Are you looking to buy a marine padlock? Like all padlocks, they are used for security purposes. Padlocks consist of a body and shackle, the latter of which can be opened with a key or combination.
Only marine padlocks, however, are designed specifically for marine-related environments. You can use them on boats, yachts, docks and other maritime facilities. Here’s everything you need to know about marine padlocks.
Rust Resistant
Marine padlocks are designed with an emphasis on rust resistance. Marine-related environments, of course, are typically wet and humid. When exposed to moisture over an extended period, traditional padlocks may begin to rust. This isn’t an issue with marine padlocks. Marine padlocks can withstand repeated exposure to moisture without succumbing to rust.
Resistant to Extreme Temperatures
In addition to being rust resistant, marine padlocks are resistant to extreme temperatures. Water temperatures can fluctuate drastically depending on the time of year, geographic location and the weather. Marine padlocks, though, can handle extreme temperatures. They won’t degrade when exposed to excessively cold or hot environments.
Keyed vs Combination
You can open a marine padlock with a key or combination. The former are known as keyed padlocks, whereas the latter are known as combination locks. They both feature a body and shackle; the difference lies in how they are opened.
Anyone can open a combination padlock, assuming they know the combination. Only those who have the key in their possession, in comparison, can open a keyed padlock.
Keyed Alike
When ordering marine padlocks, you may have the option of “keyed alike.” It’s a feature that manufacturers and vendors offer for keyed padlocks. What is keyed alike exactly?
The term “keyed alike” refers to a set of padlocks that have been designed for use with a single, shared key. If you’re planning on buying a dozen marine padlocks, for instance, you can order them keyed alike so that they will all use the same key.
Pin Count
Don’t forget to consider the pin count when choosing a marine padlock. The pin count refers to the number of security pins in a padlock. Some marine padlocks are designed with more security pins than others.
Generally speaking, the more security pins a marine padlock has, the harder it will be open without the key or combination. There are five-pin marine padlocks that have five security, and there are 10-pin marine padlocks that have twice as many security pins.