has anyone ever used a car alarm on a their boat?

[freeflydenny]

I am thinking about putting a simple car alarm in my boat so that the punk kids in the neighbor hood cant take my stereo equipment. Has anyone ever done this? I ordered a cheap car alarm and will only be hooking up the shock sensor.

[Boatdrinks797]

I can't say I've ever even thought about it...I'm not sure what you would hook it up to in the absence of doors, locks and windows though? I know you can get some alarms that set up a perimeter around a vehicle and once you walk into the perimeter or stick your hand in the open window the radar sensor goes off and activates the alarm. I think these are more expensive than most switch activated alarms but it might work better in your case.

[New Guy]

Where do you keep your boat? Is it on a private dock?

If so maybe just put a trip sensor across the dock. Even a simple motion light would probably help.

[rdlangston13]

You can install switches for the lockers and cubby doors


Sent from my iPhone

[kaneboats]

My idea of a SHOCK sensor is a little different. Don't you touch my Moomba.

[tcallis]

I live in the hood. Literally. People will ask me for dollars in the front yard if I linger outside for too long. I wish I was kidding or exaggerating. So on the REALLY RARE occasion that my boat stays overnight, I put a wireless interior motion detector from my home's alarm system inside the boat. I sleep really light those nights.

Tom

[freeflydenny]

I live in the hood. Literally. People will ask me for dollars in the front yard if I linger outside for too long. I wish I was kidding or exaggerating. So on the REALLY RARE occasion that my boat stays overnight, I put a wireless interior motion detector from my home's alarm system inside the boat. I sleep really light those nights.

Tom

Lol yeah if this doesnt work ill have to come uo with something like that.

[chawk610]

I think it is time to move...if at all possible!

[bergermaister]

A buddy of mine put one in his Malibu AFTER he lost over $4k worth of stereo gear right out of his own side yard/driveway, behind a gate in a very upscale area. His is motion or shock activated, but I guess light enough that if a cat or something jumps on it that it won't go off. I could ask him more details about it. Pretty sure it is a Viper brand installed by a local car audio shop.

His biggest drawback at first was forgetting to turn it off and regularly setting it off!

[freeflydenny]

Awesome thanks guys.
I bought a cheap 30$ alarm off amazon with 5 stars. Got it in the mail today and put it in.
It works great and super easy to instal. I was worried because it had door and trunk unlocks, ignition switch and I thought it would be a problem not hooking all that up.
The longest part was taking the boat apart to hide the brain, shock sensor and siren. I just had to wire the positive and negative to the battery and do some programming. I set the warning to super sensitive so that it just chirps if some one were to bump it and set the actual alarm less sensitive so that it doesn't go off for no reason but sensitive enough to go off if you were to climb on the trailer. I connected it to the stereo battery which is behind the main starting battery so that if a punk was trying to disconnect it, it would take a while and the alarm would be screaming.
Its a great piece of mind for 30$
If anyone needs help or pics if interested let me know and I can help you out............

[bergermaister]

Yes - I'd like details on what you bought, installation, setup/testing, etc. Today has been a very bad day so far and something like this will definitely be going into my next unplanned upgrade...

[New Guy]

What happened Berg?

[sandm]

don't tell us you are installing a new stereo and not by choice....

[bergermaister]

think worst case scenario...

Came out early this morning taking the garbage out. Side gate is hanging open. Boat is not covered but is under carport cover thing. Look over and see driver's seat has been removed and laying in the middle of the floor. Compartments are open, muddy footprints, cut wires, broken plastic, scrapes, punctures all over the interior like someone stabbing a screw driver. Got dressed and came back out once it was lighter.

2 of 3 amps gone
Sub and enclosure gone
HU faceplate gone
ballast bags gone
new lifejackets gone

I guess that was the easy stuff to pull out. The rest of the cabin speakers are pretty broken up and/or have holes punched in them like they tried to pry them out. Tower speakers are still there but all broken up and also look like they were pried on and stabbed a few times. Cans all scratched/gouged up around the edges. Rear deck vinyl is torn in a few spots like they tried to pry it open instead of using the release latch.

I'm not sure what else is missing yet. Trying to do an inventory. Hard to remember what all was in there.

Took the day off work - filed a police report which really won't amount to diddly. Took a few dozen pictures. Waiting on a call back from insurance to see what happens next.

Feeling like I've been kicked in the stomach a few times.

[wolfeman131]

Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry to read this!

[kaneboats]

Sorry to hear this, Berg. This is not your fault and is a property damage only claim. Not a big deal to an insurer. You will get stuck with your deductible but will also get some nice new stuff. I hope you're working on your inventory now. Get good estimates for all the repairs and replacements. Also, you have lots of time before your season really gets going so it's going to be OK. Still, feel for you, bro.

[sandm]

sooo sorry to read this. you're probably right in that it'll be tough to get stuff back, but doesn't hurt to watch craigslist for a month or so..

electronics are the easy stuff to replace. hope the interior isn't too bad and wiring isn't hard to replace..

[Boonejeepin]

So sorry to hear this!!!!

[freeflydenny]

don't tell us you are installing a new stereo and not by choice....

wow sorry to hear that!
I just got a cheap 30$ alarm from amazon with the most stars.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003JXU0JQ/ref=pe_344980_29256470_email_1p_0_ti
It has door and trunk unlocks but I only used it for the shock sensor.
Only thing that I needed to hook up was the positive and negative to the battery and its good to go. You need to hook up the ignition wire to the battery for initial setup. I took the side panels of the boat off so I could Hid everything, that was the most time consuming. It would take a pos burglar a good 10 minutes to locate it and cut the wires, by that time I or my neighbors would have heard the alarm.
I set the warning alarm very sensitive so that if you stand next to the boat and fart it will chirp as a warning. The actual alarm will go off if you get on it. My hopes are that a thief will her the warning and piece out.
I also put a camera on it so that if I here it, I can check my phone to see the camera without getting out of bed. The cameras were about 300$
I have a gnarly alarm on the house that I installed that ran about 400$ for every door and window in the house plus motions. I monitor all of it from my phone instead of paying a alarm company 30$ a month.
Its all a piece of mind for me and my family. Its literally fortknox at my house and i sleep good at night!
hope this helps, any questions shoot me a pm

[freeflydenny]

The best part is, I took the boat out last Saturday and the cove area where everyone hangs out was packed.
I pulled up and armed it ..... as a joke. Had people laughing

[bergermaister]

About to pull trigger on the alarm you suggested. Any more feedback or second thoughts?

[viking]

About to pull trigger on the alarm you suggested. Any more feedback or second thoughts?

Hey Berg,
If you do and have the time............do a how to thread on your steps, progress, and then rating/feedback after some time of using it. Might be something I would tackle next winter?

[bergermaister]

Sure. I'm a little antsy now with the boat back at the house. Maybe stupid but that's the way it goes - hate it. Installing a motion detection light here shortly too.

[newty]

Very simple to install. Put some spring switches on your observer seat and you trunk hatches. That's the first place people look, if anyone opens those you'll know... so will they!
Proximity sensor would be cool but if the wind blows the cover or the occasional cat decides to snoop around, it could get to be a little annoying.

Sent from my iPhone 5... ya right!