Wheel On & Key in Ignition

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by tager

Lots of boats get stolen.

Really?? I suppose that this must vary wildly with location, but in all the years that we've been cruising we've never heard of a cruising boat being stolen. Smaller motor boats, especially on trailers, sure, but not typical cruising boats.

Does anyone actually have any data on this?

On the other hand, I have personally gone aboard boats that were dragging and been able to slow/stop their progress by veering more chain or a second anchor. Never needed to try to start the engine, and would only do so in an extreme situation.

Finally, we never shut off seacocks, batteries or fuel valves whilst at anchor. Why on earth would one do such a thing? A rapid departure is always a possible requirement, and we maintain such equipment so that we don't worry about a sudden hose failure, etc.

And remember, anyone with a dinghy powered by a >3-5 hp motor can steal your boat with no access to engine, sails or such.

Cheers,

Jim

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Bash

You want to keep a diesel from firing up, the solution is not a key. A better solution is a hidden shut-off valve somewhere in the fuel line where a prospective thief would never look.

Of course, the point of this thread is that some of us are less concerned about thievery than about dragging and/or being dragged upon.

whilst cruising in 90 odd countries,we never locked the boat,this i know for a fact,as the door dint have a lock on it!

if you are worried about your boat dragging,then maybe you should stay on board,or deploy a second anchor.

seems like there is a tendancy towards paranoia on the forum,mainly from those that never anchor................

[Bash]

Originally Posted by atoll

whilst cruising in 90 odd countries,we never locked the boat,this i know for a fact,as the door dint have a lock on it!

if you are worried about your boat dragging,then maybe you should stay on board,or deploy a second anchor.

seems like there is a tendancy towards paranoia on the forum,mainly from those that never anchor................

Why is it that people with spelling challenges tend to jump to such hasty conclusions?

tendency. t-e-n-d-e-n-c-y.

Now, read the response you objected to more carefully. It says, "...less concerned about thievery than about dragging and/or being dragged upon."

Now look up the big word you used, "paranoia." Do you have a dictionary? Do you see anything in that dictionary that correlates "less concerned" with "paranoia?"

And please note that I'm not responding to the baseless accusation that I never anchor. Nor am I impressed with the claim that you've done 90 countries without a lock.

[daddle]

No wheel, no key and locked boat slows me down about 3 minutes when I steal a boat.

Mines always unlocked, ready to go. Even if I've flown 8000 miles away. Don't leave your boat unattended in dubious places. Hire a boat watcher or fellow cruiser if necessary.

[travler37]

so recovered a stolen dingy from PiPi off Phuket,Thailand.think like a thief.
was easy to hide.Where does a thief plan on hiding a 25/35/45 ft boat?He doesnt and can not outrun the law at 6/7 knots.So your boat will be burgled but not stolen is the norm.
Watches said boat dragging by mine....no one on board.and if you did not leave your key then ohh well.......
takes vidio and "recovers" said boat when it goes aground.......Having lawers in the famly realy warps your mind me thinks.Meantime you owe me %100 for salvage.
Thank you,no key
Mark

[travler37]

Originally Posted by daddle

No wheel, no key and locked boat slows me down about 3 minutes when I steal a boat.

Mines always unlocked, ready to go. Even if I've flown 8000 miles away. Don't leave your boat unattended in dubious places. Hire a boat watcher or fellow cruiser if necessary.

the dingy dollar,
I have a dollar bill torn in half.Make a show now of tearing it in half and giving 1/2 to boat watcher.....just tear paper for sound effect.little magic.
Take 1/2 dollar bill from said boat watcher and magically fix it to a whole one.simple slight of hand.practice it.
works and cheap insurance
Mark

[sailorboy1]

never would know based on the discussion, but the poll says 30% NO and 70% YES currently for leaving the wheel on and the key in the ignition

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by Bash

Why is it that people with spelling challenges tend to jump to such hasty conclusions?

Atoll has been bashed. Good thing casual spelling is OK on CF. Personally, I am smarter than a 5th grader and can spell well. I'd trade it for Atoll's sea time.

Wife was desperate for a beer on a coastal cruise in FL. We anchored our Lagoon-like Wharram cat just outside the very modest "surf" line and rushed ashore. Sitting on the beach with fresh beers, and 22 in reserve
I noticed our life savings and all worldly possessions slowly drifting away downwind, surf not being a factor. Fortunately boat was saved by local beachgoers by just holding it in very nice conditions til I got there and handed out beers. I anchor out all the time but now always with two anchors if I leave the boat. Stuff happens. Even a good sailor can tie a bad knot. Wheel? Key? Locked companionway? Ha ha ha.

[nigel1]

Originally Posted by Bash

You want to keep a diesel from firing up, the solution is not a key. A better solution is a hidden shut-off valve somewhere in the fuel line where a prospective thief would never look.

Of course, the point of this thread is that some of us are less concerned about thievery than about dragging and/or being dragged upon.

Few years back a couple of opportunists nicked a cat of the moorings in Porthmadog, having stolen a small tender to get to the moorings. They knew how to get the diesels started, but lacked the knowledge to open the cooling water. Both engines seized on the way out, boat grounded on sand bar, and the theives rescued and then arrested

[minaret]

Originally Posted by nigel1

Few years back a couple of opportunists nicked a cat of the moorings in Porthmadog, having stolen a small tender to get to the moorings. They knew how to get the diesels started, but lacked the knowledge to open the cooling water. Both engines seized on the way out, boat grounded on sand bar, and the theives rescued and then arrested

A few years back an idiot thief managed to steal a 64' Navigator (very large powerboat) off a brokerage dock on Lake Union. He clearly didn't know how to handle such a large vessel and hadn't heard of thrusters. He hit a good half dozen vessels trying to get it out of the marina, causing many thousands worth of damage. We fixed all the boats involved and it was pretty hilarious what he did. They said by the time the cops arrived he was pretty happy to see them, just wanted to get off the boat. Don't know where he thought he was going with it, but sometimes thieves are just idiots instead of pro's. Fairly often even.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Bash

uhhh.... It's a lot more worn out than when you last saw it.

....and a few of the guns are rusty. It's just hard to keep them all up when there are so many weapons aboard.

....and the anchor is still a Rocna. One of those foreign ones. Probably not safe to sail the boat with that on the bow.

Rocna? OMFG! Dude! Only like the best theft deterrent ever... Holds so well I could never get it unstuck... I'll go steal one of the Bruce anchored boats. They are easy to drag away...

[Codacap]

We only lock up when we are going to be away from the boat for days or longer and when we are on a secure mooring or in a slip.

And once it saved our boat.

We were anchored at the Bridge of Lions in St Augustine. Rented a scooter and took off for the lighthouse on the barrier island.

Returning to the boat the traffic was all backed up at the bridge. And our boat was nowhere in sight.

She had dragged up on the bridge creating a gawkers delight. A young couple anchored nearby rowed to the bridge, climbed up and jumped down on our sloop. Started the engine and began to carefully pull away. Just then Sea Tow superstar shows up and insists on taking the boat as salvage. He ties a line on the sloop and in pulling the boat away dashes the davits into the bridge. Young couple remove his line and drive the boat around the backside of St Augustine and tie her up. Meanwhile Sea Tow superstar follows in his boat to the dock and insists it is his salvage. Thankfully his boss shows up and realizes this is not a derelict vessel, (a bristol condition Freedom 45) and tells young superstar to chill.

We finally clear the bridge and go to the dock. We took the couple out for dinner and provisioned their boat. Had they not intervened we may have been fighting a salvage claim. Left out most of the detail, but you get the point.

We will forever leave the key in and door unlocked.