Say for the sake of argument that I want to drive down to Galveston & spend a couple days around West bay or a similar place. How do you guys secure your kayak so that some ***** lowlife thief doesn't steal it? Do you bring it into your motel room at night?

I hear the thieves down on the coast carry high grade bolt cutters which render lock cables useless. If at all possible, I would drag the yaks into the hotel room to be absolutely safe. If this is not possible, park the vehicle as close to the hotel room as possible, use a locking cables of some type AND rig noise makers to your kayak. Traveling with a light sleeping dog helps too.

I built my own noisemaker after catching a guy in the act of stealing my kayak late one night in Miami. My kayak wasn't cable locked at the time but on front porch. I heard the sound of it being slowly slid across concrete. I quietly got up, went to door leading out to porch and turned on light and burst out screaming profanities at him. He left on bicycle, he had a lookout on bicycle, and had transport guy in a vehicle in the alley.

Bought a cable lock the next day that I secured around porch column to keep the amateurs from snatching and made a noisemaker to hopefully scare off the professionals or wake me up. The noise maker was simply hidden fishing line under kayak that would trip a bucket filled with some empty cans. Hard decision whether to make the line short and trip bucket as soon as it was moved or give it 20 or 30 yards of free line before the 50# braid would have given them a running start and maybe double the pleasure, so I had both.

Never had it tripped but have often thought of something that I could set off inside kayak to make racket or flashing light.

A friend bought some locking cables that sound an alarm when cut.

we make that very trip 2x a year to Galveston, always stay in tent at GISP with kayaks parked right next to tent and locked cable as added protection. Its sad that you cannot use a motel but thats life. Tent camping at GISP acvtually rocks, they have 3 kayak launches in the park. Good Luck and great fishing

I made a huge contraption out of 2" square tubing with 1/2" steel rods. I set it down over my kayaks and the steel rods go down through the scuppers. Then under the trailers support bar I attach another square tubing and lock it with a lock that can't be cut with cutters. Then I set my alarm on my trailer. It's a little work and I only use it on road trips but I sleep sound in the hotel while my kayaks are outside still on my trailer. Plus it's also great if you want to stop and eat and can't park out front. I don't like cables because crooks can work on them quietly. My steel tubing will need a torch or loud electric saw to cut.

I like to play around so I have my own equipment and can weld. If you don't and are not using a trailer maybe check out Mcgills Propeller and welding in Lewisville and see if he can make you something. Maybe lock around your roof rack if that's what you use.

I always worry about that same thing when we stay at the coast. I bought the heaviest cable I could find at Lowes, with build in loops at each end but that will pass through the scupper holes, then I lock them either to the tie downs in the but of my truck or wrap the cable around a column or something. Its long, maybe 30 feet, so I can lock down two kayak. It's big heavy stuff, I guess someone could cut through it, but it would take a lot. At least I sleep better using it.

Great idea! For long distances, I'm planning on using something like this: https://www.usrack.com/responsive/kayak-and-canoe-truck-racks.php

So yeah, McGill's could surely whomp up something to bolt through the scuppers that would be really difficult to cut it off that overhead rack.

Thank you!