Safety while Boondocking

[gamana]

I've had this question at the back of my mind for a while.

How do you secure your AS from potential theft when you are boondocking?

I can't imagine having to tow each time you want to do drive around to explore an area, or get groceries from a nearby town.

I read some of you install some sort of anti-theft devices for the hitch, does it work?

What about securing the access of the AS?

What about preventing an expensive hitch, gas bottles, batteries, solar panels to be stolen??

[TBRich]

You need to take reasonable steps to keep people honest...thieves go for the easy stuff generally, so make it difficult or a slow process to relieve you of valuables. Use a coupler lock on your trailer, lock your propane tanks, put things out of the line of sight, and don't leave valuable components lying about when you leave your site. Leave your hitch on your vehicle or lock it down. Boon docking with friends whenever possible is also good...or anything that helps to minimize your vulnerability.

A lot of it's common sense stuff. However, when it's all said and done, if someone wants to steal your stuff or break into your your rig badly enough they will figure out a way.

[gamana]

TBRich, thank you for the advice.

I was also wondering if anybody ever had a lowjack system installed on their AS?

[2airishuman]

many threads on this issue, only a few are useful...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f485...sue-42379.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f238...ers-29301.html

typically the other threads are about carrying guns or other silly things.

many strategies improve owner PIECE O MIND...

but may not really be all that useful...

denver boot, low jack, and so on and mentioned a LOT...

it is VERY hard to hook up a stream towed by a pp or haha...

the ODD hitch actually prevented my trailer from being towed away once...

and i pulled up just in time to SEE the nitwits trying to figure out the hitch.

cheers
2air'

[gamana]

Originally Posted by 2airishuman

many threads on this issue, only a few are useful...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f485...sue-42379.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f238...ers-29301.html

many strategies improve owner PIECE O MIND...

but may not really be all that useful...

denver boot, low jack, and so on...

it is VERY hard to hook up a stream towed by a pp or haha...

the ODD hitch actually prevented my trailer from being towed away once...

and i pulled up just in time to SEE the nitwits trying to figure out the hitch.

cheers
2air'

I am contemplating getting the pp hitch but, DAMN, at that price, that's the first thing i would dismantle if I was a thief.
I would go for the solar panels next.

[Airstream01]

I wouldn't expect your average thief to know how much a PP hitch costs, so I wouldn't worry about that too much.

[DreamStreamr]

Alright, 2air, this completely sells me on PP or HAHA at last. I think you're right, this would make a trailer tough for a dimwit to hitch and tow. Pretty cool insurance, and it would tow great for me too.

But it wouldn't slow down one of those roll back trucks from dragging my trailer up and away. Kinda like TBRich says, they'll go for whatever they want, try to take it regardless what we do.

I added lock to my spare tire, lock to my battery box, dealer gave me locking cable for gas bottles, we have locks for our HH cast aluminum wheel chocks, we can lock the hitch, and of course the cargo compartments lock. And after the first year or so, we stopped locking any of these except on rare occasion we lock the cargo compartments.

We're still able to lock all these but so far largely have parked in sort of populated and/or monitored places like Canada's Provincial Parks and U.S. state or national parks. Clearly we aren't immune to problems but just taking reasonable precautions is preferable to being manic about security.

Keep the trailer and truck locked when we're away, don't leave laptops or cameras or tools outside, keep a complete backup of the laptop separate), maintain situational awareness (I gotta look these words up later), and be willing to lose it all if it comes to that.

It's just not worth worrying too much about, is it?

[AIR-Quarius]

Take a giant pair of old work boots (mud optional) and leave them by the front door. Leave a tv running with the sound down. Hang a hunted deer upside down from a tree nearby...keep that door locked! Let other people be aware that you notice them, even people driving by.

[Bluto]

Besides all the precautions, buy some good insurance.

[sempi2]

Take reasonable and responsible care to protect your belongs. Then go have fun enjoying the outdoors. Otherwise you will drive yourself nuts, and that IS no fun.

[Getaways]

Originally Posted by redhawkerII

Take a giant pair of old work boots (mud optional) and leave them by the front door. Leave a tv running with the sound down. Hang a hunted deer upside down from a tree nearby...keep that door locked! Let other people be aware that you notice them, even people driving by.

Reminds me of a comment I heard from another Scout leader once. Not sure if he was quoting someone else or made it up himself. But when camping (tent camping was his reference but it might work for AS too), buy an old used tuba and put it on your picnic table. You'll find all the campsites near you are the last to be chosen..... if chosen at all.....

