Boat theft question

N

Nautically Challenged

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I was reading an article in the current issue of BoatUS and it says that Florida has 10,275 reported boat thefts in the 2000-2005 period. It ranks first followed by California and Texas with 6,974 and 4,891 respectively.
Although the fact that we boat all year in Florida could be a factor, but so do most boaters in Texas and at least southern California and if I am not mistaken, Florida has less registered boats than Minnesota or California. BTW, Minnesota ranked 8th with 1,500.
So my question is: what do you do to protect your boat against theft?
My boat is on dry storage but sometime I get back too late at the marina and have to leave the boat for the following morning pickup. If you are in the same position as me, what special measure do you take to protect your boat?
 
You make sure you insurance bill is paid.
Why waste your time worrying about theft?....
 
I don't leave anything on the boat that I can't replace and I just don't worry about it.

Ed
 
Well,... you could take the Sonny Crockett approach and leave an ugly old croc on board. Of course, these days that word unfortunately has a rather different connotation, but any would-be thieves might just die laughing.

Thankfully, boat theft is rather negligible around here so far.
 
Choose a marina with good security and a good record, keep the insurance in force, and not worry.
 
I have more concerns about them stealing everything in the boat then the boat itself. Cause it has happened to me.
 
Make sure you dock next to a "nicer" boat than yours.
 
Just saying insurance does not recover everything . If you have some personal meaningful items on board it can really sting.
 
I've always said the best deterrent for theft is fear. Think about it, when someone breaks into a boat, what are they expecting to see? Nothing. Nobody inside, emptiness. Imagine a thief breaking into a boat at night, getting into the cabin, turning on his flashlight and seeing the scariest looking mannequin staring back at him...........or anything large and odd looking. The initial startle would likely send him high tailing out of there. Am I crazy or what? ;)
 
Navman ... insurance sure doesn't cover everything, but a theft without it really sucks!!! Just ask me, I had the entire boat stolen from my driveway, several years ago ... at least insurance got me started with replacing the boat and equip.
 
I try to keep my boat as plain looking as possible in hopes any thief will move on to the next.

I also slip in a good marina in which everyone looks out for everyone else, and the liveaboards are the best security guards around.

Not much you really can do - a good thief will take it when they want it. I have yet to see anything on the market that even acts as a deterrent.
 
quote:
Originally posted by divedaddy

Choose a marina with good security and a good record.....

Click to expand...


Maybe it'd different elsewhere, but in my neck of the woods there is no such thing as marina security. Marinas are small and in very short supply, and anyone could walk down the dock. Most in-water boats here are moored anyway. It's something I can't worry about too much so I make sure my insurance is paid up. Bedies, most boats aren't exactly built wtih the utmost of security in mind.
 
If you're really concerned, put a web cam on board like ATMs have. Must be some way to have it tape to a web site.
 
I keep my boat in a small marina where the owner lives on the premise and keeps a close eye on everything. Also, my boat is on an air dock which needs to be deflated to be able to access the boat. And boats on either side of me are nicer!!!!
 
quote:
Originally posted by blouderback

I've heard of these alarms that install on the snaps of your cover:
http://www.canvassnapalarm.com/
For about $200. never knoew anyone that used 'em.

Click to expand...


The $200.00 is better spent in gas money. If the smash and grabbers are going to hit my boat (assuming I had cnavas), I rather they at least un-snap the canvas as opposed to cutting big holes in it, thus creating another thing for me to replace.
 
I would think bad guys would actually unsnap the cover as opposed to slicing it. It would really attract a lot of attention if someone was slicing up a cover. If I were to break into someone's boat, I would do it as if I ownded the boat or at least had permission so as to not attract attention.

That website has other relatively inexprensive items as well, like pressure sensative mats and motion detectors. They would work pretty good, too.
 
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