Door Lock Help

[DegoRed]

When being away from our boat, we had a situation arrise where someone else needed to check on it. Since our boat was all locked up with NO hide a key present, it created an awkward situation. Neighbor ended up breaking in to check on issue, which now requires some repairs on our part, but this situation got me thinking.

I searched online, but didn't find anything that really looked like it would work well. IS THERE some sort code lock that we can install in lieu of a key that would allow us to give someone a code to gain entrance?

I know yall love pic's, here is my current door lock/handle assembly.

 

[Comodave]

Get a key lockbox. Then you can give the code to open the lockbox to anyone that needs it. The lockbox can be put in any compartment that is accessible when the boat is locked up. They are cheap, probably about $20 or so. No need to change the lock on the door, just make an extra key.

 

[DegoRed]

Dave, putting a lock box is probably the cheapest and easiest solution, which was my original plan. Just thought I would ask the guru's here for additional suggestions. Not a big fan of lock boxes. Besides, if you ever want to go down a rabit hole, watch LockPickingLawyer, dude opens lock boxes in under 30 seconds, time after time after time.

I know we are just trying to keep honest people honest anyways here, boats are pretty easy to break into.

 

[skyhawk]

yes, watching those lock picking vids give pause for sure....
but remember
that same lock picker could get through that door pretty quick too
and would likely be able to get through a lot of keypad locks even quicker

My thought
put the spare key lock box in a hidden and protected place, and someplace where it's not so easy to whack it with a hammer....

 

[Comodave]

The average person will not know how to open a lockbox without the code. And if you stick the lockbox in a locker under something nobody will know it is there. On a house they usually hang from a door knob or hose bib so they are out in sight. If you keep it out of sight it will be more secure than the door itself. And it is cheap and easy to do.

 

[ABfish]

I just keep a key hidden in the cockpit of my boat. My dock neighbor and a couple of other folks know the location. It wouldn't take much effort to get in the saloon, with or without a key.

Your deadbolt may be compatible with one of the smart locks that's now available. It certainly looks more like a standard lockset than anything on my boat.

 

[C lectric]

I hung a set of keys up high in the lazarette. It is high and awkward enough to be a pain to get at. I just used a Tyrap to hold the two keys and provide a hanger from a hook. THey are NOT visible even when in the lazarette unless there are some contortions involved.

If someone wanted into my boat, a thief, I seriously doubt they would bother with finding the keys. T

 

[Keysdisease]

There is a selection of mechanical digital door lock sets available. We have one on our back door that works well and has for years.

This is just one when I searched for "screen door digital lock." These units fit the thinner doors found on boats



https://www.harneyhardware.com/prod...Y2lNg-glPswuqYLPMTsq6H5H3qyHmh-RoCkD8QAvD_BwE

 

[rwidman]

I have a key hidden on the boat. Unfortunately, I don't think it's a wise idea to publish where it is hidden on the Internet.

Hint: It is stored in something that is easily taken apart. I finally had to use it myself last year when we were 500 miles from home and I forgot to take my regular key with me and locked the boat.

I would think that most any boat has several good places to hide a key where a casual thief would not think to look. Use your imagination.

 

[rgano]

I usually left my GB42 unlocked to avoid the damage thieves will inflict upon the doors and/or windows. It can cost as much to rebuild doors and windows as anything that might be stolen. In 29 years, never had an issue.

 

[jleonard]

I usually left my GB42 unlocked to avoid the damage thieves will inflict upon the doors and/or windows. It can cost as much to rebuild doors and windows as anything that might be stolen. In 29 years, never had an issue.

I never locked my Albin. Never had an issue.
Also left the key in the ignition.

 

[kthoennes]

We never lock our boat either and the engine starters are switches, not keys. I'll bet 90% of the boats are wide open at our 400 slip marina. But then it's South Dakota where we generally live in a low-crime time warp, and we're above a dam on the Misdouri so if you wanted to steal the whole boat, you could only run 26 miles.

 

[FF]

Leaving a door unlocked bur rigged to a loud alarm should be enough in most marinas.


Leave the door on the water side unlocked , so the person investigating has a longer distance to be seen.

 

[Shrew]

What are you really protecting by locking the door? Booze? mac and cheese in the cabinet??

 

[wkearney99]

What are you really protecting by locking the door? Booze? mac and cheese in the cabinet??

Helps discourage someone deciding to hold a party on the boat. Unlocked, waltz in, drink whatever's there and do 'whatever' inside. You'd hope the marina or other slipholders might notice/discourage such things but that's not always likely.

A key stashed somewhere 'not obvious' is a simpler option, and one I use. If using a lockbox you'd likewise want to put is somewhere out of view/the elements.

 

[ABfish]

What are you really protecting by locking the door? Booze? mac and cheese in the cabinet??

That's how I console myself with my obsolete electronics: nobody will steal them!

 

[kthoennes]

Helps discourage someone deciding to hold a party on the boat. Unlocked, waltz in, drink whatever's there and do 'whatever' inside. You'd hope the marina or other slipholders might notice/discourage such things but that's not always likely....

