Security for your boat

As security is always an issue here in the third world,i.e. theft of not only things on the boat but the entire boat being spirited away in the night. What types of security systems are out there to protect a boat at a dock. Lighting is always a great deterent but I was more interested in some kind of moniter or what I dont know. Any thoughts? Thanks,BB

belizebill wrote:

as security is always an issue here in the third world,i.e. Theft of not only things on the boat but the entire boat being spirited away in the night. What types of security systems are out there to protect a boat at a dock. Lighting is always a great deterent but i was more interested in some kind of moniter or what i dont know. Any thoughts? Thanks,bb

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a really good insurance policy is all that's needed.

*

belizebill wrote:

What types of security systems are out there to protect a boat at a dock

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If someone's bound and determined to break into your boat and steal things off of it, or steal the whole boat, they will do it no matter what you do.* But there are things that can be done to thwart the more casual thief, which in a marina is probably far more likely to be the problem.

Last year we installed an incredibly simple device but one we think will help a lot with those "casual, spur-of-the moment" thieves.* All it is is a little piece of metal.

Grand Banks boats have hinged cabin doors as opposed to sliding doors.* I've not examined a newer GB for this, but on the older ones the door latch and deadbolt are visible through the*"crack" between the edge of the door and the edge of the frame.* The hardware used is not all that sophisticated and anyone with a knife or even a credit card could probably work the deadbolt back.*

So stealing an idea from the front door of our building at Boeing, I asked a friend to fabricate a little stainless steel*plate that is bolted to the outside surface of the*door next to the door latch mounting plate and extends over the crack to cover the latch and deadbolt.* Primed and painted it white, and it's barely noticeable yet it prevents access to the latch and deadbolt.

It's not*going to deter a pro who would probably just break the glass in the door to get in.* But it is very likely to send a casual thief on down the dock the next boats rather than risk being noticed trying to break into ours.*

Here's one company's offering: Gost Cloak

Rig a WW11 booby trap trip wire */ *thin nylon line will do to a switch, an old car horn and a separate 12 v Battery. That *hunk of junk will wake up every one.
Double tie your dinghy. Keep your pet snake in its bag.
They don't have West Marine in the third world.
Cousin Mc Givor.

Boat Nanny**[url]www.theboatnanny.com[/url]***It has high water, high temp, low temp, DC and AC electric and auto remote cellular calling plus motion with a loud alarm.* One complete unit.*

We live lights on and the TV/Music on 24/7 and when we are gone so the boat looks like somebody is on the boat.** *

In the Carib we would wire the lifelines and stanchons to a 12V Cattle Fence shocker.

Way better than tacks on the deck.

For leaving the boat a device called Burgeler Mist , is a simple trip wire and a can of mace.

Slide open the hatch and anything below is rather hard to access.


This is used anywhere except New Jersey ,where

" If you cant steal it Destroy it" is the State motto.

We have 3 LCD battery motion detectors that we bought at Costco.* Each side deck and the cockpit has one.* They aren't the brightest and we do get an occasional false positive but they seem to work.* We also try to be back on the boat by dark which is pretty easy to do since we don't like leaving the beach in the dinghy after the sun goes down.*

The best one though is our*55lb black dog named Morgan.* It's amazing outside the US how many people are afraid of dogs.

-- Edited by Larry M on Thursday 27th of January 2011 08:10:00 AM

I was looking at remote data center monitoring devices to use. AVTech and Sensaphone were the two I have actually called about it. They offer a WIDE array of different sensors and expansion capabilities. The downside is that it needs an internet access point to be able to post the data to the web. The Boat Nanny seems to have a cell server built-in already. Neat, but it, as you would expect, is quite a bit pricier than what I was shopping for. Still, with the data center monitoring you can log into the system and see in real time what is going on on your boat. Motion sensors, cameras, smoke alarms,door entry, up to 3 or more temp sensors, humidity, water level, power failure are all there. On some models, the sensors can be wireless.

Anyway, we were robbed on New Year's Eve (a story I am trying to decide if I want to really tell here), so I have really been looking into some form of security and monitoring rig. (Can you say: Closing the barn doors AFTER the horses have run?) I like the Boat Nanny, but it is too narrow of focus as to it's lacking of expandability is holding me back.

GonzoF1 wrote:Anyway, we were robbed on New Year's Eve (a story I am trying to decide if I want to really tell here),

Robbed or burglarized ? There's a difference.

Boat security can become complicated if you keep your boat at a marina.* Marina staff may need to get onto or move your boat.* Storms, fire, come to mind, but we hope they would look into excessive listing or other potential serious problems.

