A ST MAWES sailor was inspired by the theft of his boat to launch a new range of marine leisure security products for leisure vessels.

Tony Cantrill launched SeaSight on the first anniversary of his brand-new Ribeye A683 being stolen from a swing mooring in the harbour on July 28, 2024.

The product range has been developed specifically for small and mid-sized leisure boats and includes physical deterrents, real-time tracking and covert location monitoring.

Mr Cantrill believes there’s a “dangerous myth” among owners in the South West that boat theft doesn’t happen. His own boat had only been on the water for 23 days when it vanished 2024 under the cover of darkness.

“It’s just not something leisure boaters want to think about – until it happens,” he said. “People assumed I’d just forgotten where I’d moored it. Some suggested it had drifted.

“But I knew that wasn’t the case – smaller boats do get stolen and there is a growing concern that criminals are using them for covert drug transfers and other illegal activities, so much so that the investigation escalated to involve the marine police, Border Force, Project Kraken, and local officers – and was also logged with Interpol by my insurer.”

The experience left Mr Cantrill determined to develop practical, boat-specific systems that could prevent others from going through the same loss. He began researching what was available – and found that almost nothing on the market was built for the marine environment.

Combining his background in software and systems engineering with his love of marine leisure, Mr Cantrill developed a new category of security products tailored to leisure vessels. SeaSight launched with three core products: Secure – a marine-grade lock and cable; Shield – a connected onboard tracking and alarm unit; and Stealth – a concealed, self-powered device for covert location updates.

The systems combine physical deterrents with real-time GPS alerts and covert location intelligence, offering layered protection tailored for boats kept at moorings, marinas or coastal anchorages.

In a region home to dozens of marinas and hundreds of smaller harbours, the South West remains one of the UK’s most active areas for recreational boating – and, increasingly, a concern for marine security as theft rises.

Recent regional incidents – such as a May burglary in St Austell where three outboard engines worth several thousand pounds were stolen from a warehouse, and a separate series of thefts from marine suppliers across Devon and Cornwall resulting in around £150,000 of losses – have highlighted a greater need for boat security.

Mr Cantrill hopes the launch of SeaSight will help raise awareness among boat owners – many of whom assume theft is something that happens to someone else. “Nobody expects their boat to be stolen,” he said. “But it happens – and having lived through it, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. That experience is what drove me to build a solution that’s accessible, practical, and built for real-world conditions.”

Designed for self-installation and coastal conditions, the products are available via the SeaSight website and retailer Tack & Jibe.