to check the details on what is actually covered.

Any ideas?

 

[poconojoe]

I thought about installing a big eye bolt in the ground embedded in concrete. Then running a huge chain through the trailer frame.

 

[dingbat]

I thought about installing a big eye bolt in the ground embedded in concrete. Then running a huge chain through the trailer frame.

Getting good insurance is easier... if they want it bad enough, they will get it.

Oh ya.... boat is stored in an open air equipment shed. Lots of better thing to steal than the boat

 

[roscoe]

Used to lock mine up with a wire rope sling, 3/4" diameter.
Looped it around the front of the frame then up over the tongue so it would be seen,
then through a large steel loop buried in the concrete.

The hard part was finding a hidden shackle padlock that was large enough for the cable.

 

[JimS123]

You can get a coupler lock that will slow down the thiefs quite a bit. Add to that a chain thru one or both wheels. Now, your only problem is then they take off the cover and steal stuff from inside the boat.

In my case, I don't worry about any of that because all 4 of my boats are kept covered and secure inside the garage. Not because of theft, but to keep them looking showroom new.

 

[Cat nip]

i have a pittbull and a pure bread Grey wolf, both have aids and both are chained to the trailer. Seems to work for me i even leave the keys in it

 

[poconojoe]

Thanks for the replies.
The boat has the bow and cockpit mooring covers plus a full trailerable cover on top of that. That combination keeps all the rain out.
For now I've been parking my Silverado diagonally across my driveway. The season is almost over here in Pennsylvania, so the boat will soon go to bed in the garage until Springtime.
Next year I will have to think about what I'm going to do. The best thing would be to put the boat back in the garage after every use.
I'm also thinking about moving. This is a great area here in the Pocono Mountains, but we get a lot of transients from New York City and parts of New Jersey. I've been here 24 years and unfortunately maybe it's time to go.

 

[Scott Danforth]

so put it in your garage

you replace the cars every few years, let them sit outside

I know people that inadvertently watched boats being stolen in broad daylight. large dually truck backs up to a trailer in a marina parking lot, hooks on and drives away. was about 20 minutes later that the true owner of the boat showed up in a panic wondering where his boat and trailer went off to.

there was a lock on the coupler that was cut off and left at the scene.

if someone wants your boat bad enough, they will get it. a lock only keeps an honest man honest.

have good insurance, and get a GPS transponder for the boat, hopefully you get a ping before they discover it.

 

[gm280]

There is absolutely nothing you can do to secure any vehicle or boat if the person really want to take it. That being said, you can only make it hard for some one to take it. A motion sensor in the boat with a high power siren so that if the boat moves the siren sounds off is a good idea. And security camera can at least show you who took it as well. Locks are only as good as the bolt cutters they use on them... Other then that, I have no other ideas!

 

[harringtondav]

Per above, if they want it, they will find out a way to steal it.

Thieves are lazy, else they would have a real job. Make it as difficult as possible to steal.

One of my boating pals uses a robust looking trailer lock. It is a steel hitch ball secured with a notched steel U bolt clamp that goes over the tongue and locks into the hitch ball lock frame. No doubt you've seen these.

Also thread a cable with padlock through a wheel and around the axle. These lazy eff's will survey the trouble and commotion and likely move on.

 

[dwco5051]

I'm also thinking about moving. This is a great area here in the Pocono Mountains, but we get a lot of transients from New York City and parts of New Jersey. I've been here 24 years and unfortunately maybe it's time to go.

If you move west to central pa you don't have to worry about transients stealing your boat. The local methheads just steal copper, atvs, copper, and dirt bikes. Did I mention copper too?

 

[H20Rat]

Is it going to sit all winter? Takes 20 minutes to jack the axle up, throw some blocks under it, and take the tires off. As an added side-benefit, your tires now last longer if you store them inside, away from UV.

Yes, someone could put a set of tires on and drive away, but much easier to steal someone else's boat. At least around here, boats are never stolen. Not much you can do with a boat and is way too obvious. Slashing a tarp and stealing anything of value inside it on the other hand...

 

[Sprig]

Just put it in your garage. I have a 19’ Alumaweld it just fits length wise in my garage. Been keeping it in the garage the last 10 years. Just put your boat in the garage.