So we are happily enjoying our new Pal but eying the way the thwarts are installed - using screws and bolts - and the way the bow and sternline eyelets are fastened - bolts - I am left wondering how do I secure our canoe on the go since all of those fittings are removable with simple tools - running a cable lock through them seems kind of pointless…
On the roof we could opt for something like the Thule 841 or Kanulock I suppose which would deter the casual thief but with their rating being knifeproof it does leave us going hmm a little - plus how to secure on vacation tied up at a dock on the go with all the boat’s fittings so readily removable…
I don’t think there’s any foolproof way to secure a kayak or canoe from theft. If someone really wants the boat they’ll (easily) find a way to get past any lock, cable or chain.
At best, what you can do is to deter an opportunistic would-be thief. Such a person probably doesn’t carry wrenches or even a screwdriver with them and might well be put off by having to deal with a cable lock. One simple thing you might be able to do is to replace the nuts on the eyelets with tamper proof ones. Take a look at http://www.tamperproof.com/
Also check with your insurance agent to see if you are covered under your auto or home-owners policy for theft. I pay an extra $85 per year for a rider to have my two kayaks covered.
Hi kfbrady , yes I have looked at the local supply of tamperproof bolts and alike - seems this is pretty much the best we can do with a cable lock I think since as you say the best we can do probably is just frustrate the opportunist or joyrider… Insurance wise - got the canoe added under our all in one policy from day one though I have yet to receive the papers and wonder what demands they put on the anti theft clause and measures taken ^^ Will see in a couple days I suppose
The idea of using tamper-proof hardware is a good one, but unfortunately, it’s pretty normal for there to be no need to grip the bolt/screw head when removing the nut, and even if there is, such as due to the use of nylon locking nuts, lightly gripping the leftover end of the bolt with a pliers will defeat this system in this case. On that same idea, though, you could simply squash the threads on the end of any bolt that extends beyond the nut (a Vice-Grips will do this quite easily), or even bend the tag end of the bolt sharply enough to prevent removal of the nut. When the day comes that you want to disassemble that part, you’ll need to get a little creative (a short piece of hacksaw blade gripped with a Vice-Grips will do the trick), and with any luck, more creative than the average opportunistic thief is prepared to be. Of course, a thief could cut the thwart with a saw, but probably isn’t highly likely because now he needs to fix the damage before selling or using the boat. I can think of a way to add a non-saw-able insert to thwarts, which would be extra work and expense for you, and probably an extra half-pound of weight.
If you really want to get elaborate, install a “Tugeye” at one or both ends, and figure out a way to make that the attachment point for your locking system (Google “Tugeyes” to see what this is about, and to also find links to do-it-yourself substitutes for the brand-name version).
Frankly - unless the boat will be left unattended in a non-public place for a good deal of time, I doubt that you need to worry about it. NC does use nylock nuts, and removing the furniture takes a bit of time, even with the right tools. Doing it with the boat on a roof rack would be even more awkward. I don’t know if they do it on all their boats, but my Nova Craft has two bolts at each end of the yoke, which slows things down even more. You can also complicate things by having multiple cable locks (for yoke, seats, grab handles). Unless you leave the canoe in a very bad part of town, it’s a rare thief who would devote such time and exposure to a bulky item not easily turned to cash.
If you use the canoe much, that wood finish will need maintenance. You’ll be cussing yourself if you bugger the threads or the screw head. But that is always an option.
Another simple thing to slow a thief down…Replace one of the bolts on each end of the yoke with a longer bolt . The downside is that it gives you something to snag on, especially if you’re a kneeler.
yeah I think slowing down is best one can do really… We’ll be paddling through some towns here and there through our country and step off to enjoy them - and the canoe will be on the roof of the car at various camping spots overnight…
Wife is bringing home a bicycle alarm from work which should alert us to tampering in the latter locations ( and make our stay a memorable one for the other campers when a bird decides to sit on the canoe and sets it off lol )
The tamperproof stuff I ditched already due to the issues guideboatguy mentioned - all the fastenings are in reach…
I will just mess up the thread on some of the bolts - and replace the tugeyes Nova Craft put on there with ones with a longer bolt so I can mess with íts thread and when needed can reach the bolt to Dremel through it (the ones installed now fits flush with its nut) so we can just use a cable lock to a dock or such.
The Thule 841or kanulock I will give a pass on - though convenient someone lookin to put the straps to the test with a knife will ruin a pair of expensive straps… pvc coated lock round the roofrack and through the thwart or such instead…
Do what we can to minimize the risk and then just let go of the worry
Worst canoe wise I’ve heard of is drunken campers taking em out for a joy ride and such… And the single break-in the local canoe club had here before they ramped up security resulted in a stolen lawnmower lol…
lol nooooo Sparky
Dents no can do… its Innegra aka tuffstuff so by the time there is a dent in it its not gonna be holding any water =}
And we got it with some scratches from the dealer but getting a gelcoat repair kit in the mail from them soon to fix that!
I agree with RedPaddler. I’ve never seen a composite boat with dents and don’t imagine it being possible, other than when associated with catastrophic failure as he suggested. TuffStuff is much like typical composites, except for being, um, tougher.
Well one thing I could do is let my kid go nuts with his sticker collection…
Seein as hes into dinosaurs, ninjago, starwars, trains and unicorns it is bound to look most dreadful by the time he is done with it - that or remedy the whole whiteness and lack of being red as we wanted situation with some 1k red paint and a huge stencil of something or other and make it a bit more unique that way - or get some Vantablack paint and paint on a huge gaping hole with radiating cracks lol
Hey Red. Make sure you write down your boat’s serial number. You might also keep it dirty when traveling somewhere…dirty canoes don’t look worth stealing. Finally, I do like your sticker idea. Maybe your kid can pick one nice sticker for each side of the boat to make it look unique and easily identifiable (easy to spot if stolen).
@Sparky961 said:
Wow, tough crowd. It wasn’t intended to be literal. The point, if missed, was to make it look ugly.
Hey, I understood your intent and am aware there was some exaggeration going on there too. I only figured it might be worth explaining that ToughStuff cannot be dented in the way that is so commonly seen with Royalex.
Then there’s the method once suggested by WildernessWebb for when the canoe sits by itself as you run your shuttle. Leave a note on it saying something like “Hey Joe, I’ll be back shortly. I went to the house to grab a few more boxes of ammo.”
When my boat is going to be unattended for a while I use a Suspenz cable lock and a good padlock. On the car, it goes through the factory rack. Off the car around something sturdy like a tree. https://suspenz.com/products/universal-canoe-locking-system
Well one thing I could do is let my kid go nuts with his sticker collection…