Boat security on the buoys
Sorry for the shocking picture. It was chosen to drive home a point. Security is an issue on the Minneapolis lake buoys. Unlike a proper marina with gated access to the docks, our boats are moored on open water. Now that may seem very safe, but there is a parade of traffic that passes by and through them 24 hours a day. Canoes, kayaks, fishing boats, other sailboats, and even swimmers make up the mix.
This post is not designed to scare anyone off from sailing on the Minneapolis lakes. I feel that they are a wonderful, safe, and enjoyable place to keep your boat. Think about it like this: It’s the same as parking your car on a street overnight in Minneapolis. You are subject to the same risks, and you need to take the same precautions.
- Leave NOTHING of value out or unlocked. This includes your trolling motor. One per year is stolen on Harriet. Really.
- Lock your companionway and cockpit lockers with real locks.
- If you have cockpit electronics, cover them with their plastic faceplates when leaving the boat.
- Minimize valuables in your boat, or at least stow them so they cannot be seen thru your windows.
- Keep lighters and matches well hidden. An easily-found lighter cost me a boat.
- Consider getting an alarm. I have one.
- Insure your boat. Not just for full loss, but for damage.
Regarding alarms, I found this unit on Amazon. It is battery powered, and has IR motion detection. The alarm sound is 130db, so it will shock anyone that comes on boat, and alert anyone nearby. I mounted mine on the front bulkhead facing the companionway. It starts to 'chirp' the moment someone steps inside the boat. It is not a perfect solution, but it should help scare off a casual break-in. I put stickers near my companionway to let potential thieves know of it's existence. A link to the alarm on Amazon is HERE.
Trolling motors are a real target. If you do not lock yours down, you MUST stow it in a locked locker. Ignore this advice and your motor will be gone in a week. If your troller is a Minn-Kota you are in luck, they make a slick lock-box that covers and secures the wing-bolts that attach the motor to the mount. Small, very secure, and less than 20 bucks. You can find them HERE.
Regarding the burned boat, that is a picture of the sad remains of True Companion, the S2 7.0 meter that Sheree and I bought as a ‘good old boat’ and refitted. She was burned on her buoy on Lake Harriet in August of 2009. The three teenage boys who swam out to her to commit the crime have never been caught. A $2500 reward is still offered for information that leads to their arrest. The image below shows their bikes in some detail. Eye witnesses said they boys were white and between 13 and 15. One of them can actually be seen on shore in the picture. If you have any information, call the Minneapolis Arson Squad at 612-673-3389. They believe the bike to be a 2007 or 2008 Raleigh brand “Retro cruiser-I” model. Note the distinctive handle bars and the green colored carrier attached to the rear seat.
The second post on boat security is HERE.
Lost my Min-Kota and solar chargers a couple of years ago. Now I keep the motor locked to the mast in the cabin with a heavy-duty U-shaped bike lock. Other than that, I try to keep nothing of value to a casual thief onboard.
ReplyDeleteIt's a small hassle mounting the motor while on the water. I can see that if someone didn't have the strength to safely muscle it into place, you could possibly lower it by attaching it to the main sheet and lowering it from the end of the boom.
I'll keep this anonymous for obvious reasons, but you know who I am, Clay!
I totally agree with keeping the motor locked inside. Although I have a lock for the bolts, putting in away inside my locked cockpit locker keeps it out of sight. It gives troublemakers ONE LESS REASON to come alongside and case my vessel. Once they are close enough to see your motor is going to be a hard grab, its just a simple step for them to climb in and 'look around'. Stay safe!
ReplyDeleteAt another lake, my father had his motor stolen. It was locked to the mount. The thieves removed the mount.
ReplyDeleteI was really hopeful that they would have caught the culprits who damaged these boats last summer. Seemed like they had strong leads.
Another part of security is having good mooring lines and connectors. I have seen expensive boats wrecked because of shoddy mooring lines. Also don't trust carabiners or snap hooks unless they have double acting devices. Simple ones can get fouled when the boats swings and open. I use hooks from a construction safety lanyard. It requires holding two levers to open it. Some folks double up their mooring lines for additional security.
ReplyDeleteA few weeks ago vandals deliberately released over 20 boats from their moorings on Lake Calhoun. They were largely recovered by the Sailing School and CYC folks. I found out via the grape vine almost a week later. Buoy holders on non of the lakes were notified of the security risk. Since I was moored close to the north rock wall, I definately lost sleep over not having a steel cable and pad lock backing up my duel mooring lines. I emailed Park Board personnel and got a poor response. I believe they and the Park Board Police owe us prompt notification of emerging security threats. That is part of good community crime prevention. There is nothing worth stealing on my 14 foot 40 year old boat but vandals could cause it to be bashed and completely trashed against the rock wall. Consider chains or steel cables with locks to secure your boats.
ReplyDelete