Do you stash a key?

Phil said:

Phil Fill said:

With the boatnamny alarm system if an alarm goes off it sends me a text message and I can call for a status report 2000 miles away.

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There is a million dollar broker boat sitting here at the marina with a key hidden in plain view.

Do you leave a key with someone?

I leave a key hidden on board. In an emergency I can tell someone where it is.

I should hide a key. Nothing worse than driving out to the boat to discover you left the keys on the counter at home.

Always. Too many things can go wrong while I am away. My service people or marina staff can deal with problems if I tell them where the key is located.

In my next life, I will have everything on my Driver's license, (because that is the one item I need to always have in my pocket) and activation will be by indirect proximity. Gate passes at Yacht Club entrances, charge card machines, my house front door, my boat, my cars.

Until then, I have to use keys.

koliver said:

In my next life, I will have everything on my Driver's license, (because that is the one item I need to always have in my pocket) and activation will be by indirect proximity. Gate passes at Yacht Club entrances, charge card machines, my house front door, my boat, my cars.

Until then, I have to use keys.

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All will be on your implanted chip.

bayview said:

Always. Too many things can go wrong while I am away. My service people or marina staff can deal with problems if I tell them where the key is located.

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Our marina at home has a key box that security can access. Everyone there has a key inside. Now, there are still alarms but in the case of an emergency you don't worry about alarms. If anything you want them. We can disable them remotely.

At a remote marina while we might not be on the boat, we are always reasonably close. However, we still have a key available on board. The only issue is we must disable security for one to get to the key, but we can do that instantly from wherever we are.

hmason said:

I leave a key hidden on board. In an emergency I can tell someone where it is.

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+1

The locks are to keep the honest people honest. Haven't seen a private boat that a determined professional couldn't get into fairly quickly.

Ted

We don't lock the boat and the key is hanging on the key rack. We figure if they want to get in they will, but much rather they did no damage trying. Besides what are they going to take, our out dated electronics. Also it they know enough about the battery switch and sea cocks they probably know how to jump start the engines. Also why would they want to break into a old ugly trawler when there are newer fancy boats around.

O C Diver said:

+1



The locks are to keep the honest people honest. Haven't seen a private boat that a determined professional couldn't get into fairly quickly.



Ted

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Heck an unimaginative moderately motivated rank amateur could gain entry in a few seconds. Boat locks don't even slow down a pro. Since having been on the receiving end of a marina burglary several decades ago with a securely locked houseboat I'm in the don't lock anything category. Damage a tweaker will do to access an empty locker is beyond belief.

Only when travelling. At home, if someone gets that close to the boat they have bigger issues to deal with.

We have yet to lock our boat.
Heck the engine keys stay in the ignition.
It's a very close knit community at the marina which is in a gated subdivision and there are enough liveaboards there that nobody is going to mess with anybody's boat that shouldn't be messing with it.
Everybody that lives there knows they are welcome to help themselves to whatever they might need that we might have.

All the proceeding posts are from boats based in North America. Do not come to the Eastern Caribbean without locking everything. Dinghy thefts are common, break ins to the boat itself occur from time to time especially on unlocked boats.

In the Eastern Caribbean you are not trying to stop the professional, just trying to encourage the druggie to not steal from you.

Usually yes.

Having nothing to do w security. It's to protect me from myself. Once in awhile I will forget my key and I sometimes need or want to let someone get aboard. But mostly so I have access to my own boat after traveling 35 miles from home.

I always left my keys on the boat. I 'hid them' out of sight, but they'd be really easy to find. I always kinda hoped someone would steal it... No such luck.

Always lock, but keep the key on my car key chain. If I can drive to the boat, I have the key.

Also the adjacent boatyard has a key for when I'm far away.

No keys for locks and engine and gen keys in the start. After 20 odd years up and down the Australian East Coast have never had anything stolen but have had people come on board and leave stuff for me with a cover note.
I suppose it depends on where you live and cruise.

In the same vein, key for the lock one uses on the dinghy. I always carry two. One on a float that is just for the dinghy lock, the second on a second float which also has my boat key. Off the boat I never use the float with both the dinghy and boat key.

At least once or twice a year I help out some boater who has lost his dinghy key and we must either go back to his or her boat to get a spare or cut the lock or cable.

Spare keys are cheap.

I keep a key hidden on the aft deck and the wing doors locked. You can still get on via the swim platform and transom door. As said earlier it keeps the light weights off. I used to keep a spare on my car ring until dropped them overboard unlooking the wing door. BMW keys are not cheap.
My center console which is docked right next to the big one, that ignition key is safely hidden 4 ft from the console. Look and yee shall find.

