Yesterday I went to look at what may be my new home - a sailboat. The owner was to meet us but we got delayed and never did get together.

Nonetheless I was with a friend who berths a boat at the same marina, so we had no problem getting through the electronic "owners and friends" gate. Previously I have politely asked strangers going through the gate to let me in for various reasons I made up and about one in three does so. Several times I have just followed others in; this works especially well if you are carrying something in both arms.

My friend knew about where the boat was, so we walked up to it. No one answered a knock on the deck or any "hellos." So we just went on board. And then because there were no locks, we went into the cabin to look around.

Nothing but a knot or two secured the boat to the berth, so if we wanted to I guess we could have started the engine, motored out, had a nice sail to wherever and been on our merry way.

My friend says he came down to his boat after a couple weeks absence and found someone had been living aboard. While whoever it was had used various items and eaten ship stores, my friend decided the gear left behind was fair trade.

I am apparently more anal than the average boat owner - I would not want people to access or sail a boat I am living in without my permission. So what are the reasonable, tried and true ways of securing your boat - wherever you happen to sail it?

Thanks.