The sun is shining, the waves are rolling, and you’re itching to get out on the open water on your jet ski. As you head down to the marina, visions of twisty turns and salty spray dance in your head. But as you get closer, your stomach drops – some nefarious ne’er-do-well has made off with your prized watercraft!
Don’t let this happen to you. Protecting your jet ski from sticky-fingered pirates is a must if you want to keep your sanity (and your wallet) intact. While no lock is 100% thief-proof, there are some sturdy and reliable locks that will make any would-be joyriders think twice.
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at 8 user-friendly locks to secure your jet ski, so you can hit the waves with peace of mind. We’ll review heavy-duty options from top brands like Kryptonite and Master Lock. We’ll also provide tips on how to lock up your craft properly – where to place the lock, how to attach it securely, and more.
Don’t let worrying about criminals sap the fun out of your water sports. With the right precautions, you can relax knowing your jet ski will stay where you left it until you’re ready to take it for a spin again.
So check out our recommendations below, and get ready for smooth sailing ahead!
Last update on 2023-10-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Top 8 Locks For Jet Ski
First, Lock The Jet Ski Trailer Coupler
First of all, you need to secure the trailer which transports your jet ski. Otherwise, the whole trailer and jet ski can get towed away by any thief with a tow ball.
Master Lock – Universal Size
The universal size trailer coupler Master Lock fits 1-7/8”, 2”, and 2-5/16”
It’s colored bright red to deter thieves, resists rust and corrosion.
It’s easy to install and remove.
It has an advanced locking mechanism that resists picking and prying. It comes with two keys that are unique to the lock.
The coupler lock secures the trailer and vehicle together, stopping thieves from decoupling the trailer and towing the whole thing away.
This type of jet ski lock is designed to prevent tow-away thefts.
AMPlock U-TLS2 Jet Ski Lock
Another excellent quality jet ski trailer coupler lock suitable for a 2” trailer ball size. It also has corrosion protection, as you would expect from a trailer lock.
Amplock features an easy push and lock system for convenience.
AMPlock is a family-owned company with over 200 000 trailers secured with their locks. Canadian insurers recommend AMPlock.
Amplock is known to be one of the most durable and reliable trailer locks on the market.
The Cylinder Lock location is located in a hard to reach place for thieves to access. It also features a swivel design to prevent vehicle traction when locked is made of materials from the USA.
The material used is Ducted Cast Iron and Heat treated steel to make it so durable and reliable. It’s a thick chunk of steel that will be difficult to cut through in any way.
The material absorbs shocks rather than breaking or cracking, and it will fold/dent if impacted heavily. This lock is also torch cut and liquid nitrogen resistive.
This jet ski trailer lock has a high-quality key lock, in that it’s unpickable and has a rotative face to prevent drilling. With the potentially millions of key combinations, unique codes are cut for every customer.
You can also request an additional key to be cut for your specific lock.
The AMPlock trailer lock is treated with electrostatic paint and e-coated.
PRITEK Tire Wheel Lock
One more form of security for your jet ski trailer is a wheel lock.
If they get passed your coupler lock or if you don’t have one, this will prevent you trailers wheel from turning.
You can adjust the lock to your requirements and then just turn the key in the slot to lock.
Of course, this is made from robust materials such as heavy-duty steel and is corrosion-resistant.
This is a simple but effective way to deter thieves from stealing your jet ski and trailer.
Now You Need To Secure Your Jet Ski To Your Trailer
Now that you have your trailer securely locked to your vehicle, you will need to lock the jet ski down to the trailer so that criminals don’t move the jet ski from your trailer and onto their own.
You can secure your jet ski to your trailer or to immovable objects with the following locks
Master Lock Python Keyed Cable
These types of cable and lock combinations are easy to use and effective against any criminal who doesn’t have bolt cutter with them.
The idea with this type of lock is to run the cable through the jet ski frame and then around the trailer frame or to an immovable object if it’s not on a trailer.
This lock is adjustable to adapt to your needs as you require. It’s vinyl coated to make sure it doesn’t damage your jet ski when you use it.
The design of this lock with nothing on the one end of the cable helps to run the cable through small spaces and then allows you to lock it once you made the loop.
It’s made from braided steel for strength and flexibility and is also rust-resistant with the vinyl coating giving it extra weatherproofing.
The Python lock is 6ft (1.8m) in length and has a 3/16 in. (5mm) outside diameter. It comes with two keys.
