Hi you bright people here 
I need advise on something we all need, unfortunately: security. Yes, we all know that if someone wants to steal something they will. But you want at least not to make that easy for them.
ANY IDEAS?: I need a locking cable to secure the for posts of my Yakima Rack:
http://www.orsracksdirect.com/yakima-8001136.html , To the bed of the truck.
Since my truck bed is 6FT x 4 FT. It seems as if I need a cable at least 20 FT long, to run the cable through the posts and the truck bed.
I also need to a cable to lock the Kayak (14 ft long) to the yakima rack.
The rack does not have any locks built in, so cables are the only option really, unless someone of you bright people here have a BETTER IDEA?
TIA
Rique.
My mom’s neighbors had their roof rack
and luggage carrier cut off their van and stolen. People saw it happening and it took less than 1 minute.
We have racks that lock to our roof and run a cable thru the thwarts of the canoes. It might slow them down 15-30 seconds, but our insurance company likes it.
What I use:
Go to wally world and get one of those dog run cables. They are plastic coated and come in 20 and 30 foot length.
Cut the hardware off the end so that there is just a loop at each end.
Then use a padlock.
I have two of them and a bunch of padlocks that are all keyed the same.
Sure they can be cut with bolt cutters, but if someone is going to usea bolt cutter, they will figure someway to foil what ever you use.
Cheers,
jackL
Sad thing… but
It’s amazing isn’it?.. Well, that is what I want, simply to slow them down. I just hope that if I “make it look” difficult to steal… I will have at least time to go the bathroom and find my stuff. It goes w/o saying that you should not park anywhere in a high crime area, it at all possible.
By the way, forgive my ignorance,but do Kayaks have thwarts? or something where you can thread the cable through?
Rique
Make "em Take Time, Make 'Em Make Noise
Theives like to get in and out quick and quiet. Anything that makes them delay or make a lot of noise can discourage them. We cable our 'yaks and canoes to the rack or something solid (at our cabin, it's the electric mast - love to see one of 'em cut thru that!).
For cables, 1x19 stainless steel wire with loops swaged in the ends is a bear to cut - you'll need a good pair of large cable cutters, which are a little awkward to carry around jammed down the pant leg.
We try to wrap the cables around and thru as much as possible - under a seat, around a thwart and a thru a nosering, for example, so they'll have to smash a bunch of stuff to get the boat free. Not a big market out there for a canoe with one seat missing, a smashed thwart and a ripped-out deck plate!
In the kayaks, there are no thwarts. We've drilled thru the aft bulkhead, and put in a heavy SS eyebolt that faces into the cockpit. You can use the red LockTite to 'seize' the nut in the aft compartment, or use an old chisel to burr several threads. We also try to also cable the two kayaks together - makes for a very challenging carrying situation :->))
Great Idea but is the cable “good” ?
My only concern is that the cable can be easily cut with the right cutters. I would want a cable that would at least offer some resistance… to cutters. Do you know?
Keep the ideas coming please
Sounds great!
Thank you, sounds like a winner so far. Any idea where/how to get them?
Rique
Lasso.
I just bought two of these from REI and am pending shipment.
Recommended and demonstrated by one of my fellow paddlers, I have seen none better.
http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=48020125&parent_category_rn=4501463&vcat=REI_SEARCH
Re SS Cable…
…try a rigging shop - it’s commonly used as standing rigging on sailboats. It ain’t cheap, but neither are boats…
You can also check out the local yacht club - if someone’s re-rigging, you can sometimes get some for free, or very little.
Ditto to Lasso
I’ve been using a Lasso lock to lock my boat to my roof rack since April - works great, no problems. The lock is integral, so no padlock to flop around and chip paint. Plus you get to pick the 4 digit combo, so no key to lose. Can also use it to lock your boat to anything stationary.
Spot weld…
Not the rack to the truck, rather the nuts to the bolts…you can grind the spot welds off with a dremel later if you need to remove the bolts, but no one with a standard socket can simply unbolt them…
Now you confuse me!
