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Old     (Wakesounds)      Join Date: May 2011       07-05-2014, 5:31 PM Reply   
What are some good options for making sure your boat and trailer do not get stolen? My neighbors had some real shady looking people working on their house this week that had a special interest in the details of my new boat that makes me second guess how secure it is. My only option is parking directly accross the neighborhood street from my house and luckily under a street light, but at the moment I just have a reece coupler lock on it from home depot. Im not sure how secure it really is and what better options are available to protect it from being stolen in the middle of the night?
Old     (ilikebeaverandboats)      Join Date: Jul 2007       07-05-2014, 5:41 PM Reply   
Take the wheels off and put it on blocks... that way, they cant tow it off....

What i used to do was back the boat into the drive way (3 car drive way), park a car on either side super close, and then park the truck perpendicular to the boat which blocks it all in. That way, they cant get the boat unless they move the truck...and something big enough to move the truck would definitely wake me up.

Some form of blocking the boat in is always the way to go.
Old     (Jeff)      Join Date: May 2010       07-05-2014, 5:44 PM Reply   
A decent lock and good insurance and don't worry about it.

I use this plus a disk lock and that's probably about as secure as you can do as far as tongue locks are concerned:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000R6T8NW/..._5OjUtb1FKD6XV

If they want your boat they'll come prepared or possibly even just drag it onto a flatbed. It's pretty much not possible to defend against that without going to extremes.

Don't waste your money on this tongue lock from master lock: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IIFQ26/..._6QjUtb1YMWK3K

We had those on 10 trailers at work. They always seemed like flimsily junk and I figured I could just kick one off the tongue. Finally one day someone took too long to show up with a key. 3 kicks and it broke apart and came off. No tools needed.

You can get those cheap Chinese gps tracking modules off eBay that accept a prepaid SIM card and send you an SMS with the location if it moves if you want a little extra "insurance" so you don't have to worry as much about it. You could also get a camera that you can access from your mobile device.
Old     (Jeff)      Join Date: May 2010       07-05-2014, 5:49 PM Reply   
Here's a simple, inexpensive gps tracker like I was referring to:
Sourcingbay Tracking Drive Vehicle Car Tracker Gps/gsm/gprs System by sourcingbay http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008FLOWAU/..._EWjUtb0CCDT31

Some of the prepaid services charge no monthly fee so the recurring charges would be very minimal. Just get a sim with some prepaid SMS messages on it and configure it to shoot you a message if the boat moves. Won't prevent theft but will help you to find out quickly and hopefully recover it before any damage is done.

If you have a perko switch make sure to wire it up in front of that so it doesn't cut it off.
Old     (Wakesounds)      Join Date: May 2011       07-05-2014, 6:05 PM Reply   
I watched a youtube video and did a little searching and the "mega hitch lock" seems to be a good replacement for a couple lock possibly?
Old     (Jeff)      Join Date: May 2010       07-05-2014, 6:18 PM Reply   
It at least looks intimidating which is about all you can hope for. That would at least deter the small time guys that don't come prepared (I.e. The high school kid who sees your boat and decides to steal it on a whim). If high end thieves want your boat they will plan it well and be gone before you know they were there. If they show up with a flat bed tow truck they can winch it on there, drive it off and have all the time in the world to work on the $90 "mega hitch lock" back at their shop.

I'd spend $30-40 on a lock that looks intimidating to the small timers and then spend the rest on a GPS tracker.
Old     (Wakesounds)      Join Date: May 2011       07-05-2014, 6:35 PM Reply   
Im not too familiar with gps tracker options...maybe someone can give me a quick rundown on what could be hidden and tracked easily?
Old     (chpthril)      Join Date: Oct 2007       07-05-2014, 6:43 PM Reply   
For towable assets like a boat, you want a unit that will wake up from sleep mode by speed, as in the unit recognizes its in motion via the SATs and not from an ignition input. You also want a unit with battery backup.
Old     (Jeff)      Join Date: May 2010       07-05-2014, 6:47 PM Reply   
Read some of the reviews on the amazon device I linked above. It's got an ignition kill relay that won't be that useful for a boat unless it's stolen on the water. I've never installed one but it sounds like you just give it power and ground and install the box and antennas discreetly so the bad guys don't notice them right away. You buy a prepaid sim and configure the box via a usb cable with some crappy software that it comes with. No direct monthly fees but the minutes/SMS messages on the account may expire depending on the carrier you go with.
Old     (Jeff)      Join Date: May 2010       07-05-2014, 6:49 PM Reply   
Oh, it has a battery backup and reviewers claim it works well for trailers so it should be fine for a boat if you keep it dry.
Old     (Silverbullet555)      Join Date: May 2010       07-06-2014, 7:33 AM Reply   
I used to worry about it. Used to thread chains through wheel spokes on steel wheels and around trailer frame and then lock it. That, plus a tongue lock and insurance was the most that I could do. After a while I stopped worrying about it and now I park it indoors. I used rubber coated chain from home depot and never observed any damage to the wheels.
Old     (eubanks01)      Join Date: Jun 2001       07-06-2014, 7:14 PM Reply   
What about options while hitched? I just bought a one from Walmart...the simple notched bolt with a lock that slides on. Found it bent the other day. I tried to bend it back and it just snapped it half. Other through bolts that work better?
Old     (Silverbullet555)      Join Date: May 2010       07-06-2014, 7:56 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by eubanks01 View Post
What about options while hitched? I just bought a one from Walmart...the simple notched bolt with a lock that slides on. Found it bent the other day. I tried to bend it back and it just snapped it half. Other through bolts that work better?
Locking pins can be snapped as you've found. There might be some better quality ones or you could have a machine shop make one for you that takes a small padlock (which will be the weak link). I liked the if UFP tongues because of the way the pin goes through. I felt it was more secure.

