The mobility—and value—of boats makes them a tempting target, says Charles Fort, Boat U.S. Magazine’s associate editor. This is especially true when boats are on a trailer, he warns; that’s how most are stolen.
On The Boat
Pocket It
But there’s plenty you can do to mitigate the risk, says Fort; even minimal security measures will help. “Thieves are lazy,” he explains. “They’re looking for an easy score. Make your boat harder to steal and the bad guys will go after someone else’s.”
Don’t leave keys in a cockpit locker, or anywhere on the boat for that matter; thieves know where to look. “You may think you have a clever hiding place,” says Fort, “but trust me, you don’t.”
Secure It
“Locks, locks and more locks,” says Fort, “preferably made of good-quality hardened steel.” Lock the engine to the vessel; lock a chain around the tires and wheels; and lock propellers, outdrives and the cabin.
Bar It
Stainless-steel hasps or bars are a smart upgrade for cabin doors or hatch boards. It makes them much harder to break into.
Wire It
Even a simple alarm system can scare off a thief, so there’s no need to spend a lot for one.
Kill It
A fuel- or electrical-cutoff device is simple to install and pretty inexpensive, and it will often foil a bandit.
On The Trailer
Park It
Keep the trailer as far from the road as possible. If that’s only the driveway, then point the hitch away from the street.
Secure It
Thieves are one step ahead of owners who just remove the coupler; some carry easily attachable coupler devices, making for a quick getaway. Locking the hitch may not be sufficient protection, either. Instead, chain your trailer to something sturdy, like a tree.
Disable It
Pop off one or more tires, says Fort. It’s more work, but good luck to the thief who tries to pull a tireless trailer. Another option is having a removable tongue or hitch assembly installed (and then, of course, removing the tongue). “If thieves can’t hook it up,” says Fort, “they can’t take it.”
Strip It
The more stuff you take off your boat, the less a thief will want it. Store that outboard in the garage. And take off license plates and lights; what thief wants to risk getting stopped by police?
Vernon has the help of trained RCMP Volunteers to assist the RCMP Marine Unit in allowing boaters to complete a Pre-Launch inspection of all the items required under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 along with its regulations governing pleasure craft.
In addition to the Vessel Safety checks RCMP Volunteers will be checking vessels for Quagga and Zebra invasive mussels at Paddlewheel Park boat launch every weekend during the summer.