Easy Pickin's Rebecca Stone Trailer Boats February 28, 2006

Boat ownership is on the rise in the United States. But sadly, boat theft is, too. Face it. A boat on a trailer is a theft waiting to happen. According to Frank Scafidi, spokesman for the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB.org), boat theft incidents have been creeping up over the past nine years, with 5677 reported thefts in 1994 and 9295 in 2003. And don’t think that your modest little 20-footer is safe out there in the driveway. “Boats under 21 feet are ripped off commonly,” says Scafidi. In fact, most experts agree that the hottest numbers among thieves are PWC and boats in the 20- to 21-foot range — in other words, trailer boats.

“It doesn’t take much to steal a boat on a trailer,” notes Scafidi, pointing out that a high level of expertise is not required like it is for making off with a larger craft that’s in the water.

Put this disturbing news together with the fact most boats are equipped with electronics of some type, as well as vulnerable outboards and sterndrives, and it all adds up to a heck of a package deal for a thief. Kevin Halt, sales manager for Orchard Park, New York-based McGard (716/662-8980; mcgard.com), which manufactures a variety of locks, says that his company sells more locks for sterndrive lower units than anything else. “A thief will unbolt the six nuts and two hydraulic rams on a $5000 sterndrive in a matter of minutes,” says Halt. “Thieves will also go into dealerships and steal several sterndrives in one night. We sell a lot to dealers who’ve been hit.” According to Halt, the most popular sterndrive target is MerCruiser with both its Alpha and Bravo series.



ONE FOR THE ROAD

Lacking protection of some kind, trailers are virtually sitting ducks. “We’ve had a lot of people call us to replace trailers that were ripped off while parked at the launch ramp,” reports Don Williams of Trail-Rite (714/556-4540; trailrite.com), a Santa Ana, California-based boat trailer manufacturer.

And don’t forget props — especially some of the high-end dual props — which can also be high-ticket items on the black market. Jack Gremillion of Baton-Rouge, Louisiana-based SecureProp (225/751-1428; secureprop.com) agrees that sterndrive theft is a major problem, but adds, “There is a huge market for used props. It’s a global issue for outboard and sterndrive boats.”

And if you think you can just forego the engine and switch to canoeing, think again. Cartoppers are not all that safe from theft, either. But before you give up altogether and take up chess, be aware that there are things you can do to help others stay honest, at least in respect to your property.



LOW-TECH DETERRENTS

There are several common-sense strategies you can use to discourage boat burglars. The NICB recommends parking your boat in a locked garage or well-lit, secure boat storage facility, removing keys and expensive equipment, and locking cabins, doors and windows when the boat is not in use. If you keep your boat at home, try to store it out of sight (a requirement in many neighborhoods today). If you keep it in the driveway, put another vehicle in front of it to block a potentially easy exit. Also, facing the trailer tongue away from the street, chaining it to something solid and removing at least one tire are good measures to take, as is outfitting the boat with a snug-fitting cover — anything to slow down criminal activity.

Keeping accurate records of the boat and its contents is a good idea — just don’t keep it with the boat. The NICB advises that boats, trailers, engines, props and other equipment on board be engraved with a driver’s license number in a hidden location, which provides easier identification and direction for police. In addition, photos and videotapes of your valuables can provide more than a trip down memory lane should you become a victim of theft and have to make an insurance claim. For example, a close-up of the hull identification number (HIN) can be particularly useful.

One interesting way of marking your property is with DataDots, a high-tech theft deterrent from a Redmond, Washington-based company of the same name (800/546-4454; datadot

usa.com). Polyester-based dots, each the size of a grain of sand, are laser-etched with about 50 alpha/numeric characters with identifying information such as an HIN. Thousands of these dots are then suspended in a clear-drying, water-based adhesive with a UV trace. They are simply swabbed onto inconspicuous, noncosmetic and nonmoving surfaces of the object you are trying to protect. They can be read with magnifying devices 3X or greater, or with a black light. DataDots costs range from $20 for a starter kit and up, but for boats they are usually sold through dealerships at prices from $130 to $300.



LOCK TALK

A good-quality lock can go a long way in preventing theft. Companies such as McGard make a range of locking devices, including sterndrive, outboard and propeller locks (from $32 to $60). McGard’s locks offer protection based on the principal of replacing one regular nut with a locking one.