We use a brass marine combination pad lock.

Downside is light is required to set the combo.

On our dink we use a key lock , as well as Edson oar security device to keep the oars aboard.

http://www.clcboats.com/shop/products/boat-gear/rowing-gear-accessories/edson-oar-loc.html

FF said:

We use a brass marine combination pad lock.

Downside is light is required to set the combo.

On our dink we use a key lock , as well as Edson oar security device to keep the oars aboard.

Edson Oar-Loc - Oar Safety Locking Device

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I had this with my hanger, I left the lock with 3 preset and one wheel one click off. In the dark I knew the wheel to turn one click and open the lock, also let me know if someone fiddled with the lock while I was gone.

While we do lock, the locked door is really not a key element of our security. If we're not aware of an intruder before they get to a door, some other element of our system failed.

This is our first boat ever carrying the RIB on the swim platform. I admit to worrying about it there, probably just because it's different to me. We do have it secured with more than one lock and alarmed, but still wouldn't be that difficult to take.

BandB said:

While we do lock, the locked door is really not a key element of our security. If we're not aware of an intruder before they get to a door, some other element of our system failed.

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I put the question about keys as an emergency access issue and how that was handled. Pity some folks have to keep their possessions in vaults.

Hawgwash said:

I put the question about keys as an emergency access issue and how that was handled. Pity some folks have to keep their possessions in vaults.

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And I answered earlier as to the emergency access issue. Then others got into it as a security issue. Now, just what is the vault comment about? Is that intended as an insult because we do have security systems? We also have alarms for things other than intruders such as water, loss of power, fire. And the reason we have security has far more to do with protecting persons aboard than protecting things, but we do prefer not allowing easy access to things. Things are all insured but doesn't mean we care to lose them. Someone takes your computers or all your electronics and you've got a lot of work ahead and those are the first items thieves go for.

I once had a car broken into and nothing of real value was taken, just briefcases full of old papers. However, recovering some of the documents was quite a task and I couldn't drive the car without the window and with glass in the seat in 30 degree weather as this occurred at an airport. My loss was minor. My inconvenience was major.

Insult?
Man you are touchy.
Not at all.

Just saying, it's a pity we have advanced and progressed to the point of needing to build a double gated, IR, draw bridged Fort Knox around ourselves.

Well maybe not all of us, yet.

Hawgwash said:

Insult?
Man you are touchy.
Not at all.

Just saying, it's a pity we have advanced and progressed to the point of needing to build a double gated, IR, draw bridged Fort Knox around ourselves.

Well maybe not all of us, yet.

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I guess I haven't lived in the times that security wasn't necessary. I know there's a time in rural areas you knew all your neighbors and there was trust, although even then there were break-ins. However, that security then wasn't felt in big cities. I have never been in a situation where locking house doors and locking cars was not necessary so I'm sure I accept it as more the norm than others might. I don't think of Fort Knox as the analogy, at least I hope Fort Knox is better protected. However, security systems are very inexpensive compared to what they were ten years ago. So, I have more simply because it's easy to do.

Several years ago, Burger was asked to build the most secure yacht possible. This turned out to be Sea Owl and it was a nightmare as they were waiting on security experts designs and basically had no idea what they were doing so huge delays. Since then the owner has had Feadship build him a new Sea Owl. I remember thinking the same as you, how sad that he felt the need for so much security. Then at least some comfort he can get it so he can enjoy the water. I don't know who he is or his circumstance. He also may be traveling areas I wouldn't.

Our starboard door is locked on the inside, we exit on the port side and lock it with a combination padlock. Friends and the marina have the combination.

My keys are in the ignition if they are required in an emergency. I also leave a tag attached saying the engine r/w seacock is closed. I do lock the cockpit door to keep the insurance company happy, but the sliding window next to the helm is unlocked if anyone needs the keys.

And no, - nothing has ever gone missing. Like Tidahapah, I've found items that have been left for me after helping others with a problem.

dhays said:

I should hide a key. Nothing worse than driving out to the boat to discover you left the keys on the counter at home.

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Worse yet is to be cruising in a town far from home and lock the boat with the key inside.

Yes, I have a key hidden outside the boat.

I take the middle road. Key is on the boat and the boat quasi locked. I don't actually know where the key is but can jimmie my way in without breaking stride. I do lock the dingy to the boat but that will only stop a casual thief.

Never locked my house in the country unless I was going away for a few days and taking the dogs. 700' driveway and no neighbors they would have all the time in the world to break in. I'll just smash a window if we ever get robbed. Don't lock my cabin either but it's several kilometers from a road. Figure anyone that wants in will get in and do more damage than there is stuff to steal. I have had hikers sign the guest book.