Security Lock for Suzuki 250

[Seymour Bay]

There is a wonderful gang of criminals moving around Ireland from marina to marina stealing large outboards, 200,225,250’s, the bigger the better. Forget locking your boat to the transom with lock nuts and all that jazz, the b******s just cut the entire engine and lift the lot, yes they use high powered cutting equipment to rip of the engine. It’s been rumoured that they are an eastern European gang and no job is too big or small.
Hence I need advice; the only way I see to secure your outboard is with a locking device secured to an external object the ground or heavy object.

Any suggestion or ideas welcome?

Thanks

SB

[Mollers]

Tell the marina operators that if your OB goes missing that you're gonna hold them responsible. I'm sure that you pay enough in marina fees, they can sort out some security.
An Eastern European security guard might not be the way to go.

[outboardtech]

you can get a tracking device fitted . I have heard of this being fitted to many of the bigger engines . I know this is probably not what you are after but at least if it goes you can track the bugger . it does work and have seen it in a few marinas in florida were I have worked .cheers

[Chris]

These look ok on ebay...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GPS-Vehicle-Bo...1%7C240%3A1318

It will text you if someone cuts the battery cables too so you will know straight a way that someone has just chainsawed your transom

definately worth the £130.00

[RAD]

What to do - apart from keep 24hr watch on your boat, i believe all locks, chains etc would be cut using the equipment they have so something tracker like would be the only way.

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Seymour Bay

There is a wonderful gang of criminals moving around Ireland from marina to marina stealing large outboards, 200,225,250’s, the bigger the better. Forget locking your boat to the transom with lock nuts and all that jazz, the b******s just cut the entire engine and lift the lot, yes they use high powered cutting equipment to rip of the engine. It’s been rumoured that they are an eastern European gang and no job is too big or small.
Hence I need advice; the only way I see to secure your outboard is with a locking device secured to an external object the ground or heavy object.

Any suggestion or ideas welcome?

Thanks

SB

Honestly?

It's not very constructive to say it, but if they want it that badly, they'll take it. Just make sure there's no reason insurance can refuse to pay out and hope.
By all means fit a tracker, but be aware the solely GSM type work on a rough triangulation to the nearest repeater stations. They have a huge variance in accuracy unless in a city-and if it's in a garage it could be anywhere within several streets. Some quote a 6 mile radius in the country.

Obviously if it's got it's own inbuilt GPS receiver it's different.

[JSP]

Put it outside your house and get a nice big dog and make all wombs self defence

[PeterM]

What Nos said ....... - if they want it they will get it ..... somehow

[Erin]

I'm not sure I'd want to know the exact moment my motor is being nicked. The last thing I'd fancy doing is rushing down to the marina to confront a gang of pro criminals. Let them have it if they're that determined. I suppose security markings may be of use for future reclaiming if you ever do track it down.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Erin

I'm not sure I'd want to know the exact moment my motor is being nicked. The last thing I'd fancy doing is rushing down to the marina to confront a gang of pro criminals. Let them have it if they're that determined. I suppose security markings may be of use for future reclaiming if you ever do track it down.

Come on where is your spirit of adventure?

I would happily take them on in my Land Rover - I bet they will have a white van!!!

Old flares come in handy as well.........

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Come on where is your spirit of adventure?

I would happily take them on in my Land Rover - I bet they will have a white van!!!

Old flares come in handy as well.........

Now now... There's certain things we don't say in public

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by Blackroady

What Nos said ....... - if they want it they will get it ..... somehow

I remember seeing pics of a largish (35 or so feet?) center console fishing boat that was stolen from a lot in florida. Found two hours later in a canal. The console face (with electronics) had been chainsawed off, as had two large blocks on the transom, where a pair of 250's had been mounted.

You could probably secure the motor to large non-trailered object; even so, a set of hydraulic bolt cutters would make pretty quick work of whatever you used to secure it.

That's what insurance is for.

You might actually think about making it not-so-hard to remove, as this may well prevent them from trashing the rest of the boat while stealing the motor.

