Fact: More than 50 percent of all boats stolen are on trailers!

BoatUS Marine Insurance claim files prove most thieves are lazy and are always on the look for an easy "get." Here are six ways to make the “getting” more difficult this winter and they don’t require a lot of $$$ if your trailer is parked at your house.

Parking Awarness

Park a vehicle in front of the boat and trailer.

Remove the Plate

Remove the trailer's license plate. That will attract police attention if the trailer is stolen.

Remove the Tires

If your boat is going to sit in a storage area for the winter — as is occurring more and more as towns forbid boat trailers being parked in driveways or city streets — this will force a potential thief to look elsewhere. Some Trailering Club members remove the coupler from the trailer for the same reason.

Photograph Your Gear

Take a few photographs of the boat and trailer and any piece of equipment that will stay onboard while the trailer is parked. If it's possible, remove the outboard or lower unit. If it isn't, remove the prop to make the boat more difficult for a quick sale or boat ride by the thief.

Under Lock and Key

Locks are available for trailer wheels as well as trailer tongues. A combination of both will make it time-consuming for a thief to rip you off.

Make Yourself Stand Out

One BoatUS member painted his trailer bright pink as a way to deter thieves from taking it and the boat. Remember thieves don't want to stand out when they're driving a stolen boat and trailer down the road.