Security systems, locking gadgets, theft prevention/deterents, etc.

[off-the-grid]

Now that I'm in the process of buying a boat, I'm looking at the massive list of links, gadgets, toys, etc. that I've been building up and trying to organize it a little better.

Something like this:
1: Must get ASAP
2: Don't need until I start cruising
3: Don't need until/if I head offshore
4: Useless POS targeted at newbies like me who don't know better

SO...

What are people's opinions on:
1: boat security systems
2: locking gas caps
3: electronics locks (like the kind that replaces the knob on a mounting bracket)

Is it really that common for boats to get broken into, or as long as everything is locked, is someone more likely to look for an easier target?
Is fuel theft really that common?
Is it really likely that someone is going to rip a plotter right off of it's bracket?

I've lived in NJ my whole life, so I'm a big believer of locking everything, but are some of these gadgets just overkill? Although the caps and the electronics lock aren't that expensive anyway.

Would some of these things not really be needed while sitting in a slip in NJ, but maybe a good idea once I start cruising...especially while on the hook out of the country?

[Hudson Force]

Hello again Grunzter, I can only speak to this point with personal experience and without any comprehensive statistics. During the 37 years that we have been cruising and living aboard we have experienced just two thefts. One was my son's bicycle that had been left unlocked at the head of the dock, later recovered from a neighborhood teen. The other was my son's surfboard that had been taken from the deck while we were away from the docked boat. Over this time span I think of these loses as being trivial and fortunate. The most common thefts that I have heard of among my fellow cruisers have been bicycles, dinghies and outboards. During our travels from Maine to the Bahamas we have heard of these types of thefts most in south Florida and the least in the Bahamas. We commonly chain our outboard, dinghy & bikes as well as locking our cabin access when we are away from our boat. We have also been given wise advice not to place the name of our vessel on the dinghy as some people have, "T/T AYTHYA" or similar stenciled on the dinghy. We are told that there are cases of individuals knowing what vessels can be robbed by what dinghies are ashore. In general, I believe that property on boats is safer than property in houses and locked property is safer than unsecured. 'take care and joy, Aythya crew

[MarkJ]

I don't want to live my life in a jail cell like the barred-windown house of ours on dry land.

If someone breaks into this boat the can steelllllllll, well, not much.

Mind you, I do like this innovation. Just one bit of wire around the cockpit :

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[Little Otter]

If you get a good padlock for the cabin entrance and chains for deck equip. then you should be fine or you could just do the cheap thing and put a sign on it that says something like "Keep Away: DANGER HIGHLY RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS." or "DANGER HIGHLY VOLITALE CHEMICALS ONBOARD, STAY BACK 200'."

[Tempest245]

A box of Thumbtacks scattered on deck.......?

[BadFish]

These work good...



Cheers

Bill

[Roy M]

For the gas, install a ball valve before the tank, inside the boat. For a burglar alarm, there are plenty of inexpensive, 12 volt car alarms with loud sirens, or go for a standard home security alarm (also, generally 12 volt) with several zones. You can then arm an outside locker or the dinghy motor, while freely walking about the interior. Place a switch near your berth that turns on the deck lights and maybe another to activate the "panic switch" on the burglar alarm if someone boards the boat in the wee hours.

[Boomp]

Originally Posted by BadFish

These work good... Rotwieller!

Bill

That dog would work. I'm thinking of an el cheapo Home Depot motion detector alarm a/w motion alarm and light and a sign that informs the perp that 'this alarm has been transmitted to the Harba Mastah'... [beats dealing with Claymores and tripwires...]

[off-the-grid]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

During the 37 years that we have been cruising and living aboard we have experienced just two thefts. One was my son's bicycle that had been left unlocked at the head of the dock, later recovered from a neighborhood teen. The other was my son's surfboard that had been taken from the deck while we were away from the docked boat.

Well that happens everywhere. My first bike disappeared from in front of my best friends house years ago. In the exact same spot I used to put it every day.

Originally Posted by CaptForce

We have also been given wise advice not to place the name of our vessel on the dinghy as some people have, "T/T AYTHYA" or similar stenciled on the dinghy. We are told that there are cases of individuals knowing what vessels can be robbed by what dinghies are ashore.

What about a ding name the Grumpy Guppy? Would it be too obvious that it came from the Grouchy Turtle?



MarkJ - That may work until I have a little to much to drink one night and forget about that wire.


BadFish - That's exactly what I was just going to suggest. Is he ill tempered, though? What would be even better is if he had a laser beam attached to his head.

[off-the-grid]

Originally Posted by Tempest245

A box of Thumbtacks scattered on deck.......?

That could present the same problem as Mark's solution.

Although, at least it's much cheaper.

[Pblais]

I've lived in NJ my whole life, so I'm a big believer of locking everything, but are some of these gadgets just overkill?

If it seems overkill to you, then it is probably overkill for more of the places you might go. Common sense says you don't leave a clear plastic bag of money or your dinghy left out on deck unattended. "It's the dumb stuff" covers most problems you might have. Crimes of opportunity are often too easy to let some people pass by. Most places in the world are safer than most big US cities.

Unfortunately some members have take the opportunity to trot out all the lame ideas that have ever been posted for their own entertainment. You might find it surprising that this is not normal behavior here. Posting jokes inside other people's threads is pretty childish. It seems to come up with most with these "security" topics.

If it gets out of hand you can click the white triangle with the red border in the lower left corner of any post. It reports the post along with your comments and we will review it and deal with the problem.

[amytom]

Originally Posted by grunzster

BadFish - That's exactly what I was just going to suggest. Is he ill tempered, though? What would be even better is if he had a laser beam attached to his head.

I believe the correct term is "Freakin' Laser Beam"

[off-the-grid]

Originally Posted by Boomp

That dog would work. I'm thinking of an el cheapo Home Depot motion detector alarm a/w motion alarm and light and a sign that informs the perp that 'this alarm has been transmitted to the Harba Mastah'... [beats dealing with Claymores and tripwires...]

You sir are a genious.

Multiple trip wires on board connected to the pins on these. Or at least rigged to doors, lockers, hatches, etc. I've never actually seen one in action, but I've heard they're loud as hell...and VERY cheap.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Boomp

That dog would work. I'm thinking of an el cheapo Home Depot motion detector alarm a/w motion alarm and light and a sign that informs the perp that 'this alarm has been transmitted to the Harba Mastah'... [beats dealing with Claymores and tripwires...]

It might be wise to research how it senses motion because it will be no fun to have your towel and shorts setting it all off in a breeze.

[BadFish]

Posting jokes inside other people's threads is pretty childish.

I was being serious. Unfortunately, me mutt is not ill-tempered, unless you are intruding, and he does not like to wear freakin' laser beams on top of his freakin' head.

Cheers

Bill