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by Getaways

Reminds me of a comment I heard from another Scout leader once. Not sure if he was quoting someone else or made it up himself. But when camping (tent camping was his reference but it might work for AS too), buy an old used tuba and put it on your picnic table. You'll find all the campsites near you are the last to be chosen..... if chosen at all.....

In addition to the work boots, gutted deer and tuba, don't forget lots of empty shotgun shell casings, wads of chewing tobacco, and a broken whiskey bottle or two - and a stack of dirty diapers near the door will really work wonders too. ** all Airstreams may be desireable, but yours could look a little LESS so!

Paula

[Ganaraska]

A police officer advised my grandmother that a big tough looking dog would do more for her security than a gun. We went to the pound and got her a nice German shepherd that did not like strangers around and they lived happily for years.

[triplenet]

I'm not experienced in boondocking yet, but have lived in the boon docks most of my life. I've traveled since late 60's, sometimes sleeping in my MGB, Celica, Maxivan etc.. Best advice is to be aware of the surrounding area. If you see grafitti and razor wire, move on. The only loss I have experienced in 40+ yrs of traveling was in the parking lot of the Alamo on a freezing winter day while on a school trip. The creeps broke out the pass. glass and grabbed what they could, got nothing of value, but the glass was $200.

Our AS appears to have been broken into in it's previous life. A friend noticed tape residue around a street side window and the screen and window operators were missing.

I read somewhere today that we imagine more bad things than would ever happen to us in reality. (I need to find that quote!!!)

Bob

[Ray Eklund]

If you are near a city or have your AS parked in your driveway in town... you have the highest risk of being a victim. Boondockers, or in my case a Rockdocker, I have NEVER had an incident in the back woods/deserts.

The number one piece of good advice given to you is to have one of the many good methods to lock your hitch. Any RV sales business will have several to show you and some might fit your AS better, so check them out.

Number two. Put your name on water jugs, your propane cylinders, lawn chairs or anything else you might want to deface with your name. An inexperienced thief is less likely to take items that have identifying marks. A professional will get what he wants and you will not realize what has happened.

Number three. Park your trailer, when boondocking, where it CAN be seen. A thief does not know what your tow vehicle looks like. If the thief does know what your vehicle looks like, the next vehicle he/she hears could be you. Two or more parked trailers discourages the thief that needs to take time to look over the options...

Number four. Personal protection. One earlier message mentioned a firearm as being a silly option. That is true, if you have no experience handling anything this extreme for protection. The majority of instances you would WISH you had a firearm is to discourage a bear or mountain lion that is looking at you or family as... lunch. I have NEVER in forty years of camping in the back country, wilderness or sitting on the couch at home needed a firearm. Be it a pistol, rifle or shot gun. Having a firearm will give you a false sense of personal protection, if you do not have any experience using it. Your worry is least for "bad people" but more for camping in the company of wild predators.

Number five. Personal protection. My first line of defense is my walking stick. Those hikers who carry the expensive aluminum hiker's ski poles, fine. I am not criticizing you. I and my wife have four foot long walking poles made from a straight branch, small tree or even to found in a beaver dam or log jam along a river. Peel the bark off and decorate to your heart's desire. It must be comfortable for your hand and the larger diameter you can handle, the better. It will make even a bad guy look twice before he messes with a hiker and his STICK. It works well for dogs that want to chew your pants leg and at least you have something to swing for protection. Aspen is poor. Pine is excellent. Oak, go for it. Walnut... you are a dangerous person.

Number six. You are more at risk... GETTING LOST. Always carry a compass and keep reminding yourself where your camp is. A GPS is the best out door invention since the compass. You say that YOU cannot get lost! Then you have not been in the forest. EVERYONE has found themselves lost at least once in their lives. It is happens to the best of us... even myself and the COMPASS is always RIGHT.

Number seven. After a few camping trips in easy to find excellent boondocking camp sites, you will feel more comfortable. Your first trip will be the hardest. It will be the last camping trip of the season that you will find the most rewarding and you will be comfortable with your surroundings, but always alert to what is happening around you at all times.

Number eight. I know... I go on and on. I want you and your family to remove yourselves from the urban mindset and discover what the rest of we boondockers and rockdockers have known for our entire lives! Be well and take that first step this Spring. And by the way, check the air in your tires.