Boat broken into..... security measures????

[pelagic2530]

so i went down to the boat this evening, and found the cabin lock broken off, every hatch on the boat open, and every compartment rifled through. :x thank god, nothing was taken, the person who did it was obviously too stupid to realize that the full set of furuno electronics on board were of any value. still, i will KILL the next bastard i find on board my boat.

still, i was wondering what options i have in terms of additional security that i can put on board. a bigger padlock and latch are a given. however, a full blown security system is out of the question at this time. has anyone heard of/installed any other systems on board? any and all suggestions are highly appreciated. unfortunately, the boat has a canvas back, swo the pilothouse and those cabinets are fully accesible to anyone who wishes to climb on board :evil: thanks in advance for the help

 

[Uncle Matt]

Pelagic you didn't mention what marina or state your from. I'm just concerned for my boat sitting in Rhode Island right now.

I store my boat in a locked storage yard and there are weeks where I don't get to my boat. I'm always worried about theft and carry all of my rods and lures the 75 miles back and forth every time. My boat is a center console so it's wide open. I leave everything unlocked hoping if the bad guys come they quickly move on. My electronics were installed custom so the thief will have to do a little work.

 

[pelagic2530]

dont worry, uncle matt, im in pot nets bayside marina, DE..... nowhere near you. i figure that the guys that hit mine were looking for rods, reels and tackle. if i were you, i would start taking them off the boat after each trip and carrying them on to go fishing. im glad we did that, or we'd be down a couple combos right now

 

[jpg1969]

Unfortunately, there has been an increase in the last few years with boat theft (equipment vs actual boats) in southern New Jersey so we have "deployed" Uncle Matt's strategy. The cabin door is left unlocked and we remove the equipment (rods, coolers, electronics) after each trip. It's a PIA, but at least we know our stuff is safe and I won't show up at 4:30 AM ready to fish to find a destroyed cabin door or busted window. The damage they typically do would bother me much more than the loss of equipment. NJ State Marine police have started a task force this year to address this problem. Apparently, the thieves of a very recent big hit were apprehended after the victims/police found the stuff for sale on ebay.

 

[captbone]

I would put a laminated sign in the window when you leave the boat.

"Because of a prior Break-IN, I have

Removed ALL Valuables from the Boat."

 

[dcunniff]

Several systems for those with money to burn, maybe somewhere in the future for some of us?

Wireless Watchman, http://www.wireless-watchman.com/Applic ... Boats.html. A lot of services including just intruder alerting, http://www.wireless-watchman.com/Boat/S ... deral.html.

Another system, SeaTrac, http://www.geosatsolutions.com/SeaTrac2.htm.

Another system, Krill Systems, http://www.krillsystems.com/.

Another system, spun off from Volvo Penta, kind of like GM's Help, I've Fallen and I can't Get Up (OnStar), SeaKey, http://www.seakeyna.com/.

Of course you can get your own proximity sensors, microswitches, photoelectric sensors and hook them to a very loud alarm.

Or glass in the back of the boat (I slid that one in).

Might be good to find out what the marina learned.

FYI, for non-surface mount electronics there are lock devices, such as one I bought. They can be eventually removed with enough work. See Dura-Safe, http://www.durasafe-usa.com/#, click on marine and see VHF and GPS setups. Keyed locks are by shaft size and length. You can get them keyed alike. I put one photo in where you can see the knob lock on the side of one of the units.

Dana

 

[Polky Pig]

This summer I fell victim to my first boat burglary. They targeted my rods and reels only... thank God!.. went right past my Ray C-80 as well as my large tackle box with all my goods.. Ended up catching the guy, and his lady friend a few weeks later at a local flea market..

After that I installed this alarm and it works pretty well.. How do I know.. I keep forgetting about it everytime I open the door in the early AM .

It just makes alot of noise for a few minutes until the jerk figures how to get it torn off and throws it in the drink... My hopes is it will wake someone up... make some dogs bark or something and make the smacker take off.

When I get back down to the boat I take a photo..

http://homesecuritystore.com/ezStore123 ... ductID=991

I hope the link works.. kinda new here.

 

[Porkchunker]

The first week I was at Fairwinds in Cape St. Claire, MD, the ropes on my full cover were cut and the screws in the hinge of the cabin door were unscrewed. I don't store any high-value items on the boat, so they departed with nothing more than giving me a job of reassembling the cabin door. Never had another problem for the 3 years I was there.