Just rambling;

jky

[tinker]

Eastern European criminals can be a dangerous bunch, we have had an influx of them into Birmingham's rougher area's, Handsworth, Newtown.....They hold their own against the established criminal groups and have no problems using the vast amount of weapons available.

Do not challenge them, it just is not worth it. Get insurance and let the police do their job.

[Blizzard]

What ever you do, notify your insurance company, and make sure you have done enough that in the event of a claim they are happy that you had met the policy requirements.
Trackers are good, and may lead to a discount on your premium.

[Seymour Bay]

Thanks for all the good comments humorous as some of them maybe, but the reality is if you have a large outboard on your RIB it is pointless locking it to the transom, reason bring if these criminals what you very expensive engine they will cut it off, transom and all, and away with your outboard. A robbery took place 2 weeks ago in the south west of Ireland where 30 outboards were stolen from a large boat yard, all varying sizes. I have searched the internet for locking equipment for big outboards and cannot find any devices that secure to land anchors, I can only find transom locking devices. My plan is to lock my engine to a land anchor using high performance security chain (this is manufactured from hardened steel and requires a lot of cutting to get through. Similar to the chain used to lock large motor cycles). I will post photos when I install solution which will be today.
Dose anyone know of any locking devices for locking outboards to land anchors? (Besides the obvious lock and chain). A bespoke locking device manufactured from hardened high grade materials that could be clamped around the cavitation plate area and locked, and then secured to a land anchor would be a solution do you not think? We have to make it impossible or at least a lot more difficult for these people to steal our engines!!!!!!!!!!!


SB

[Nos4r2]

Transom locks aren't pointless-I doubt you'd get an insurance payout if there wasn't one fitted. If they are using chainsaws big enough to remove a transom, they aren't likely to be stopped by any chain.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Seymour Bay

Dose anyone know of any locking devices for locking outboards to land anchors? (Besides the obvious lock and chain). A bespoke locking device manufactured from hardened high grade materials that could be clamped around the cavitation plate area and locked, and then secured to a land anchor would be a solution do you not think? We have to make it impossible or at least a lot more difficult for these people to steal our engines!!!!!!!!!!!


SB

I agree with you and am also a fan of locking chains. Sadly with the advent of battery angle grinders is there much point? Of course the sparks will draw attention - especially at night but if people don't notice a chainsaw in use then is there any hope???

Have a look at my post in other stuff - lorry driver strikes back!!!

[Seymour Bay]

Codprawn/Nos4ru thanks for the comments. But transom locks in my view are useless, I have checked with my insurance company and they are not a requirement under my policy. If would be a requirement if the value of your vessel is over €100k.
I agree that battery angle grinders are a serious problem, but I suppose if you have a chain in place it makes it a little more difficult. The chain I am putting on is constructed from boron steel, it is harder than normal but you will cut through with an angle grinder albeit slowly, and with a lot of noise and sparks.
Not sure what the long term solution to this is?

SB

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by codprawn

I agree with you and am also a fan of locking chains. Sadly with the advent of battery angle grinders is there much point? Of course the sparks will draw attention - especially at night but if people don't notice a chainsaw in use then is there any hope???

Liquid nitrogen and a hammer makes pretty quick work of most chain. Both fairly easy to acquire.

But, for the locking mechanism, you don't need to make it 100% secure; you just need to make it difficult enough that they move on to the next target.

Perhaps a hinged oval of SS that you can clamp around the leg, then lock to the ground anchor? Have to have it built, but that doesn't seem too tough.

jky

[Seymour Bay]

Here’s what I did, 2 boron steel chains and 2 boron hardened locks. I secured first the chain around the engine between the two wings above the cavatation plate. The first chain is nice and snug and the first lock will lock the first chain and secures the end of the second chain. I then secured the second chain to a ground anchor, in my case a very second hand roller, but very effective.

If anybody has any better ideas please post, we have to make it very difficult or impossible if we can for these criminals to steal our engines!!!

Happy and Secure boating...

Thanks

SB