Boat and trailer theft protection

M

mmmroe

Member
Hi guys,

Finally went ahead and purchased a boat. With all the hard work that we put into our boat the last thing I want is to make it easy for someone to steal. I understand if given enough time and effort anything can be done and stolen. I just want to make it as hard to do as possible. Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury to store my boat in a garage and will be driveway stored.

I was wondering what you guys use in regards to trailer apparatuses and motor and kicker motor theft devices. All my electronics will be taken off and stored inside.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!
 
Cap it sells a tire boot you can put on. I have one and it's easy to put on and would be very hard to remove
 
I use a lock from Master Lock and padlock on the coupler. Also have a lock on the hitch on my truck. If they want it, they'll take it. You could look at get a boot device as well. If you're able to "block it" in with vehicles, that'll help. As far as stuff in the boat, I take it all out except portable gas cans, anchor, rope, etc, up in the bow. It's an extra 20min to get everything back in the boat but worth not worrying.
 
Insure the boat so if anything does gey stolen its covered

Great advice already from the guys above Δ
An automatic motion sensor light of the boats close enough to the house
 
Get video cameras so you can see who steals it. Cheaper then some of the theif devises out there. Motion lights and good locks.
 
Right now I have about 4' of snow and a car u can barely see buried in front of my boat shelter. It's all good until the spring thaw :)
 
I use a coupler lock, and also take one wheel off. I remove the cowling from the outboard, and the prop if sitting for a long time. Makes it look like an old, not running motor. My boat is in an open car port.

Also, a trick I use to see if anyone has been rooting around. I leave a couple of full cans of beer close the transom and motor. If they are gone, I know there are 'rats' around and take extra precautions.
 
I bought flat deck grade chain and a $50 pad lock which matches the hardness and thickness of the chain...I run the chain through the holes in the wheels on one side of my tandem trailer and lock them together. Simple and no need to go overboard with elaborate devices..if they want it bad enough they will just hack, cut and snip until they get what they want anyways.
 
A minor thing I have that is probably more for a deterrent at the ramp against trailer theft is I have a removable pigtail for my trailer wiring. I connect it to a junction box at the front of my trailer with a non standard plug in. I always take the pigtail with me when I launch. You won't stop determined thieves but every little bit you can do to slow them down might make them hit an easier target. I just figure most thieves won't want to steal a boat or trailer and drive it with no lights. Add all the other deterrents already mentioned and it might just make them hit another target that's less time consuming and risky. In the end, all you can really do is slow them down and hope something scares them off if it's taking to long to get what they want.

A big dog with a loud bark helps as well.
 
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A decent GPS tracker will help you find your boat if stolen, and your wife know that the 6 hours on the water with an old army buddy involved 3 hours moored in the Buffy's parking lot this summer.

Not that I married a woman smarter than me or anything.
 
I've often thought that there'd be money in making keyed trailer tongues...basically you'd weld splines and cut grooves in a pattern, and have a removable tongue that would only work on your trailer. I don't know if I'm explaining that idea very well, but that's what I've wished for in the past. Your trailer would be nearly untowable if the last foot or so of tongue stayed in the tow vehicle, and if the tongues were specific to the trailer, it'd be difficult to steal one without specifically manufacturing a tongue to fit.

But to my knowledge that product doesn't exist, so if anyone wants to run with it, let me know what it costs, because sooner or later I'll own a boat worth stealing.
 
Don't think a removable tongue would be too hard. Keyed might be different but they make the trailers with swivelling tongues. Just need that with a pin.
 
I must live in a really good neighbourhood. Here I can walk down to the marina, 2/3 boats I look into have the Keys in the ignition, they all have their Scotties easily visible. Hell, there's people leaving their Islanders out overnight, no gate, no cameras. I don't take it quite as far, keys and Islander(s) come with me, apart from that, being insured against theft, I only do what the insurance company asks of me: Padlocked tyres when leaving it parked anywhere and a padlock through the hitch when on the road.
 
+1 for the wheel lock. I like that they're bright yellow and highly visible from the street, same for the hitch lock I also use. A potential thief will likely decide to pass when they see it. Chain and padlock through the wheels is less visible and therefore less deterrent. They'll spot it eventually, but they've already made a commitment of sorts just walking up to your boat at stupid o'clock in the morning. They might decide to go for it anyway, or take something else like the kicker.

I don't see the point with cameras. Yes, you know who's got your stuff. But they've still got your stuff.
 
I hope they don't see the chain through the wheels...going to be a slow tow with locked squealing tires. Gives me and the neighbors time to get out of bed and get a plate number as they try to unhook and leave.
 
gungadin said:
http://www.dobermanproducts.com/sports_security.html

When I travel, I use an alarm similar to some of these. You might find one of these appropriate to your needs
Click to expand...

I sometimes use a similar device to this: https://www.amazon.ca/Skylink-HA-30...qid=1486409078&sr=8-4&keywords=driveway+alarm

I just place the sensor down on what I don't want moved and there is no way to move it without sounding the alarm. The reason I like to place it down is because it sometimes goes off on small things like birds or some other kinds of infrared radiation.
 
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