Theft protection devices for dinghy?

[chrisr]

Originally Posted by CarlF

Many dinghy “thefts” are because they weren’t tied up properly and drifted off. Always tie up to the boat with two lines.

or learn how to tie a proper knot !

sorry : pet soapbox...so many folk cannot

cheers,

[Franziska]

Also, take the outboard safety strap with you and, when beached, the bung, and perhaps the pump, then you could deflate it some if its limp it's more difficult to steal.



Occasionally we also anchor her few meters of the beach with a very thin, inconcpicious retrieval line.
The odd petty thief does not want to get their feet wet.



Last not least make it look less desirable or very unique looking.

[Tin Tin]

We peeled the 15Hp sticker off the outboard and replaced with 8, covered the cowl in stickers that soon look bad in the sun, we had 3/8 SS chain attached by a monster padlock to engine bracket through fuel tank handle and another big padlock to dock - it looked intimidating compared to most other dinghies, of course removed the kill switch key. The SS chain does not rust and stain the dinghy chaps/floor and slips easily. On a beach we would use a length of SS rigging wire and same padlocks to nearest tree. Previous to that we had "bolt cutter proof" chain, but that rusted and not grinder proof anyway. The strategy was to make it too hard for opportunistic theft, with the professionals you need insurance.

[Kettlewell]

Occasionally we also anchor her few meters of the beach with a very thin, inconcpicious retrieval line.
The odd petty thief does not want to get their feet wet.

This is a good idea too. Our dinghy anchor is just tied to a light nylon line so sometimes I just toss the anchor out from the beach into deeper water and plan on wading or swimming out to get it on my way back to the boat. But, one of the most important theft protection moves is to simply talk to other cruisers and see what they are doing when you arrive in a new harbor. If there is a problem the other boaters will let you know. Talk to more than one person to get the concensus on the crime situation.

[carstenb]

Nothing will stop a determined thief. A month ago we were in the anchorage at San Carlos Mexico. We hauled the dinghy up by a halyard and had it hanging on the side of the boat (completely out of the water).

During the night, someone came by, broke the tightening handles (thereby releasing the lock, and stole the engine, the 10 meters of chain, the fuel tank.

Somehow they did this without waking us up. I sleep heavily, but y wife doesn't.

We'll be damned if we can figure out how they did it without waking us.

The engine was a very popular one with fishermen for trawling - a 10hp tohatsu 2-stroke

[donradcliffe]

Originally Posted by SailingHarmonie

If you have a 3.5 HP outboard, you have the best theft protection anywhere. NONE of the locals what such a thing. Now a 15HP or 20HP 2-stoke Yamaha... that's a different story.

I also carried a 18 hp outboard. It got used when I had heavy winds and heavy guests or scuba gear, and had to travel more than half a mile from the mothership. Both motors were stored in the forepeak.

The previous dinghy and 15 hp outboard went walkabout from Lizard Island. It was pulled up the beach as far as the admiral and I could with the heavy outboard, then I planted the anchor in the sand. When I returned after sunset the anchor and chain were still there.

[wholybee]

What has always worked for me is "Never have the nicest dinghy, and never have the easiest to steal."

So, you need something as a deterrent. It doesn't need to be theft proof, but it needs to be better than the dinghy next to yours with nothing. Something easily cut with bolt cutters still requires walking past everyone at the dock with bolt cutters. And, there is no reason to have the most expensive nicest dinghy except to show off. Paint the motor cover some obnoxious color if it is newer or higher horsepower. If your dinghy is new, make some chaps from worn out cloth to make it look older.

Pull the dinghy out of the water at your boat. It's probably more likely to be taken from there in the middle of the night than from a busy dock during the day.

[s/v Jedi]

On a beach we even had a restaurant owner send out a guard to watch over the dinghies of their customers.

