Securing Boat W Trailer locks.....ANTI BOAT STEALING DEVICES

[Homer4duff]

Guys I've had to park the boat out the front of my place on the street and I've got a Tow ball coupling lock with padlock. Is this considered secure enough?

How hard would the boat be to steal with the lock in place? I've got good neighbours, so any noise will certainly draw attention. I've thought about a wheel clamp also but is it really worth it?

I've thought about a piece of chain through the wheels with padlock also.

Cheers

Homer

[bootyinblue]

Read and understand what is required by your insurance policy before it is too late.

[ipk18]

I had my work trailer flogged with a coulping lock they just unbolted the whole coupling replace it with one they with them it said not to weld but I just put a few tacks on my new one. To many low life's around these days you have to do everything you can to stop them good luck

Cheers Tim

[The Mad Hughesy]

If someone really wants to steal it they will. The way I figure it, the more securing devices you have, the more criminals it will detur. The more security devices the better.

[woody1]

Those things are pointless if you have a quick release towball, they can just remove the pin and put it in their car. You can buy a locking pin for them if you have one. If you are really worried, buy a wheel lock as well, nothing makes it impossible but it is just 1 more deterrent.

I once saw a guy at the boat ramp park his trailer, then get out, jack it up, and pull one of the wheels off and take it in the boat with him. Little bit of overkill if you ask me but... I bet nobody stole his trailer!

[aussie123]

As Booty said make sure you read your insurance policy properly.

Every company has different regulations on what they deem as a proper locking system and if your boat or trailer is stolen they will do everything in their power to get out of paying up.

Most have a regulation on the grade of chain you can use,locking mechanism types and how or what the trailer must be locked to.

Some also stipulate it must be locked behind a fence when not in use so be careful with reading your policy.

The majority of locks available are also not insurance company approved so be careful buying them.

I have been selling quite a few of the wheel clamp lock which is insurance company approved and very few of the tow ball locks.

Have a look at the following link which is of the wheel clamp lock that makes up about 90% of my lock sales.

/>http://www.reeltackle.com.au/index.php?option=com_ixxocart&Itemid=185&p=product&id=153479&parent=325&vendorid=3

[shortie]

Without getting clarification

From your insirance company to confirm I would suggest a big chain and good quality lock

[shortie]

Also when at boat ramp lock the trailer to your vehicle

And check to see before driving off if someone has loosened if from your car or unplugged your lights

[Homer4duff]

Thanks for input everyone. Having a boat trailer with dual axles would I need 2 wheel clamps, for each axle? Otherwise they couls simply jack up trailer, remove the wheel and still drive off.

EDIT: I've just spoken to GIO and had it confirmed that the boat is insured and covered for theft outside my house on the street, however any contents aren't.

[jnewy]

i have a cuda alarm on my trailer it is set off if the trailer is moved www.cuda-alarms.com.au

[Homer4duff]

Cheers Jnewy,

Looking into it.

I've run some anchor chaim through both axles with a padlock now. Hopefully enough deterrent on board now :-)

[Homer4duff]

Cheers Jnewy,

Looking into it.

I've run some anchor chaim through both axles with a padlock now. Hopefully enough deterrent on board now :-)

[aussie123]

That anchor chain is a 2 second inconvenience for a trailer thief.

They expect chains and padlocks and carry large bolt cutters.

If you are going to use chain at least invest in some high tensile chain.

[Homer4duff]

If you are going to use chain at least invest in some high tensile chain.

It's the best I can do today. Will improve security over the coming days as I get time.

Cheers

[e-fish-n-sea]

hi m8 i use a lock called a trailor cop it fits up inside the hitch you cant get to it with cutters etc .Tack weld the hitch so it cant be removed and chain the wheels both sides try a motor cycle security chain .

[regulated]

Heavy lifting chains are pretty good with the best lock you can afford from a locksmith, not bunnings. Most storebought padlocks just need a quick tap and they pop. Wont stop them, just slow them down. Serious ones will cut it quickly or just throw the boat on a tilt tray. 3 minutes and I reakon they would be out of there.

[regulated]

There is also a little GPS tracking device that you drop a SIM into and when it moves or you send it a message it gives you the location. The cheap ones are painful to setup but there are probably more expensive ones that are easy. Will find a link tonight.

[crazywalrus]

i looked at the security chain and it was going to cost me $600 for the chain and $350 each for the locks. At the end of the day a cordless grinder will deal with any chain, lock or clamp in a minute with a cut of wheel.

[Homer4duff]

What do u use Ted?

