| Sometimes when kayakers are out on the water, | | | | it difficult for anyone to sit in the kayak, while |
| they will want to leave their kayaks somewhere | | | | providing a place to secure a cable. |
| unattended. For example, many great kayaking | | | | It may be more difficult to securely leave your |
| locations are near trails, beaches, or other interesting | | | | kayak at a beach or other landing spot, since there |
| places to hike around. It's always nice to be able to | | | | may be nothing to tie it to. If you have gear in your |
| leave the kayak and explore a paddling destination. | | | | kayak, you could try using a backpack security mesh |
| However, kayakers who do this should give some | | | | to lock up drybags or possibly cover the cockpit of |
| thought to the security of their kayaks and kayaking | | | | your kayak completely, so that no one can sit in it or |
| gear. | | | | take anything out. Another good practice is to take |
| One of the more obvious issues with leaving kayaks | | | | your paddle with you whenever you leave your |
| unattended is theft. Kayaks are vulnerable to theft in | | | | kayak unattended. This makes it more difficult for a |
| a number of situations, such as when left on a shore, | | | | would-be thief to simply get in your kayak and |
| on a car-top rack, or even when stored at home. | | | | paddle away. |
| However, reliable statistics on the numbers of kayak | | | | But even with all of these security measures |
| thefts that occur in these various situations may be | | | | available, the most determined thief will be able to |
| difficult to find. Kayak theft does occur, though, as is | | | | steal the most prudently secured kayak. In case this |
| sometimes reported in the news, kayaking forums, | | | | happens, the best information to have is the kayak's |
| or stolen kayak databases. | | | | hull identification number. This is a number that can be |
| If you are keeping your kayak on your car rack, | | | | used to positively identify the kayak in case it is |
| there are several options for locking your kayak, | | | | recovered. Furthermore, anyone coming across the |
| including locking tie-down straps, or cable locks, which | | | | kayak (such as a potential buyer) who suspects it |
| are similar to bike locks. The cable locks loop around | | | | may be stolen can check the hull identification number |
| both ends of the kayak so they can't be taken off | | | | with the police. This is why it is important to know |
| without unlocking them. The middle section can then | | | | the kayak's hull identification number or have it |
| loop through a secure part of your car rack. Locking | | | | recorded and kept in a safe place. The hull |
| tie-down straps simply have a locking buckle so that | | | | identification number can usually be found engraved, |
| the strap cannot be loosened when locked. | | | | stamped, or printed on the hull - look for the long |
| Some kayakers have used a car club across the | | | | string of letters and numbers. |
| widest part of the cockpit of the kayak. This makes | | | | |