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View Full Version : What precautions have you guys taken?



uttitanfan
04-17-2010, 12:10 AM
I have rented a lake lot this year and would really like to leave my boat at the lake. I have put too much money into my stereo system to chance any of it getting stolen. Here are some things I have considered.
Of course taking the faceplate off of my HU.

Making a locking unit to cover the mounts on my tower speakers.
Putting a board over the sub under the helm so it is not visible.
Locking the observation seat.

I would love to hear any other ideas.

viking
04-17-2010, 01:19 AM
boat alarm!!

morgan040
04-17-2010, 02:44 AM
imao anyone who can afford to be on or around a lake is not going to steal stuff. but I guess you never know. Most lakes around where I live could be a free for all to thieves. I guess people who steal are to stupid to look on a lake.

uttitanfan
04-17-2010, 06:46 AM
boat alarm!!

What kind of alarm do you have? I haven't even considered that. Lookout google.

mmandley
04-17-2010, 08:19 AM
As for a stereo on a boat its realy hard to protect it at a marina. The ones who would prolly mess or steal things are the little kids of the rich peeps because most of the time they are just brats and do things for fun.

I like your idea on the tower mounts.

Im not a big believer in Boat alarms as im not for car alarms eighter. At work my truck exhaust sets off several cars we all walk past them.

Best protection is good insurance, and a pin camera on a separate battery filming the boat. Thia way anything happens then you got video.

If this isn't an option for you then, yes a sub cover helps detour people, also the cubby lock can work well too.

ian ashton
04-17-2010, 08:46 AM
If a theif wants it, they'll get it. Make sure your insurance covers you, and enjoy your time on the water, and off, knowing your protected.

The thing about stereo is that covering it up does no good; the theif probably heard you jamming, and hats why he wants to steal it.

uttitanfan
04-18-2010, 12:38 AM
I know that you cannot foolproof them stealing, but I do want to make it a little bit difficult. I have made sure that my insurance covers everthing. It would be a pain though if they just steal a sub or just my HU. It wouldn't even go above my deductible. I hope if they steal something, they get the whole shebang. I think I will make the tower speaker mount covers. I will post some pics when I do them.

As per the boat alarm, It won't be in the water. I thought about just getting a car alarm with a shock sensor, setting the sensitivity real low and hooking it up to lights instead of audible. I live about 1.5 hours from the lake that where I am renting the lot and do not want to trailer it every weekend.

mmandley
04-18-2010, 07:09 AM
As for your head unit does it have the removable face? Most do now a days and taking that with you is always a deterrent from the sealing it. Another option is to go buy bolts for the amps with special heads, torque or spare so they can just unscrew stuff. As for the sub how is it mounted? Is it in a box?

If its a box can you bolt it down from the inside of the box?

As one other measure, you can add a fuel system kill switch and have it mounted in the boat in an odd place. It is a simple switch you can have installed and it splices the main power line to the fuel pump. If they take the boat it will start like normal but die a minute later as the pump wont be running and then the boat is disabled. I run this on my truck. So much better then a Car-Alarm as you cant bypass this unless you know where the switch is.

Razzman
04-18-2010, 09:37 AM
imao anyone who can afford to be on or around a lake is not going to steal stuff. but I guess you never know. Most lakes around where I live could be a free for all to thieves. I guess people who steal are to stupid to look on a lake.

Well if your a thief looking to purloin a boat or it's accessories then what better place? Here in Cali it's not uncommon to hear about it constantly during season, or off for that matter. During season they hit them on lifts or trailers. Off season they'll get 'em in storage facilities or on trailers in your driveway.

We have one area on the delta that's a bay lined with $500k homes and it's a mecca for wakeboard boats. Virtually every house has a dock / lift. Every year there's a rash of thefts. They come in silebtly via the water and rip them off. Once they caught a guy and when questioned he stated "I just follow cars or trucks home that have boat stickers on them to see where they live, then come back later." He was breaking into garages where the owners had them stored.

Razzman
04-18-2010, 09:39 AM
I know that you cannot foolproof them stealing, but I do want to make it a little bit difficult. I have made sure that my insurance covers everthing. It would be a pain though if they just steal a sub or just my HU. It wouldn't even go above my deductible. I hope if they steal something, they get the whole shebang. I think I will make the tower speaker mount covers. I will post some pics when I do them.

As per the boat alarm, It won't be in the water. I thought about just getting a car alarm with a shock sensor, setting the sensitivity real low and hooking it up to lights instead of audible. I live about 1.5 hours from the lake that where I am renting the lot and do not want to trailer it every weekend.

Many marine audio shops can install an alarm system that uses a motion sensor under the cover, if the cover is moved the alarm goes off. Any other method isn't reliable.

Brianinpdx
04-18-2010, 11:18 AM
This topic was actually a driving force in the design elements of the XM7 tower speakers. We spoke to so many shops and people that have had their speakers stolen it was just plain bad! Lets face it, a rack full of high dollar speakers is just like putting a steak in front of a hungry dog.

With this in mind, you can just pop off the XM7 pods by way of loosening a thumbscrew. When the speakers are down the tower just has the clamps on them and they look factory because there isn't any hanging flying wires around.

Lastly, the XM7's come with neoprene wetsox that have built in handles for easy carrying.

So bottom line: if its expensive, you better take it off your boat or it will be gone!


-Brian
Exile Audio

ps: side note... if people call in and want to buy just a clamp, we are ULTRA suspect. Kinda like trying to buy just a face plate for a CD player.

uttitanfan
04-18-2010, 11:54 PM
As for your head unit does it have the removable face? Most do now a days and taking that with you is always a deterrent from the sealing it. Another option is to go buy bolts for the amps with special heads, torque or spare so they can just unscrew stuff. As for the sub how is it mounted? Is it in a box?

If its a box can you bolt it down from the inside of the box?

As one other measure, you can add a fuel system kill switch and have it mounted in the boat in an odd place. It is a simple switch you can have installed and it splices the main power line to the fuel pump. If they take the boat it will start like normal but die a minute later as the pump wont be running and then the boat is disabled. I run this on my truck. So much better then a Car-Alarm as you cant bypass this unless you know where the switch is.
I was planning on removing the faceplate on my radio. I do like your idea of torx screws. I think I will use them for mounting the sub in the box. The cover I was referring to was one that would conceal the sub under the helm from visual.
Razzman, I am pretty sure what I am going to do to deter theft of the entire boat. I got a great deal on it and if it gets stolen, I just get a better one. The thing I am concerned with is the stereo system single components getting stolen and costing me 100 to 500 a pop. That is below my ins deductible.
Thanks for all the ideas, several heads are always better than one.
Does anyone recommend an alarm by personal preference?
Right now I am going to go with:
Removable faceplate on HU
Locks on Tower Speakers
Torx screws on sub to box
Bolt box to boat
Lock on observation seat
Heavy cable boat trailer to tree
Hitch lock

At least I will sleep better

viking
04-19-2010, 01:12 AM
How bout hire a bodyguard to sleep under the cover and yell "boo" if anybody tries to board :mrgreen:

zabooda
04-19-2010, 02:56 AM
Try using an uncommon screw and bolt heads such as a torx head where a good thief would have to bring a good tool box or come back later with the right tool.