Kryptonite New York FAHGETTABOUDIT Lock
Using a heavy-duty chain and padlock to secure your jet ski when you are not around is one of the best ways to make sure it doesn’t get stolen.
If you use an Oxford Boss Alarm Lock with this chain, you will have the added benefit of an alarm sounding off if anyone moves it around. See the review on this lock further in the article.
Heavy-duty chains like this won’t are difficult to cut open with most bolt cutters. Premium industrial bolt cutters could get the job done, but there isn’t much chance they’d be walking around with those types of bolt cutters. They could also use angle grinders to cut through the chain, but it’s very noisy and a bit time consuming for them to take the risk.
The best way to use this type of lock with your jet ski is to run the chain through the frame of the jet ski and around the trailer frame or a fixed object that can’t be moved or broken if it’s not on the trailer.
You should secure your jet ski with a chain like this at home as well. If you don’t have something solid to connect the chain to, look at the wall/floor anchors further into this article.
Floor Anchors For Locking Down During Storage
Premium Folding Anchor for Jet Ski
To keep your jet ski from drifting off into the water, secure it down with an anchor.
This anchor makes it possible to stop on the water and enjoy the sunset or sunrise.
Maybe you just want to stop and meditate in the middle of nowhere, the jet ski anchor makes all this and more possible.
The material used is a rust-resistant galvanized iron and includes a 40ft marine-grade rope, a nylon storage bag, buoy ball, and stainless steel carabiner clip. It weighs 3.5lbs (1.6kg) and easily stored in your jet ski.
The way to use this anchor is to slide the anchor collar upwards, fold open the four flukes, slide the collar back down and lock into position. Use as much of the rope as possible to create a better horizontal drag on the surface below.
ABUS Granit WBA 100 – Floor Anchor
When you are not enjoying your mean machine on the open waters, you need to secure it solidly onto the wall or floor with this Floor Anchor.
Use a thick chain and padlock like the ones mentioned above to secure it onto the anchor.
Floor anchors get bolted into cement floors and walls in your storage space.
Use A Padlock To Fasten Coupler Lever
Oxford OF3 Boss Alarm Lock
This is the type of lock you should use with the chain mentioned above.
It has a 100dB rated alarm that will go off if it’s being messed around with in any way.
The Oxford Boss Alarm Lock is water, vibration, frost, and heatproof.
It has been independently tested by Thatcham Vehicle Security known for having the most rigorous testing methods in the world, and they have put their stamp of approval on this lock for passing their tests.
It’s actually marketed as a disk brake lock for motorbikes, and so if you have a dirt bike, there’s a bonus for you, it comes included with batteries and a reminder cable to attach to your bike handlebars so that you don’t forget the lock is there. Nice and small to travel with you everywhere you go.
Additional Jet Ski Security Tips
Use a Jet Ski Cover
Covering up your jet ski on your trailer and at home with a plain cover will go a long way in deterring thieves as they won’t be sure what they will be taking the risk for.
This is especially true if your jet ski is in your garage and in the view from the street when you open your garage door. The criminals won’t even know in what conditions the jet ski is in or if it even runs.
Use a GPS Tracker
Hiding GPS tracking units into the Jet Ski is good for retrieving the Jet Ski if they don’t find it quick enough. But obviously, it doesn’t prevent or deter the thieves because they don’t know that it’s there.
Rather use a combination of the methods above to avoid the thievery all together.
Conclusion: Jet Ski Locks
Securing your jet ski is vital, even if the market doesn’t abound with a wide variety of jet ski-specific locks. At a minimum, employing two distinct types of locks—one for the jet ski and another for its trailer—can greatly deter theft.
The two primary elements demanding security are, understandably, the jet ski itself and its accompanying trailer. To safeguard the trailer, consider a coupler lock or a wheel lock. For the jet ski, a robust chain or cable lock would be apt.
To truly maximize your defenses, combine a coupler lock, wheel lock, and chain the jet ski to the trailer. While it may seem like overkill, such thorough security can make potential thieves second-guess their intentions. Navigating through these layered defenses can be daunting and time-consuming, potentially pushing the thief to seek easier targets elsewhere.
While GPS units and insurance policies are beneficial, they don’t actively deter theft. Their value lies in post-theft scenarios, whereas preemptive measures, like the locks mentioned, work to prevent theft from occurring at all.
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