While living aboard a sailboat is generally quite safe, there are some yacht security precautions you should keep in mind. Assaults, thefts and pirate attacks on sailing yachts do happen, and developing protective safety habits and emergency action plans can contribute to keeping you, your crew and your sailboat safe if the worst were to happen. Here are 10 boat security precautions that we think are worth observing.
1. Check your anchorage for crime
When choosing an anchorage you can check online for any past incidents of theft, piracy or assault. Doing this can give you an insight into the likelihood of something happening and help you to decide whether you want to stay the night. Here are some places you can go to check recent incidents.
If you're in an anchorage with a poor reputation consider how many other yachts are anchored there and your proximity to them as there can be some safety in numbers.
2. Lock your boat
During the night and any time you leave the boat, don't forget to lock your doors and hatches. It's easy to get complacent when living on a boat but this simple precaution can make a huge difference, especially if an intruder were to sneak onto the yacht at night.
If your hatches don't have locks there are some retrofit kits out there from brands like Lewmar.
3. Secure your deck against theft
Leaving things around the deck can be tempting for the would-be thief who thinks they can quickly and easily get away with something. To protect yourself, think about how you can secure items on your deck. Here's a few ideas.
Secure valuable items inside
Put padlocks on lockers
Swap compression latches for lockable versions
Chain up larger items like dive cylinders
4. Install a boat security system
A boat security system can incorporate many different components including motion detectors, hatch alarms, a remote yacht tracking system, marine security cameras and security lights. It's something you can really customise to suit your boat, budget and needs, allowing you to gain a bit of piece of mind about the overall security of your vessel.
To get some ideas about what's available, check out our comprehensive list of suggestions for integrating a marine security system into your yacht.
5. Protect your dinghy from theft
Looking at the Caribbean Security and Safety Network website, the most commonly targeted items for theft are tenders and outboard motors. This is a sentiment echoed anecdotally by cruisers around the world. It's wise to keep this pattern of theft in mind and take measures to protect your tender.
Keep it locked and chained if it's in the water, especially overnight or at a dinghy dock
Secure the outboard to the dinghy so it's difficult to remove
When leaving it at docks make sure nothing valuable is left inside
Avoid making the name of the main boat obvious on the tender as it can indicate no one is on the main vessel
Consider what you can do to make new components look old or less expensive
Install a remote tracking system
6. Don't announce your movements
As much fun as it is to share online it's worth keeping in mind that publicly announcing your daily movements in real time could be a security concern. Live streaming that you're off the boat may not be the best move in terms of vessel security.
7. Have an yacht intruder response plan
A quick discussion about what to do if an intruder were to come on the boat doesn't cost anything, but could be helpful in the event someone actually comes on the boat. Talking about where self defense items should be kept, which lights to keep off and where people (especially kids) should go is just a simple risk management strategy that's worth doing.
8. Keep yacht intruders in the dark
If someone comes onto the boat at night it's usually better to keep the interior lights off. If you turn them on the intruder will know where you are, and the light can ruin your night vision and prevent you from seeing them. Conversely, turning an exterior light on and making a loud noise may be enough to scare them off, similar to this interaction that Ben from Sailing NAHOA had.
9. Observe normal travel precautions ashore
When going ashore there's some general precautions you can take to keep yourself safe.
Research the destination
Dress to blend in and don't wear flash jewellery
Be aware of your money and the potential for pickpockets
Keep common scams in mind
Know the local emergency numbers
Use reputable transport companies and rideshares
Remain aware of your surrounding
10. Consider online AIS tracking
It's very common for people to have their AIS displayed on AIS tracking sites like Marine Traffic so that their loved ones know where they are. As great as that is, my personal preference is to not have this visible. I wouldn't have a tracker on my car or home that's publicly displayed on the internet, and I feel the same about our boat, which doubles as my home. Instead I keep my family and friends regularly updated on our position using Iridium GO and Starlink messages.
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