Intruder Alert

Do you feel, when you're lying there half awake, like someone just got on the boat when it rocked a bit? At a marina or especially anchored in the middle of nowhere. Of course that does not happen, but could it?

Anchored in the swamps of South Carolina off the waterway. Maybe I watched Deliverance to many times.

I don't want to start the weapons on board discussion, but do you consider the possibility of an unwanted border, and what would you do?

I just trust that most people on the water are good and try not to worry.

Nothing makes the blood freeze in the veins like the sound of a shotgun rack being worked.....

With the technology available, it's not too hard to set up an alarm of some type to go off if a hatch or door is opened, or a beam broken.

Yeah, you can get alarms for the doors if you want. Especially useful I suspect for boats left dockside from M-F. The alarm sound might draw an eye from others on the dock or working in the marina. They're not a lick of help in some backwater bayou on the hook.

Best bet though might be to engrave your electronics, or use a UV pen to identify them. Theives aren't there to steal your holding tank. Electronics are primarily their target. Beer in the cooler too....if they're kids, or kidding dock buddies.

Intruder alert

I have a home made alarm on my moored boat. Danforth horn with trip wire (actually monofiliment line) It sounds the ear splitting horn until its' gas canister runs out and would frighten away any intruder. Uses no electrical power and can be heard all over the mooring field
When anchored, you could do as Slocum did, sprinkle tacks on the deck. It worked for him...

I have looked at the boat nanny for several years. http://www.theboatnanny.com/index.html If we move off the boat I plan on installing one to monitor, AC /Dc power, high water, low temp, high temp, and motion. Works off a Satellite so it should work even un remote locations. I beleive some radars have an alert so if somthing comes with in the circle range it sounds? One of the reason I want to get a short range broad band radar as your big one has to much range nd not enough detail.

We alway leave lights on and music playing wheather we are on board or not, and since our boat is tall with dark windows its hard to see in. I still sleep with a night light on to keep the water monster away.

I don't really worry about this. We carry protection against unwelcome guests. Thankfully it has never happened to us.

We lock the cabin door when we are sleeping on board. In an all out assault by pirates, we would be forced to walk the plank. Mor more casual intruders, I suspect they would just leave.

Pirate attacks in my part of the country are pretty rare.

millennium said:

Do you feel, when you're lying there half awake, like someone just got on the boat when it rocked a bit? At a marina or especially anchored in the middle of nowhere. Of course that does not happen, but could it?

Anchored in the swamps of South Carolina off the waterway. Maybe I watched Deliverance to many times.

I don't want to start the weapons on board discussion, but do you consider the possibility of an unwanted border, and what would you do?

I just trust that most people on the water are good and try not to worry.

Click to expand...

Dog Big dog.

SD

We have two small dogs aboard that will sound an alarm at any unusual sound. The doors are kept locked and the windows in our stateroom are usually open. They would need to be really,really quite to get past the dogs

Sure. Weapons at the ready always, and keep all entry points locked. That's bullshit about hearing a shotgun rack. That's only in the movies. With mine, all a boarder might hear is a little click from the safety moving to "fire". Then it's lights out.

I have a true story that happen to us this summer:

One night while we were sleeping aboard at the dock Peg woke me saying someone just got on the boat. After another dig and smack she said Elwin wake up...someone is outside...hey look someone is around the boat. It was 2:30am.

Okay so taking her serious now I scrambled to find something that looked like clothes. I then saw a young blond lady ( 20ish ) who had a gun. I had to double check but I knew I was awake cause the pain in my knee after hitting the corner of the step told me so.

Putting on more clothes I went outside only harmed with a small pistol that only gets used every now and again..!

I asked, is there anything I can help you with and she started walking towards me and said





I got a call that someone was in distress.. oh okay she was a cop investigating a 911 call.. Her partner was looking at a flashing light on a buoy that showed a submersed rock warning the marine traffic to stay outside that area when coming in the channel. Both were new cops in town..

I think their story was just a rebound when they knew someone was on our boat. If I were them and on duty at that time in the night, I know what would be on my mind . Peg said she thought they were investigating a boat that came in during that night without any lights dropping of their favourite supply and was checking out our boat.

In any case whatever the reason, I kept my pistol near both of us under the covers for the rest of the night.

Elwin

Keith said:

Sure. Weapons at the ready always, and keep all entry points locked. That's bullshit about hearing a shotgun rack. That's only in the movies. With mine, all a boarder might hear is a little click from the safety moving to "fire". Then it's lights out.

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Bullshit? Not even close, Keith. It's easy to talk bravado from the comfort of our living rooms- it's another thing entirely at 2am when there's a suspected intruder onboard and you're groggy. A shotgun is a very effective weapon to repel boarders- just point and shoot in the general direction of the noise if needed.

Tell me truthfully that you wouldn't think twice if you heard that awful noise in the dark...

FYI guys:

(from the community rules)
Discussions about politics, religion and weaponry are likely to be closed or removed if they turn into flame fests and are only permitted in the Off The Deep End Forum. Members must opt in (join) The Off The Deep End forum to view content posted in that area.

Let's stay on topic, please.

