# cut-proof cable for securing dinghy and motor?



## rmeador (Jan 16, 2010)

Does anyone know of a good source for some kind of cable and lock for securing my (new!) dinghy and motor? I'd like to secure them to each other, and perhaps also to a dock or my boat. I'd like the cable and lock to be reasonably resistant to cutting and grinding, and of course corrosion resistant.


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## jimgo (Sep 12, 2011)

Stainless steel bike lock cable?

Something like this:
Marinelock Stainless Steel Security Cable (Hoop Ball)

Or this:

Kryptonite KryptoLok Series-2 Mini-7 U-Lock at REI.com


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

I firmly believe that locks and simple chains are there to keep honest people honest; a real thief will have the type of bolt-cutters that will cut through anything but an anchor chain.


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## rmeador (Jan 16, 2010)

Like the first link, Jim. That might be just what I'm looking for. I'm slightly concerned that regular stainless would succumb to bolt cutters pretty easily though. Also, what does the community think of keyed lock vs combination lock for locking it up?


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## rockDAWG (Sep 6, 2006)

rmeador said:


> Does anyone know of a good source for some kind of cable and lock for securing my (new!) dinghy and motor? I'd like to secure them to each other, and perhaps also to a dock or my boat. I'd like the cable and lock to be reasonably resistant to cutting and grinding, and of course corrosion resistant.


Keep them in your garage is safer or leave a note in your dinghy and tell the would be thief to take the one next to yours.


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## Lake Superior Sailor (Aug 23, 2011)

Every sailboat carrys a set of bolt/cable cutters!...Dale


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## rmeador (Jan 16, 2010)

rockDAWG said:


> Keep them in your garage is safer or leave a note in your dinghy and tell the would be thief to take the one next to yours.


I live aboard, so a garage is out of the question  I'm not thinking the note will resist cutting or grinding... Good try, though.


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## Irunbird (Aug 10, 2008)

We chartered in the BVI's a couple of years ago from Tortola, went all over the place and it seems like just about all of the charter companies used that hefty coated stainless cable in that first link above (with a keyed lock that looped through the outboard and you used that to tie up to the dock). Zanshin is right, though- it's only a matter of time... I guess if you know your neighbors, you'd be ok with that setup.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

I am a firm believer in deterrence by deception. If it looks harder to steal than your neighbors by using whatever and he uses nothing, which one will go first....that's a no brainer

A thief with time bent on taking something will, That doesn't mean you have to make ity look easy and inviting with a sign


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

locks don't last long and I've never tried a combination lock, just the normal kind. Buy them in sets of 3 or more, douse them liberally with WD-40 before use and occasionally thereafter and they last 3-4 weeks, sometimes longer, for me. They will sometimes get salt water in them and that is the beginning of the end, particularly with 3 different metals (casing, key and lock mechanism) touching they will quickly corrode and get so that the key won't move the lock anymore, then it is time for the next lock in the series. I do lock the dinghy and use the thick covered wire akin to lifeline wire, but it is more of a deterrent in the hopes that they'll pass on my dinghy. I now no longer try to chain my dinghy to the boat (that's just too loud aboard when it is windy) and now take the 9.8HP outboard off the dinghy transom and lay it down into the dinghy - in the hopes that potential thieves will see the "missing" engine silhouette at night and opt for greener pastures elsewhere. I've seen people use anchor chain on their dinghies before and it seems to be a huge amount of hassle - particularly when the dock has only a single place to tie onto and that is a vertical pole (i.e. just lift any loop/lock off the pole).


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## yossarian (Apr 29, 2012)

As a former NYC bike messenger, I have some experience with theft-proof locking devices. If you want bolt-cutter-proof chain, you need hardened steel hex chain - something like this:

ProductInformation

It's still vulnerable to an angle grinder, or a very patient thief with a file, but it's as theft-proof as you can get. I have one with scars to prove it.


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## Stumble (Feb 2, 2012)

Nothing you can do about a determined thief. I actually helped prosecute a group that would show up and steal power boats on trailers... With ascetaline torches to cut younger locks away. The best you can hope for is to make it inconvenient enough the casual thief won't bother.


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## MattSplatt (Dec 10, 2010)

Now there are 18v rechargeable angle grinders, the most you can hope for is to look a little harder to steal than the one next to yours.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

rm, cable and chain are as good as it gets. You can buy a "motorcycle" cable in the big hardware stores, with the end keyed up so one end plugs into the other and a key locks it. Use WD40 regularly or something similar in the lock and it lasts very much longer. Or buy some chain, or have loops swaged on a heavy cable, all comes out about the same in terms of protection.

The thing about a substantial cable or chain, is that is slows a thief down and requires them to carry tools, and carrying "burglarly tools" in itself is grounds for arrest in many places. Not to mention, passerby tend to see or hear that stuff.

If you can make the engine or dink look more like a beater, that's even better. Desecrate the engine cover with rust primer, make it look old and abused and patched. Do something to the dink, like gluing on contrasting color panels, that make it easier to spot and harder to resell.

I think the best advice I've heard is to install a waterproof inspection plate near the waterline, and take it with you when you leave. Someone gets in the boat, their feet get wet, they try to move it and more water comes in...All you can do is try to make your target less attractive than the next one.