[crazywalrus]

i have chain like yours mate - have not checked with insurance. Have told them I have it chained. also my boat is up on a block at the front so it would need a decent jack to get it down to a hitch.

Serafini chains at albion is where you get the security chain if you need it.

[rayke1938]

If you boat is only worth a hundred bucks secure it with a old dog chain and a bit of pink ribbon otherwise invest in some high tensile chain or cable and a decent abloy lock. You wont stop the pros but iy will stop the local yobbos equipped with bolt cutters.

Cheers

Ray

[Bi_polar]

Heavy cables are great to secure any trailers as you cant cut them with bolt cutters.the thicker the better... you should be able to get one about 16mm in diameter fairly easily. Wire rope lifting slings are redily available from someone that works in an engineering workshop or the likes that has a spare one that has been condemed.

It may just have a couple of frays in the cable but still perfect for your application.

Good Luck

[dhess]

Just use the trailer lock you are using. If they are desperate enough to cut through that insurance will take care of it. Just make sure you are not underinsured.

Living in a near city, densely populated suburb surrounded by neighbours you know and get along with is probably the best protection you can get.

We have a few nosey, old bags on our street and they are great for keeping an eye on things.

Thieves do carry bolt cuters and cordless angle grinders around but an angle grinder makes such a stupid amount of noise they are very unlikely to attempt it at your place.

The lock E-fish-n-sea mentions sounds good but I like to have the trailer hitched locked on when I amdriving as I have seen some ones trailer pop off the ball on the road and it wasn't pretty.

[bootyinblue]

Have you read and understood your insurance product disclosure statement yet? As an example, anyone insured with Suncorp needs to have their boat and trailer chained and padlocked to a fixed immovable object to comply. I said, but my boat is in a locked garage, under main roof of house and is alarmed. YOu guessed it, I had to chain it all to an eyebolt in the slab.

[Binder4]

I'd be finding off street storage for it, some of the bigger fishing clubs offer storage facilities, a marina or some of the storage compounds will take boats no worries.

The cost of storage would likely be less than the depreciation on a boat that size anyway, cheap investment.

You could even try doing a letter drop up and down your street, might find yourself a pensioner that would be happy to let you keep it in their yard for a $50 a month plus the odd fish tossed in, as long as Wayne Swan doesn't know about it

[crazywalrus]

Have you read and understood your insurance product disclosure statement yet? As an example, anyone insured with Suncorp needs to have their boat and trailer chained and padlocked to a fixed immovable object to comply. I said, but my boat is in a locked garage, under main roof of house and is alarmed. YOu guessed it, I had to chain it all to an eyebolt in the slab.

Does Suncorp state a type of chain required?

[bootyinblue]

No... just chained to an immovable object. Ran a chain up the back, through the rear boat handle, back down in between trailer frame to the concrete floor.

[shortie]

chain it to Dassa

[regulated]

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=LA9011&form=CAT2&SUBCATID=1040#5

GPS GSM tracker. You can get others on ebay from China but they take a bit to set up. Buying one from Jaycar atleast you can bug them and get it going. Requires a active sim card but other than that free to track.

[Homer4duff]

Quick update....boat still out the front when I wake up :-)

Phew!

[dirtridder]

Have you read and understood your insurance product disclosure statement yet? As an example, anyone insured with Suncorp needs to have their boat and trailer chained and padlocked to a fixed immovable object to comply. I said, but my boat is in a locked garage, under main roof of house and is alarmed. YOu guessed it, I had to chain it all to an eyebolt in the slab.

i cant find where it states in the suncorp pds that a boat in a lockable shed needs a chain? if you have a link would help out as i am a suncorp customer.

[TheOutfitters]

Mate I went through the same thing with my camper trailer. To be honest the insurance company was not very helpful about what constituted secure enough. I had a look at all of the various wheel clamps but wasn't happy.

What I did in the end was went to a locksmith and got 1m of high tensile chain which I wrapped around the axle, out one of the holes in the rims and back into another. I bought a high tensile lock to put on it. If the trailer moves the chain wraps around the axle and will prevent it going any further. Main thing with that is that they cannot get enough leverage on it with a big enough set of bolt cutters to cut through the high tensile chain as chain has to be accessed from under the trailer to cut. I also have a hitch lock but that is more for if I go away and leave the trailer and the car somewhere unattended. It is too easy to get off to use as a stand alone security measure.

Sure if someone really wants it they will come with an oxy torch or grinder, but most of that type of theft seems to be opportunistic.

Good solution for me costing around $120.

Good luck

Andrew