Sailboat Security Systems…GOST (Global Ocean Security Technologies) will always be watching now! It’s not just for super yachts any more…small cruising boats have them too!

What’s in all these boxes? Global Ocean Security Technologies (GOST) -The Cadillac Of Sailboat Security Systems!

Well, today I returned from the USA to South Africa to my sailboat “Brick House”. I was on a frequent flyer ticket, so I flew the long, wrong, multiple connections route. I of course, had lots of boat bits, so I came with 4 oversized, overweight checked bags, and 2 big carry ons. Even one of the carry-ons was too big, and in the end, they insisted on me checking it. But would I? NO WAY!!! Fragile, valuable, and mission critical!

True to my typical style, I had come prepared with other bags inside of my bags JUST IN CASE. I had arrived 3 hours early, for just this occasion. I had overspilling suitcases and bits scattered around me when the second customer of the day rolled through the door as bleary eyes as me, and I had to shuffle over to make room. I eventually had two properly sized carry ons, albeit without wheels or long enough handles to put on my shoulders. I stayed while they pulled every single one of my checked suitcases aside to do a messy, thorough search. I helped them repack with my cardboard, and styrofoam protectors properly placed to protect more fragile items including a Raymarine autopilot linear drive purchased as a backup. This was for our existing Raymarine autopilot which is doing well after 14 years. We are using the old one as a spare since it’s still in great working order! With 8 boxes from one company and 1 heavy one from another, I crawled to my gate overladen but determined. Why my insistence to carry so much on the plane with me?

I was returning with a complete, state of the art security system from GOST (Global Ocean Security Technologies). I was flying through Johannesburg, South Africa; an airport famous for pilferage, and outright theft of bags. What I had in those 2 bags was valuable, delicate, and vulnerable. I couldn’t chance losing them. In those 2 bags were 2 strokes of luck that I may never have again.

What was in my carry on bags promised to keep us safe and secure for years to come, so I was taking my short 24 hour shift to keep them safe and secure. I was to be laden down for the entire trip, unable to shop or enjoy dining between flights, having all I could do to carry those bags through winding arrival halls, up and down stairs, and through more security checkpoints in time for the next departure. Have you ever carried 8 boxes of electronics through no less than 4 security checkpoints? I had to unpack each time, put them in separate bins along with my shoes, watch everything like a hawk, and then pack them all back in on the other side of security. I had a lot of explaining to do too. I then had to wobble to my next gate as fast as I could, miss meals and hydration, and then struggle on to crowded planes vying for the most secure location in the overhead bin, begging for mercy from strong men to help me lift them high but gently to a secure position that wouldn’t come loose or get crushed.

Because of all of this I could not run fast enough to make my very last connection to Durban. I missed it, despite the security scanners giving me a good break and exerting every last ounce of energy had. I was devastated, drained, and sooo concerned about my 4 other checked suitcases. Surely they would be pilfered, or dissapear all together.? And they were mission critical bits too! Most who know me would say I searched online til I found the cheapest flight to Durban. No…I took the next flight I could get, and I didn’t worry about the price of it. I wanted to get my baggage out of there just as quickly as possible!

We are in South Africa..where there are a lot of nice people…but also a few very bad ones, like anywhere. The locals had warned me profusely about airport problems, and problems right here in Richards Bay. We are heading to South America, where the same is true. This world is NOT getting safer. I didn’t even feel safe in the USA on this trip. I was amazed to see even in my small little rural hometown, where my family still lives, that they lock windows and doors, and have security systems armed even while at home. It’s no longer a world where doors are left unlocked, and people are universally trusted as the default. Yes…there are many many honest and generous people, the word over. This security system is for the unsavory few.

