Boat security

[Scarlet-Jester]

Given that I am about to enter the realms of boat ownership I would like to further pick the brains of the knowledgeable membership here!

We will be taking our boat away quite regularly and in most cases overnight. Each year we travel to a lake in France and will be using the boat whilst there. On the basis that it will be inflated on a boat trailer, how do you guys go about securing the boat and motor both in transit and when you get to your destination?

In addition when at home, do any of you have any storage arrangements that fall outside:
- Having it in a garage
- Behind a locked gate
- Or deflated in the garage

Do any of you store your boats in your drive area and if so how do you secure it?

Thanks!

[Bern Hanreck]

I would suggest that a good starting point is your insurance cover . ( Think vehicle and/or trailer breakdown in transit - roadside repair may be impossible so do do you need recovery ? ) . Good trailer servicing is a must if you you are travelling regularly !

As a minimum , if your insurance cover stipulates that must have a wheel clamp , then that's your starting point . Personally I use hitch locks and additional chains to ground anchors when at home . Do a search on trackers , micro dots and also outboard security bolts ( which may again be an insurance requirement ). Out of sight is good !

Further searches will show that many of these devices will not stop a gang coming along with a power saw , and hacking off half your transom in order to nick your outboard .

Common sense and vigilance at service stations is also a must .

I'm sure others will be along shortly to depress you even further

[m chappelow]

if your boat has a self bailer hole through the transom ,you could perhaps thread some steel cable through with a couple of eyes in each end and padlock it to something as a means to stop the casual thief, if its deflated and in a garage or garden cover it up with an old crappy cover otr tarp so it doesent stand out with a few bags of compost and plantpots on top .
but as bern henreck just said if they want it they will get it ,one guy at our club many years ago thought his brand new 2 week old speed boat and engine were secure with the out board lock untill some one came along with a chain saw and cut out the transom and engine .