Rod storage

[MY2SONS]

O.K. At the risk of asking a dumb question here, I'm curious on how you guys with a lot of rods on your boats store them while at port. Do you keep them locked up in the cuddy, leave them in the rod holders, or take them with you when you leave? I'm curious because I'm a little leary about theft. I know everything is insured, but it could really ruin a planned fishing day to see your boat cleaned out. Have any of you guys had your boats broken into, or had things stolen while at port (Electronics, rods, tackle, etc.)? I see a lot of boats in the marina with valuable posessions sitting in plain sight, and often wonder if they have had anything stolen off their boats while in the marina slip. I typically take my rods off with me, but now since my spread has grown from 6to 24 rods that would be a hassel. Any thoughts, or ideas from the group?

[GLF]

I slip at Bluffton Bay in Muskegon. Usually(98%) of the time when I am not sleeping on the boat, everything gets locked in the cabin. I have left the boat fully rigged and went home for the night. I have seen other boats that leave their gear on all the time without removing it. There are a lot of people in my marina and they keep a pretty good eye on everyones boat.

[j1musser]

I was just mentioning that yesterday in SH with my buddy. Somebody could just walk/ride up and grab $1000+ in rods. Im nervous going into the gas station with my rods in boat, but its also lower than eye level. Guess it depends on area and good neighbors like Mike said.

[Priority1]

I'm somewhat of a trusting person. I always trailer my boat, and when I'm away from home, I usually have someone keep an eye on things. I have unhitched and left it in the Manistee boat launch parking lot, next to other fishermen in motor homes. I just ask them to keep an eye on it. In campgrounds I usually make friends with the people in the nearby campsites, and have them watch things while I'm away. Kind of a neighborhood watch program. At home my boat never sits outside. I have a designated bay with a 12 ft wide 10 ft high door, to house Priority1. Knock on wood, I have never had anything taken from my boat.

[DIRTY DOG]

im do it the same way that frank do's , the neibor hood watch kinda thing .

and when it's at home ,it do's sit out side but ever thing is locked in the cuddy and stored under a tarp.

[JWheeler]

I always take my gear with me. There is always a chance it will get ripped off. Thought about putting a lock on the cuddy, but I don't think that will stop someone for long. Depends on where your boat is. It only takes a minute to put things away, but it took some time to gather all that equipment. With the economy the way it is, and desperate people in all. I would rather be safe than sorry.

[MY2SONS]

Thanks for the replys. JWheeler, I feel the same way. In desperate times people do desperate things. I've worked too hard to build this collection, and I'd really hate to lose any of it. I definitely don't have money falling out of my pockets so replacing the gear, although insured, would be costly, not to mention very irritating. I had planned on taking everything off each run, but just wanted to see what everyone elses experiences were.

[JWheeler]

I would like to add this. If I am fishing for more than a day at one port, the gear stays on the duration of the trip. I have only had one thing stolen from me at a marina, it was my dock bumpers of all things. Could not figure it out, I had, oh lets say $2k worth of lures, rods, reels everything out in the open, and they stole my bumpers. Guess I got lucky that the thieves were not smart.

[fishsniffer]

ev:angry2:en insured you end up having to pay a deductible...then youre rates go up

[Boltman]

All my Rods and Reels store on the underside of the engine hatch, I went to the hardware stores and bought what most people use in the garage for hanging brooms and rakes, they are heavy duty pinch clips on rails....and screw into the underside of the engine hatch..I trust nobody at the Marina, anyone can walk in and take what they want... Not it my boat.

[Priority1]

I would like to add this. If I am fishing for more than a day at one port, the gear stays on the duration of the trip. I have only had one thing stolen from me at a marina, it was my dock bumpers of all things. Could not figure it out, I had, oh lets say $2k worth of lures, rods, reels everything out in the open, and they stole my bumpers. Guess I got lucky that the thieves were not smart.

They probably only needed your fenders. They probably were slipped close by and didn't want to scratch up their boat.

[JWheeler]

I am sure of it. I looked all around the marina and no one there had them.

[2UNREEL]

You need to read the fine print on your insurance policy. Alot of boaters insurance does not cover recreational equipment aka lures/rods/reels. However alot of this stuff could be covered on your homeowners comprehensive. I just recentley visited my insurance agent and he went over my policys. I heard boat US has a anglers insurance thing but thats all I know. Since I have been boating with my family we have had 3 instances of theft. 1 time sitting in a caged-in drydock a crackhead stole the cd player. 1 time someone made off with our zodiac in the middle of the nite while we slept on the boat. and 1 time another crack head broke in and stole asprin and booze but no fishing equipment was ever harmed. We lock everthing in the cabin when in the slip unless we are on the boat ready to fish with rods ready.

[Line Dancin]

I lock everything in the cabin when i leave the marina i am at for a long period of time. a friend of my dads got ripped off once and that tought us all a lesson.

As far as insurance you can take out a rider for your equipment with your boat insurance. Playing the homeowner game isn't worth it been there done that and never again. I know with state farm 10,000 worth of insurance covers everything for fishing, downriggers fishfinder marine radio tackle boxes and lures rods reels, etc.... It cost me about 7 bucks a month i believe. Every spring i turn in a list and pics of all my equipment and there is a record on file with them at all times that way. Now if you read the policy it says items mounted to the boat, but as it was explained to me downriggers and graphs and radios aren't counted unless they are factory installed and not removable from the boat.

[1mainiac]

My boat sits in my yard under full canvas so they would have to get in it to see what is there we have lots of dogs in the neighborhood and everyone out here pays attention to what is going on around us since we are close to town. I have built in rod storage for 6 rods in the gunnels and installed a couple of firring strips above my fuel tanks that when I lift the hatch I can store about 12 rods broke down and the rest go in the cabin. I have plenty of storage on the boat so if need be I can make pretty much everything disappear. When I got my Boat US policy this year they said my riggers and rod holders counted as mounted boat equipment and the my other fishing gear would be covered under the 5000 dollar fishing policy I took a extra 1000 rider for personal eqip cameras and stuff.

[Satisfaxion_Gauranteed]

I never lock my gear inside my boat. It simply sits under the canvas while at home and out in the open any other time. I normally trailer my boat, but on the weekends that it is slipped, I just leave my gear out and do the nieghborhood watch thing Priority1 and Dirty Dog mentioned earlier. I've been doing this 6 years now and not had anything(yet) taken.

Good point on the insurance policy. It's a good idea to ensure you know the exact coverage of your policy. I asked the most questions about that aspect of my policy.

my 2cents,

--Jason

[erdocdan]

We slip in Frankfort. I leave my riggers and electronics out but put rods away while not staying on the boat. I love to fish but also enjoy hunting so would not recommend boarding without the caps OK.

Hope to splash her soon.

[MY2SONS]

That's a good one!

[erdocdan]

Leaving your gear out in the elements is hard on it also. The UV is not good for line. I don't think the heat in a closed up cabin can be too good for stuff either.