My truck’s bed has a handle in each corner. So anything you want to secure (i.e. my bicycle), I have to use one of them. So I thought to run a cable through the 4 rack-posts and through all 4 handles as well. No?
Rique
Ok… is it covered w vinil or something?
Just curious, is it covered with some kind of sheathing like vinil?
Thanks for info.
Rique
probably won’t work for your truck, but
http://www.shredready.com/products/rack.html
is easy to use and if they break my car window, the alarms go nuts.
Gentlemen - you all lose!!
Friend of mine had a four wheeler racing ATV on a trailer. Had some folks try to steal it, so he did cables, locks, special hitch setup, spent about $500.00 on all kinds of security stuff.
Bought a fairly new pickup with alarm system - - pretty well secured he thought - - -
They stole the truck, trailer, and the ATV. Estimated total lose of over $50,000.00. Truck was only $16.000.00
Insurance company will pay up, but have informed him that he will either have to go to a commercial policy or be dropped. He’s still waiting for the settlement. Lost two sponsors, and pretty much done for the season.
That was about 6 months ago, and nothing has been found. Means nobody has been charged with the crime.
He has decided to retire from racing, and plans on using the settlement for a downpayment on a new place somewhere out west in the boonies as he puts it.
Point is - - If they want it, it’s gone.
hm… lasso looking goog for the boat
I just read a nice review on this very item:
http://www.wavelengthmagazine.com/2006/jj06glock.php
By the way you can get it cheaper $44.05 at
http://www.orsracksdirect.com/lasso-security-cables-canoe-lock-kayak-lock.html
AND You can get an additional 10% discount if you enter the coupon EXTRA10 when ordering, so it shoud cost about $41.00… you can also get Free shipping in you purchase over $99. I know because I bought my Yakima rack there. Good deals
Meters?.. you are kidding? LOL
Now this looks very interesting… and very reasonable at $20.00 per what… Meters?
METERS?.. What, in the words of KOSMO CRAMER from Seinfeld Do I have to have a “high school equivalency certificate” to buy one of these things
Ok, so according to my calculations, 4 meters = 13.1233596 feet. So 13 feet for only $20… not bad. I would love to know how thick is the cable?
probably 1/4"? and I suspect it must be strong enough since it is for security purpose.
------------- Website description -------
Rack Guard
Simple and effective roofrack theft deterrent. Feed the cable(s) through your boats security bar. Shut your ball(s)in the door.
No Keys to lose.
4m of high strength steel cable with plastic coating.
Price: $19.95
Sorry for your friend’s loss
My case is different. My truck does not exactly look like the kind of thing you would want to steal… my boat is made out of plastic… my racks are nice, but I can dismount them and put them inside the truck so they won’t see them.
But you are right, if I park somewhere and leave the car for 3 hrs w/o checking it, on a regular neighborhood… I would think there is a good 40% chance or higher, you won’t find the stuff.
Yes
It is long enough to secure two or three boats by threading the cable alongside the seat–sure they could try to take the seat out, but that’s a big hassle–and then dropping the ball inside the car. I usually just shut a door on it. I figure this and other cable systems will deter the causual opportunistic thief. To deter a professional would require major investment, and boat thefts are rare and, anyway, I don’t want to live my life always looking over my shoulder.
If they want it, its gone, but…
I agree that if someone wants it, its gone, but just to slow people down and discourage the amateur thief, I often throw a “U” lock on each thwart, locking my boat to my truck rack. I figure it buys me and extra 3 min while they bust out the saw and hack through my thwarts.
One thought I’ve had, although I think it borders on the ridiculous, is to “booby trap” my boat with one of those personal alarms. They are activated by pulling a small pin, are battery powered, and produce a 100+db screech. I used to see them for under $20 bucks at the Meglomart. It would be easy to stash one in your boat and attach it to a rack etc.