Would that really happen? Maybe I've been sheltered but if we ever came down to the marina and found strangers throwing a party on our boat -- or anything else -- seems highly unlikely. Teenagers sitting on the swim step yeah, found that once, but not inside. Well, as far as we know, by the time we got there... Oh great, now I have to worry about "unauthorized" indoor recreational activities.

 

[wkearney99]

Would that really happen? Maybe I've been sheltered but if we ever came down to the marina and found strangers throwing a party on our boat -- or anything else -- seems highly unlikely. Teenagers sitting on the swim step yeah, found that once, but not inside. Well, as far as we know, by the time we got there... Oh great, now I have to worry about "unauthorized" indoor recreational activities.

Yeah, it does. Had it happen on previous boat.

Current boat found a box of empty beer bottles on the foredeck, but at least nothing inside, since it was locked. Guess the view from the t-head of the dock was too nice to ignore it being someone else's boat.

 

[Greg S]

Charter boat: the door locked fine from the outside with a padlock. One family chartering, was upset that they couldn’t lock it from the inside when they or their kids were aboard. They were concerned about someone breaking in at a marina or when anchored. Desolation Sound/ Gulf Islands. It hadn’t even crossed my mind.

 

[Greggnvt]

I ended up putting a keypad door lock on our main plexiglass door - purchased from HD or Lowes. The door was a bit thinner than a standard house door but I was able to get it to work. The boat was in saltwater for about 3+ years before moving to freshwater earlier this year - plenty of exposure to spray and just overall corrosive conditions. We lived aboard for 2 years so we had laptops/iPads etc. on board as well as two cats - it was convenient to program a code in just for the cat-sitter and then delete it. One button pushing for locking, push any button to light up the keypad. I did keep a key hidden just in case there was some type of electronic failure.

While I'm sure it wasn't the most secure system, it always worked (still does!) and my thinking was "it will keep an honest man honest", no "mistaken/wrong boat" for someone to board and snoop around.

 

[DegoRed]

What are you really protecting by locking the door? Booze? mac and cheese in the cabinet??

No idea what my 3 Garmin 14" touch screen navigation panels cost, but guessing they are not cheap. Previous owner of my boat spent $107K upgrading all the boat electronics, just hate to have to replace that stuff.

The 65" TV in Salon & 42" TV in Master would be pretty easy to steal as well.

Every time we are looking for a new marina to park at for a while, I start reading the reviews, and some marina's seem to get hit pretty hard by the thieves. When you live in Texas and your boat is parked on the East Coast and you can't check on it as often as you would like to, its security is something I worry about.

 

[Sofa King Fishy]

Wrap a spare key in a diaper & stow in a lazarette. Nobody (with the possible exception of some very twisted individual) is gonna open a used diaper! I use the same technique to keep my keys & cash safe at the beach!

 

[rwaldrop13]

When being away from our boat, we had a situation arrise where someone else needed to check on it. Since our boat was all locked up with NO hide a key present, it created an awkward situation. Neighbor ended up breaking in to check on issue, which now requires some repairs on our part, but this situation got me thinking.

I searched online, but didn't find anything that really looked like it would work well. IS THERE some sort code lock that we can install in lieu of a key that would allow us to give someone a code to gain entrance?

I know yall love pic's, here is my current door lock/handle assembly.

I'd second the lockbox. Inexpensive and very popular even in our gated marina. Where did you get those door locks? Please pm me source if you still have info.

 

[wkearney99]

One downside to some boat locks is they need multiple turns to engage the locking mechanism. A lot of home locks only depend on a partial turn. Automated locks might not be able to do the multiple turns necessary to lock/unlock.

 

[gatesharris]

We have a Ring camera and it works just great! Don't lock the door.

 

[jbloyd]

Need to prove forced entry?

To those who don't lock their doors, I wonder if your insurance policy would require proof of forced entry to show that you had at least tried to secure any valuables that may be stolen. Had that situation arise at a home burglary. Fortunately, the police report mentioned that there were obvious signs of forced entry and the insurance covered the claim.

 

[SeaStarDream]

We have a Ring camera and it works just great! Don't lock the door.

We're thinking of pulling our Ring system from the house - including cameras... any issues I should know about?

 

[gatesharris]

Ring works very well for me

Haven't had any problems. Do have to charge battery once a month or so, but I think they had a powered unit.

My phone sounds almost immediately whenever someone enters and the video is very high quality.

 

[AlanT]

We're thinking of pulling our Ring system from the house - including cameras... any issues I should know about?

We have the ring system on our boat. Wired inside and wireless outside. The wireless camera will take two batteries although they only come with one, and each will last more than a month in our experience, so we know we can go 2 months if needed without recharging. Typically if we are on board I'll remove the batteries one at a time and charge them up as part of routine maintenance. You do of course need a reliable WiFi network for them to be useful.
~A

 

[SeaStarDream]

We have the ring system on our boat. Wired inside and wireless outside. The wireless camera will take two batteries although they only come with one, and each will last more than a month in our experience, so we know we can go 2 months if needed without recharging. Typically if we are on board I'll remove the batteries one at a time and charge them up as part of routine maintenance. You do of course need a reliable WiFi network for them to be useful.
~A

Reliable WiFi... THAT is something that I'm going to have to figure out.
I do a fair amount of work from .. wherever I happen to be.