Reminder about theft from boats

[Pooch]

Originally Posted by lassh

Sorry to hear about the theft, Pooch. I hope to head up to LOW on solo trip in a couple weeks if my shoulder surgery recovery allows. I think I might just try to sleep in truck. Not meaning to hijack your post but are there any good rest stops to sleep a few hours between Duluth and border?

Going up Rt. 53? I would think that anyplace that is lit up and not remote would be a possible. Walmart (Rt. 53) in Duluth has a large area and I've seen travel trailers and campers there parked away from the store entrances. See other travel trailers or motor homes over night'ing along the way would be my first choice. In Duluth there is a shopping mall after you hit the lights (and turn left following Rt. 53) a mile or so past the top of the big hill. Duluth area has a lot of places one could pull into. Some of the small towns along Rt. 53 have some (gravel) parking right along the highway that people use when stopping for fast or slow food. There is also a rest stop about halfway to the border on the left as you travel north but I don't remember the town. It is a DNR/Tourist stop also. Might not be open 24/7 though.



Doubt you go Rt. 61 along the lake but, Rt. 61 to Pigeon River has several small tourist towns with large grocery stores that are lit up at night. Two Harbors has a couple possibles. Look for the large grocery store in Two Harbors at the second (?) light as you go north into town. It is on your left at the stop light. (before you go under the RR underpass) Also, There is a large gas station about ten or twenty miles south of the border (nearby Casino at the same turnoff) on the lake side of Rt. 61 that I've seen people parked. Not a ton of room, but easily do-able.

When traveling alone with my boat I like rest stops full of trucks, a pillow, a binky and seats that lay back. A light rain on the roof makes for a restful slumber.

Have a safe trip.


Pooch

[That Minnesota guy]

Just north of duluth there is a rest area at the junction of hwy 53 & 33. It is on your left.

In the town of cook the parking lot where zups was before the fire is empty. That also is on your left.

In virginia there is a mall on your right with plenty of parking.

[tandm]

I always wonder when I see electronics without trasducers and/or power cords advertised on ebay and craigslist.

[ffishman]

We also always stayed over night in Eau Claire. Often thought about theft,luckily we never had a problem. But I never left anything of real value in my boat

[Sportdog]

I think the longest I have ever left my boat not in the garage is one night, not counting a weeks dockage in Canada. Due to some storage issues before I head south the boat will sit, covered for a week. I took EVERYTHING out......
Too many unsavory people where I live in Michigan. Not like the small rural town in Michigan where I used to live. Grrrrrrr

[law57]

Originally Posted by lassh

Sorry to hear about the theft, Pooch. I hope to head up to LOW on solo trip in a couple weeks if my shoulder surgery recovery allows. I think I might just try to sleep in truck. Not meaning to hijack your post but are there any good rest stops to sleep a few hours between Duluth and border?

As previously posted, the mall in Virginia has plenty of parking. There are rest rooms in the mall, but I think the mall is probably locked at night.

Also in Virginia (or as then stenciled on my propane tank 'Virgina'), there is parking in the Target lot - behind the Holiday station. You can park pretty close to McDonolds - I don't think they are open 24hr. But you can check their hours. There's a Starbucks in Target and a Caribou across the street from the McD's.

In Cotton there is a Super America station (maybe called Freedom now?). It's open 24hr and has clean rest rooms.

North of cotton a few miles (mile marker 45?) there is a really nice wayside. Clean rest rooms with a caretaker. You should check the MnDot website to see if it's open. there was a lot of resurfacing of highway 53 this summer. That particular wayside was closed most of the summer - may still be.

[moldman]

Go to Harbor Freight if one is near and get a few driveway alerts systems. They cost approx. $10 when on sale. Place one part in boat and the other in motel room. When someone enters the boat, alarm will go off in the room. It really works. Also use when your boat is docked at a resort.

[alumalunker]

Ive spent a lot of time in hotels traveling for fishing and fishing. The best thing you can do is

Take out anything that's laying out.
Remove graphs if possible
Lock all compartments
Tarping boat can help but can also get your tarp cut open only for the thief to realize that it's not worth his time.
Talk to the place your staying at and try to arrange parking in a well lit area with good surveillance.

Locks keep honest people out. If someone wants in bad enough nothing will stop them. He** I work construction and have heard of people coming to work to find evidence that someone tried breaking into locked bin doors on trucks and wasn't successful so they cut the battery cables ( for copper) and stole the batteries out.

[muskyman73]

When we stay at motels and have a few guys in our group, all of us take trips out to the truck/boat when we wake up for trips to the head. If someone can't sleep well, they take walks out to the truck and boat. Kinda like being on watch. Most of the criminal rings that are given intel that they in turn use with a different group that actually do the stealing. By having a presence at out trucks/boats, you can lessen the chances hopefully of being cleaned out. And an ugly stained boat cover that looks nasty helps too.

[Spartazoo]

Originally Posted by moldman

Go to Harbor Freight if one is near and get a few driveway alerts systems. They cost approx. $10 when on sale. Place one part in boat and the other in motel room. When someone enters the boat, alarm will go off in the room. It really works. Also use when your boat is docked at a resort.

This is a reality good idea. Thanks!


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