Boat alarms

[jsz]

I just saw a couple replies on another thread about boat alarms. What a bummer to spend all our time and money on our boats to have someone else ruin it. I've been thinking about doing something for mine. I like the multiple motion sensors idea. What have some of you guys done that has worked?

I have an on/off battery switch that I obviously keep off. How much of a draw would an alarm put on my 2 batteries if the alarm is wired directly to them? (I run the boat once a moth. It is not left on a charger)

How are those Home Depot kid alarms hooked up?

[Stoneman]

I think they have a couple of different types, but the ones that I used had double stick tape on the back and ran off a 9 volt battery. I'm sure you can get a bigger better system, this was just a quick fix that we threw together after sombody broke into the boat one night when it was parked out front...sure enough the next night the alarm went off, the cover had been pulled back, but nothing was missing. It looked like the crook was scared away.

Now we toss them in the boat at night when the boats left at the marina. Works for me.

[tony dunn jr.]

When I had my alarm installed it was recomenended that a install a solar powered trickle charger. The alarm itself will draw very little like a car alarm. In the summer I used my old boat at least three times a week so a beleive my new Tige will be more. My truck sometimes sits for two to three weeks without the alarm running the battery down so I assumened the boat is the same. Last year we had some snoopers in our boat at night while on the water so at least they will get a big loud surprise and hopefully give me enough time to intruduce them to Mr. baseball bat. But I also like the other idea about the motions I never heard of that. That is the cool thing about these threads!

[jsz]

Thanks you guys. I've got another question for each of you.

When a car alarm is installed in a boat, how is it activated? (no doors to break open) Are all of the hatches wired to the system?

With the stick-on alarms how are they armed? Do they go off every time you get back in the boat until you can shut them off?

[Stoneman]

Stick-on had an on/off switch, but once they're on they activate every time they sense motion. We didn't put them in the boat until end of the day and then we just set them in there in various places so that they were not permanately attached. Next day we just gathered them up and threw them in a gear bag until we needed them again.

[tony dunn jr.]

On my boat I had 4 doors alarmed with contacts so when they are opened it goes off. We have two remotes just like a car. So once the alarm goes off the only way to stop is to reset it with the remote. It also has a very small blinking light on the dash like a car. So I would hope that could be some what of a deterent to any one climbing under the cover would realize what it is. Like I said in an earlier thread it is extremely loud!!

[billspin]

Tony,
This is the alarm I went with. Overall very satisified with the installation and reliabity. But the siren is not as loud as I would like it to be. Could you please tell me what kind of siren you used. Thanks Bill S.

http://www.boatalarm.com/

[mjirving]

I just picked up this battery powered motion detector alarm off the Internet. It was a steal for $30. It takes 4 AA and a 9V and has a 120db alarm and a strobe light. It has a key fob to turn it on/off like a car alarm. It also has a 15 second delay when turned on and when it's tripped before it sounds. The only downside is that the "remote" is IR instead of RF so you have to have a clear line of sight to turn it on/off. I figure I'll activate it before I strap on the last of the cover. I plan to use it when moored camping or when it's stored outside occasionally.

Check it out...
http://www.defensedevices.com/strobmotdeta.html

Mike