Companionway sliding hatch security

[CarinaPDX]

I always lock myself inside, out of habit more than paranoia. Sneakaboards are not at all unusual in the Caribbean islands, and I know of one boat in Turkey that was backed to the quay overnight with the companionway opened: no wallet, computer, camera the next morning. This in a place where pickpockets and such are pretty unusual.

Personally I was boarded at 3AM at anchor in Trinidad. I awoke to the faint sound of the hatch stopping at the deadbolt. It turns out they were a couple of young teenagers primarily after the dinghy gas but happy to take advantage of an open hatch if available. I was VERY glad that I had developed the habit of locking the boat - it allowed me to call for help without having to confront them inside the boat in my birthday suit...

I mounted a quality dead bolt, such as used commercially (home quality would also do just fine) in the top of the drop board facing upwards: the bolt engaged a lip on the hatch, preventing it moving forward. It is very effective, strong, and difficult to circumvent.

Using a hasp and padlock to secure a boat is a bad joke: a large screwdriver can snap it open in a second with little sound. And anyone with an interest knows that, just as they know that people are in their deepest sleep at 3AM if they are after a wallet.

Greg

[David B]

For us, we always lock ourselves in at night. You just never know, and although we may think we are in a very safe area, there is always the chance of that one person. It doesn't have to be outside your own country either - read a few years ago (the way time flies, make that about ten years ago), of a couple anchored out in a cove in Sydney Harbour waking up in the wee hours to find someone onboard. Bit of a scuffle and some personal injury, before the boarder was sent back over the side where he came from. Turned out is was some drunk who decided to swim out to their yacht and cause some mischief.
For the same reason, we never leave our tender in the water - either up on deck, or on the davits, with locked security cabling to slow someone down. Outboard is locked to transom, or locked to its mounting pad on the pushpit. Also, that mounting pad is on the port side - the side invariably away from the wharf when we are alongside.
Then there is the electronic security system with remote monitoring via GSM ....

Same at home - locked doors, and security system on against anyone sneaking in downstairs while we are asleep. Never happened to us, but you hear of others.

It's the world we live in these days - don't let them stop you seeing as much of this wonderful world we live in for far too short a time, but take precautions.

That's our perspective anyway.
Hope that helps,
David.

[CarinaPDX]

Today I was reminded of another reason to close up at night: keeping out rats. An open companionway and the smell of food below is a tempting invitation to the lovable little critters... Having watched a rat come up the mooring lines as I was eating a pizza in the cockpit (Colon), I make certain that there is no unscreened opening for them to enter.

Greg

[austinrick]

Well, thanks for all the replies and insights. This is what I came up with this afternoon; it should suffice for what I'm trying to do. Anyone determined enough to try to get past this will surely wake me up; the first thing they see when they slide that hatch back is me coming at them...

[Lepke]

The boats draw both good and bad people. I rarely anchor where there are others. When I don't run an anchor watch, doors and hatches are fastened from the inside, and other preparations.