Preventing Theft of New Electronics

[Mike Banks]

It happened in Townsville at a marina and can happen anywhere. Poverty and opportunity brings thieves to your vessel. They forced entry into several vessels and took all of the electronics they could reach.

Apart from the fishing rod with treble hook poked in through your open port light to steal your binoculars or camera, sextant , wallet or whatever, they are now using battery-powered outboards and infra red equipment to come aboard unmanned vessels at night, or tow away your dinghy left astern..

They are getting organised it seems. One of my pals of the old days was out on deck having a nightcap under the stars when someone in a wet suit and gear tried to cut free the painter on his dinghy. He went aft to confront the guy, who lunged upwards with the knife, and had he not recoiled backwards, he would have been badly hurt or worse. He patted the guy on the side of the head with a winch handle, at which point he slipped out of sight, probably nursing an egg on the head.

Then there is the old scam of coming to see what is offered for sale when stuff is advertised--then returning when the owner has left to steal it.

But as for your problem, I would buy a mu-metal safe, inside the vessel, have it bolted securely from inside the safe to the vessel, and store my electronics in that, safe from electromagnetic and electrostatic surges and lightning, and out of the sight of the thieving bastards.

it also doubles as your Customs safe.

History tells us that there are no safe ports, but that some of them are a great deal more safe than are others.

[kas_1611]

If you are that worried then is it really a PITA to remove them and store them securely?

What about engraving the boat name and HIN into the casing thereby making them "too hot to handle" for a thief? Or using one of those UV security markers to do the same?

There are proprietary systems such as DataTag and SafeTag who make systems that permanently mark items like outboards etc. They use microdots, smartwater or tamper evident labels to ID items. Sometimes the simple things are the best and a very obvious security label or mark will deter pretty much any thief if it means they can't sell it on.

But a minute to remove your chartplotter and secure it in the cabin or to cover it is hardly a chore if it saves damage and loss.

[Jules_M]

Thanks for the advice. Yeah, it's probably more worry than justifiable concern. I live in a canal community where maybe 30-40% of the homes have boats at their docks and I have only heard of a few thefts and that was on a social media site. I know of no one personally who has experienced thefts of any kind, including in their home.

The boat has a canvas cover but since I added the taller, angled pedestal guard, the cover doesn't fit so well anymore. But we are going to remedy that, once I make a folding cockpit table and we can get the right fit.

One of the deterrents I plan to add is to replace the wood-type screws used to mount the instruments with machine screws and nylon-insert lock nuts. That way no one can simply unscrew the instruments from the front.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Jules_M

One of the deterrents I plan to add is to replace the wood-type screws used to mount the instruments with machine screws and nylon-insert lock nuts. That way no one can simply unscrew the instruments from the front.

In this thread, a cover is great basic advice, and going to machine screws and those nylock nuts... that's going to deter all but the most committed thief. Document the install, take pictures, log all your serial numbers... if anything ever happens, your insurer should pay out without hassle.

[boden36]

You could always screw the things in with brass screws, then use a dremel to remove the slots. Easy to drill the brass out if ever needed. If you used a left handed drill they would probably screw out during the operation.


Regards,
Richard.

[Jules_M]

I installed Allen head machine screws with the nylock nuts. Then tried to unscrew them from the front. After they loosened a bit, the nuts just spun with the screw. If they really want it bad enough, they will get it but it might not be in the best of shape for resale.

[a64pilot]

Electronics are not often stolen, I don’t know why.
Usually if your in a bad place they will break in, steal the TV, the laptop, cameras, and any other easily pawned items, add fishing tackle to that list.
Things that take time to be removed and or skill, it seems are usually inside jobs of stored boats, and that’s pretty rare.

[stubones99]

Harbor Freight has a complete set of security screwdriver bits for any thief that wants to take your electronics navpod... I think they are $5 or so. Insure and forget it...

[guyrj33]

B&G instruments have a tamper resistant bracket that can be bolted to the back of the instrument, preventing the simple twist lock removal of the display.

[billdomb]

Originally Posted by akprb

Go to bed and don’t concern yourself one bit.

In the highly unlikely event they are stolen you get an almost free upgrade if you have decent insurance.

If you live in a place where they are stealing that kind of gear may want to consider moving :-)

Fine enough if yer parked at the dock at home base. But some gear is life-support critical. If missing, almost impossible to replace if out in the wilds and not having it could git ya in some major hot doodoo.

[Shrew]

We kept our boat in a marina in a not so great neighborhood. Technically, the immediate street was nice, but one block up was not Lot so break-ins in the marina.

The solution was to not lock the boat and take the electronics into the cabin. Never had a problem. It seems that the assumption is that you only lock up valuables. Not Locked = Nothing to steal.

[rhpike]

I had 2 Raymarine E-80’s stolen from my Island Packet around 2013, moored at a high-end yacht club with decent security, in Seabrook, Texas. Helm covered with a canvas cover. After 2nd theft, I replaced Navpod with 2 SS hooks welded to the pedestal bar. I store the unit down below and install it on the helm before I leave the Slip. Takes less than a minute.

The sellers and installers of this equipment said there were similar thefts on other boats in the area. It was very strange. Not sure if the demand for these older Raymarine units is still the same.

[seandepagnier]

my friend anchored in caracas venezuela a few years back, and he went to get a pizza.

He said when he got back to the boat 20 minutes later they had stolen $7000 just in electronics.

[jimisbell]

Originally Posted by Jules_M

Last night I removed the face and brought it into the house. But I don't want to have to do that every time.

Any suggestions?

Get a trawler with lockable doors...........

[hellosailor]

$10 at a discount tool store will get you a set of 50 bits that fit practically every security screw out there. But there is one fairly old security screw, which can be a real mixed blessing because there IS no way to unscrew it. They look like standard slotted-head screws, but there is a "ramp" on each side of the slot, so that if you try to unscrew it, the screwdriver just spins up and off the head. If you need to ever get it out--you have to drill it out. I don't know what they are called, but they've been around for decades.