Tips to Prevent Your Boat from Getting Stolen
If you own a boat, there are certain precautions you should take to ensure the safety of your boat. This includes preventing it from getting stolen. Sadly, too often, boat owners make it too simple for thieves to take their boats. Sure, you may have insurance coverage for your boat if it gets stolen, but you still have to go through the inconvenience and downtime that comes along with being a victim to boat theft. Below are some tips you can follow that will help protect your boat from getting stolen.
Make it Difficult to Steal
Thieves are usually looking for easy opportunities. So, to keep your boat safe, remember these three things: noise, time and visibility. The more noise your boat makes (like an alarm system) the better to keep the thief from taking it. The more time you make it for the criminal to take your boat, the more chances they will give up and the more visible your boat is, the more difficult you make it for them to steal it.
Get an Alarm
Speaking of that alarm, if you don’t have one, you should consider installing one. You can buy self-contained systems at most electronic, radio shack or marine stores and they are fairly inexpensive. Just be sure it’s designed specifically for boat use. If the system isn’t designed for boat use, the marine environment of constant movement and dampness can make it malfunction or signal false alarms.
Lock it Up
The more locks you have on your boat and trailer, the better. Lock your wheels and tires with a chain lock. Lock the vessel engine and the cabin. Never keep your keys on your boat. You may think that’s obvious, but it’s something a lot of boat owners do.
Store It
Where you store your boat and trailer is just as important. You should keep it in a storage warehouse, a locked garage. If you can’t afford storage or don’t have a garage, keep it out of sight by storing it in your backyard. Face the nose of the trailer in instead of out when you park. If you have to keep it in your driveway or carport, park another car in front of it so that moving the boat will be harder for the thief.
Lastly, consider getting a GPS tracking device for your boat. That way, if you boat is stolen, you can locate and recover it quickly.
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