| Captain Jack Sparrow may have been delightfully | | | | swimming for shore. |
| entertaining, but his modern day colleagues are | | | | Pepper spray, mace and even firearms (if your the |
| anything but. While no one likes having to think about | | | | James Bond type) are also potential deterrents. Be |
| the darker side of human nature while enjoying their | | | | sure to check the local laws and regulations for all |
| favorite past time, it would be fool hardy not to | | | | these items in any location you plan on traveling. |
| secure your boat and ensure the safety of your | | | | Having two different padlocks on your |
| fellow crew members. Whether your cruising the | | | | companionway entrance means twice as many locks |
| south seas, anchored in the north channel, or simply | | | | to break or pick, and twice as much time for a thief |
| tied up at your home dock, there are some simple | | | | to accomplish their nefarious mission. |
| steps you can take to protect your boating bliss. | | | | Be sure to advertise, either verbally to boating |
| Keep a spotlight or flash camera down below. If you | | | | neighbors, or with a written sign/sticker on the boat |
| awaken to the sounds of footsteps on your deck, | | | | about all the alarms you have installed. Even if you |
| opening a small porthole or hatch should give you | | | | don't have alarms installed, it's not a bad idea to give |
| enough room to temporarily blind some fool | | | | the potential thief something to think about. |
| wandering around your deck. If your really lucky, it | | | | Boats are full of all kinds of compartments, and hard |
| may actually startle them enough to trip over the life | | | | to reach places. Just ask anyone who's tried to fix |
| lines for a little midnight dip. | | | | boats, or run wiring through some of those spots. |
| A makeshift alarm system can be fashioned in the | | | | These would be great places to hide some of those |
| event your anchored in a location where your not | | | | really valuable items, that are impossible to replace. |
| real comfortable with the locals. Trip wires with noise | | | | With a few simple steps, and some creative thinking, |
| makers attached to them, or even some clanging | | | | it's not that hard to make your boat truly safe. Just |
| metal objects attached to life lines could cause | | | | remember if those burglars were all that bright, they |
| enough of a ruckus to waken yourself, and some | | | | wouldn't be burglars in the first place. |
| neighbors. Hopefully sending unwanted visitors | | | | |