We had decided months ago, if not a year ago, that it was time to get serious about this worldwide reality, and set ourselves up right. We had messed around with a few security cameras and alarms on the boat, Patrick even made some cool home brewed alarms. I had read and emailed, watched countless YouTube videos, and contemplated how best to protect our floating home. (See https://youtu.be/pi0zpy7CH5o) But no security traps were perfect and admittedly, they left gaping holes in our security. There was only a small chance they would work when push came to shove. We don’t really want to just watch someone on a camera as they pilfer our boat and hope someone can identify them afterwards, like with our security cameras that are on the boat now…we wanted a real system that will scare away the unsavories before they get in, with nauseating alarms and blinding flashing lights, send alerts out by phone, email and SMS, and always be reliable, every time…with no false alarms…and even be able to monitor/report this worldwide to us and even local security teams/police, even when we are out of internet range!

We actually had narrowed it down to 4 systems that had some of the different components, different sensors and features that we liked. Only ONE had EVERY FEATURE AND COMPONENT AND SENSOR that we wanted, as well as many new ideas to consider…

GOST – (Global Ocean Security Technologies) was what I was carrying home like a delicate raw egg in my bags…very precious cargo…very critical. Everything we wanted in a security system. Our final solution on how to keep the boat safe from trespassers, pirates, thieves, intruders…

By the time Patrick and I had finished thoroughly examining GOST’s security systems, and has discussed the various options at length with the Installation and Sales team there, we were both absolutely sold that this was the system worth spending our precious stash of cash on. No other company even came close to what GOST offered in terms of having ALL the sensors and security devices we now wanted. Finally I compiled a list and asked for the final quote. The prices certainly reflected the quality that I was seeing, and I was heartbroken when I succumbed to the fact that I couldn’t have all the bells and whistles that this ultimate marine security system can provide. But the technology was so advanced, so tried and true, so respected, and the technician so competent at GOST…that it made it painful to drop a good chunk of change on a different companies system that we felt was only a distant second in quality and reliability. It would have been like buying the Hyundai instead of the Cadillac knowing full well the Hyundai was not going to make us happy despite the endless car payments we would make. We would always be wanting the Cadillac. Everyone I spoke with in the know, confirmed that GOST was the cream of the crop, the gold standard, that they were THE “go to company” for security systems! I couldn’t find one bad review online, from anyone. So we decided, rather than going for the lower pricetag second choice security system, we would go with GOST’s simplest base system and just not have every last sensor we wanted. Quality over quantity. Maybe we could afford to add more later. At least it would always work and always be there with us, and it wouldn’t collect in the junk drawer like countless other rinky dink dissapointing gadgets already have.

When GOST took my credit card for the most basic, they were probably pretty dissapointed, but remained very helpful and professional. They then confessed that they recognized our names from sailing magazines and YouTube videos, and announced that they would be giving us a bit more than just the basics, “just in case” we did a video or wrote an article about security in the future. Who us? Write or vlog about security? Yeah…I guess we have done a few! And maybe now this YouTube and blog stuff has paid off! I’m sure GOST wants to be sure that if we do a video, we can at least represent them with more than just the basics, though they were polite and didn’t make any demands. We did though, agree to make a video about our new system, so stay tuned.. it will be a brutally honest video if need be! They are confidant…we are too…it wouldn’t go on the boat if we weren’t already completely confidant that this is the best security system made!

GOST makes and uses the technology that the big ships use, and most of us little boats have never even considered before. This isn’t a system for a few hundred dollars, it’s up there with the price of a good Raymarine chartplotter. But if you have more than that to protect, and want hard core protection instead of a toy, GOST is who you should compare all other systems to. It’s worth going to their web site at GOST.com even if just for some ideas on what to look for in other systems. Even if you find you can not afford a comprehensive system like one from GOST, we highly encourage you to find a system that can work for you. The world is NOT getting safer…and we cruisers need to take a hint from those on land. (Beware: the technology you see on their site will spoil you for the possibilities that are NOT available at other security companies!!)

When I received the boxes, I couldn’t believe our luck! Not their amazing “Cloak”, and not the “Sound Barrier” which are really cool theft deterrents, but some pretty great stuff for a sailboat of modest means or more, like ours. I couldn’t wait to get this back to Africa, get it all installed, test it out..and make a video to show you too! You all know that we would make a video and/or an article about this regardless…it’s been a really big concern for us for a long time (see links below for all of our past security articles, blogs and videos)…but now we will finally, finally have what it takes to protect ourselves against thieves and intruders onboard SV Brick House for the long term ! Thank you GOST for letting us see what’s possible!