In the end, pay your insurance and make sure they include your upgrades in your policy.
Old     (Ansorge10)      Join Date: Oct 2013       07-06-2014, 8:10 PM Reply   
I park it in the garage...
Old     (bcrider)      Join Date: Apr 2006       07-07-2014, 8:53 AM Reply   
I pull the pin out of my fold away, Wheel lock and cable through both wheels. Plus my truck is parked in front every night.
Old     (eubanks01)      Join Date: Jun 2001       07-07-2014, 10:11 AM Reply   
I'm looking for something on vacations where you need some discouraging when you're pulled over at a rest stop or restaurant. I keep my boat indoors.
Old     (srock)      Join Date: Mar 2002       07-07-2014, 11:21 AM Reply   
The is some sort of movement alarm you can put on the boat that will alert your smartphone or an audible movement alarm. Seen them for people camping with dirt bikes at the track.
Old     (bcrider)      Join Date: Apr 2006       07-07-2014, 11:56 AM Reply   
Eubanks: Install a locking pin on your hitch. At a rest stop you could put a lock through the pin hole on the latch of the trailer. Those two things would stop someone from being able to unhitch your trailer.
Old     (cadunkle)      Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: NJ       07-08-2014, 6:35 PM Reply   
I got a Master set of lock for the truck and trailer with matched key. The trailer has the pin through the coupler to secure either towing or hitching position. The trailer pin lock had a plastic tab on the end that was wide and prevented it from passing through the latch on the trailer master cylinder, I assumed it was a large piece of metal underneath the plastic. Well it broke the other week and the plastic flange came off, the pin could easily be slid through the master cylinder latch entirely defeating the key by breaking a piece of palstic that could easily be broken by hand with no tools. Back to the regular pin with clip for now.

Granted in this day and age of cordless sawzalls and cutoff wheels these sinple locks can be defeated in seconds but I view it as a deterrant. I'll be looking for a hardened pin lock that is all metal and large enough to not be defeated quickly by hand or with a hammer. Boat is insured so I don't worry too much but I want at least a deterrant for any opportunists. If someone really wants a boat or trailer they're gonna get it and it's usually not hard.
Old     (sandm01)      Join Date: May 2010       07-09-2014, 5:29 AM Reply   
I would be more intrigued with something that would protect the thieves mentioned by the op from climbing in the boat and stripping the stereo/amps. I would think that is much more likely than taking the whole boat?
Old     (kirk)      Join Date: May 2003       07-09-2014, 6:10 AM Reply   
I always wondered about using a Dropcam as a surveillance camera for something like this. If your wifi signal was good enough where your boat is parked and there was a power supply, it seems like it would work. Also, there is the option of downloading video to the cloud for later retrieval. I think there is also the option for motion detection.
Has anyone done this?
Old     (cadunkle)      Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: NJ       07-09-2014, 6:39 PM Reply   
I'd be more worried about thieves stealing a prop than some amps and a head unit. Much greater reward for less time and effort invested and can eyeball a good prop from a distance.
Old     (zammer)      Join Date: Jan 2008       07-24-2014, 3:26 PM Reply   
I purchased and recently used this full wheel lock boot that works great on vaction and works well on any trailer.. I also remove my front swing pin and lock that from being used..

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Old     (hatepain)      Join Date: Aug 2006       07-25-2014, 4:56 PM Reply   
This is what I use on my dump trailer. It goes up into the tongue and is very secure but at the end of the day if someone wants to steal your schitt they're gonna.
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