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Engine Keys

Maffi

By Maffi
in General Boating

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Keeping Up Veteran II

Keeping UpDonate to Canal World

Posted
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Mine's on the keyring with the door keys. That means that when I'm about to leave the boat I'm standing by the switch and that reminds me to take the keys with me. That way there is much less chance of locking myself out.

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I have a spare ignition key hidden in the boat.

I keep the main one on the "bunch" so it goes with me, largely to stop people taking my boat.

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Scholar Gypsy Veteran

Scholar Gypsy

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I think the weed hatch is the main issue: removing the keys give three lines of defence to prevent unplanned amputation.

 

Hot wiring a narrowboat is not exactly hard - turn the isoloator on and apply a screwdriver to the starter solenoid (or fiddle with the wires behind the key switch).

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ditchcrawler Veteran II

ditchcrawlerDonate to Canal World

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In the eight years I have had my boat I have never removed my engine key from the ignition switch.

It is not attached to any other key. It is simply used as a switch.

 

A. Do you remove your key?

B. Do you hide it in the boat?

C. Do you have it on your 'main' bunch and take it with you when you leave your boat.

D. If the answer to 'C' is yes, why do you do that?

I just use it as a switch, if they have got that far its easy to start with a screwdriver, so whats the point.

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FidoDido Proficient

FidoDido

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The manual for my engine states the ignition key should not be removed!

 

I always leave it in. Good idea to remove it when down the hatch. Then again, would be fairly obvious from a pair of legs dangling from where the drivers step should be that there is someone down the hatch! Then again, stops some opportune psychopath from having some fun... Think I'll start to remove it, if only to remind me the weed hatch is off if I crawl out for some air, and go and have a cuppa to calm down... Who the bleeding heck designed this weed hatch arrangement?.... Mr Edgson, it's a fine boat, but FFS!

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Pykebird Rising Star

Pykebird

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I leave mine in the ignition, only have one key. If someone gets past the "trip hazard" and "security", fair play. But mine is a trad and it can be a bit difficult to even open the back door once unlocked due to a large head stuck in the cat flap, let alone reach in and get the key.

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magpie patrick Veteran II

magpie patrickDonate to Canal World

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No key - no preheaters either

 

Lutine has a lister SR2 and a switch in the cabin, two switches actually, ignition and start

 

Juno has a button on the outboard to start and a button on the dash to stop: when I first fitted that engine she only had a start button...

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Bettie Boo Experienced

Bettie Boo

Posted
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Picture of one for you Jim...

 

$_12.JPG

 

smile.png

 

 

MtB

 

Do you have a pic of the key chain you have that attached to?

 

I leave mine in the ignition, only have one key. If someone gets past the "trip hazard" and "security", fair play. But mine is a trad and it can be a bit difficult to even open the back door once unlocked due to a large head stuck in the cat flap, let alone reach in and get the key.

Is that poor dog still stuck in the cat flap? Poor pup :)

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FadeToScarlet Veteran

FadeToScarlet

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I just use it as a switch, if they have got that far its easy to start with a screwdriver, so whats the point.

I just use it as a switch, if they have got that far its easy to start with a screwdriver, so whats the point.

THat does assume that whatever lowlife is breaking in knows how to.

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Maffi Rising Star

Maffi

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Posted (edited)

If the ignition switch is in a position where the key could get bashed it's better to remove the key. It would be a pain if the broken part of the key got stuck in the lock.

 

Ah yes but mine isn't!

 

DSCF1278.JPG

Edited by Maffi
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magnetman Veteran II

magnetman

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I take the key and lie it beside the ignition switch. I then put a little red cap on the ignition switch with :sea cock: written on it. The engine is cooled indirectly by canal/river water so I need to remember to turn the sea cock on or off :)

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  • 6 months later...
Maffi Rising Star

Maffi

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Just found this post again. I never thought for one minute when I asked the question that anyone with an outside control panel would leave the key in. However I do find it odd that people take the key away from the boat (unlike a car where the key is more often than not used to lock up.

 

Anyone who thinks that if an oik ripped off the padlock he would then have easy access to the key and start the boat might like to think about their security. A lot of locks can be removed with a brick or mooring pin. I find it odd that some very cheap padlocks adorn hasp on narrow boats.

 

It is quite possible that a determined perp would just kick the windows in. I very much doubt they would get in through my doors. I am the sort of person whose bicycle lock is worth more than his bicycle. Not because its worth saving but I just cant be bothered with the inconvenience to having it nicked.

 

I do have on my slide an ABUS disc lock. Last year I helped a couple who had locked themselves out of their boat. They had a disc lock. Even with an angle grinder it took us nearly half an hour to cut it off. Jolly good design those ABUS locks. I also have a similar lock on the front door.

 

One would think with everything that I own being on the boat I would be careful about my own security and generally I am but I do tend to leave the side hatch open from time to time. This is not such a big deal when its on the wet side, but it is quite a big deal when it is on the dry side. Doh!

Edited by Maffi
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