Security/safety measures

Hi Jaycb, coming over to the dark side with us?

I've used those dog tie downs (for want of a better phrase!) for tying down gliders at the club. My glider (25m wing span, 500kg) was held down by 6, it was fine while the one next to it was picked up and thrown into a tree during a storm. The one that was wrecked was held by 5 gallon barrells of water over each wing and 2 on the tail so it gives you an idea of the strain they'll take. Dinghies don't seem to go walk about too much. Everyone at my club keeps them on the road bases. We all tie down to steel cables securley anchered and then lock to the same cable. In all fairness if someone want's to half inch your boat, they can. There is nothing you can do to stop them. Make it more difficult by locking it to something or disabling the wheels, make it more difficult to steal then the one it's parked next too....

Wes

Hi Wes,

Not really going down the dark path yet... windsurfing's still my first love but the catamaran is for light-wind summer days and for GF (that's girlfriend by the way, not GraemeF  ) to potter about on and build her confidence. 

The glider example makes a very strong case for those dog tethers.  If I see any at the Boat Show I'll certainly get a few. 

Since starting the thread I've identified a site to keep the boat temporarily - they have two concrete posts on each berth, one each side.  I'll probably use rope to tie down one end to these, plus a locked chain around the trailer, and a couple of dog tethers at the other end. 

Thanks everyone for your advice