Engine on or off

I have 15HP outboard on my boat...the last couple of years I've taken it on and off when I get done fishing and get home but it's a chore to carry it in everytime. How many of you leave your engines on the boat while it's in the driveway...maybe I'm being paranoid but I'd rather be safe than sorry...I'm thinking maybe make a stand with some bigger wheels I so I can at least put the motor right by the back door. I was thinking about a lock but I'm betting it could be easily cut off.

Don't leave it out. Trust me and others. I had my 25 hp very old get stolen of my boat. Either keep the boat in the garage with it on the boat or take the motor on and off the boat.

Get it insured and leave it on.

Without insurance, take it off.

I priced out insurance today.....it would be about $15 monthly or if I pay in full $120.00 for a one year premium with a shrinking deductable every time I renew and don't have a claim. It will cover the boat/motor/trailer with comprensive and up to $1000 worth of fishing/gear after my $250.00 deductable plus road side assistance.....I'm putting insurance on it tomorrow. For what I paid for the package it's worth it to me.

i'd leave mine on if i could,but it wont fit in the garage with it on. its a p.i.t.a,last time out i put everything in,then had to pull it out to remove the motor and put it away.

jellio5 said:

I priced out insurance today.....it would be about $15 monthly or if I pay in full $120.00 for a one year premium with a shrinking deductable every time I renew and don't have a claim. It will cover the boat/motor/trailer with comprensive and up to $1000 worth of fishing/gear after my $250.00 deductable plus road side assistance.....I'm putting insurance on it tomorrow. For what I paid for the package it's worth it to me.

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Very good thinking. I have a policy similar to that that covers theft and out of water damage. I think mine is $5 and change a month for an agreed value of $5k. Thankfully, I haven't had to use it on my Lund.........However, I decided to get insurance when I replaced a stolen 9.9hp for $900. For that price I could have insured everything for 15 years instead.

When I am storing my boat I do take the 15hp off. My wife bought me an outboard cart/dolly that I wheel up to the boat, lift the motor off, and place on the dolly. The motor is always stored in the garage, locked to the dolly. A thief would have to get into my garage to take the motor.

Now that I think about it, would home owners or my boat policy cover that? :?

My homeowners policy wouldn't cover the boat as personal property because it is "licensed" as is the trailer. My company did not write riders for boats so I had to go to Progressive to get it insured. I don't remember the details of the policy but I think it costs me about $120/year. I stressed about my motor too, especially when I had a 9.9 on my 1236. I locked the mount handles together which would only have slowed down a determined thief. A also bolted the motor to the transom and used nylon stop-nuts which took forever to get off. As a further deterrent I had a cable that somehow went through the motor frame in a way it couldn't be slipped off. I understood that these measures were only meant to slow down a theft and hopefully increase the chances of me or a neighbor hearing the commotion. Now I have a 25hp on my new boat bolted on with 4 bolts. If someone wants it, take it. It's too heavy to even consider taking it off and if I tried I'd be in traction instead of fishing. Like said above. Get it insured.