NorCal Kayak Anglers
General => General Talk => Topic started by: AlexB on September 22, 2017, 12:18:06 PM
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What's up, guys?
I have the great privilege of living in a neighborhood where anything valuable that isn't securely bolted down will "walk away" in the middle of the night. (It's also happens to be a neighborhood with skyrocketing home prices. Ours went up in value by at least $250k in the 2 years since we bought it.)
I'm trying to come up with a way to (VERY) securely lock my kayak on the roof of my car, so that I can load it up the night before.
I've considered a seriously thick security chain motorcycle lock, but I understand that just about any metal security feature can be beat by a cheap handheld angle grinder from Harbor Freight...
I've also thought about rigging up an alarm of some sort, possibly using some of those little window/door screamer alarms.
Anyone gone through this thought process and come up with a solution?
Suggestions welcome. (Aside from the obvious suggestion of moving to a different neighborhood).
Cheers,
~Alex
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I'm curious about this too! Eager to hear the responses. I have seen some people just use the normal bike locks, but that doesn't inspire a lot of faith... more of a simple deterrent and I'm sure that wouldn't last long in your neighborhood!
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I too live in a neighborhood with similar antics.
My theory is that a kayak is extremely hard to transport AND sell, so a thief would rather steal a bike or computer for quick unloading.
I use metal chain to lock mine up around the side of my house.
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As others have said - the combo of a chain/cable and the difficulty running off with the kayak lower the likelihood of theft. I'm usually more worried about a crackhead busting into the car and stealing all the rest of the gear when I load up the night before to get an early start. That stuff may not be as valuable but is way easier to transport and sell.
Good luck out there tomorrow.
Cheers,
Brad
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I, too, thought the heft and awkwardness of a kayak would deter people... But I've heard several stories of kayaks being stolen off car roofs.
For some perspective, I used to have a big (20+ gallon) terra cotta pot in my front yard with mint growing in it. The thing had to weigh over 100 lbs. Nonetheless, it got stolen... (I would have been happy to plant some mint for them if they'd asked. I have plenty of pots+soil, and mint is REALLY easy to grow).
I have zero doubt that my kayak would be gone in the morning if I didn't lock it securely.
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I wouldn't even consider loading my gear inside the car overnight. It'd be gone in the morning for sure.
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:smt006
Do you have motion sensing lights covering your vehicle? Yard? My buddy has a bear alarm, that used a long cable, when the cable is pulled from the box, the alarm goes nuts! Maybe something like that can be used?
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I used to lock down a kayak through the scupper holes with a coated cable about 7/8in thick with a key lock. I dont think anyone ever tried to steal it but seemed to deter people
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Hmm...that bear alarm idea sounds interesting. I'll have to look into that.
(Combined with some kind of heavy chain/cable and lock, of course.)
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Agricultural electric fencing. Run it along your kayak and exposed metal on the car, use a deep cycle marine battery. Ground the car. Thieves will be in for a real shock!**
**Probably not legal, don't actually do this. I looked for a sarcasm font but didn't find one. Allen, get on that as soon as you get aoty pages back up and running. tia
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I lock the TI on my car with this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001SMUB7G/ref=sxts_bia_sr_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=3182441022&pd_rd_wg=86vQQ&pf_rd_r=SXXS8T33HT81Y9CEBRKE&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B001JPS200&pd_rd_w=xz9Oe&pf_rd_i=kryptonite&pd_rd_r=4YMX3PZPCAMWW5XGEFN1&ie=UTF8&qid=1506179149&sr=1&th=1&psc=1
My understanding is that it takes some time and lots of noise and flying sparks to cut through one of these. Thankfully I'm in a relatively safe neighborhood as it is, but I never leave it on the car without this lock and chain.
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Hey Alex-
I think I also live in your neighborhood (vague recollections from your posts when you bought, over by Quality Donuts on 73rd?).
I wouldn't even consider what you're considering. In the time we've lived here (13 years?), we've had a car stereo, a whole car, license plates stolen. Someone even tried to pinch the car battery from my goddamned Suzuki Swift (aka Geo Metro), but stopped after clipping the battery cables :smt012. Thanks, guys.
Anything you come up with will only keep the honest people honest, but we've got enough folks around here that don't fit that description. I think the only thing that'd actually work would be to use a steel chain hooked up to a taser on a continuity-break alarm.
Only way of keeping shit secure around here is to make it invisible as best you can, unfortunately. The best I can do is stage everything the night before in my front room. Damn I wish I had a garage!