Wheel clamp warning

[ajm81]

I took my boat down to the dry stack today and as we were about to leave could not locate the wheel clamp keys.After turning the house upside down time became short so I decided to drill the lock out which I assumed would be a timely process requiring multiple drill bits. I had no mains powered drills at home so resulted to an 18v dewalt battery drill an only had pilot drills for hole saws designed primarily as guides.
The lock was removed in 10 seconds with no excessinve noise and the key element drilled as if it were hard wood. I can only describe the unit as pathetically inadequate in giving any form of protection apart from as an insurance tick box or basic deterant The irritating thing for me was I asked my insurance company for advice on the best unit to buy and this was there recomendation. The unit is not cheap and what most people in my marina seem to go for. I will be taking the issue up with the manufacturer next week and trying to find a much better alternative. I would suggest that if you have a red wheel clamp with a lock that is easily accessible you rethink your security arrangements.

[Bushrider]

there are many on the market - can you describe which wheel clamp you are talking about ?

[ajm81]

It's an SAS unit around £80

[kerny]

Even the expensive ones are easy to get off, I don't know why insurance company's insist on us putting them on, but if you don't fit one and it gets nicked then they won't pay out.

[Bushrider]

I use this one :
NEMESIS WHEEL CLAMP MOTORHOME/CAMPER VAN/CARAVAN/CAR/HORSEBOX | eBay

Do I have to worry about the security of my boat ??
I mean - hard to avoid if a professional really wants your boat .
Then better to have any cheap clamp on the wheel which is ACCEPTED by insurance rather than having nothing done ..

[thomas]

I had to put locking wheel nuts on under my BullDog as some bugger had a go at taking the wheel off.

[Powerboats]

I had an SAS clamp once and lost the key. Put a nail bar between the clamp and the wheel and a short, sharp pull and it was off.

As you say, only useful for satisfying the insurance company.

[ajm81]

I have kept the boat at home behind a gate with quite high security however as you say if they want it they will get it. I think if I had thought about it I wouldn't have bought a unit with a directly exposed lock but when you've just bought a new toy the accesories get sidetracked by the overall excitement I will be looking at it in more detail. the boat is on the top rack now so I guess for the next six months I don't have to worry but think I will just remove the wheels next winter and install some floor eye bolts and heavy gauge chain if the insurance company are ok with that.

[Ian_st]

Originally Posted by Bushrider

I use this one :
NEMESIS WHEEL CLAMP MOTORHOME/CAMPER VAN/CARAVAN/CAR/HORSEBOX | eBay

Do I have to worry about the security of my boat ??
I mean - hard to avoid if a professional really wants your boat .
Then better to have any cheap clamp on the wheel which is ACCEPTED by insurance rather than having nothing done ..

I have the same one and would hope it's as much a pain to get off than it is to put on PROPERLY. Took some advise from jetski days:

Wheel clamp
Hitch lock
Trailer chained to u bolt cast in driveway
Boat chained to trailer
Always covered and behind locked gates (use to be in garage)
Car parked in front of gates

If they want it they will get it, but its at least proof it's reasonable steps.

[Steve_B]

Another vote for the Nemisis.
It does take alittle longer to get on and off, but I had to get one off a friends trailer once and trust me it was hard work and noisy!
Steve

[NSS]

Mine is stored in a locked and alarmed garage (door contacts and PIR). The up and over door has an anti-crash bar behind it that slides into the brick piers either side and the trailer has a triple lock hitch and wheel clamp fitted. All this, and I still worry that the insurance company would find a way to wriggle out of paying if someone did manage to nick it!

[chris.moody]

Should we really be describing our individual security measures in detail on a public forum accessible by the rib robbers.

[MustRib]

I elected to follow the caravan fraternity on the subject of wheelclamps.
They have independent ratings and awards for security locks etc and I would hazard a guess that more caravans are nicked or attempted to be nicked than boat trailers every year, so felt comfortable following their recommendations. It seems like the Milenco units are well reviewed and approved by insurance companies.
As we all know, any security device you can think of for a trailer, can be hacked, ground, beaten, or smashed off by someone who is determined to do it, and even the security bolts for a Bradley locking hitch can be ground off in a short time, and a new hitch bolted on. We are only talking deterrent value, and something that insurance companies approve, so I say do some research before buying, but realise the limitations.
Trailer Guy on here, could no doubt offer some useful advice on approved/fit for purpose trailer safety devices.

[ajm81]

I work in the security industry and have always found that a well installed CCTV system is one of the best forms of defence. Samsung now offer free web hosting with there Dvr recording units that works great with smart phones and I pads. The units come with multiple inputs and outputs so I have configured mine to inform me if the door bell goes when the alarm is set so I can immediately see what's going on It is also linked to the rear gate which is not in regular use and Garden via the intruder alarm when set. The units are easy to configure from a DIY point of view and relatively inexpensive making it no longer the preserve of the more affluent homeowner. I would say that although I have 12 cameras you would only find two of them in fairly obvious places and as most units now have infa red you don't need big bulky white housings to tell the uninvited about them. To be fair a chancer is never going to go for your rib and the organised outfits understand electronic security as well as anyone. I would suggest good quality lighting a visible bell box with a recognised name on it ADT etc as they all know the systems are sold with monitoring as standard now and well located mini dome cameras
Hopefully unless you have a stand out one off item this will encourage them to move on

[Poly]

Wow, Burseldon looks like a nice little hampshire village on Googlemaps.

[thomas]

Bradley hictch locks are a nightmare to get off if you loose the key.

Before you start sticking cameras everywhere, check with the planners as there are restrictions on how many and where they point.

[ajm81]

Bursledon is a nice village that boarders the river Hamble which makes the area in general a target for boat rustlers and on the camera point you can do whatever you like as long as its sensible and doesn't look onto your neighbours or public land the council only get involved if you make your house look like a drug dealers with big white over sized cameras and so the council get involved and so they should as I said you wouldn't find my cameras in the day but at night you would see small red lights when the infa red kicks in

[PeterM]

Advice I'd give is always have pictures of your boat locked and secured with close up of security bits in place ..that way its easy to show ( should the worst happen) what was in place ...

as Chris said - don't post your pics .....

[NSS]

Originally Posted by chris.moody

Should we really be describing our individual security measures in detail on a public forum accessible by the rib robbers.

Possibly not but I was careful not to mention the smart water, the tracking device, the IR cameras or the two rottweilers

[HughN]

Originally Posted by ajm81

...but at night you would see small red lights when the infa red kicks in

Video cameras / digital cameras without IR filters also show IR very well. How do I know this? I used to have great fun in Curry's with a "TV-B-Gone" - until I was one day asked not to do it again - the IR had shown up on their cameras.