Boat security

We spent last night moored up at Long Sandal. A quiet night in the company or friends John and Tracy. Pooches Poppy and Abbie met up with a very friendly Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Jess from Nb Sorrel.

Having more time on my hands I started to mull over the idea of leaving boats unattended in a safer environment. Recent figures show a rise in motorcycle thefts around Britain.  Organised criminals have realised that bikers when they leave their bikes often can’t find anything to secure their bike or scooter to (lamppost or railings etc) and have to leave their bikes with their chain or wire lock merely wrapped around the wheel to prevent it from being wheeled away.  

A few riders already practise daisy linking security chains as a form of additional security but limited to friends and acquaintances. The problem with locking your bike or scooter to a stranger’s security chain is that it encroaches into personal privacy etc. Lockit2me interlocking provides a form of security that overcomes this. The scheme provides riders with free choice because Lockit2me interlocking is one solution to motorcycle and scooter theft. As only the locks chains are linked, any rider is free to unlock and leave at any time.

Everyone at one time or another needs to leave their boat unattended. It could be as simple as a quick visit to the shops or you may need a day or two to return home. As boaters we do not have many options for leaving a boat unattended for short periods. We could book into a marina but space may not always be available for short term mooring.

Are there alternatives?

On our streets we have organised neighbourhood watch schemes that provide a similar sort of service to householders in a give locality.  Neighbourhood Watch first came to the UK from America during the 1980s. It started in a Cheshire village called Mollington in 1982 and spread quickly throughout the UK. It is sometimes known as Home Watch. However, on public moorings their is no nationally organised boat watch schemes available because boats can be so transient. Yet keeping an eye on other moored boats when the owners are away should not be a problem. It is not beyond our capabilities to organise a boat watching scheme. What is needed is some way to recognise others who would participate in such a boat watch group. There are many Watch schemes based on the original Neighbourhood Watch. For example, Church Watch, Horse Watch, Business Watch, Pub Watch, Farm Watch, School Watch and many more.

There are some Boat Watch schemes in place but they tend to be localised within a marina. BBC click link. Cambridgesire Boat Watch scheme click link. Polruan boat watch scheme click link. Falmouth boat watch scheme click link.

A few ideas!

• What about an inland waterways group or boating magazine taking up the challenge, to organise a national boat watch scheme. 
• Is there scope for a boat sitting scheme and are there people available for such a short term role?
• What about a mooring swap, many people have a home mooring for their boat. The mooring is empty when you are out. Would you allow a boat to spend a night or two empty on your mooring?

Later....