Why Use Boat Alarm Systems?

Securing your home, business and car may be second nature to you today. Purchasing alarm systems for your vehicle, residence, and work place may seem like an absolute given. But when it comes to water craft, many boat owners consider their property a lower security risk than land-based property.

But boats require security, too. Docked or in the water, you need to provide security systems to keep your property and loved ones safe.

Step one in boat safety involves where you keep your boat when you’re not out on the water. While it may be simple to determine if a marina or other storage location is well maintained and protected from storm and tidal surges, it might take a little more investigative time to fully examine the security of your storage location. Storage security includes the actual location of your facility, and whether or not the area includes surveillance systems designed to protect against theft, vandalism, and other hazards. Find out if the storage location utilizes security cameras, and if anyone is regularly monitoring the camera’s view. Ask whether or not the facility employs security guards; and whether anyone checks the identity of visitors to the storage site before visitors are able to access the actual boats. Even if you’re only leaving your boat stored for a short period of time, survey your surroundings and make sure your boat’s marina, dock, or other storage facility takes these basic security concerns into consideration.

Once you’ve looked at the security of your storage facility, look at the security of your vessel itself. Here’s a simple, basic security tip: don’t leave your keys in the ignition. You wouldn’t leave car keys in the ignition, or the keys to your home dangling from your front door, but many people leave keys in their boat if they’re close by on the dock or even swimming on a near by beach. The false assumption is that no one would steal something as obvious as a boat with the owner close by – but it happens, and it happens commonly. So keep those keys out of sight.

Beyond that basic step, approach security by using durable locks on all doors, hatches, and storage lockers on board. Many times a thief or vandal isn’t interested in actually sailing off with the boat itself; rather they’re interested in taking your possessions. And if you take all personal possessions with you when you disembark and you think you’ve left nothing worth stealing on board, think again. Many marine thieves are interested in just those items you’ve left behind, such as life vests, a GPS system, or light fixtures. Boat motors themselves are often stolen.

One of the best ways to prevent this kind of theft, as well as the theft of your vessel itself, is to install an alarm system on your boat. Be sure you’re using a durable, marine approved system of sensors and alarms. And be sure to install the system properly, with sensors on boat entry points and contained in pressure mats specially designed for deck use.

Then, be sure to keep the alarms in working order. Test them, and use them. Turn them of for example even if you’re below deck, as well as when you’re away from your vessel. Installing security cameras is another important aspect of boat security; with cameras in place you’ll be able to check on the security of your boat from a remote location.

So, why secure your boat? To keep your vessel safe and sound, of course.