Wanted to put this up for discussion and get your take on it. Thinking about this now that it's winter but I guess it applies all year round; do you keep your boat locked or unlocked during the winter and summer?

I guess there are several schools of thought/pros and cons to both based on the type of thief that happens to come along:

- You may get the kind that goes from boat to boat looking for an unlocked one that is easy to pillage so locking the boat would be a deterrent in this case in hopes that they will pass you by as a result of too much trouble or noise to break in.

- Or you might get the kind that doesn't care and will break into the first boat he (or she!) boards. This is actually the one that worries me the most as this could result in considerable damage.

Let's face it, if they want in, they'll get in no matter what. So what say you? Are we better off locking in an effort to deter or are we better off leaving unlocked in an effort to prevent costly damage of hardware that we may not be able to replace anymore.

While most marinas have one form of security or another, I wouldn't assume you're safe from theft. As boaters, we should do anything we can to reduce our appeal for a hit. Don't leave anything out or visible at a glance or from a distance that is attractive to thieves such as trunnion mounted electronics on the flybridge as these are attractive to crooks and an easy target because of their portability. A sign in the winter indicating that there are no valuables on board may help.

Comments, ideas?