Locks for kayaks and gear

A quick video demonstrating quality/security of various locks. I had no idea those big name ones were so weak.

wow.   certainly an eye-opener there...

I never leave my boat alone, but that's more because I have never figured out a reasonably secure cable more than the lock itself...  The only way to really put a secure lock on the boat would be thru a scupper hole, but no cable with a loop on it for the lock would fit thru the hole.  :/

Jim

I use the Krypotonite 3/8" x 7" double loop security cables with a buffalo lock to secure mine to the trailer. They fit through the scuppers on my Outack and T13. Regardless, most things are only secure to a point now days, but I feel comfortable going into a store, parking at a launch or in front of my house knowing that they cant just walk off with them.

I use an inexpensive bicycle cable lock when I rooftop my kayaks looped through scuppers and around the bars.  It has deterred at least one thief that I am aware of.  I was getting some dental work done and when I came out, someone had removed the tiedown straps, cast them aside, and left a sweatshirt on the roof of my camper top in an effort to take off my kayak.  The thief was unsuccessful.

Not sure if it would deter a determined and relatively intelligent thief, or overnight in an unmonitored area, but it apparently works for stupid tweekers in the middle of the day.

Yep, apparently you Hobie guys have scupper holes big enough to shove a cable thru    Holes on my little Elie are too tight tho!   


Jim

A lock only keeps an honest person honest in my opinion. Best bet is tie this to your boat.

That guy's YouTube channel is pretty damn amazing. I started thinking about this stuff several years ago when my little brother got heavy in to "lock sporting". He got me a pick set as a gift one year and I was able to prove this for myself. Yeah, Masterlocks are the biggest illusion of security on the shelves these days.

My 9 year old son was taught to pick a Masterlock at the Mini-Maker Faire that was held OMSI here in Portland last September.  After a 30 sec tutorial, he was able to pick the lock in under a minute.   I was less nimble and took almost two minutes.  Those Masterlock combination locks most people use on their gym lockers can be forced open in about two seconds with a small metal shim made out of a can of soda.  My trust in inexpensive locks was blown away that day.

My neighbors just had their bike stolen. They used bolt cutters on the fense it was chained to and took the lock and chain with them.

Locks just keep mostly honest people totally honest.  A determined thief won't be stopped by anything but the most high-end of equipment.  And even then, given enough time, or the ability to take the item and whatever it was attached to, a truly determined thief won't be stopped at all.

But, most thieves are really lazy.  If they weren't lazy they'd be working for what they want rather than stealing it.  Even a relatively cheap lock will get them to move on and look for an even softer target.  Oceans 11 type theft notwithstanding.

My 9 year old son was taught to pick a Masterlock at the Mini-Maker Faire that was held OMSI here in Portland last September.  After a 30 sec tutorial, he was able to pick the lock in under a minute.   I was less nimble and took almost two minutes.  Those Masterlock combination locks most people use on their gym lockers can be forced open in about two seconds with a small metal shim made out of a can of soda.  My trust in inexpensive locks was blown away that day.

We used to beat Masterlock dial locks in high school by taking off a shoe and giving the lock a sharp rap at the top.  The same could be done with a heavy chemistry or calculus book. It didn't break the lock, either.

This was during the Carter Administration when they still taught chemistry and calculus in the schools.

That video was one heck of an eye opener.      After watching it I spun a lap around the house and now realize half of the locks I have been counting on are getting replaced right away.