Mounting Location for Safe

I

irlboater

New member
I want to mount a safe on board. The two places that I have in mind are above the water tank under the aft port seat or in the v berth bolted in the top port corner next to the interior light. I don't want to make any holes through the hull of the boat.
In the v berth would be easily accessible but exposed. If it were under the seat I would have to ask guests to move while I access it but it would be hidden from view and the elements.
My question is... do you think the shelf on the port side is strong enough to support the weight of a safe with its contents in rough, pounding seas? The size of my safe is 7" tall x 12" wide x 10" deep. I would like to get the opinions of you Brats before I mount it. Thank you in advance for you advice.
 
An interesting idea, but I had to ask myself, why? With the premium on space on these boats, and considering that a safe worthy of the name will be very "hard edged" and heavy, why would you want to use that space and weight for a safe?

I suppose if you are doing the kind of cruising that requires you haul a lot of cash that there may be a purpose.

I'm pretty sure the first thing that will be taken off of my boat will be the backup GPS and water proof hand held VHF, along with rods and reels and all the loose stuff that is normally on these boats for the picking.

I only carry credit cards and a hundred bucks that is always on my person.

Well, you didn't ask the question to get a philosophical answer. If I were doing it, I'd install it in the compartment under the starboard v birth. I'd certainly make sure that it was securely strapped to a solidly glued chunk of wood that had a wide footprint against the hull.

If a person really wants your safe though, they will chop your boat apart to get to it. Me? I'd rather they just steal what they want and leave the boat intact.
 
I have a "gun safe" mounted in the cabinet under the helm seat. (I don't know if you have the same available space as I know some folks have different configurations in that location). My cabinet has a single shelf. The safe measures 5 inches tall 8 1/2 inches wide and 11 1/2 inches deep. It has a spring loaded front access door that pops down when the proper code is entered into a "blind key pad" on top. (This way it can be opened by "feel" rather than by a "visual" combination). The safe is bolted to the top shelf. I did measure the space that is available on our vessel and the dimensions you mentioned would easily fit in this location.

As to why a safe? I wanted a place to "securely" keep passports (as it is easy for us to end up in Canada when cruising in the San Juans), extra cash (American and Canadian), registration, and insurance documents. At times, I have "packed iron" in the safe, but generally don't .....especially if I think I might venture into Canada. (I purposely did not try to mount the safe in an area that would be time consuming to access as I wanted some ease of access). One other item that goes into the safe is my tow vehicle registration, proof of insurance etc. When I get to the launch ramp, I don't want the "low life" that breaks into my vehicle to have access to my home address so he can drive to my house and rip me off there while I am out cruising.

Obviously, it is possible for someone to "cut out" the shelf and steal the safe, but they will make a considerable amount of noise doing so and it will take them some time to remove it. Any thief can break into your car, boat, RV or house in a matter of seconds and steal from you if they desire but a mounted safe just slows that process down.
 
How much does it weigh? Does the weight need to be centered somewhat in the boat to not throw off the static balance?

You say it's "The size of my safe is 7" tall x 12" wide x 10" deep."

Will it fit under the table floor compartment and next to the table leg and centered as much as possible in the boat?

You could also put it in the bottom of the icebox with a false compartment floor panel over the top of it. (If you don't use the icebox for an icebox, as most don't.)

A similar placement could be made under the galley or the helm floor compartment.

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
Thank you for your replies. As to why I want a safe on board, I think DaveS gave a pretty good explanation. Also Bahamian law requires firearms to be locked while in their waters. It seems to be a "safe" way to transport and secure weapons, cash and valuables.
To Potter Water, under your theory I would assume that you leave you car windows rolled down so a thief doesn't have to break a window to steal your stuff. While I understand there are very committed thieves that can get my safe and its contents, I want to make it somewhat difficult to deter the vast majority of "opportunist" thieves.
I still think that I want to bolt it to the underside of the port shelf "dashboard" area inside the v berth for easy access. Do you suppose the weight could damage the shelf in heavy seas?
 
I have a Stack-On PDS-500 Drawer Safe [dimensions: 11-13/16”(W) x 8-5/8”(D) x 4-3/8”(H)]. It's bolted to the starboard v-berth shelf on my CD-25 - pretty much out of sight unless you stick your head into the v-berth.

It's not the perfect solution, but I like the location especially the close proximity when sleeping at night.

Thanks, Dick
 
G Gallagher":1s1icoce said:
I will need further information. The exact location of the safe and it's combination.

Pictures will help and when will you not be on board?
Click to expand...

Your point is well taken and I think about that when I type these things on a public forum.....However, after you've gained access to the safe and see that the cash and identification that I speak about has already been removed by its' owner, the intruder then must begin to think....hmmmm, wonder if he is now carrying the "iron" with him as I see him walking back to the boat at this very moment...he must have forgotten something and is unexpectedly returning.. :disgust

(as far as the weight of the safe is concerned.....I will have to seek out the specifications on it later and get back to you.....personally, if it weighs 25 pounds, I don't consider it excessive as I'm certain the tool box on the other side of the cabin weighs as much or more).
Clearly many of us carry some items with us that perhaps we could do without, if we truly are concerned about a 25# addition. It is all a trade-off.
 
irlboater":ukan5m4e said:
I mounted it today and uploaded a photo to my album. Maybe someone here can post the photo in this thread. Thanks for feedback.
Click to expand...

Here you go:

photo_1.jpg

Nice Job! (Don't hit your head on that thing! :lol:

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
I'd probably tape a bit of foam over that one exposed corner to reduce the potential for injury from it. Other than that, nice job.
 
The safe would be fine the way you mounted it. I also would share Roger's concerns about hitting a body part on the sharp corners. That safe is close to where my head comes when reading in the bunk. We also have fans mounted against the ceiling which will pivot down for ventilation. As for Firearms--don't carry if I might go into Canada, but otherwise they are both well hidden and accessible.

In our larger boats we did have fairly good sized 1/2" thick steel plate safes with double bolts. These had about a 2" flange around the base, and we glassed them to the hull with several layers of mat and 24 oz wowing roving. Yes they could be removed, but it would take some power tools and some time. Again you want to make the thief go to the next boat because yours is too hard to rob!
 
Sea Wolf said:
How much does it weigh? Does the weight need to be centered somewhat in the boat to not throw off the static balance?
Joe.

I finally had an opportunity to research the weight of my safe....It weighs 9 pounds. So, the weight is a moot issue for me.
Click to expand...
 
After buying gas at today's prices I have no money left to keep in a safe so I do not need one.

I carry credit cards in my walet. :lol:
 
I don't want the "low life" that breaks into my vehicle to have access to my home address so he can drive to my house and rip me off there while I am out cruising.
Click to expand...

Very wise, Dave. We ALL should be doing this as this has quickly become a common practice among the lowest scum of society.
 
I think that chuckpacific may be a "Institualized man"as they say in the big house. Hiding things in the toilit is not my idea of fun. Where else are you hinding things? Oh never mind i dont want to know. :cry
 
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