Call before you drop by BRICK HOUSE from now on, OK? We wouldn’t want to wake up the whole neighborhood as you board!

More details to come in blogs and videos and articles, so be sure to subscribe for updates! THERE IS SO MUCH TO TELL AND SHOW YOU! You can click on this image below if you can’t wait for our videos and article/blog!

——————————————————————————————————

Here are some videos and blogs we have done in the past. Yes…we really have been very concerned for years! Such a sigh of relief to finally have found something we feel will genuinely work!

Home brewed Security on Brick House(Video)

Is Cruising Still Safe? (Sail Magazine article by Rebecca and Patrick)

Rebecca’s Immediate after-thoughts about Recent Panama Attack on Cruisers (blog)

Flares as Defense (Video)

Considerations for Women Crewing Safely

Fisherman Turned Pirates Personal Experience

Fisherman Punk Pirate in SE Asia

Lively video/discussion on ideas for Non-Lethal Theft Deterrents (Video)

————————

Here are some non lethal, sometimes legal (depending on the country you are cruising) self defense products and ideas against NONARMED pirates, thieves and intruders: (Consider these carefully before purchasing and watch the above video and read all comments…it’s NOT a self defense weapon recommended or endorsed by us…they are just some ideas to round out the discussions we all have about what to do in this day and age if increased security risks aboard our sailboats)

Some of them are viable. Some are a little crazy…and deadly if the intruders are armed. Some could escalate a situation very quickly in to a deadly attack. But used in the right situation…against non-armed pirates , thieves and intruders…and it could be just the ticket!

It would be better however, in our opinion, to spend your money first, on a good security system that can warn you day or night or when you are away from your boat, that you are about to be robbed, and prevent it before it ever becomes an event. This is why we have made a very serious investment in a system from GOST (Global Ocean Security Technologies)

GOST ONLY protects boats…worldwide…big boats…little boats…all kinds of situations. GOST will now be watching our boat, day and night…but the GOST will never be seen!

Is Cruising Still Safe?

(As seen in SAIL Magazine on August 23, 2019)

NOTE: We have since purchased a full fledge security system since this was published. Security is a big concern for us.

The authors have sailed to many countries off the beaten track

It is with great sadness that we read of the murder of New Zealand cruiser Alan Culverwell, and the attack on his family, by criminals who boarded their boat in Panama’s Guna Yala/San Blas Islands early in May. The San Blas were known as a “safe” area to cruise. Aside from petty theft, there had never been reason to believe the region was unsafe, especially when compared to some of the area’s cities.

Many cruisers feel that living aboard, even in exotic locations, is safer than living on land, but is it really? As cruisers, we generally anchor where nature gives us the best protection from wind and waves, not from humans. The human element is far more unpredictable than any weather forecast. What was once a friendly area can have sudden, unheard-of aggression perpetrated by desperate locals. Whether in a city or in a faraway anchorage, vigilance and security should be always in a sailor’s mind. Thieves—both the opportunistic kind who steal when no one is looking and those who aren’t afraid to board an occupied boat—have been stalking cruisers since the day the first boat circled the world. Remember Joshua Slocum sprinkling tacks on his deck in the Straits of Magellan?

You’ve got to be careful out there... the authors with their companionway screen

It only seems reasonable that if you lock the doors of your home on land, you should be just as cautious when anchoring in a pleasant cove, especially in remote or impoverished areas where you can never truly know the constitution of every individual. We ourselves had a close call with some pirates off the coast of Vietnam a couple of years ago, eventually driving them off by firing flares at them.

We think that cruisers need to get with the times, and indeed, many are now becoming aware that there are thieves and robbbers in “paradise” and that there is a definite need to lock up at night and have security cameras and alarms, and deterrents like automatic lights, signs, shoes on deck or radios playing. Some of us also carry bats, knives, spearguns, pepper sprays, flares and even guns, although in some instances, even having an AK47 would be inadequate against an ill-intentioned intruder. Still, anything is better than nothing, and even just locked doors and lights may convince a potential attacker to look elsewhere.

