Are you afraid that your boat will get stolen or that the items on it will be taken? Do you long for more peace of mind that your boat is safe and sound wherever you choose to store it? If so, then you need to learn all that you can about preventing boat theft.
New boat owners are especially susceptible to boat theft. If not properly thought through, some thief could make away with essential equipment, if not the entire boat!
See below for an in-depth guide on how to prevent boat theft and why prioritizing storage for boats is so important.
- Invest in Boat Insurance
Not to be grim, but you can’t always ensure that boat theft won’t take place. No matter where you store your boat or how many precautions you take, there will always be the risk that your items are stolen. All it takes is 30 minutes away from your docked boat for someone to steal something.
Thankfully, there is a security net that you can purchase for yourself. Getting insurance for boats is vitally important for several reasons.
Investing in a boat is an expensive purchase; boat insurance can help you ensure that your investment in the boat and all of its essential items are protected.
First, make sure that you understand the terms of your boat insurance. You should look for things such as specialized coverage, consequential damage, towing, cruising extension, salvage, and more.
There are many different kinds of boat insurance policies out there as well, such as sailboat insurance, boat insurance, yacht insurance, boat club insurance, dinghy insurance, professional boating insurance (EX: charter boats), and more.
If you have the proper boating coverage in order, you will have more peace of mind. You can take every precaution in the book, and your insurance coverage is there just in case something still gets stolen or lost.
- Remove Important Items When You’re Away
Boat insurance is a must-have, but don’t depend on it to cover every little thing that might get stolen off of the boat. One of the biggest things to know is that your lost items may or may not be covered.
Generally, boat insurance covers any lost, stolen, or damaged personal property. However, that doesn’t extend to items that are used solely for the boat. For example, if you have a GPS that gets stolen on your boat, that likely won’t be covered by your insurance provider.
For that reason, you need to prioritize the safety of those items. Whenever you leave the boat, make sure that those items are taken out and stored safely inside your house.
You’ll also want to refrain from keeping important documents, such as your boat title or registration papers, in the boat. You’ll need to take them with you when you’re operating the boat, but make sure to grab them whenever you walk away from the boat, no matter how quickly you plan to return to it.
Some other items you’ll want to consider storing off of the boat include anchors, GPS, fishing rods, water sports equipment, fish-finding tools, and so on.
- Install a GPS Boat Tracker
Okay, your boat was stolen… now what? If you don’t have a way to track it or put your finger on where it is, then you’re out of luck. But what if you had a way to check on its location within a matter of seconds?
Thousands of boats are stolen every year, don’t let yours be one of them. You can invest in a GPS boat tracker to find the bat from wherever it is.
Using the boat tracker couldn’t be simpler. You just turn it on, place it near any window, and retrieve the information that it gives you. It doesn’t matter where your boat is, what time it is, or anything else; as long as you invest in a high-quality GPS boat tracker, you’re in the clear.
- Don’t Draw Attention to It
If you want to ensure that your boat isn’t stolen, you’ll want to refrain from drawing any extra attention to it. What do we mean by that? Let’s highlight a few examples.
Don’t place a “For Sale” sign on the boat. There are many different ways to sell your boat online these days, so using that sign has become somewhat obsolete anyways.
Don’t cover the boat in a brightly-colored cover. Stick to the basic grey or blue cover; people pass so many of these each day that it will essentially be camouflaged into the surroundings near your house.
- Consider Proper Storage
Then again, why use a boat cover in the first place? Why not invest in a better, more secure way to store your boat and ensure that it’s safe until you go to use it next.
There are several incredible options to store your boat in this day in age. The best option is to keep it at a marina, especially if you have a go-to spot for using it. Just keep the boat at a nearby marina until you want to visit again.
You can also invest in a storage unit, but make sure to invest in one that’s climate-controlled. That way, you’re winterizing it with care.
Use These Tips for Preventing Boat Theft Today
Now that you have seen an in-depth guide on preventing boat theft and everything that entails, be sure to use these tips to your advantage.
Take the time to browse our website and learn more about protecting your boat, as well as many other topics that we think you’ll find helpful on this subject.
