Dinghy / Boat Security Ideas?

[LTDsailing]

Hi All -

So - I run a small sailing school in Grenada. We have a few boats we use for teaching which we keep on our dock.

We recently had our 12' AB dinghy and 25 hp Yamaha engine stolen as well as the outboard from another dinghy we had on our dock. At the same time they rumaged through two of our catamarans - not sure what they might have taken, probably won't know until I go to look for something one of these days and can't find it...

We had two cameras which we have now figured out were not set up properly... Expensive lesson!

This has all gotten me thinking about dinghy and boat security! We are installing more lights on our dock and getting the cameras set up propperly. But what else can we do? I have been looking at GPS tracking devices but have not come up with anything that looks like it will fit inside the cowling of the engine...

We also have a few mooring balls which we use to store boats sometimes. I am wondering what we might be able to do to help secure the boats not on our dock?

Does anyone have any good recommendations for products they have used or any good resources?

Thanks in advance for all your help!

Beam winds,

Chris

[a64pilot]

In all honesty cameras and lights may not do anything.
If you think cameras may deter, then get one or two of the big housings to put up so everyone can see them at a distance, then have one or two smaller real cameras.
May not be possible in your case but out of sight, out of mind is best. In other words as much as possible store the motors in a shed, I doubt they wanted the dinghy nearly as bad as the motor.
Locks are of course defeatable, but I lock the motor to the dinghy in the hope that they will go elsewhere. I just have a steel cable with a marine combo padlock.
I know the cable can be cut but so can anything.
I have even heard of thieves using a sawsall and cutting off the transom and taking the motor that way.

My house was broken into twice, second time I had a good talk to the cop taking the report, I asked about lights and cameras. He said they would love the lights, then they could see what they were stealing and that cameras don't bother them.
In my case what worked was a big dog, she was very friendly but seemed that just her presence kept them away.
Get a big dog maybe?

For a boat on a mooring, maybe a motion detecting flood light?
Theory being, maybe if they climb aboard and a light turns on, maybe they will think someone is on the boat, and leave?

[Sailmonkey]

Small asset trackers?

I'm sure this would fit under the cowl.

https://www.geoforce.com/buy/equipme...asset-tracker/

[ohdrinkboy]

Can you have the eye from an eye bolt welded to the outboard drive leg, and chain it to a dock?

[pesarsten]

I would strongly suggest a lever action 45-70 , a thermos of strong coffee and a few rare roast beef sandwiches with horseradish mayo. The 45-70 with a 300 grain slug will impart wisdom to those that steal. A few rounds through their method of transport will discourage future shopping expeditions.

[Sandero]

locks deter drunks from stealing... they don't walk around with bolt cutters...

Best is to get insurance and get a new dink if the dink gets nicked. A nuisance... but look at the bright side... a new dink to worry about!

[UNCIVILIZED]

Chain & a lock akin to this, or similar, chain having links with a square cross section. Though execise some wisdom as to what you lock it to. Lest the anchor point get cut instead of the lock or chain.
OnGuard 8017 Beast Chain Lock

Also, at a certain point if the thieves can't steal the item, they may get pissed off enough to destroy it, or at a minimum, get nasty about things. Like say, filling lock keyholes with devcon. I can't say that it's likely, but it's worth considering.
And before you purchase or put in place a system which alerts you that guys are messing with your boat(s), have a plan of what you'll do from there once alerted. As that's not a time when you want to figure out what you're going to do. And what are the local laws regarding same? Not to mention your personal convictions.

[Taichungman]

When in an anchorage we always put the dingy on the boat at night period. You have a different situation though.
- Cameras set up correctly might help identify and convict the thieves.
- Mooring ball probably won't work. They will just use the dingy they already stole from you and go out and get the rest.
- I like the big bad barking dog idea from poster above.
- Lights on and music going might throw them off.
- Or sleep on the boat until you can confront/catch/eliminate the thieves.

[Sandero]

let your paranoia go or sail to an area without rampant criminal activity.

[danielamartindm]

Guard dogs at night. Thieves will go where there AREN'T guard dogs. Wouldn't you?

[belizesailor]

Out-of-sight-out-of-mind works.

Dogs are affective, lock dinks with heavy chain to fixed point, lock OB with something like the lock below. A good welder can also fab one for you:

https://garhauermarine.com/catalog_process.cfm?cid=90

I was in Grenada last year, beautiful place, but seems theft is becoming a problem there.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

Small asset trackers?

I'm sure this would fit under the cowl.

https://www.geoforce.com/buy/equipme...asset-tracker/

That with a port to attach a remotely operated fuse to a chunck of C4...no more thieves....no more theft.

[UNCIVILIZED]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ2PECzurXQ

[Blue Crab]

I was a dockmaster/launch driver at a sailing club with moorings. We were there 24/7 with a very powerful spotlight on the upper deck and politely tracked folks crossing the mooring field. Past the mooring field led to the derelict anchorage. It helped but didn't stop theft.

Where rich and poor mingle, all pockets jingle.

[admiralslater]

Good morning Chris ,I can't believe they nicked your dingy just before the concert . I have two Ideas . For the dingy there is something called Tile which might work on the dingy as it is very small . I am not sure of the details on that one .
As for the boats look at Arlo net gear . We just installed it at our sailing club and another friend put it in his cottage .
The system works on the wifi connection,the cameras are the size of a big bar of soap and are cordless using a built in lithium battery and can be mounted any where including just sitting on a table facing the companion way. Here is the best part ,they don't do anything until they detect motion at which time they turn on and sent an alert to your phone which then allows you to see what is going on . You can also set it up so that you can talk through it . It can be accessed at any time just by logging on so you can see what is happening. You could attach one one to the Palm tree by the office . I believe there are no limits on the amount of cameras . They geo fence your phone so that you don't trigger alerts yourself.
I hope this helps and will see you in November for new style sashimi.