But yes, plastic covered cable, padlock securing motor, dinghy, fuel tank etc. They still took the fuel out of the tank once…

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Also, take the outboard safety strap with you and, when beached, the bung, and perhaps the pump, then you could deflate it some if its limp it's more difficult to steal.



Occasionally we also anchor her few meters of the beach with a very thin, inconcpicious retrieval line.
The odd petty thief does not want to get their feet wet.



Last not least make it look less desirable or very unique looking.

would like to know a little bit more about the inconspicuous retrieval line

this is good for theft but it’s also good for all of these places where you can’t land a dinghy permanently. I have always wanted to just land somewhere, put the dinghy out in the water deeper at anchor, and then come back to it somehow.

When the tide changes this could be a dramatic difference in distance and depth.

[Kettlewell]

I have always wanted to just land somewhere, put the dinghy out in the water deeper at anchor, and then come back to it somehow.

One simple way to do this is with two dinghy anchors. One gets dropped offshore and the other with a longer line gets dropped just below the low tide line in the shallows. Unless your line floats it will not be very visible and you are the only one likely to know where the anchor might be. Of course in clear Caribbean water it doesn't work so well. In murky New England water it can look like the dinghy is out on its mooring. Another way is to tie the line to the dinghy, then lead it through a small block or a slippery shackle at the anchor. You drop the hook in deeper water, and then pull the dink back out towards the anchor from the beach. Tie off the line on a rock or something.

[Jim Cate]

Theft protection devices for dinghy?

A grumpy Pit Bull would work pretty well...

Jim

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

One simple way to do this is with two dinghy anchors. One gets dropped offshore and the other with a longer line gets dropped just below the low tide line in the shallows. Unless your line floats it will not be very visible and you are the only one likely to know where the anchor might be. Of course in clear Caribbean water it doesn't work so well. In murky New England water it can look like the dinghy is out on its mooring. Another way is to tie the line to the dinghy, then lead it through a small block or a slippery shackle at the anchor. You drop the hook in deeper water, and then pull the dink back out towards the anchor from the beach. Tie off the line on a rock or something.

Or, a Corkscrew Dog Tie-Out Stake.

[colinalleck]

I read all the posts and we are internationally pretty much doing the same stuff.

I put an inspection port in the transom of my dinghy which I would remove when on the beach. And if convenient would run the security cable through the hole to make it obvious.

Battery operated grinders are the thieves tool of choice.

Cheers Col

[Franziska]

Originally Posted by Chotu

would like to know a little bit more about the inconspicuous retrieval line

this is good for theft but it’s also good for all of these places where you can’t land a dinghy permanently. I have always wanted to just land somewhere, put the dinghy out in the water deeper at anchor, and then come back to it somehow.

When the tide changes this could be a dramatic difference in distance and depth.

It's just a fairly thin line. Pick a color which blends in, like beige.



We then put the, in our case folding, anchor onto the dinghy bow with few meters of chain. The retrieval line is attached to the end of the anchor so you pull on it inverted once you haul it in.



Next get on shore, hold the retrieval line end. Turn the dinghy around and push it hard away so that it gains some distance from shore. Pay the line out carefully so that no pull is exerted onto the retrieval line. Once the dinghy is far give it a hard jank and the anchor drops.



Tie the line to a point reachable at highwater on shore.

Once you come back pull the anchor and dinghy to you.



Works best when done close to low water in sandy/grassy/muddy bottoms.



We did this many times and never had to get our feet wet. In the worst case when the anchor snags you would need to swim to get the dinghy.

Added plus of the above, if the dinghy anchor slips the retrieval line still holds it.

[Franziska]

Originally Posted by colinalleck

I read all the posts and we are internationally pretty much doing the same stuff.

I put an inspection port in the transom of my dinghy which I would remove when on the beach. And if convenient would run the security cable through the hole to make it obvious.

Battery operated grinders are the thieves tool of choice.

Cheers Col

The inspection port is a great idea, if it's really watertight.