Ground anchors

[blootac]

I'm looking to install a ground anchor but am interested in anyone's personal experience in using them.
There seem to be three types (see pictures below):

• The bolt down chain pass through
• The Y anchor which lies flush with the ground
• The concrete-in bolt eye

The Y anchor looks quite elegant and leaves minimal presence when not being used.

The bolt eye can be made cheaply using a fence post spike filled with concrete and a stainless eye bolt with a washer part way down the thread pushed into the liquid cement, but gives something potentially easy to grind away

The bolt down type again gives something to grind at but the chain is probably more of a target at this point.

I'll be trailering my avon r310 during the summer months and whilst the trailer will be clamped (This is the minimum the insurance requires) there is little to stop two people picking the sib up off the trailer and going walkies.
I'm intending on chaining the outboard to the floor and using a lock over the transom bolts. I'm also considering chaining the trailer to the floor too. Possibly overkill but I'd rather pay a bit extra and add an extra bit of deterrence than find it's gone! I realise that if someone really wants to steal it they will, but there's enough people around during the day to see someone grinding a chain so as long as it requires noise to get through I'm reasonably happy.

Something that maybe looks like this

Any ideas/thoughts/experience?

The three types:

[SPR]

are you going to trip over when not in use? if do the Y looks the best...


www.firstaidatsea.co.uk
www.SPRmarine.co.uk

[blootac]

The area for the trailer is currently grassed. I was going to put down probase so I could drive on it without harming the grass but also still have grass outside the house, and can also still mow over the grid. I was then going to dig holes where the anchors would be and pour concrete for the anchor, cutting holes in the grid where necessary.

So, yes the Y would be useful in this case. I was just wondering if someone was going to say something along the lines of "absolutely don't use one of these".

[Starovich]

Maybe just chain the engine to the trailer, that will stop them walking off with either and works anywhere if you have a wheel clamp on ?

[GordyP]

I remove the hitch from the trailer, clearly not going to stop a determined thief but they would need to bring a replacement hitch with them.

[Peter_C]

I would recommend moving!

My boat is in the front yard full of everything but the electronics and tool box with no locks on anything. I can not imagine worrying about theft that much. I do have a nice video surveillance system, and more importantly signs stating "This property is under video subservience". Heck I leave my car unlocked half the time at home.

As to the mounts, the flush mount looks like the cleanest install, but also leaves you open to debris, spiders, and water getting into it, causing rust, so every time you want to feed your lock thru, it could be a dirty job. If I had to choose, it would be the last one you posted with the eye on it. Cleanest install.

[blootac]

It's not that i live in a dodgy area, it's more that boats are uncommon around here and a sib's normal advantages plays against it, such as being able to be put in the back of a van quickly and quietly.

I'd rather not have to fight with insurance for the sake of a few chains!

[blootac]

I had thought that the y anchor would fill with water but apparently it self drains down the tail of the y.

I do like the simplicity of simply chaining it to the trailer... I do have a habit of over engineering solutions...

Also I was going to get one of those hitch locks but I think I prefer the idea of removing it entirely...

[Peter_C]

Originally Posted by blootac

I had thought that the y anchor would fill with water but apparently it self drains down the tail of the y.

Drain to where? The ground can only hold so much water. It will fill with water and dirt. Otherwise I like that system best. The other option would be some kind of pop up?? I can understand in the middle of the lawn not wanting something sticking up, and I would probably install the Y and deal with the minor nuisance.

[blootac]

According to the instructions when you dig the hole you layer hardcore first then place the anchor and cement. The theory being the water runs through the hardcore and away but I agree it'll probably fill up with water for a while as it drains slowly.

[beerbelly]

get a good quality chain and padlock such as Almax Security Chains Limited
and have the area where the chain will be laid once in use be soft ie grass sand ect as thieves spray them with plumbers freeze spray and smash them with hammer and chisel doesn't work if there's nothing hard under the chain

[Peter_C]

Originally Posted by beerbelly

and have the area where the chain will be laid once in use be soft ie grass sand ect as thieves spray them with plumbers freeze spray and smash them with hammer and chisel doesn't work if there's nothing hard under the chain

Doesn't everyone own a battery powered grinder? There isn't much it won't whack thru in a few seconds. You can buy the best lock in the world, and the chain that it attaches to will be cut in a few seconds.

[A1an]

Originally Posted by Peter_C

Doesn't everyone own a battery powered grinder? There isn't much it won't whack thru in a few seconds. You can buy the best lock in the world, and the chain that it attaches to will be cut in a few seconds.

I've got a sleeve that goes around my chain that works in the same way as chainsaw trousers, as the grinder starts to cut through it the sleeve chokes the grinder.....or so the sales blurb says.

[blootac]

I know nothing is going to stop a determined thief, it's more so that it puts off an opportunist. As I've said the insurance only requires a wheel clamp on the trailer.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by blootac

I know nothing is going to stop a determined thief, it's more so that it puts off an opportunist. As I've said the insurance only requires a wheel clamp on the trailer.

I position/fix/secure/remove big lumps of machinery for a living, & occasionally we get it wrong, when we do, we use one of these to correct our mistakes, & tbh there's not much stands in it's way, especially when fitted with a good quality 1mm slitting disc. It's quiet, powerful & deadlyYou can spend as much as you like on physical security, but the end result is that, a determined thief will just cause more damage removing your pride & joy. My advice would be to spend your money on GOOD insurance & comply with the minimum insurance security requirements.

[blootac]

Fair point. As I said before it was more of a visual deterrent against chancers who might want to just pick the sib up off the trailer, but I guess a hitchlock, wheel clamp and chaining the outboard to the trailer should be sufficient.

[SteveHall]

Originally Posted by blootac

chaining the outboard to the trailer

Hmm.... i might do this myself for that extra bit of security over winter.