Kill switch ?

[TheBeesKnees]

Hello all,

We are new to the boating world and have noticed many cases of stolen boats. I was wondering if it's possible to attach a kill switch button or key to prevent the engine from starting, just for added peace of mind while we work. Something like the one in the attached picture is what we have in mind, so we can discreetly place it in the engine bay.

[LadyG]

Those particular switches are pretty feeble, more likely to cause you problems than a thief. I have three on my boat to isolate my three battery banks.

I expect a determined thief would bring their own power pack even if I had no working batteries on board. 

I could remove the ignition key if I wanted to prevent casual theft, but what I would  do is secure the front doors from the inside and padlock with a fairly secure padlock on the sliding hatch if I had to leave the boat in a rough area.

It's just a matter of making my boat a bit less attractive than others.

What makes you think your boat will be stolen while you are at work, I imagine most boats that are stolen on inland waters are those which are unattended. They only move at about 2.5mph after all 

 

Edited January 31 by LadyG

[TheBeesKnees]

5 minutes ago, LadyG said:

Those particular switches are pretty feeble, I have three on my boat to isolate my three battery banks.

I expect a determined their would bring their own power pack even if I had no working batteries on board. 

I would think I could remove the ignition key if I wanted to prevent casual theft, but what I would  do is secure the front doors from the inside and padlock with a fairly secure padlock on the sliding hatch if I had to leave the boat in a rough area.

It's just a matter of making my boat a bit less attractive than others.

What makes you think your boat will be stolen?

 

So I’m not thinking it will we are in a nice place just keep seeing posts on fb groups about stolen boats so my misses gets worried as we both work full time so we are away 12-13 hours a day. So anything to make it more secure the better. 

[LadyG]

The easiest way to enter is often via front doors, which is why I secure from interior .

I also moor close to other boats..

You can get a gadget that alerts you by phone if there is a break in.

I am sure there are plenty of posts on fb about break-ins to houses.

[David Mack]

You should already have an isolator switch fitted to the start battery. Just turn it off and take the key with you when you leave the boat unattended.

[Tony Brooks]

You could fit a hidden switch in the small wire between the ignition switch start position and the single small terminal on the start solenoid. Despite likely to be rubbish as a master switch, it should be perfectly adequate for the current in that circuit. If turned off and the key removed it would not start. However, a simple application of a screwdriver would still allow it to start.

 

Have you thought about chaining the boat to the waling bar on piled banks.

[LadyG]

1 minute ago, David Mack said:

You should already have an isolator switch fitted to the start battery. Just turn it off and take the key with you when you leave the boat unattended.

Better quality isolater switches don't have a removable key,  personally, I think it's just a case of ESN (early stage boater nerves). 

Keep the curtains closed, but  have signs of activity rather than make the boat look as though it is not in use 

I have Xmas lights showing at night, bags of coal etc. 

[magnetman]

43 minutes ago, TheBeesKnees said:

So I’m not thinking it will we are in a nice place just keep seeing posts on fb groups about stolen boats so my misses gets worried as we both work full time so we are away 12-13 hours a day. So anything to make it more secure the better. 

Maybe the answer is to look at fb less often .

 

Their algorithms cause negative content to be exaggerated so a problem like stolen Boats may be presented as more serious than it is in reality.

[jonathanA]

exactly this forum is inundated with reports of stolen boats - NOT !  I'd go as far as to say its rare and in the majority of cases the boat is recovered fairly quickly.  

 

Breakins/theft from are more common, but still not that common and often its not the value of what's stolen so much as the damage caused...

[magnetman]

A 'kill switch' could be quite an interesting thing to deal with the burglars but I think the owner would get into trouble with the rozzers.

 

 

[Tonka]

5 minutes ago, magnetman said:

A 'kill switch' could be quite an interesting thing to deal with the burglars but I think the owner would get into trouble with the rozzers.

 

 

Just leave the body on a narrowboat that you have not seen anyone on. It will be years before it is found

[roland elsdon]

You can circumvent those switches with a spanner in about 30 secs if you undo a terminal.

if you put the spanner across maybe 2 secs.

 

if you want an interrupter put it in the positive feed from the key to the starter.

 

or get a handstart engine. Or a bollinder. 

[noddyboater]

And don't forget that you don't have to start the engine to steal a boat.

You untie it and pull it away on ropes, nobody will question you. 

[Sea Dog]

1 hour ago, TheBeesKnees said:

just keep seeing posts on fb groups about stolen boats so my misses gets worried

The stolen boats we've had reports or discussion about on here have, almost invariably, been something other than straightforward theft of the average boater's boat. Ownership disputes and relationship breakdown seem to be the most common themes. I'd say your boat is safer if you spend the money you'd spend on that ineffective isolator switch and buy the missus some flowers instead! 

[MtB]

 

If your canal boat gets stolen, the canal police boat will pursue it for you.

 

 

 

[TheBeesKnees]

39 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

If your canal boat gets stolen, the canal police boat will pursue it for you.

 

 

 

Love it aha 

 

thanks all for your help on this matter. 

[ditchcrawler]

3 hours ago, TheBeesKnees said:

So I’m not thinking it will we are in a nice place just keep seeing posts on fb groups about stolen boats so my misses gets worried as we both work full time so we are away 12-13 hours a day. So anything to make it more secure the better. 

If you read those facebook reports carefully there is usually more behind it than straight theft, that is why people ask for a crime number, often its disputed ownership

 

[LadyG]

1 hour ago, noddyboater said:

And don't forget that you don't have to start the engine to steal a boat.

You untie it and pull it away on ropes, nobody will question you. 

I have seen this done, the perpetrators had to pull their ropes over my roof, they were foreigners, I was then alerted again when the owner brought the boat back, it had got as far as the first lock!

 

[noddyboater]

6 hours ago, LadyG said:

I have seen this done, the perpetrators had to pull their ropes over my roof, they were foreigners, I was then alerted again when the owner brought the boat back, it had got as far as the first lock!

 

I pulled up in front of a friends boat one night, strapped it to mine by torchlight and towed it away into the darkness.

His neighbours watched through the window but didn't ask what I was doing!

[magnetman]

Yes but are you a furriner? 

 

If you had nicked it with a Pole

[noddyboater]

No Polacks were involved in the taking of the vessel. Just cross straps.

[MtB]

29 minutes ago, noddyboater said:

I pulled up in front of a friends boat one night, strapped it to mine by torchlight and towed it away into the darkness.

His neighbours watched through the window but didn't ask what I was doing!

 

That was a really mean trick to play on your mate, lol!

 

 

 

 

[noddyboater]

15 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

That was a really mean trick to play on your mate, lol!

 

 

 

 

You're right, it was!

I towed it half a mile away and tied it outside the pub. It was the only way to get him to fire the Gardner up and actually go boating.

[JoeC]

I used to own a Mazda Bongo campervan and put a kill switch onto the fuel pump wiring. If somebody tried to start the van then the engine would turn over but would not fire as no fuel was being pumped.

[magnetman]

One could fit a solenoid valve in the fuel line with a hidden switch but then as with all these things one would have to remember to switch it on !