I keep hearing about thieves bending loc-r-bars with the winch strap from the trailer. It always seems to be someone saying they heard it happened 3rd party. I have not seen one post from someone saying it did in fact happen to them. Does anyone have first hand knowledge of it happening for a fact or is this a bass fishing urban legend?

Can't imagine it.

I have not. I don't think they will take the extra time to do something like that....but you never know now days.

It's an inexpensive deterent...and makes for a good night sleep!

You would have to get quite a bit of flex out of the bar to do it. Now if you didn't install it correctly maybe. But I would think there is a pretty good chance that when that dude popped off you might find the would be thief laying on the ground with a face full of bar.

Humm....

Gives me an idea for a removable boat winch. They can't use it if it's not there.

TFP

after spending that much on one,i don't think i would tell if they did. kinda embarassing.
all they have to do is bend it enough to pull out the holes.
if i can winch over 2000 lbs of boat onto the trailer,don't think it would be a problem bending some 1 1/2 thinwall stainless!

just my 2 cents

I've made several posts just like yours on Bass Boat Central, here and the Bass Fishing Home Page. Each time I've asked for anyone that it actually happened to them.

3 times, on 3 boards over 3 years and I've yet to get one single "yes, it happened to me" response!

That bar is pretty stout! I seriously doubt you can bend it unless your the HULK.

It probably weighs close to 20 pounds.

People who steal want the easy stuff, they will see the bar and move on to the next boat.

I just can't see it bending, unless you have it installed improperly then maybe it would bend enough to come out of the holes. I doubt it though. When they first started marketing these, you heard claims of hooking wenches to it,pulling straight up, and separating the cap on the boat. Not sure if it's true but again, that's what you hear.

If someone is that worried about it, you could take a length of chain and wrap it around the cross member on the trailer then use the master lock to connect the two ends of the chain and put the lock through the eye of the bow hook and lock it. Now the strap cannot be lifted any higher than the length of chain.

Simpler solution. Unload the boat into the room.

I did purchase the alarm talked about yesterday at Autozone and I am going to install it just so I know if someone lifts a lid or steps on the trailer. This thing is small and so loud it kills your ears. Then you can step out of the room and take care of business. Plus I liked the alarm idea so if you stop for dinner on the way home it gives you that little bit of added protection. That does not mean I won't take my electronics off and put them in the rod locker before dinner though.

you could just shorten your wench strap, to a couple of feet, and it wouldn't be long enough to get to the bar..

IMO these loc-r-bar and winch stories popped up at the same time the $1,000 alarm systems came out. I have two. One on the front deck and one on the back deck. Never had a problem. Meth heads are jickier than a wet cat. They won't go through that much effort.

Can someone point me in the direction of this Autozone topic? I musta missed that one and would like to read it...

thanks

Daren

It's not the actual bar the thieves intend to bend out of the way, but rather the fasteners attached to the fiberglass that the bar attaches to which are prone to be ripped out.

The simplest solution was mentioned above, merely shorten your winch strap.

When was the last time you needed all 20ft of strap rolled onto your winch?

Daren, here is the link to the Autozone alarm talked about. Hope this helps
Autozone Alarm