Tracking systems don't prevent the theft of your boat, but may make it possible to recover it.* Video systems don't prevent theft, but may make it possible to later identify the thieves.* I wouldn't count on law enforcement to put too much effort into tracking the thieves unless there was an actual robbery involving a human victim.

Lighting and loud noises will usually scare a thief away, but possibly not if your boat is in an isolated area.* Think of how often you hear a car alarm sounding.* Do you even look up?

Booby traps are more apt to get you into trouble than to actually solve a problem.* Wire your boat up to shock or kill an intruder, and an innocent child or visitor is apt to be the victim.* That may bring a lawsuit or even criminal charges.* And it might be you or a family member who forgets to turn off the system.

The best you can do (in approximate order) is:
Insurance
A safe place to leave the boat
Lighting
Lights and alarms
Hidden fuel shutoff valve
GPS tracking system

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Phil Fill wrote:We live lights on and the TV/Music on 24/7 and when we are gone so the boat looks like somebody is on the boat.****

The guy next to me at the marina likes his music pretty loud.* One night we thought he had gone home and left it on.* I started to go on his boat (he wouldn't have minded) to turn it off, but I knocked on the window instead.

Turns out, he was on the boat with a "honey" be had been boating with that day.*

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rwidman wrote:

*
GonzoF1 wrote:Anyway, we were robbed on New Year's Eve (a story I am trying to decide if I want to really tell here),

Robbed or burglarized ? There's a difference.

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Technically burglarized, but we WERE on the boat at the time. Just not under threat.

Folks that go to Zoo Scenes , Georgetown in the Bahamas or Antigua Race week , should think of a distinctive way to find their boat , in a sea of anchored vessels .

All will have a masthead or other light , and from a 1/2 mile most will look alike.

One way we locate our boat is a 25W white masthead light , its brighter than most , so easy to find.

Second is to use the blue spreader light , I for get if its "owner absent" or "crew at meals" but its uncommon enough to be easily spotted.

FF wrote:

In the Carib we would wire the lifelines and stanchons to a 12V Cattle Fence shocker.

Way better than tacks on the deck.

For leaving the boat a device called Burgeler Mist , is a simple trip wire and a can of mace.

Slide open the hatch and anything below is rather hard to access.


This is used anywhere except New Jersey ,where

" If you cant steal it Destroy it" is the State motto.

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********** New Jersey is the "Garden State"



********** Image below is the real Jersey Shore- Rumson NJ my old Hometown.

*

Most of the time we leave the boat unlocked and may times in the summer open, but our marina gate is locked. *I also leave the truck/vehicle un locked.* There is not much things of value for them to take/steal as most of our stuff is old and dated. Heck we are old and dated.* They would probable do more damage to the boat and/or vehicles breaking in than what they would take. Nobody can see into our boat with the dark windows and the windows are about 6 ft off the dock.* So they can see the ceiling with lights on and our old dated TV.* **


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I am more concerned about high water, electricity is out, fire, and freezing.* We use to have a land line so I could call the boat so if the answering machine pick up, I knew the boat was still afloat and the AC power was one.* Therefore the changes where high the boat was OK.* However, I also have friends and neighbors check on the boat.* Usually we have the DirecTV music channel on which is piped though the boat.*

Now when we start moving around and the*anchorage/dock is not so secure, I will definitely install a security system, probable the Boatnanny*and taking other precautions.**

What other boat security system have you found?

**

Old Stone wrote:

John - That Bon Jovis' place or Springsteens'? Rumson is a beautiful village, for sure.

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********* Neither,* Just a typical Summer Cottage on the banks of the Navesink River.

**********We loved our time living there in our cosy 3 bedroom Cape Cod. After our daughter graduated high school and started college we cashed it in before the housing bubble burst.*** That peninsula is one of the best kept secrets on the Jersey Shore.*** JohnP

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Here's our security system: Attack Lab!

Good looking dog.

* Is it an albino?

SD

skipperdude wrote:

Good looking dog.

Is it an albino?

SD

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No. Yellow lab from a kennel in the Gaspe. He is pretty white (must be his cold climate origin), but has some cinammon tints to his coat and has brown eyes. Don't mess with him or he won't show you where the valuables are.

Here he is in anti-seabird alert mode.

*


-- Edited by dwhatty on Friday 28th of January 2011 01:06:28 PM

New Jersey is the "Garden State"


But the state plant died of acid rain!

http://www.paradoxmarine.com/
http://www.boatalarm.com/
http://www.security2020.com/sec-rex-electronic-watchdog-2020.html
http://www.sensaphone.com/