Bass boat security

[stk44]

Hi all,

 

What are some boat security features or add-on's that are a must-have to protect motor, TM, graphs,etc? I'm trying to get some ideas of how much additional money I'll need for my B.O.A.T. after I purchase next fall. 

 

Thanks!

[Jig Man]

Depends on the boat, your equipment, where and how it will be stored.  All I did was put a writer on my equipment along with good insurance coverage.  The only time my boat is not with me or in the garage is camping and I lock everything and try to park it near a lighted area.

 

 

[cfalco]

I have cameras on the boats, I use Foscam, you can get them on Amazon for about 70 bucks and then I pay 4 bucks a month for the cloud storage. You get push messages when you have them set to motion.  I am lucky enough to have an very large yard so I move the boats around so the grass does not die under them.  The cameras are easy to adjust when you move stuff around.

 

 

Anything of value, tackle, rods, electronics I store in the house so if they steal the boat I get the insurance money I guess.  Make sure you insure it for as much as they will allow.  Dont tell them what you paid, jack it up a bit get as much coverage as you can.  If someone were to steal one of my boats now for what I paid for them I would be a lot of money and I would be ticked.  

 

Anyway, cameras work for me, Day, night I can check on them from anywhere and when armed they do a good job of alerting you.  

 

Good luck, 

[stk44]

8 hours ago, Jig Man said:

Depends on the boat, your equipment, where and how it will be stored.  All I did was put a writer on my equipment along with good insurance coverage.  The only time my boat is not with me or in the garage is camping and I lock everything and try to park it near a lighted area.

 

I just got in to tournament fishing and I would be parking it overnight at some of the tournament locations.

 

I never thought about cameras, but that's a good idea. I will keep my boat in the garage most of the time. is it worth getting/making anti-theft devices for motors and graphs? What products or DIY projects work and what don't?

 

I'm trying to balance having piece of mind while not hassling myself to remove every piece of expensive equipment every time I leave the boat unattended. 

 

[Redlinerobert]

Trunk Monkey.

[slonezp]

Take the electronics off and bring them in the hotel. As far as the gear, when I used to travel, I would lock the gear in the truck and bring the rods in the hotel. Leave the boat compartments unlocked. I do know they make boat alarms, but have no idea how effective they are nor how far you can be from the boat for the receiver to alert you. There's also lokerbar, but I have heard that can be torn off using the trailer winch strap. Also consider a Denver boot style axle lock for the trailer and a prop lock. Minn Kota makes a lockable mount for their trolling motors, I modified a non locking mount to accept a brass security padlock. I have security locks on my Talon, but MK does make a quick release bracket for the Talon which would allow you lock it in the truck or bring that into the hotel room as well. A couple years back thieves hit a popular annual walleye tourney in Wisconsin and actually stole the kicker motors off a number of boats.

[stk44]

11 hours ago, Redlinerobert said:

Trunk Monkey.

 

great commercial 

3 hours ago, slonezp said:

Take the electronics off and bring them in the hotel. As far as the gear, when I used to travel, I would lock the gear in the truck and bring the rods in the hotel. Leave the boat compartments unlocked. I do know they make boat alarms, but have no idea how effective they are nor how far you can be from the boat for the receiver to alert you. There's also lokerbar, but I have heard that can be torn off using the trailer winch strap. Also consider a Denver boot style axle lock for the trailer and a prop lock. Minn Kota makes a lockable mount for their trolling motors, I modified a non locking mount to accept a brass security padlock. I have security locks on my Talon, but MK does make a quick release bracket for the Talon which would allow you lock it in the truck or bring that into the hotel room as well. A couple years back thieves hit a popular annual walleye tourney in Wisconsin and actually stole the kicker motors off a number of boats.

Wow, thanks for the info. That was exactly what I was as looking for.

That sucks that you have to go through the hassle for the few dishonest people out there, but it is what it is I guess. 

