Do you lock your cabin door?

xravenx

xravenx

Member
Oct 5, 2006
858
Baltimore, Md.
Boat Info
370 Sundancer 1995
Engines
8.1s (2013) w/ V drives
In the spirit of the boarding a boat without permission thread, I thought I would ask this question.................So, how many of you guys lock you boat up. I don't...............I figure whatever is stolen is worth less then the cost of repairing or replacing the door.

And, if something is going on with my boat when I'm not around, I want somebody to gain access quickly, if need be. My slip neighbor turns my a/c on for me before I get down to the boat, so he needs to get in........LOL

John
 
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While the only 'thefts' we have had in our mooring field over the years have been 'kids' stealing booze, I do lock the boat up when we are not on it, but do leave the electronics in place.

Henry
 
We always lock our boats, keeps the honest people from stealing and since the ignition keys/ignition is below decks, we like to lock the door. I wonder how the insurance company would handle 'I didn't lock the door and someone stole my boat' scenario. I understand boats can be floated away but my thoughts I want to everything possible to reduce my liability so my insurance company will pay. Just my $.02
 
My boat has sliding glass doors accessing the lower helm. I have a clasp lock hinge, put the lock through it, but rarely latch the lock. It looks good when there are passers-by, but we have a limited access private club. I do lock my dock box, which is fastened to the the dock, for hurricane reasons.

j
 
I always lock mine, just a habit I guess, I used to live in Reisterstown so what else can I say. But now that I know you leave yours open I know where to go when I run out of beer!:grin:
 
Heck... My boat is 20 feet in the air when I am not around, and I STILL lock it...
 
xravenx said:
I figure whatever is stolen is worth less then the cost of repairing or replacing the door.

And, if something is going on with my boat when I'm not around, I want somebody to gain access quickly, if need be.
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I agree 100%...I never lock up either. This isn't meant as an invitation to steal my boat or my stuff but a flimsy lock is not going to stop someone who is determined. In my case they would be determined if they are willing to peel back the cockpit cover and snoop around.

If I left my boat uncovered or otherwise wide open then I might handle it differently. I just don't have anything on the boat that is overly expensive or valuable.

Locked or unlocked, with or without keys -- all you need to do is untie it from the dock and tow it to the nearest public launch and it's gone anyway.

Locks only stop honest people.

.
 
Locked. A pro is going to get my boat no matter what I do. I want to avaoid inviting kids or lookers on the boat.

I do keep a cabin door key well hidden in the cockpit area.
 
xravenx said:
I figure whatever is stolen is worth less then the cost of repairing or replacing the door.
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+1 :thumbsup:

The things that are the most valuable are sitting on my dashboard and can not be locked. (C-80, SmartCraft, VHF etc.) If someone wants to steal my analog LG TV's then the joke will be on them when try to sell them. :grin:

Obviously, I wouldnt be too happy of the entire boat was gone, but if someone wants to steal a boat, there is very little you can do about it. It is not too difficult to break into the cabin and hot wire the ignition. A determined and skilled thief will have the boat running in less time then it takes to properly vent the engine compartment with the blowers.
 
I usually keep my boat at home on a trailer, but periodically leave it in the water for a week, or even a couple of months at the time. The only time I lock mine is when it seems good to stop a would be thief. For instance; I was at Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival last weekend in Ft. Walton Beach, FL. About 14-1500 boats (my estimate) We are all lashed together. My wife and I went walking down a sandbar, and since there were so many people walking back and forth down the boats, I locked my cabin door. When we got back there was an unknown person sitting on my boat (I was not sure if she was there with a friend of mine, and she didn't seem to be bothering anything, so for the moment I said nothing) I unlocked the door and went below, and I heard her tell someone, "oh, I didn't know that was there, I could have just gone down there." My thoughts; NO, you couldn't!
 
I lock mine and have a hidden key. The keys whereabouts are known by a handful of trusted friends some of which live at the marina.
 
trit21 said:
We always lock our boats, keeps the honest people from stealing and since the ignition keys/ignition is below decks, we like to lock the door. I wonder how the insurance company would handle 'I didn't lock the door and someone stole my boat' scenario. I understand boats can be floated away but my thoughts I want to everything possible to reduce my liability so my insurance company will pay. Just my $.02
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This is why I do the same. Also, people may want to board the boat for other reasons than theft. Wasn't there a post here a while back where someone was using the owners boat without their knowledge? Taking it out for a crusie and returning it to the slip unbeknown to the owner. At least the lock is a deterent of some sort, even though it may not be much of one.
 
I lock it if only to deter casual theft like that from kid guests of neighbor boats. I don't keep a key onboard. All our car keyrings have a door key on it. I'm not going to be at the boat unless I drove to the marina, so I'll always have a key.
 
HarttoHart said:
Locked. A pro is going to get my boat no matter what I do. I want to avaoid inviting kids or lookers on the boat.

I do keep a cabin door key well hidden in the cockpit area.
Click to expand...

Y Knot said:
I lock mine and have a hidden key. The keys whereabouts are known by a handful of trusted friends some of which live at the marina.
Click to expand...

I lock mine. Where do you guys keep your hidden keys?
 
xravenx said:
............My slip neighbor turns my a/c on for me before I get down to the boat, so he needs to get in........LOL

John
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Ooooooo Myyyyyyyyyy Goodness John..... :thumbsup:
And just when I think I've heard it all! :grin:

BTW, I lock mine.
Keeps my buddies from steeling my beer.......
 
Nehalennia said:
I lock mine. Where do you guys keep your hidden keys?
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I went for the simple, in plain site, method. I keep a small tool bag, a soft canvas bag with basic tools in the storage area under the captains seat. The key, on a float, is in that bag.

Again, not fool proof but enough to be hidden from roaming teens or a casual looker. A pro does not even need keys.
Also, easy to describe if I ever need a key for a service tech or dock mate.
 
The only time I lock my is if I am not going to be going to the boat for while or later in the season when not as many of my friends are around. I also will lock the cabin door if I am staying away from my home marina. I would rather replace the TV than the cabin door
 
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