Securing Your Boat During Uncertain Times
After more than a decade of developing systems and products to protect military bases in the Middle East, royal palaces and even the borders of countries, Brandon Wright turned his efforts toward protecting boats.
This pivot happened after an incident involving his own boat in 2017. During the COVID-19 crisis, he noticed an uptick in boat security events in the Pacific Northwest, which included a 54’ (16.46 m) Sea Ray stolen just 200’ (60.96 m) from his office. Additionally, dinghies disappeared and copious amounts of fishing gear were stolen and wound up on the black market. Following are his tips for boat owners.
Make your boat unappealing to criminals. Walk the docks of any marina and there will be unsecured fishing gear — mainly downriggers —and outboard motors. Make a small investment to buy some locks from your local hardware store. All outboard motors and downriggers can accept a basic lock, which provides the simplest way to improve your boat’s security.
Secure your dinghy. They’re very valuable and generally tied loosely beside your boat. If you can secure your dinghy with a lock and chain, you create an obstacle for the thief to overcome. The more locks and chains a thief can see, the less likely they’ll stop and target your boat.
Add a security system. By adding a security system to your boat that consists of door sensors, laser sensors and a siren you will either scare off the intruders before they can steal your gear, or greatly reduce impact they have on your boat. If a thief makes it onto a boat, some systems release smoke, while others capture a photo of the intruder.
These security systems will alert the boat owner or captain via your smartphone, tablet or computer if someone has come onboard your vessel. They will also track your boat’s GPS, bilge pumps, battery voltages and shore power connection. As an added benefit, most insurance companies provide discounts to boat owners who have these security and monitoring systems on board.