[Glenn]

Simple solution: Baby Monitors.

 

I use the top-of-the-line baby monitor for my security.  Has a night-vision camera with a wireless remote head unit.  I can pan the camera around with the head unit, hear every sound, and even talk through via a speaker on the camera. 

 

I keep the head unit right next to my head when I'm parked overnight somewhere. Nobody can mess with my boat without waking me up.

[stk44]

On 8/4/2017 at 1:10 PM, Glenn said:

Simple solution: Baby Monitors.

 

I use the top-of-the-line baby monitor for my security.  Has a night-vision camera with a wireless remote head unit.  I can pan the camera around with the head unit, hear every sound, and even talk through via a speaker on the camera. 

 

I keep the head unit right next to my head when I'm parked overnight somewhere. Nobody can mess with my boat without waking me up.

That's a great idea! Thank you. 

[BigAngus752]

Never leave your boat alone.  Trust no one.  

 

[stk44]

LOL. I'll keep that in mind. 

[WRB]

Don't leave your sonar units on your boat when storing or traveling. This is why you shouldn't have built in units. Use qwick and easy mounts like Ram.

Storage locker locks work when stopping for short time periods and keep most folks honest.

I like Glenn's baby monitor idea!

Tom

 

[Further North]

I suggest this theft deterrent system:

 

 

[Bulletman20XD]

Bond--James Bond!!

[Bulletman20XD]

You can find "locking" products online from Bass Pro to Cabelas to TH Marine. If you're buying a new boat soon, Basscat has a factory built in alarm system. Only one I know of that puts them in at the factory.

 

Keep in mind that nothing is safe and if a thief wants in your boat he's going to get in. Many have said already to remove the electronics, and rods at night when traveling, but this is still not 100%. In December 1999, a week after I sold my 2nd Bullet, I had removed all my tackle, rods, reels etc.. and put them in my house. I came home to find all that stuff, along with all my guns, bow, jewelry, cash etc.. had been stolen (Never recovered) in broad daylight. Over $12K worth of stuff was stolen, insurance paid me less than $5K. The boat I had before that one was broken into when I lived in Hopkinsville, KY. All they got was my batteries and tried to get the prop but couldn't get it all the way off. A friend in Killeen, TX, always removed his tackle, and rods and put them in his garage. He also came home from work to find he had been robbed in broad daylight in a busy sub-division. Another friend in Killeen had all his rods taken off his boat while he was weighing in his fish at a tourney.

 

Nothing is 100% safe--- I hate a thief!!

[TOXIC]

Lok r bar when I am on the road and no electronics left on the boat.  I just got back from a 2 day up and 2 day back pull to Wisconsin and I have done this trip for 20 years with nothing ever stolen.  While boat compartment locks are a deterrent, you can break them with your bare hand.  The lok r bar would take a pry-bar or something substantial to get it off.  It also comes with an alarm padlock and it is plenty loud.

 

http://thmarine.com/loc-r-bar-storage-locking-system

 

 

[stk44]

37 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

Lok r bar when I am on the road and no electronics left on the boat.  I just got back from a 2 day up and 2 day back pull to Wisconsin and I have done this trip for 20 years with nothing ever stolen.  While boat compartment locks are a deterrent, you can break them with your bare hand.  The lok r bar would take a pry-bar or something substantial to get it off.  It also comes with an alarm padlock and it is plenty loud.

 

http://thmarine.com/loc-r-bar-storage-locking-system

 

 

 

How difficult would you say it would be to remove with a pry bar?

4 hours ago, Bulletman20XD said:

You can find "locking" products online from Bass Pro to Cabelas to TH Marine. If you're buying a new boat soon, Basscat has a factory built in alarm system. Only one I know of that puts them in at the factory.

