LATER THIS AFTERNOON ONE OF MY GIRLFRIENDS AND I WILL BE HEADING UP TO THE NORTH GEORGIA MOUNTAINS. I OF COURSE WANTED TO CAMP OUT, BUT SHE HAS TO HAVE A BATH HOUSE AND REALLY HATES CAMPING (SHE; LIKE THE REST OF MY GIRLFRIENDS, IS A MAJOR GIRLY GIRL). SO, I GOT US A NICE HOTEL, AND DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE A PROBLEM TO STAY IN A HOTEL FOR JUST TWO NIGHTS, BEING THAT THIS IS ONLY A WEEKEND TRIP. COMPROMISE; THAT'S WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT; RIGHT? ALL YOU POOR MARRIED PEOPLE, I AM SURE YOU KNOW THIS FEELING ALL TOO WELL!!!
BUT AFTER READING ALL THESE POSTS ABOUT BOATS BEING STOLEN I STARTED WORRYING ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY KAYAK IF WE LEAVE IT STRAPPED TO THE TOP OF THE NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE I AM SURE THAT MOST PEOPLE WHO GO KAYAKING CAMP OUT, I KNOW THAT SOMEONE SOMEWHERE HAS STAYED IN A HOTEL WHILE ON A KAYAKING TRIP. THE BIG QUESTION I HAVE IS; WHERE DO YOU STORE THE KAYAK TO MAKE SURE IT IS SAFE FROM THEFT AND HARM, DO YOU TAKE IT WITH YOU TO YOUR HOTEL ROOM?, LEAVE IT STRAPPED TO THE TOP OF THE SUV?, LEAVE IT IN THE HOTEL LOBBY? THIS SITUATION DOES CREATE A VERY INTERESTING PROBLEM. I NEED YOUR HELP AND ADVICE ON THIS ISSUE, THANK YOU, CGBJDC77
COAT IT WITH RHINO LINER
NO ONE WILL WILL WANT IT THEN
couple options
– Last Updated: May-20-05 11:01 AM EST –
Have a hardware store make you a cable with loops on each end. Costs probably 6 or 7 bucks. Feed it through the grab loop/bar, security loop/bar, or the seat or some other part of fixed outfitting in the boat, then loop it around the rack bar and attach with a padlock.
If it's a short whitewater boat, and you're really paranoid, then just bring it in the room with you.
Oh, and turn off you computer's caps lock key. It comes across as SHOUTING.
Seriously
I sometimes put a bike cable lock around the seat and lock it to the rack. I park near the lobby window also. At under 10 ft, you should have no problem bringing it into the room with you. When I am overseas, the kayak goes into the room with me.
Thinking while mowing…
I wondered about something such as this wireless motion sensor.
http://www.catchacallonline.com/reporter.html
I don’t know anything about the above link. It was just the first thing I found on google.
DaveJ
Anything Can be Stolen…
…if the thief wants it bad enough. I don’t worry about it and have never had a boat tampered with. Of course, it’s usually MN and WI where I have boats on top, and the people in those two states tend to be exceptionally honest. In earlier trips, I took a light coated braided wire dog “Chain” and draped it over the boat and tucked it into the doors. Would have made it more INCONVENIENT for the theif, but not impossible. I quit this practice after a particularly heavy rain, the rain came in in buckets where the security chain came into the car. They sell locking chains to go arround your boat and rack. Some people swear by these. I just don’t worry about it, and haven’t lost a boat in hauling them arround for twenty “Something” years. WW
Look for Cabins
Stay in places that have individual cabins so that you can park it right out your front door. We use a commercial version on the cable described above, loops around each end of the kayaks and thru the rack bars, also has worked well.
Or look for girlfriends with different tastes?
Seriously, the places where a kayak are most likely to be stolen are, paradoxically, the locations where there is the most kayaking. Other places, the “drylanders” tend to believe all the stuff about flipping over and dying in a kayak. It’s a useful fear and allows us to leave the boats up in our city back yard overnight when we are too beat to want to haul them into the basement after an after-work paddle or skill session. (We’ve overheard the conversations - that is really what the majority non-kayakers amongst our neighbors believe.)
locks
I’ve used a cable similar to what was described above, but bought it pre-made at a pet store. Loop it thru the seat and around the roof rack bar - just to keep honest people honest, so to speak. If they want it bad enough, they’ll take it no matter what. Or the car with the kayak…
We stayed at an inn a few years ago in a prime-kayaking area, so I didn’t want to be without the boat but wouldn’t have too many chances to use it. I ended up laying it along side the building and locking it to the porch rather than driving around with it all the time. No problems…
You Need to find a New Girl Friend, Dude
one who likes to camp and kayak. I have a grand daughter who was raised “right”. She loves to camp, hike, shoot guns, boat and fish. She even loves to clean fish. She is also a “knock-out”. Sorry, a lucky guy already married her. I am taking the credit, her dad was very busy making a living, so I took over on her “important” education. I also taught her to play the guitar.
