Boat alarms.-gctid348941

[Guest]

We have experienced a rash of boat breakins in our marina recently. The suspects have been gaining access to vessels and taking a variety of things- nothing specific has been targeted. They have even stolen outboards and cut dinghys. Our vessel is moored in the general area that has been targeted even though it is some what near to the caretakers home. It just happens to also be nearest to public waterways and most easily accessible. My question: What recommendations can be made for boat alarms? At this point, I am intersted in protecting the primary entry points (e.g., the salon door and dockside windows). I have also read about alarms that will protect against unwanted entry into boat areas protected by canvas. What may i anticipate the cost to be?

Thanks,

Christopher

[Guest]

I just installed a alarm on my 38, if you go on home depot web site and type in alarm systems the one i installed is modle# air-alarm1 is works well for me.

[Guest]

The real difficulty with intrusion alarms is getting someone to answer them. We are so used to false alarms that very little attention is paid. The bad guys know this so they scout well, do their business quickly and vamoose safely before any response.

It used to be that monitored alarms created a deterrent. I am not so sure of that anymore. For sure, non monitored alarms are very little deterrent.

Your best bet is a video recorder. The technology is getting cheaper more reliable and with improved resolution and infra red - much more sophisticated. If the boat has access to phone lines or internet (or even a cell phone for some systems) the system can be set to trigger a local bell/lights plus notify you or somebody else on your own cell with a page. Pictures of the event that triggered the alarm can be automatically downloaded as well.

The nice thing is that the main recorder has good information so you can now identify the BG and it forces the local authorities to stop ignoring the situation.

Hardware for a four camera setup should be about $500. The basic setup most boat owners can do but for the communication part you will have to buy some expertise.

[ksanders]

We're going to take a two level approach to alarming our boat.

One method will be using a device that senses contact closures and creates text and or e-mail notifications, along with a loud horn and light. This device will have for inputs things like a float switch, AC power sensor, and motion sensors.

The second system will be camera based, with web cameras that post to either a web site, or back to our server at home.

There are lots of these type of devices out there, using a variety of technologies to communicate.

One we're looking at is by sensaphone

http://www.sensaphone.com/sensaphone_web600.php

The cameras are easy, everybody seems to make these now days.

Communication is pretty easy as well. for example you could use something like a globesurfer http://www.wirelessnwifi.com/GlobeSurfer-III to provide connectivity in real time through the cellular system. You could even set it up so that you have a WiFi hot spot on your boat so that you can surf the web, get weather forecasts, etc...

For our communications we have a KVH V3 VSAT communications system. I have this set up with an AP, and a POE layer 2 switch so plugging in devices is a snap. This spring I'll be installing a Cisco 800 series router on the front end of this and with a static IP address. Using port forwarding I'll be able to access everything all the time from home. On another thought I'll probably set up the router with a EZVPN client so that we can access our home network from the boat, and access our boat network from home.

[Guest]

The new products now are great and will allow it to text your phone. It can me monitored to call the police too but the one I have worked with has and app for your smart phone. You can monitor it and arm/disarm it from your phone.

[Johnny_Vintage]

Say Hello to My Little Friend

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[Guest]

I was checking these out last summer, but havent gotten too it yet

http://www.silvertipmarine.com/SilverTip_Marine.html

[Johnny_Vintage]

That Silvertip alarms looks pretty cool but my old 38 has an agreed insurance value of twice what it's worth in today's market. If it got stolen and trashed, I'd take the cash and run!!!

[Guest]

We have DVR hidden in non accessible compartment with a camera (day/night) mounted at the helm facing aft and one in the cabin facing the bow and can watch all the windows.

It has an Ethernet port to connect a computer and also operates on 12V so if power is cut, it remains operating. 500GB drive gets almost 30 days of steady recording. Takes less than 2A.

I had a problem with the fishing boat magically coming loose one week which was in the slip directly behind the 2859.

[Guest]

Thanks for the replys. I went in to Lowes today and they have a basic selection that seems that would work ok. Primarily audible deterants should the boat be accessed. They had some hard wired systems and some wireless. The single point of entry wireless system were surprisenly inexpensive. I think I may elect to purchase one of these and start there. Being cheap I am afraid that there will be false alarms that will occur. The siren is rated to 120 decibles and could become quite bothersome to my neighbors if it were inadvertently tripping.

christopher

[Guest]

I have installed an alarm on my '87 3450 with great success. I have received no false alarms in the 2-3 years it has been installed. There is no monitoring service or fees. One of the great features is that it has a built-in cellphone that will call my phone (or whatever number I have programmed into it) upon any event as long as the boat is in a cellphone range. In addition to unauthorized entries, it can also monitors high water level in the bilge as well as a freeze in the bilge. Other sensing options are availalbe depending on what needs to be monitored. The company has a website www.BoatAlarms.us

~Chuck