Tips to Improve the Safety Security and Personal Protection on a Boat

Improve the Safety, Security and Personal Protection on your boat. The less scrupulous persons of society are constantly searching for the next easy target. Follow these simple steps and you will keep from becoming their next target.

A thief will always steal the first thing they see no matter how small or insignificant it may appear, only later do they consider value. So,

1. Always keep everything out of sight.
2. Keep the deck and cockpit free from all loose items.
3. Never forget to remove your key from the ignition, make a habit to always remove it.
4. Separate your engine keys from your boat keys.
5. No matter how long your are going to be away from your boat, keep it locked up.
6. Lock up all entry points, cockpit lockers and all hatches with a strong padlock or rim-lock. A motion activated padlock may be a great choice.
7. Keep a Boat Pepper Spray Gel on hand

Always work to improve security on your boat by evaluating and examining weak points. Installing an alarm system on your boat is always a great idea, make to use visible stickers to let others know you have one.

The lockers in your cockpit should always be locked up properly, inspect the main hatch and the fore-hatch to ensure they are strong.
Having a a strongbox stored down below will only increase the security of the items on your boat. Anything your find that is not secure, must be fixed.

Improve your boats security, make it a habit to do a quick security sweep prior to going ashore. Then, always perform these boat security tips:

1. Use a strong padlock to secure all valuables in your strong locker and then keep it out of sight;
2. Emergency money should always be secured somewhere away from other valuables;
3. Keep prying eyes out of your cabin by keeping the curtains closed;
4. Always lock up unused fenders, ropes, and other items. Keep them out of sight in your lockers, cupboard and/or cockpit;
5. A boat thief is always on the look out to steal life rafts and outboard motors. Make sure yours are secure.
6. If you head ashore from your dinghy, ensure you remove the rowlocks, pump and the oars or paddles, securing the dinghy with a padlock and strong chain.
7. Should you become a victim of boat theft, the first thing to do is call the police, next your should inform the boat yard manager or harbor master. Inspect your boat for damage and ensure it is still seaworthy.
8. Inform all your boat neighbors, check to see if they were broken into as well.

Meeting boat owners in your local marina, you can form a group dedicated to keeping your marina safe and secure. Working to together you can all perform the following boat security actions:

1. You already monitor your boat, do it for other boats too.
   Let the yardmaster or harbormaster know if you see any strangers around the marina.
2. Keep your marina access key and/or card safe. Don’t give it to others.
3. Guard the marina access code and never reveal it to anyone else.
   Never let someone in the marina that you don’t know, even it the appear genuine.
4. The marina’s gate should be closed at all times.