First Impressions Marine Consultancy
Help & Advice for boaters in South & West Wales
Look after your property, it cost you money!
Security systems and how they work.
Security from crime is a growth industry! Take my word, a boat owner near you will become a victim of crime at some stage in your life. It’s a statistical certainty. It may be of only passing irritation rather than extreme distress but why take the chance when sensible precautions can, for quite reasonable cost, reduce the chances of YOU becoming the victim.
Lock it or Lose it!
Just taking that extra moment to lock your property can be all it takes to deter the passing thief. Most crime is opportunistic, not planned. An item on show and an open door are all it takes. Do you lock the boat when you go for a pint? Is your tender locked to the pub pontoon? (Or your davits for that matter!) A marina may be safer than a mooring, but I have known outdrive legs removed from boats in ‘secure’ compounds!
One step beyond the lock!
Intruders do not like noise. We may hate the alarm that is always going off, but that’s down to poor equipment, fitting or user error! A well fitted, stable alarm system, is still the best way to deter the criminal. Nothing too complicated. Easy to use is important. Overly complex alarms are frequently not set. Who will respond? Well, I got a call on my mobile the other day. ‘Do you know there’s somebody on your boat?’ Yes I did. He was fitting new batteries for me. Big batteries! (First rule of heavy lifting - get somebody else to do it!) Get to know your boating neighbours. Mine is a nice chap and a Corgi Marine gas engineer as well! But most important, he’s got my mobile number and we look out for each other. Let the marina staff know you have an alarm and also of suspicious persons wandering about the pontoons.
Security systems do not need to be complicated. Take any modern technical device and, for many of us ‘normal’ leisure sailors, much of the capability of the device is never used.
What do you need?
Intruder detection. Simple, fault free, reliable.
Tamper detection. Tender, mooring lines, outboard.
Flooding. Basic water level warning and frequency of bilge pump activation.
Remote notification. Calling your mobile and telling you what’s going on.
Cost effective. £250 to £300 is not a lot to pay for peace of mind and the safety of your investment.
What is my choice?
Having spoken to Andy Roberts at Harbourcall I am trying his system. He is flexible and can include the options required for your application at a sensible price. Call me for advice or check my brief review. Product Review
