Boat Security Ideas??

[Back In Black]

Had some clown sniffing around my boat shed today, which is visible from the road. I just brought home my new Sailfish 2800 Cat last week, & want some ideas how to really secure it. I have a very heavy duty helmet hitch encompassing the towball with a solid padlock, virtually impossible to access. I was thinking of wheel clamps & chaining it with hardened chain via the axles to the shed itself. Someone told me today he had a motion sensor attached to his racing motor bike, so if touched without the key being turned on, a horrendous siren went off.
Probably time to upgrade the Shih tzu to a doberman as well. Any ideas would be appreciated.
Tony

[thylacene]

A nice little sign that says "This boat guarded by shotgun 3 days each week, you guess which three" and the necessary hardware to back up the claims

A well trained blue heeler as well, one that will let them in, but won't let them out.

Thieves are like computers, to get results you punch the information in!

[DAVE_S]

I reckon a 3 metre salty tied to hitch will do the trick .
The dog up grade is probably the best .

[Mr__Bean]

A simple but effective deterrent for large trailered boats is to fit a 70mm tow coupling rather than the normal 50mm version.

The 6 tonne 70mm towball is simple but rarely seen in normal applications.

Not many thieves will come prepared for that.

- Darren

[bigjimg]

Get a motion detector hooked up to a squealer siren and set the time it squeals.Will send them bolting when it goes off at over 80 decibels.They are similar to burgular alarms.Or a big dog that bites.Just the presence of a dog is a a deterent.By the sounds of it your on the list.Jim

[Steeler]

My mother in law, she would scare the shite out of anybody.

[Horse]

Upgrade to a Rotty. Great family dog and the ferals will steer clear
Wheel locks and a towball lock will certainly slow them down

[SunnyCoastMark]

Put the trailer on stands - Take the wheels off and store them somwhere else. In addition to the standard security measures.

[DTHCoCo]

The motorcycle motion detectors are made by a company called Xena, they are imported by Wayne Gardner enterprises.

[Lancair]

Hey there Back in Black, thats one awesome rig youve got. I was at the ramp in Ballina on the friday afternoon you went out for what looked like your first time on board with the Sailfish rep. I launched the white tournament just after you. How did the trip go ? I hope no issues appeared on the first trip, although better they did then and not next time your out off Noosa.

Andrew

[cormorant]

Don't mess around.

Get a gsm , gps alarm put in on both the trailer and boat. Phones your mobile as soon as it is moved or entry made to cabin etc etc and will set of peizo sceamers and flashing lights..

Weld your Chassis number on the trailer and stamp it in a couple of other discrete places and photograph it so it is harder to rebirth. Secure winch and hitch by peining over bolts

Stamp props , motors, cowls , batteries and everything with a metal number and letter stamp in a discrete place, use the engine number . Can buy prop locks if you like.
Stamp the hull in a couple of extra spots with the HIN number , photograph it.

Basically mark every piece of equipment and secure srtuff in a way that makes it a big effort and a pain, identifyable if they do get it. We even texta life jackets and all safety gear with boat rego in big letters so knobs don't bother knocking them off. Have lost a couple at eth ramp when solo and getting teh trailer.

Data dot the whole rig. radios , props, hull, trailer, all accessories.

Security lights and camera a home. Get a IP camera that will send you a email when there is any movement around the boat and you an log in to see if it is OK live.

Keeping it out of sight when stored.

Camera in rear window of tow vehicle for at ramp.
Wheel locks, hitch helmet.

Most important of all. Read your insurance policy and comply with every little stupid thing to the letter. Will probably make you cry when you read every word of it. I have seen companies now requesting boat be padlocked to trailer and other stupid things and crazy requirements about when it is away from it's usual garaged address. Get anything they say on the phone in writing and attach to your records.

Call your insurer and ask what discount they offer for the alarm you have installed..

Hope the hell it never happens and how sad is it that when you buy such a great boat you then have to consider that some scumbag may want to knock it off.

If the worst happens the only way to at least not have a nasty surprise at a claim is to have done everything they have asked and if possible more to show something had to be physically removes, cut, smashed to stael it. Show em the security camera footage etc and it will go a long way to a smoother claim. I still liek the thought of a shotty and a big fence with dogs

Just heard of a bloke last week that had his electric over hydraulic brake set up taken off his drawbar. What a prick of a thing to do to someone.


Lots of cheaper set ups avaliable
http://www.hiddencamera.com.au/index...y-cameras.html

[the baker]

A laptop and a 500GB hard drive with a USB plug in Camera with inferred plug it all into a deep cycle battery with a fuse.

[Back In Black]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.
Hi Lancair-All went well on the initial test run at Ballina. More like a tuition run, getting used to the fact of having 2 separate trim buttons, which Ashley from Webbe Marine really focused on. He was showing me how to find its sweet spot, & once you did, you could see the advantage in the fuel consumption. He reckons we'll use 1litre per km, both motors combined, & they are 150 4 stroke Hondas, which I thought was pretty good. Getting used to the size as well, having got out of a 20 ft boat & jumping to a 28 footer will take a bit of getting used to.

Cormorant-thanks for the hidden camera webpage. You have some pretty serious methods for stopping theft there! You are right about the insurance. I am paying it today & will pull it apart before sending it off. Have you had a boat stolen? You sound scarred.

DTHCoCo-appreciate the motion camera tip on where to access them. That idea sounds like a winner. If nothing else, it will scare the crap out of them & give them time to escape before I confront them.

SunnyCoastMark- I admit putting the trailer on stands, removing the wheels & storing them elsewhere would be a great deterent, but its got 6 wheels, is huge & heavy & every time I wanted to go fishing, the thought of having to "rewheel" the trailer would put me off fishing!

Steeler-thanks for the offer of the mother in law, but I've got my own!

Keep the suggestions coming,
Tony

[Dan5]

With the chain idea........go to a lifting gear companany and get some 10mm herc alloy grade 80 lifting chain.......it is impossible to cut it with bolt cutters........it's harder than the bolt cutter shears and has to be cut with either a grinder or oxy/accetelene.

Just make sure the padlock you use is also the very best you can get......wrap that through the trailer and wheels.....slip some bike inner tube over all the chain so it wont leave rust marks on the trailer.

Dan

[manboat]

I have a wireless camera that records 24/7 pointing towards my trailer...along with the standard hitch locks and also a chain around the wheel.