 

Keep in mind that nothing is safe and if a thief wants in your boat he's going to get in. Many have said already to remove the electronics, and rods at night when traveling, but this is still not 100%. In December 1999, a week after I sold my 2nd Bullet, I had removed all my tackle, rods, reels etc.. and put them in my house. I came home to find all that stuff, along with all my guns, bow, jewelry, cash etc.. had been stolen (Never recovered) in broad daylight. Over $12K worth of stuff was stolen, insurance paid me less than $5K. The boat I had before that one was broken into when I lived in Hopkinsville, KY. All they got was my batteries and tried to get the prop but couldn't get it all the way off. A friend in Killeen, TX, always removed his tackle, and rods and put them in his garage. He also came home from work to find he had been robbed in broad daylight in a busy sub-division. Another friend in Killeen had all his rods taken off his boat while he was weighing in his fish at a tourney.

 

Nothing is 100% safe--- I hate a thief!!

 

Wow, that's a shame about the break in and that insurance didn't back you up. 

 

Does basscat just have an alarm or come with an actual locking component as well?

[TOXIC]

The bar itself is heavy gauge stainless double tubed so there's no bending or cutting it.  If a pry bar was used (and I've seen the results) it would tear the mounts out of the gunnels and does a fair amount of damage. That's the 1 drawback to them.  You are going for the path of least resistance because every kind of security can be defeated if the perp has enough time.  The alarm lock will go off if moved and unless there isn't a soul around, would send most theifs running.   So, most crooks know if they see a lock r bar that there's easier pickins somewhere else.  The ones I have seen defeated were in a storage garage where there was time enough to rip it out.  If you are staying in a hotel (which I do a lot) there isn't the time or isolation for them to work on it.  So far so good.  

[stk44]

6 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

The bar itself is heavy gauge stainless double tubed so there's no bending or cutting it.  If a pry bar was used (and I've seen the results) it would tear the mounts out of the gunnels and does a fair amount of damage. That's the 1 drawback to them.  You are going for the path of least resistance because every kind of security can be defeated if the perp has enough time.  The alarm lock will go off if moved and unless there isn't a soul around, would send most theifs running.   So, most crooks know if they see a lock r bar that there's easier pickins somewhere else.  The ones I have seen defeated were in a storage garage where there was time enough to rip it out.  If you are staying in a hotel (which I do a lot) there isn't the time or isolation for them to work on it.  So far so good.  

 

Thanks. That is reassuring. I probably would not have it locked while in my garage. How is the lock r bar removed by the owner, key, electronically, etc?

[TOXIC]

It comes with a heavy duty alarm padlock.  One tube slides into another tube and there are pre drilled holes that line up.  The alarm padlock may be extra but it is worth it.  When you unlock the padlock with a key, the entire top "u" bar comes off.  Depending on which way you insert it, it is either the alarm or just a regular lock (for trailering).  

[stk44]

Just now, TOXIC said:

It comes with a heavy duty alarm padlock.  One tube slides into another tube and there are pre drilled holes that line up.  The alarm padlock may be extra but it is worth it.  When you unlock the padlock with a key, the entire top "u" bar comes off.  Depending on which way you insert it, it is either the alarm or just a regular lock (for trailering).  

 

Could the padlock be cut or picked easily?

[TOXIC]

It is a very odd shaped half-moon curved key (not standard style) and if in alarm mode, I would assume it would trigger before it could be picked because it triggers with movement.  

[stk44]

Just now, TOXIC said:

It is a very odd shaped half-moon curved key (not standard style) and if in alarm mode, I would assume it would trigger before it could be picked because it triggers with movement.  

 

Good enough. Thank you very much for the info!

[Bulletman20XD]

3 hours ago, stk44 said:

Does basscat just have an alarm or come with an actual locking component as well?

 

Basscat as well as all other bass boats offer locking storage boxes. Basscats alarms operates like most car alarms. You open a box and a light goes off activating the alarm.

 

[jboutfishn]

"That sucks that you have to go through the hassle for the few dishonest people out there, but it is what it is I guess."

 

Yup.......