Warning - Thefts from Homes

[willk]

Originally Posted by Phil and Jane

I just use the best stuff there is. It's a bit like being a mechanic, you don't buy 'Twazzer bargain tools' you buy 'Snap-on.
If you need details, private message me. Good luck, Phil.

You can post a link on here for us Phil to make it easy. So long as you aren't selling them yourself there is no issue with recommending a specific product.

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by Phil and Jane

.... you buy 'Snap-on.

What, get suckered by slick marketing and a big dollop of the 'never never'?

[Metz Antenna Man]

The link is cubetrack.com. They are in France.
If I buy from them, I pay the same as anyone else does.
Mollers,
I could go into detail about which model to buy and which ones I have got etc, but its best that the people who want one make their own choices to avoid the 'slick marketing'. If you are well up on these things, you might have a better product to advise about.

[Metz Antenna Man]

Further to the above, the updated website is GPS Tracking devices that track live, worldwide |GoTEK 7 GPS Trackers

[willk]

I've updated that first link for you Phil. Which of the units do you use or which would you recommend for boats?

[Metz Antenna Man]

WiLLk, Personally, I'd go for the 'Bond 5800' which signifies it has a 5800mah battery, which will last for ten months on a boat that isn't moving all day every day. The start up motion text to your phone is about 4 seconds, so if someone moves the boat or engine, your phone pings about 4 seconds later. The quick start up and battery are the big differences between the cheap models from China and these things. It's no good having a 1 minute delay when your boats being nicked or fiddled with. It'll operate down to -20C and up to 60c. They are £229 plus French VAT and postage.
The Bond 17400 gives about 20 months but is slightly bigger and is £399. They are too big for this purpose, unless you put it in the boat locker somewhere.
I'll be using the Bond 5800 when I get my boat next month (hopefully).
The other good things about these ones is the tracking panel you have free access to. You can plot a historical map of where it's been, which will be good for mapping trips. Like I said earlier, I'll be paying the same as anyone else when I buy one for my boat, so I gain nothing from it. I have been ripped off in the early days, so I just know who sells the best kit at the best prices. I used to buy in batches from this firm and they will barter down if you haggle.

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by Phil and Jane

WiLLk, Personally, I'd go for the 'Bond 5800' which signifies it has a 5800mah battery, which will last for ten months on a boat that isn't moving all day every day. The start up motion text to your phone is about 4 seconds, so if someone moves the boat or engine, your phone pings about 4 seconds later. The quick start up and battery are the big differences between the cheap models from China and these things. It's no good having a 1 minute delay when your boats being nicked or fiddled with.

Really? So two things come to mind. First you need a guard zone because GPS isn't perfect. If that's more than 15m the boat is already on someone's tow ball. At 30mph (criminals will of course obey speed limits) that's a mile every 2minutes. So its still going to be 1/20th mile away at least when the SMS arrives. What to do next? Follow it? Call police? Sit tight and track it from your phone.

OK so you may have motion sensor so not need the guard zone. Pretty sure I don't wake up to a SMS ... (Nearly missed a phone call while on all last night!) Certainly not quick enough to make chase... 4sec 1minute doesn't matter. The advantage is you can track it... If you want notified on movement fit an alarm...

Suspect most people here may be wanting to track a boat not stored in their garden. 1minute or 4seconds... Not gonna matter... Even if I did have my boat on the drive I'd think it more likely to be nicked in the 10hours a day there is no-one home than the 14 that I'm in... Any respectable criminal can tell if I'm home with very little effort.

Now if you can tell me the Chinese imports don't work inside a shipping container but yours does I'm interested... If I keep boat in one or if criminals park it in one after nicking it...

[212]

My Quicksilver and 15HP Suzuki engine where stolen from my home on the 29/08. it was locked away but they were keen

Climbed over a neighbours wall 6ft with trellis on top broke into my brick built shed in the middle of the garden by removing the door frame and door PVC

Then broke out through my garage in to the back alley. the cheeky sods even took the launching wheels and pump

Since I've beefed up the security with barbed wire, reinforced door frame ETC but come to the conclusion that if they want it badly enough then they will find a way in
I've also fitted a alarm system that calls my land line and mobile when triggered as I'm a deep sleeper so heard nothing last time

I live in sunny Swindon which is miles from the coast but it was a real determined professorial job

BTW insurance company didn't cover me for boats but just bought a Honwave with 20HP outboard but lesson learnt I've made sure this one is properly insured

And HI I'm new here

The stolen boat

[Fenlander]

212 was it known you kept a boat & outboard... seems too well planned for a "lucky" find by thieves.