Find you a new girl friend, dude. There are some like this out there.
TieYak
While no locking system will stop a determined thief, we use TieYaks on our boats when we feel the need to lock them to deter theft.
They are pretty much premade versions of the system described above using plastic covered cable with loops. I bought a set of same keyed plastic encased Master Locks to use with the TieYaks.
They are available at some outfitters and always on ebay.
It may sound cruel but…
I’m with the guy above on this one!Ditto what he said!
Read his post again…
– Last Updated: May-20-05 1:04 PM EST –
He says "one" of his girlfriends...
I guess he has a few, lol. Maybe its just this particular one who doesn't camp.
We put ours in the room-and sleep
soundly-without worry. Yes, it’s a little bit of a hassle. You can usually get someone to help you.
some options
i’ve installed Wichard 1/4inch stainless steel u-bolts and/or the old Aquaterra aircraft cable u-bolt behind the cockpic (QCC kayaks have the Wichard on the bow and stern)…this i attach with lock a length of coated cable with loop ends, the other loop attaching to the Thule Bar which is already locked.
Then, remember the personal alarms for joggers, I attach the personal alarm to the kayak. These alarms have several operating modes…one if a ring is pulled out of it, or two if the metal leaves come apart (hope this is making sense) so when in a motel parking lot, last thing i do before sleep is put the metal leaves under the kayak…if anyone moves the boat either way an inch the alarm is set off…This way the would-be-thief has to deal with cutting the cable (not so easy on an SUV or an RV and he has to deal with the noise of the alarm.
Nothing will stop determination, but this def. slows them down.
And most importantly, I make sure my kayaks are covered on my State Farm policy.
Link showing the wichard u-bolt:
http://www.qcckayaks.com/kayaks/fittings.asp
here’s a link to various personal alarms, the one with the metal leaves is half way down the page:
http://www.self-defense-products-depot.com/personal-alarms.html
LOL
smartass
I had Same Concerns
I am from AZ and picked up my two yaks in CA. From there I drove to Vegas for a convention for a week and then on to home. I brought a 30’ Kryptonite Cable I picked up at Lowes, two U-bolts like medicine man posted , and the tools to do the install. My new yaks had two u-bolts on the stern so I installed two on the bow at the kayak shop. With the u-bolts installed, yaks on the roof, I ran the cable threw all four u-bolts and the rack. My rack is an Yakima with sks cores. While at the hotels that could accomodate my yaks and me in bed at night that is what I did. While in Vegas that wouldn’t work since I was on like the 20th floor. So I parked my car with the yaks on top near the Valet parking during the day and at night asked the valet attendant to park the car up front in view at night. Each attendant I left it with split the tip with the AM attndant and they parked the car right in front of their booth. Since the yaks were in front view all week I ended up being the kayak guy at the convention. I agree that if a theif wants it they will get it but I would not just strap them to the roof rack. I like the link of the personal alarms. I might just go this route rather drag the yaks into the hotel rooms in the future. I like to get up, shower, and be out the door in 20 minutes when traveling. The yaks take atleast that loading and securing them. Its hard enough getting my lady up and in the car within 20 min much less her and the two yaks? Forget about it!
I’ve left one in the room
I left it on the car outside my door overnight, but put it in the room when I had to work during the day. The maid will get over it but may not bring you fresh soap.
Motel
If you can’t camp, get a motel room that is “down and out”–downstairs room with door facing the parking lot. Then you can park the car right in front of your room. The TieYak someone mentioned works fine on longer boats, but is less secure on a rec boat and probably useless on a short WW boat. This is because of the cable length. No matter how much winding and wrapping of the slack cable I did, I found I could pretty easily “steal” my own 12 foot boat by moving undoing the straps and moving the boat around on the rack until I could get enough slack to slip the loop off one end. (TieYak owners, if you don’t believe this try it on your own boat) A cable under the seat is easier and probably more secure for shorter boats. An adjustable cable lock (sold at Tractor’s Supply) is a good option.
Finally, if your rack isn’t locked to the car, the boat can still be stolen relatively easily.
Turn your CAPS LOCK off
AND STOP SHOUTING
I put my 17 footer in the room with me a few times. You can also get the expensive bike cables (two of them) and strap/cable lock both ends so that the boat cannot be slid fore or aft out of the cables (due to the hull width) and off the rack.
Perhaps cranking out the sensitivity on your auto alarm system too just a little bit while on this trip so rocking the vehicle sets it off?
Good luck!