Boat Security Recommendations
Let us provide you with some basic knowledge, facts and recommendations about how to better secure you boat and associated articles. Those who would seek to take advantage of your boating worldly possessions range from the opportunistic to the dedicated professional criminal, therefore as a result anyone’s vessel and associated belongings can be a target of crime no matter what it’s size or value.
Besides the actual boat itself, common items stolen from boats primarily tend to be those easily picked up and carried by humans. Outboard motors and generators, marine communications or navigation equipment, tools/ toolboxes and personal belongings are most common place. However due to ease of selling items via the internet these days even highly specialist items if not put away or fixed down are also vulnerable.
As a result we all need to periodically make an objective review of our own security vulnerabilities, do the simple things consistently and to objectively consider taking additional security precautions now rather than later. Much of the advice surrounding boat security is common sense when you read it and actually the precautions are often no different from the way you would protect your home or other cherished belongings.
Audit your situation
The task here is to put yourself in the shoes of a thief. Walk around your mooring and your boat and ask what would I be attracted to steal here, what opportunities do I have to steal something without being detected? Consider the following...
- What items are loose on the outside of the vessel
- What is on display inside the vessel
- Where could entry be most easily be forced
- Is my mooring too highly concealed (particularly important to consider when on tour/ roaming)
- Or adversely, is my mooring too easily accessible
Write down the issues you find, prioritise them in order of greatest impact/risk and decide what to do to address them.
The Simple Measures
Listed below are to do consistently, they cost nothing are just need to be considered your standard operating procedure not matter where you are.
- Never leave keys in the ignition when not needed
- Always lock your boat when not on-board
- Always store loose items inside the boat when moored or take them away (e.g. oars/ paddles or dinghies)
- Always hide valuables from sight
- Keep a record of all serial numbers (your boat insurance company will want these in the event of a loss) and importantly store them away from vessel!
- Never leave any boat ownership related documentation or personally identifiable information on board.
Security Measures to Consider Implementing
If not implemented currently, these items will all require at least some financial outlay but guarantee to reduce the risk of being targeted by thieves. All suggestions should be considered in the context our your vessel and the risk you identify.
- Fit an alarm
- Fit an internal secret/ secure storage unit for valuables
- Fit heavier/ insurance approved padlocks and bolts to doors, plus rim-locks to hatches and heavier chains to trailers/ generators etc
- Home postcode tag your valuables
- Get wheel locks for any trailers
Finally, be vigilant
Being a good neighbour to others puts off potential thieves and also encourages others to be a good neighbour to you.
- Always close/lock gates and lockable onsite facilities behind you
- Be on the lookout and question the identity of strangers
- Point out obvious security flaws to fellow boaters
- Keep an eye on other boats as well as your own#
- Report any suspicious activity to harbour or yard masters
Reviewed: 20/10/2011
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