SecureProp specializes in locking products for propellers on engines up to 300 hp, and also makes a lock that fits Bravo outdrives. In this case, a stainless locking cover fits over the entire hub, prohibiting access to the prop nut. An added bonus is the reflective nature of the lock, which serves as a safety aid when trailering at night. Available through the manufacturer or sources such as Cabela’s, prices range from $149 to $179.

According to Rob Mathers, owner of Miami-based U Lock Up (305/971-0405; ulockup.com), trolling motor theft is often a crime of opportunity. It could happen when you’re sitting at a restaurant or parked at a motel. The little motors are easy targets — unless they have a lock on them. Says Mathers, “Trolling motors are usually stolen for parts — it doesn’t take much to remove them.” And they are expensive to replace. The company’s trolling motor locks — and locks for boat throttles and steering wheels — list for about $30.

Trail-Rite’s Williams says that new trailer/boat packages are often sold with swingaway tongues or removable couplers. If you remove the swingaway locking bolt or coupler entirely, this can afford decent protection. Short of that, it’s a very good idea to use a lock. In the trailer security department, be sure to check out Centennial, Colorado-based Trimax (866/ 796-8500; trimaxlocks.com), whose coupler, receiver and trailer locks (priced from $11 to $70) will keep things stationary. Other companies such as C.E. Smith (336/273-0570; cesmith

co.com), of Greensboro, North Carolina; CT Johnson (888/ 357-5625; deadboltlocks.com) based out of Portland, Oregon; Master Lock (414/571-LOCK; masterlock.com) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Mosinee, Wisconsin’s Fulton Performance Products (715/693-1700; ce

quentgroup.com/fulton) also offer a range of towing-related locks.

With Somerville, New Jersey-based Pitbull Tirelock’s (888/304-LOCK; tirelock.com) boot, would-be thieves won’t get far. Small, compact and durable, the boot is similar to that used by police parking enforcement officers. It features an integrated lock and is easy to install and remove with a key. Suggested retail is $330 for the combo set, which includes a lug blocker shield (so the tire can’t simply be removed).

If you’re like most boaters these days, you’ve probably got electronics of some sort on board. This is where companies such as DuraSafe (866/544-5615; durasafeusa.com) of New Berlin, Wisconsin, can help. The company’s locks, which work by replacing one side of a bracket-mount thumbscrew with keylocked hardware, can help prevent electronic gear such as your depthfinder from being jacked.

You may also want to consider flush-mounting your electronics where possible, as the extra time required to remove them is a theft deterrent. Otherwise, it’s probably best to simply remove them from the boat when it’s in storage.



SOUND INVESTMENTS

Alarm systems can be quite effective at keeping crime at bay. No thief in his right mind wants to announce his presence. Among the companies offering alarm systems for boats is Tierra Verde, Florida-based Marine Marketing (727/864-9350; ding hyalarm.com) with its $199 Dinghy Alarm system, which uses a processor-driven dual-axis, marine-sealed, self-leveling tilt sensor to alert you to an intruder’s presence. When someone tries to tilt or move your dinghy, outboard or trailer, a 107-decibel siren is activated. In the same vein, Chesapeake, Virginia-based Volvo Penta’s (757/436-5100; Volvo Penta.com) SeaKey system (from $1500 for installation and about $30 a month for service) uses a satellite link to notify owners or authorities via phone or e-mail should a boat leave a predetermined area.

Flagship Marine Security (516/487-9650; boatalarm.com) of Great Neck, New York, offers everything from cabin and deck motion detectors and trailer sensors (from $26) to miniature photoelectric beams ($164). Pressure mats that activate an alarm when stepped on (from $42), and canvas sensors ($32) that can be used in place of regular canvas snaps to set off an alarm when a boat cover is removed are two more ways to catch those bad guys in the act.

Of course, a crook can probably defeat any system with enough time. But that’s the key — time. And if you can keep your whole rig from being hauled off where it can be stripped at leisure, time will be on your side. With so much high-tech and low-tech help, as well as a healthy dose of common sense, boatowners can keep from becoming just another crime statistic. Easy pickin’s or slim pickin’s — it’s your choice.