Electric/cattle fences has anyone used one?

[bmartinsen]

I looked into doing this about 7yrs back but was always undecided as to what might happen to onboard electronics with 7000volts going around. I know it would be hard to insulate from the rest of the boat. example:What happens when unlucky person grabs backstay(ssb ant) and hotwire? or any other metal bit thats grounded back to the batteries, etc..

Anyone actually using one ?

[TexSail]

Originally Posted by bmartinsen

I looked into doing this about 7yrs back but was always undecided as to what might happen to onboard electronics with 7000volts going around. I know it would be hard to insulate from the rest of the boat. example:What happens when unlucky person grabs backstay(ssb ant) and hotwire? or any other metal bit thats grounded back to the batteries, etc..

Anyone actually using one ?

I am familiar with fence chargers and have an old one in the garage, but just never considered running cattle on my boat. What did you have in mind?

[Lodesman]

I'm guessing you mean to stop intruders - there is a commercial product that is specifically designed to do that, but iirc it is expensive. As far as I could tell, it uses non-conductive stanchions mounted outwards (horizontally) from the base of the guard rails. You could probably cobble together a workable solution, but am unsure if regular electric fencing would stand up to the salt-water environment.

[TexSail]

I was just joking with you about the cattle. To be effective, the hot conductor has to be very well insulated and the shockee has to be grounded and the unit has to be grounded. I would personally not use a fence charger on a boat for fear that the electronics would be damaged or that the salt water might cause the wrong folks to get zapped. JMHO.

[donw_s11]

Something no one else mentioned is that a fencer would make an annoying bzz...bzz...bzz...bzz... on every VHF channel. I grew up on a farm in Kansas, and had the task of maintaining our electric fences. I can still hear the radio noise 35 years later...

Don W.

[David M]

Why do you want to do this? I use an electric fence to keep dogs, cats, raccoons and other pests from tearing up or crapping in my garden.

There are a few real easy ways for a human to defeat an electric fence. I wont say how so as not to give the bad guys any advantage. Becoming more aware of your environment is the best defense.

[Bash]

...against cattle stampedes in remote anchorages.

[MarkJ]

An electric fence is an excellent and reasonable idea. Its fast to put up, say 2 minutes before you go to bed - maybe just across the companionway. The shockee does NOT need to be grounded. Cattle don't have to have their feet in the water and their toeseys are insulated.
Now about the idea that the intruder will decide on revenge. Obviously you ain't never been hit!

I was on my mates farm and he had a 12 volt battery in the shed attached to a trickle charger that he only plugged in once a week. Later when we jumped over a fence I put my hand out and accidentally hit it with the back of my hand. It was a unique feeling of being spanked very very had on the wrist. My elbow joint held some pain for about 10 minutes and I wouldn’t have been punching anyone.

The shock of the shock put me right out of the action for quite a few minutes.

You sure as hell remember where the wire is next time!!!!!

If I was intent on robbing someone and jumped on their boat at night and got a shock the first thing I would be doing is getting off the boat pronto!

Considering these things are so cheap and set up for portability and run on 12 v then its a great one for a boat!

The other point about injuring your robber (like I would give a damn?) is that thieves tend to be fit young men not old guys with a third heart bypass. so a big jolt aint gunna be hurting for more than a few moments.

[twisty]

It would work(ask my son about the electric fence we used to keep the bull in that jumped up and caught him square across the chest when he was 5)

ok it would work in theory but damn there has to be a better way!

[Pblais]

OK it would work in theory but damn there has to be a better way!

A keep out sign comes to mind. Out smarting cattle is not a big leap up the food chain.

[twisty]

Originally Posted by Pblais

A keep out sign comes to mind. Out smarting cattle is not a big leap up the food chain.

You didn't know our bull, I often thought he was smarter than we were.

[Pblais]

You didn't know our bull, I often thought he was smarter than we were.

When all you do all day is try to escape it could seem like that. Most cattle that do escape are not headed for a boat to make a clean get away.

[Stillraining]

I'v got 2 miles of electric fence around my place..I dont know what kind of fence chargers or what kind of laws of physic you boys run down there but if you aint grounded here you wont get shocked..My fence is almost worthless by august due to dry ground resulting in poor grounding.

[Celestialsailor]

What ever you do, if you turn it on before you sleep...Please remember to turn it off when you awake. Touch that first thing in the morning and you won't need your coffee to wake you up...

[BadFish]

IMHO...

This is a stupid idea. I've had some bad ones in my day, but never purposely surrounded myself with an electrically charged object.

If you're that concerned with security, use a practical idea, like a heavy duty lock. If you need personal safety while aboard, get a dog and/or a gun.

Cheers

Bill