I've since moved to Solomon's Naval Recreation Center, and this 4th of July weekend, it was broken into again. This time they unhooked the bungies holding the full cover, went in and drank some soda that was in the compartment under one of the helm seats, and took the flair gun and an extra set of shotshell flairs I inadvertently left on a shelf next to the helm. They did not break into the cabin. I suspect they were young kids (Jr. High age).

Bottom line is that you should not store any high-value electronics or fishing gear on board. A sign that says that on both sides of the transom and on the cabin door wouldn't be a bad idea...guess I'll need to make some up this winter.

Anyone know where you can get large sheets of laminate (large enough to cover 8-1/2" x 11" bond paper)? I used to get the stuff in large rolls for laminating maps when I was on active duty in the Army. Don't know where to get it now. Stuff was expensive, so maybe those of us in the Annapolis-Solomons area could go in on a roll, then have a mid-winter lead jig pouring party and make up 50-75 of these laminated signs.

 

[Megabyte]

If I ever catch someone messing with my boat, this is how I will greet them.

 

[pelagic2530]

If I ever catch someone messing with my boat, this is how I will greet them.

amen, brother!!!! however, i cant sleep on the boat all the time, so ive been forced to look for other options. my friend has a battery operated window alarm screecher that he has gererously allowed me to have, i am trying to figure out how to make a tripwire. i figure that it'll probably be dark, they wont expect it, and hopefully it'll scare the pi$$ out of them .if it works, ill post pics. im also gonna put up the signs, for whatever good it might do. im thinking something along the lines of "nothing more valuable than the last time you broke in" or something like that.

 

[Megabyte]

im also gonna put up the signs, for whatever good it might do. im thinking something along the lines of "nothing more valuable than the last time you broke in" or something like that.

Maybe a sign with a photo of that Mossberg with the following text underneath:

"If you decide to try and rob me again, understand that this is the weapon that you will have to deal with.
How lucky do you feel today?"

 

[dcunniff]

Here is another wireless security system where you can pick and choose components and get alerted different ways.

Called Magellan Marine, and is custom installed. Another likely costly setup, and have to pay for alert service by type, http://www.edgewatertechnologies.com.

Dana

 

[Porkchunker]

Here is another wireless security system where you can pick and choose components and get alerted different ways.

Called Magellan Marine, and is custom installed. Another likely costly setup, and have to pay for alert service by type, http://www.edgewatertechnologies.com.

Dana

Here is what I get when I click that link: Bad Request (Invalid Hostname)

 

[Megabyte]

There was an extra period in that link. Try this:
http://www.edgewatertechnologies.com/

 

[flydoc]

Finally got the boat hauled to my home. Any ideas on how to further deter theft.?
I know that if someone wants it bad enough it'll disappear. I'm putting a coupler lock on it also.
Thanks.

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[Porkchunker]

I like it...guess I'll need to budget for one of those boots.

 

[pelagic2530]

Finally got the boat hauled to my home. Any ideas on how to further deter theft.?
I know that if someone wants it bad enough it'll disappear. I'm putting a coupler lock on it also.
Thanks.

i cant tell how its positioned in the pic, but if you can put it so the stern faces the access point (make sure you can get your tow vehicle out first!!) also, chain it to something big, if you can, and run chains through your wheels to the trailer frame. just make it difficult enough that they go next door. i know this because i looked for a long time for how to protect my zodiac, which sits on a trailer in my backyard

 

[Pucker]

I'd combine Megabytes suggestion along with an audio alarm.

Instead of the annoying siren sound, replace it with the sound of a 12 guage - buck-shot round being shoved into its chamber. KA-CHICKKKKK :twisted:

The only thing that would be stolen would be your toilet paper. :lol:

 

[greatcir]

I just bought a portable intruder alarm (link below) that uses a 9 volt battery. I tried it in a few locations and seemed to work fine in all of them. It came with two small stickers for the widows too. Understand casual crooks might pass up a boat with window stickers on it and if not they will have my 105 dB alarm and if that all does not work then my boat stuff is history and I'll take my pre-theft photos to my insurance man.

http://www.safehomeproducts.com/SHP2/