Securing your yak?

[summersoff]

After reading the 'chasing albie report a couple of threads down, it got me thinking. I have been to the cape cod canal several times to 'surf' fish the banks, never thought to bring my yak, but after that report it got me thinking. Maybe I am being paranoid, but seeing that I will be doing a mix of surf and yak, what is the best way to secure your yak while your surf fishing or basically going around town? Don't kid yourself that the cape and Montauk are safe from getting stuff stolen, plenty of guys have lost rigs on top of cars. In Montauk, I often sleep in the car, so storing in the hotel is not an option. Any advice appreciated

[Jacksoncuda12]

Assuming you have a sit on top, purchase the best cable you can get to run through a drain hole and a really good lock. Nothing is 100%.

[Romo]

This is my worst fear! Have you ever seen how quickly a $20 pair of harbor freight bolt cutters goes through a cable lock? Like Jackson said above, nothing is really going to stop someone from stealing your boat if they want it bad enough. I have a TracRac on my truck and have my hobie on top of that. I run the thickest cable lock I could find through the mirage drive hole and around one of the cross supports on the TracRac. If I take my kayak with me, I'm kayak fishing and that's it. On the rare occasion that the weather goes bad or there are fish in a spot I can't get my yak into I never let my truck/yak out of my sight. In theory, someone with the right size allen wrench and some know-how could just undo the TracRac with the yak on it in about 5 minutes and drive right away. They'd need a box truck or something to haul it away in but you never know what lengths thieves will go to!

[Mark]

I've thought about this and during some of my road trips I have used a cable through the Mirage Drive hole and locked it to the roof rack.

However, I'm also of the mindset that if someone wants it bad enough, they'll get it no matter what precautions I take. I'd almost rather not make a theft too difficult because if I do the thieves will only damage the kayak and my van in the process. I think I'd rather have my kayak stolen than have a damaged boat dangling from my roof rack from a failed robbery attempt with the corresponding scratches and dents to my van.

[J.A. Veil]

My guide in Tampa, Neil Taylor, wrote a review of a product called Steelcore http://capmel.com/steelcore-locking-straps/. He claims that the straps were tough enough to discourage thieves who tried to steal some of his kayaks while he was on the water.

Neil leaves a trailer with at least 6 kayaks sitting out in his driveway all the time. Those straps provide good security for him.

[bunnielab]

It might be tight through the scupper holes, but this stuff:

https://www.cmworks.com/Rigging/Ente...icalAlloyChain

Is almost uncut-able with most bolt cutters. Combine it with a cut-resistant truck lock and it would take some doing to get through it.

I talked to my insurance company and they said my yak is covered from theft on top of my car, but a police report and a pic of a cut lock would go a long way to get the claim paid.

[sega]

Run a chain through your scupper hole, and also through the collar of a rottweiler. Works for me every time I don't even unchain him I just leave him strapped to the kayak driving down 95.

No it's impossible to make it thief proof. My mindset is that I'm going to make it as difficult as possible to at least attempt to deter em. I figure if they see my kayak chained and locked into my bed, they're less likely to go through the hassle whereas a passer by observing a kayak in a truck bed unlocked and everything may actually get the idea "hey this would be really easy to walk off with right now".




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