When we sleep on the boat we lock the main cabin door and the large opening windows. However if it's not raining (so perhaps once a year) we will leave half the split aft cabin hatch open a bit for fresh air.

We have a dog which while not large sounds large. And he is very, very responsive to any strange noise or the sight of something out of the ordinary. Most nights he likes to sleep in the main cabin so he's in a position to hear or see anyone getting on the boat.

Our dinghy motor is locked to the dinghy and the dinghy is locked to the GB. So it would not be a quiet operation to steal the motor.

For actually confronting a boarder if the dog didn't scare him off we have readily at hand a 25mm flare gun, a compressed gas boat horn, a very sharp fishing gaff, and at times, a firearm. But so far we've never experienced a boarder other than the USCG and we do not anticipate this sort of activity where we boat.

We have angry Chihuahuas.

On the AICW the usual weapons carried aboard are sufficient to sleep well.

In the Carib or down island the old French colonies have little problems with on board weapons.

The British do fear their own populace so Bermuda and other ex Brit colonies the weapons may be secured.

On out 90/90 we use a Sears 20 mile 12v cattle fence shocker hooked to the lifelines.

The boat is GRP, the lifelines NOT covered with plastic.

It works for swimmers or boat climbers.

It also works , but not as well in fresh water.

Most boat thieves are not sophisticated so a sense mat in front of any entrance , that turns on deck or spreader lights , and the air horn should do just fine.

FF

FF said:

On out 90/90 we use a Sears 20 mile 12v cattle fence shocker hooked to the lifelines.

The boat is GRP, the lifelines NOT covered with plastic.

It works for swimmers or boat climbers.

It also works , but not as well in fresh water.

FF

Click to expand...

Hadn't thought of that. What's the power draw on that? I had one at home to keep the dog from climbing the fence and escaping. I don't think it drew very much juice, but it wasn't a 20 miler.

We sleep with the doors open or if rainy or chilly the doors are shut, but not locked.
I carry sometimes, not often, but I do NOT have a phobia about getting boarded.
I honestly hope I never have to make a choice about how to react to an intruder.

Greetings,
Mr. Breeze. You're allowed a pistol in Canada?

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. Breeze. You're allowed a pistol in Canada?

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SSSsssshhhhh!

of course the law abiding citizens of Canada never have handguns...
they just don't want US to bring ours in!

HOLLYWOOD

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. Breeze. You're allowed a pistol in Canada?

Click to expand...

Caught! I'll rephrase it: my wife likes my little pistol.. haha!

The only gun I own is a 30:06 and it isn't or ever will be on the boat..

Elwin

For most folks damage to the interior of the boat is a concern.

Much Ungood to repel borders and have holes in the boat.

The lightest bird short with an open choke will do the least damage.

For pistols the Glasser Safety Slug is light bird shot , instead of lead.

At close range both will puncture a perp, but with less carry on damage .

AS the USMC sez , "aimed fire is accurate fire".

Pau Hana said:

Bullshit? Not even close, Keith. It's easy to talk bravado from the comfort of our living rooms- it's another thing entirely at 2am when there's a suspected intruder onboard and you're groggy. A shotgun is a very effective weapon to repel boarders- just point and shoot in the general direction of the noise if needed.

Tell me truthfully that you wouldn't think twice if you heard that awful noise in the dark...

Click to expand...

Whaaaat? I said hearing someone rack a round into the shotgun's breach was bullshit. Did you even read my entire post?

I hear what you guys are saying about the 12 gauge. Someday I may wish I had one.

I'm concerned that in the 2 am grogginess or to much rum I will blow away the yorkie.

"I'm concerned that in the 2 am grogginess or to much rum I will blow away the yorkie."

Aren't we all ?

Simplest is to simply load 2 blanks as first rounds .

If you need to get someones attention , a blank is loud enough.

When you really need live ammo , holding the trigger and racking the 2 blanks and getting to the real killing load is really quick.

Most blanks do have enough oomph to cycle an automatic shotgun.

I have a 20Ga for the 100lb bride , and a High Standard Bullpup for the nice flashlight it comes with

Try it!!

I've spent over 1,000 nights at anchor and never had a problem. My current boat is old and ugly so now I worry even less.

We were boarded by teenagers one night at lock 23 on the Erie canal. I flipped on the spreader lights and went outside with a nightstick and a diving knife. They took off. My wife and 10 year old daughter had mace and frying pans at the ready. Don't mess with Jersey girls.

From that night on we pulled ourselves away from the dock with a side anchor and had trip lines running around the decks. If I had tacks I would have used them.

Again in Ottawa we were boarded at night. It was only a raccoon but he never knew what hit him.

I've spent over 1,000 nights at anchor and never had a problem.

Not in Haiti!!!

Actually the most useful gun on my boat has been a .177 cal pellet pistol. Nice and quiet, quite irritating to varioius critters.

millennium said:

Do you feel, when you're lying there half awake, like someone just got on the boat when it rocked a bit?

Click to expand...

Nope.

millennium said:

I don't want to start the weapons on board discussion, but do you consider the possibility of an unwanted border, and what would you do?

Click to expand...

Military training has ingrained in me the idea of a weapon of opportunity. Fishing gaff seems to work OK.