[212]

Fenlander I'm really not sure, although they must have had all the equipment to do a thorough job

One thing for sure is they knew about boats as the kill cords and the smaller bits that had been packed away had been sought out and taken too

The area I live in doesn't normally have a problem with crime either

[Fenlander]

Scary. My stuff is just in a normal garage with the only "security" being it is buried behind other stuff that looks like worthless clutter. Very few folks locally even know we have a boat and in truth I'd though theft of a SIB from home premises would be a very rare event. It's when on the water left tied to a pontoon I worry the most.

[212]

I was the same, my one was behind a load of old VW Beetle bits but they spotted it
http://m.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/n..._of_rare_boat/

[Otis K.]

sometime after reading this thread, i saw a truck cruising by my driveway and the dude turned his head to look at the Rib. I was like, "BRO what you lookin at!?" Went outside and slapped the tongue lock on and a 1" chain around the trailer axle to a big tree before heading off to work. She'll Never be taken from me.

[R Moss]

It’s one thing having your boat parked outside your house; you can at least keep an eye on it.

Mine is currently parked outside a holiday home 1200 miles away; wheelclamps on both wheels, hitch locked to a towball bolted through the garage wall with bolts welded up. My garage is currently having its access altered to fit the boat in, but at the moment; whenever I go I half expect to see an empty space where it was parked, or at least an empty transom. I figure that I’ve done all I can, and been open and honest with my insurers about how it is stored. If someone wants to take it, they will.

[oeubuzz]

I walk passed a boat each day that's parked on a drive with one of the wheels removed from the trailer and placed on an axle stand. seems like a good idea

[Poly]

Originally Posted by oeubuzz

I walk passed a boat each day that's parked on a drive with one of the wheels removed from the trailer and placed on an axle stand. seems like a good idea

Whilst that may be useful - if the other wheel is not clamped Mr Insurer may disagree, even if its nicked with a Hi-Ab and flatbed truck!

[jambo]

Once I forgot my wheel clamp when I had to leave my rib in a compound in the West. I contacted my insurance company and they suggested that I take a wheel of as a deterrent.

[Balthazar]

I park my trailer inside the club, they charge me more but safety is more important than few extra quids.

When having my trailer parked on car park outside the club I was removing the wheels and taking them home, leaving the axle on chinks of timber. Try to steal my rib and tow it away then

On top of that I got a passive GPS from https://back2you.com/products/guardi...scription-free

I love it. They advertise up to 6 months battery life but this is very overstated. Otherwise, it works great, just call the boat (I have my boat’s phone number in favourites, crazy, no?), two bips and the gps texts you the location with google maps link. I also have set the “movement” alert which works when the boat exit a 100m circle. Just in case she chews the mooring ropes and breaks free, I will be alerted immediately.
As this is a passive gps and send you the text only when you call it, this device cannot be found with gps scanners designed to find the trackers.

[Nasher]

My insurance company explained to me years ago when you could actually talk to somebody who knew anything, that taking the wheels off the trailer was useless and my boat wouldn't be covered if I used it as a theft deterrent.

Basically, trailer wheels have common PCDs, and it's very easy to see a trailer with no wheels and come back with a pair to fit, which is so much easier than removing a clamp.

[Mattster]

Originally Posted by Nasher

Basically, trailer wheels have common PCDs, and it's very easy to see a trailer with no wheels and come back with a pair to fit, which is so much easier than removing a clamp.

My thoughts exactly. It may deter an opportunistic theft, but if they've seen the boat and want it then putting a pair of wheels on is trivial and, as you say, far easier than trying to remove a wheel clamp. If the boat is stored with others somewhere, then they can probably source the required wheels on site!