Of course, those intrepid cruisers who sail in advance of us are our eyes and ears, reporting on where and where not to anchor safely. As cruisers, we can then do our best to stick to where there has been no reported violence or crime, at the same time relying on intuition and awareness to guide us. Still, we need to be more cautious than we are at home because we don’t have that “home advantage.” We may not, for example, recognize that the innocent-looking village we’ve anchored off is a place even locals avoid for safety reasons. We must also hope that karma and luck are on our side: dressing down, acting poor and trying not to cause resentment of our richness as we go. We must try not to perpetuate the myth that people on boats invariably have lots of money and possessions to spare, and hope that others before us have taken similar precautions.

To 90 percent of the world, most sailboats, even our 43-year-old, cosmetically challenged Valiant 40, are “treasure ships” when the anchor is dropped. We have cruised extensively in African and Asian countries and know that the simple act of hanging our laundry out to dry can demonstrate just how much we have compared to the local who feels lucky to have only an old T-shirt and a patched pair of britches. Even though most people in poverty-stricken communities have good hearts and respect others, the odds of experiencing crime, dishonesty or aggression increase as the population becomes familiar with the relative abundance that even the poorest of cruisers possess. There is always a tiny minority that a cruiser either has to guard against or roll the dice and take their chances with. The consequences can run the gamut from the theft of an outboard engine to being physically accosted with a serious outcome. We have taken measure to protect our boat and ourselves from thieves and pirates; there are details on our website (see below).

Many cruisers feel that their hard work earned the nice life they live afloat. We are also fortunate, though, to have been born in places that allow hard workers to get ahead the way we have. That guy who paddles up to you in his beat-up canoe likely worked just as hard as you and has taken advantage of every opportunity he had. But even having many successful days of fishing doesn’t bring the same material rewards.

Certainly, most cruisers can spare some of their possessions. We always have some trading items—sunglasses, shorts, shirts, fishing line, hooks, old pots and pans—on hand to exchange for the fruits, vegetables, fish and handicrafts that most islanders have for barter. Even if we don’t really need these goods, we see the effort they are making and try to help.

Unfortunately, as the world population grows, and the world’s resources remain the same (or even degrade) the resulting economic pressure will inevitably cause at least some people to want to squeeze even more from the passing treasure ships that cruise the world. What begins as their simple attempts to steal the possessions we cannot afford to share, and our attempts to guard against them will sometimes result in dire consequences.

Worse yet, away from daily television reports of crime, and with only intermittent word-of-mouth reports of crime in far-off anchorages, it is easy for cruisers to get soft and let their guard down—whether by leaving the dinghy tied alongside rather than hauling it out of the water every night, or worrying about power conservation instead of leaving a bright light on in the cockpit. Granted, it’s a lovely way to live, but sooner or later, there will be trouble. Are those friendly, smiling fishermen rowing by and offering fish actually sizing up their victim? We should not believe that we leave all our worries behind when we leave our homeland.

We have cruising friends and acquaintances who have been attacked and robbed. We’ve also had friends who have been taken from their boat and held hostage. Some made it out alive. Others did not. That makes us, as cruisers, more cautious about where and how we cruise, and where we anchor. As cruisers, we need to take more precautions like those living on land already are. We need to face reality, beef up our security and not live in the daydream we enjoyed in the past.

NOTE: BBe sure to subscribe for our next blog that is being written right now about Rebecca’s struggle back to South Africa with a full security in her carry on luggage!

At the time of writing, Patrick and Rebecca Childress were refitting their Valiant 40, Brick House, in Tanzania, Africa, before heading around the tip of South Africa and into the South Atlantic. You can keep up with their adventures on whereisbrickhouse.com

Patricks Home brewed security traps:

Wandering the globe…on a 40 ft Sailboat

Tag: GOST

Sailboat Security Systems: GOST… always watching!

Like this: