Boat Security

Boat Security

During 2016 Tra Bhui will be in Greece for a number of months. As she will be left there for a month or so on her own each time I return to work security is a big consideration.

The standard Gig like all open Drascombes has no provision at all for securely stowing gear and equipment. Tra Bhui being now partly decked does have more potential when it comes to creating secure storage.

The deck hatches to the front of the cockpit were designed to be secured using short lengths of chain passed through the circular holes which were cut in the corner of each hatch on the opposite side from the hinges. The chain is lead through one hole, under the thwart and back up the hole in the adjacent hatch. By locking the chain ends together the hatch is reasonably secure.

In the past we have secured the hatches in this way when leaving Tra Bhui unattended for short periods of time. As we would be leaving Tra Bhui unattended for longer periods in Greece with our gear on board I wanted something which was not only more robust, but which would also act a visual deterrent as well.

Front Hatches

The solution was to fit Grade 316 stainless steel locking bars across all the hatches. The 2 metre long x 50 mm x 6 mm bar is secured in place by weatherproof padlocks locked through 3 No M8 eye bolts (again Grade 316 stainless steel) which are bolted through the thwarts.

Stainless steel lock bars in place

I cut elongated holes in each bar to allow the eye of the eye bolt to pass through them. This allows the padlock to be locked through the eye once the stainless steel bar is in place. Nylock nuts and oversized washers secure the eye bolts below the thwarts.

Slots in the flat bar allow the eye bolt to pass through

The locks on each bar all have the same key and I wound coloured insulating tape around the locks to show which ones go together. This means that I have additional keys on my key ring and not 10.

Coloured tape identifies each set of locks

Rear Hatches

The solution here was similar to that for the front deck only using shorter bars and shorter eye bolts as the bolts are secured through the glass fibre deck and not the thicker thwarts. Again oversized washers and Nylock nuts secure the eye bolts under the deck.

Stowage

When we are sailing we stow the longer lock bars on the front deck under the oars and whisker poles and the short bars in the cockpit against the bottom of the centerboard casing.

Downside

The downside of this system is the additional fittings that stick up on the deck - more things to stub toes on or make sitting uncomfortable

Engine

Our engine is secured in place by a stainless steel bar lock. This is permanently in place on the outboard