Avoiding Boat Theft Issues
It's "Maintenance Monday" and today we're talking about a problem that's grown to alarming proportions in Southwest Florida, and that's the theft of boats, motors and trailers from storage yards. A starting point in theft deterrent is locks, locks, and more locks. Lock the engine to the vessel, lock a chain around the tires and wheels, lock the cabin, and under no circumstances store the keys in the boat. You may think you have a clever hiding place for your keys. Trust me, from what we've been seeing lately in how these boats, motors and equipment are being being taken, you don't.
Obtain a seriously beefy tongue lock, or better yet, have your trailer fitted with a removable tongue or hitch assembly. Then take the tongue off the trailer and take it home; don't store it in the boat. Once fitted, the simple precaution of taking the removable tongue hitch off the trailer is by far the easiest way to disable the trailer from moving. If the thieves can't hook it up, they can't take it. Removing the tires is even more effective, but a lot more work. If you can easily remove the trailer lights, you make it even harder on the bad guys (some owners have quick-mount lights that hang on the back of the boat and can be stored in the tow vehicle). Thieves like to work under cover of night and don't like attracting attention to themselves by dragging a trailer down the road without the required lights.
If you'd like to schedule a no-cost, no-obligation consultation on any maintenance issue you may be encountering with your vessel, call us today at #MarinerServicesInc. at (239)776-4253!
