Keeping 'Dock Walkers' Off the Boat !

[whatever]

Sara, we look AT not IN boats, cars or houses. Just the way I was raised, I guess . Unless I am invited to, I don't take it as my right to gaze into other people's property. We, too, have seem safety issues and helped to save someones boat, that isn't the same at all as peeping. Sorry just my opinion

[s/vfootloose]

a sign and pepper spray. It's one thing to walk down a street and admire houses, it's another to come up the driveway into the garage and stick your head in the door.

[s/vfootloose]

Funny thing on the local news tonite a guy was peering thru windows with a video recorder. The husband went out and beat the crap out of him then the police arrested him for being a peeping tom. From the pics the husband did a job on his face.

[Bash]

A different perspective, perhaps, from one who has spent more than a decade living aboard a sailboat: you've either got to get used to this happening, or find an alternative lifestyle.

While I certainly agree with the sentiment that "A man's home is his castle," I have observed that few non-boaters will have considered the possibility that a man's boat might be his home, let alone his castle.

There are solutions. One of the marinas I've lived in had a neighborhood watch program. If a person was going from boat to boat, all we had to do was call our special neighborhood watch number, report that we had a suspicious person on the premises, and it was amazing how quickly a police officer would show up and escort the peeper off the premises.

Are there multiple liveaboards on your dock? You might be pleased to discover how easy it is to set up a neighborhood watch program.

[SabreKai]

When I lived aboard in a marina, we had dock walkers all the time. The marina didn't have access gates at that time. But I guess most people in this area are brought up different. I've never had someone so much as touch my boat. Certainly not climb aboard and look around. I've had lots of people come down the finger and chat, meet some neat people that way and even took a few of them out for a couple hours if they seemed interested.

If the rental dock is a couple over and all the docks have gates, how are they getting onto the docks in the first place? They must be following the regulars through when they enter. Perhaps marina security should be having a conversation with those that allow it, and perhaps adding a note when they sign the lease. Otherwise, do as is noted, and post no trespassing signs. Then be ready to repel boarders. Politely at first. With a couple judicious pokes from a boat hook if they don't get the hint.

Sabre

[MarkJ]

We have an alarm thats small, battery operated, wireless, passive infra red and has a remote switch so you can set if off manually i.e. when some goose steps aboard!

Similar (same brand) as this. It was less than $100 in Australia. Your country would have something similar.

The good thing about wireless is that we just velco it on the wall when needed. Otherwise its in storage No instalation! You can just sit the components where you want them

Wireless Security Alarm Door Chime System

4224210


Features

• Control Panel with built in siren
• 8 selectable door chime tones
• 16 digitally encoded operating channels to prevent interference with other wireless products
• Low battery indicator on control panel

Benefits / Specifications

• Easy DIY Installation
• PIR sensor detects motion within an 8 metre radius
• Armed and disarmed indication

It works!


Mark

[scotte]

Originally Posted by sarafina

I confess when we have knocked to make sure no one was home I have peeked into boats I really wanted to see the interior layout on...

That's really not OK to do. Seriously, if you want to see the interior layout, then you wait until a time that someone answers and then you ASK if you can. Just because nobody answers does not entitle you to look inside.

[trinescape]

When we lived aboard we had the same problems with people looking in and in one instance this bloke just climbs aboard and just wanders around the deck when i went forward and challanged him he said ''i am only looking what harm is there '' my reply was how would you feel if i wandered into your property and said the same to you , this got him thinking and he just shrugged his shoulders at which point i told him to pi#$ off and dont board unless your invited he left without saying a word what are these people thinking !! i would never ,ever board someone else's boat without permission what ever happened to common courtsey[spelling]no-one gives a crap any more
andy

[svjobeth]

I suppose there's not too much that can be added to what's already been suggested for 'prevention.' However, if I were in your situation, I'd be raising so much hell with marina management that their collective heads would spin!

We have a similar issue at times in our marina. We also have a very responsive dockmaster's office with a no-nonsense approach to security. I once saw a family group with two teenage kids strolling the dock one over from ours; next thing I know, the kids are posing on the foredeck of a large cat while dad snapped some photos. In less than two seconds, one of the dockmasters and a security person were converging on them. In no uncertain terms, the dockmaster explained the marina and the yachts that occupy it are private property and that police would be called immediately if they didn't leave. The message was very clear and the now not so happy family cleared out quickly.

People that do more than give a passing glance, or stop for an admiring look, are most often than not harmless, inconsiderate, and idiotic buffoons. A former land based neighbor's daughter would have referred to them as 'stupid dum dums.' Unfortunately, others may harbor ill-will and the tricky thing is to be able to tell them apart. Regardless, someone actually boarding a boat and even someone looking inside from the dock is, at a minimum, not thinking straight. No matter what their perception of 'liveaboard' or 'private property' may be, it seems quite possible they are breaking the law by boarding your vessel without permission.

EDIT: In the FWIW department, I would add that ours is a fairly large marina and boatyard complex; with approximately 300 slips with power and sailboats ranging from daysailers and small trawlers to a handful of 100+' motor and sailing yachts. Many of these are yachts in transit and there are almost always people around on all of the docks 24/7. Still, the marina handles the potential security issues posed by 'dockwalkers' quite well.

[knottybuoyz]

A few of these strategically placed might deter some peeping toms.



I once saw a pickup in the states with the "Protected By Smith & Wesson" crossed 45's sticker in the back window. On the other side of the window he had "1990 Small Arms Marksman" sticker or something to that effect. I don't think anybody in their right mind would mess with his truck.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by scotte

That's really not OK to do. Seriously, if you want to see the interior layout, then you wait until a time that someone answers and then you ASK if you can. Just because nobody answers does not entitle you to look inside.

When I read the opening post I was amazed and I would be very annoyed if it happened to me or mine. Sounds more like folks looking to lift anything on spec than boat gawpers.............

Peering through windows? Ummmmmm I figure if someone is clearly not onboard and are happy for folk to admire the interior they will give the international welcome sign.............of leaving the curtains open

So far never seen anyone sitting on the pot.................

[rover88]

I have a friend of nearly 40 years that has his boat three slips down from mine. We grew up together, helped raise each other's kids and are like family. However, neither of us steps on the other's boat without asking "permission to come aboard?" (always makes us feel so "nautical"). It's tradition as well as common courtesy.

At our marina we vigilantly deal with dock walkers politely, but any stranger is set upon immediately and asked "can I help you?" when on the dock. A solution is to discuss the issue with all the boat owners at the marina and suggest much the same - sort of a neighborhood watch program. Security is most effective from the "ground up" and relying on the marina owners rather than fellow boat owners may not solve the problem.

If you feel physically threatened or genuinely unsafe, nothing - and I mean nothing - says "you are not welcome here" as the sound of a pump shotgun being wracked (cocked). It's Texas after all......

[gonesail]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

A friend of ours had a problem like that at one time.. said he came home from work one saturday and there were 4 people setting around the cockpit having drinks.. he also said they got pissed off when he told them to leave and it was a personal boat.

unbelievable. i mean do they walk up to stranger's homes and grab a beer from the fridge and think that's ok? very weird.

[Surveyor]

Just out of curiosity, how do you (anyone here) feel about someone taking pictures of your boat from the dock without coming aboard?

maybe I should ask in a new thread.....sorry for hijacking

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by David M

I put an NRA sticker in the window of my house. Its no guarantee, but I would imagine it makes literate people think twice.

It probably makes criminals think, "Hey! I can break in here and steal some guns! Those are REALLY easy to fence! And all I have to do is make sure that no one is home before I break in."