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## Bene505 (Jul 31, 2008)

I like alarms, using instrument wiring (e.g. 6/20). Cut the wire and the alarm goes off.

Use in conjunction with a simple locking solution.

Using fiber optic cable would be even better.

Regards,
Brad


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## tommays (Sep 9, 2008)

With the advances in battery tools and the now common .045 cutting disks there is NO CHAIN OR CABLE that will even slow somebody down for more than 5 seconds

And yes that 3/4 X 4" SS bar cut up with a cheep grinder and a 3 dollar disk 

Which is why bicycles have a 1 minute shelf life in big city's


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## Minnesail (Feb 19, 2013)

As an avid bicyclist, I can tell you that even the best cable is pretty useless. Only hardened chain, like Yossarian suggested, or a u-lock do any good. And we all use key locks, not combination.

My Kryptonite u-lock gets splashed with salt water fairly regularly and it's lasted for years.


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## blutoyz (Oct 28, 2012)

You could find a local criminal, beat him to within an inch of his life for "looking" at your boat. Word should get around to leave yours alone...:laugher

Other than moving to a better neighborhood the hardened chains in the link will deter an honest person.


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

What use is the best chain when either, or both, of the attachment points on the boat as well as on the dinghy are mild stainless that can (a) be removed with a screwdriver or pliers and/or (b) be cut with smallest bolt cutters available?

The chain is there as a deterrent to, and not a preventer of, theft. So I wouldn't go overboard looking for a special length of the bicycle type chain (that bicycle length isn't sufficient for attaching a dinghy to a dock or boat)


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

A bit of coated lifeline going from the engine through the handle of the tank to a simple keyed lock. Keep it lubricated. Put the key on a float. Hide the spare somewhere on the dink.

At night LIFT IT OR LOSE IT.


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## sww914 (Oct 25, 2008)

We have a 15' bike lock style cable from Home Depot and a Sesame lock. Through the outboard handle looped through it's self, through the gas tank, and up to the mast. Put the lock up in the middle of the deck where you can hear them board you because the cable is really hard to cut but the lock isn't.
Sesame locks are stupid expensive but they're the only ones that survive.


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## trantor12020 (Mar 11, 2006)

Just last month couple of us sail our boats up river for two night stay. We dinghy ashore, tie dinghies to the jetty and when off for meals. On return, found one of the dinghy obm got stolen. Now we're ordering 10ft steel cable from Defender (clearance) for each dinghy to secure the obm to dinghy to jetty.


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## mad_machine (Dec 16, 2012)

Zanshin said:


> I firmly believe that locks and simple chains are there to keep honest people honest; a real thief will have the type of bolt-cutters that will cut through anything but an anchor chain.


I used to have a fairly nice mountain bike that I was NOT allowed to keep in my apartment. It was against the rules to bring bicycles inside. As I work in theatre, I was able to procure a length (6 feet) of half inch thich aircraft cable with the loops swaged on. This was extremly tough cable that was used for hanging several tons of material above a stage. I used this along with a "harley davidson" padlock that I got from my uncle that was used to lock the forks of his last bike. It was a weighty piece of work and used a round key instead of a regular flat one.

One night.. all the bikes in our apartment complex got stolen, and that included mine. They even took the cable and padlocks


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## northoceanbeach (Mar 23, 2008)

I'm for combination locks. Keys get left at home, lost, dropped in the water. The combination needs nothing but your memory.

Lubed every couple of weeks, brass locks have lasted me years.


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## Ritchard (Aug 15, 2011)

yossarian said:


> As a former NYC bike messenger, I have some experience with theft-proof locking devices. If you want bolt-cutter-proof chain, you need hardened steel hex chain - something like this:
> 
> ProductInformation
> 
> It's still vulnerable to an angle grinder, or a very patient thief with a file, but it's as theft-proof as you can get. I have one with scars to prove it.


Is the price on that site correct? $3700!!!!!


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

Wow - the chain and lock is worth more than my dinghy and outboard together! I wouldn't want that even close to salt water.


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## Minnesail (Feb 19, 2013)

Ritchard said:


> Is the price on that site correct? $3700!!!!!


The $3700 is what they'll refund you if someone cuts it and steals your bike. The lock itself is under $200. And Kryptonite products are worth it. I've had my Krypto u-lock for years and it takes a lot of abuse and keeps going. This morning I did have to whack it against a pole to knock out the salt/snow slush that was stuck in the keyhole, but then it worked fine. (Yes, we have nearly a foot of new snow in Minneapolis.)


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## Ritchard (Aug 15, 2011)

Minnesail said:


> The $3700 is what they'll refund you if someone cuts it and steals your bike. The lock itself is under $200. And Kryptonite products are worth it. I've had my Krypto u-lock for years and it takes a lot of abuse and keeps going. This morning I did have to whack it against a pole to knock out the salt/snow slush that was stuck in the keyhole, but then it worked fine. (Yes, we have nearly a foot of new snow in Minneapolis.)


Oh my, I was really confused. At $3700 to lock up my bike, I'd walk.


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