How to mark the outboard

[john904]

I have a new outboard and would like to engrave in it so that it can be tracked back. Any ideas how to go about this?

 

[mikemanor]

I would use smartwater to mark the item. I would also recommend putting all details of the engine including serial number on Immobilise.com.

https://www.immobilise.com/index.php

The police check this database when they find goods to see if they are reported as stolen.

 

[john904]

Thanks Mike, I'll try that!

 

[VicS]

Thanks Mike, I'll try that!

How about engraving your post code onto it somewhere

I have stamped my post code onto the flywheell

 

[hartcjhart]

get the whole thing painted in an unusual colour
stamping can be ground off,smartwater is only good if recovered etc
but your average scumbag would not be bothered to repaint an engine

 

[Gin]

various police forces once (and still may) produce soft covers to replace the manufacturers hard plastic ones

http://www.nc-marinecovers.co.uk/pages/oetrc/design/why-it-works/

the thinking was that not only were these a deterrent at point of theft but more importantly perhaps, replacement hard covers are only available through authorised agents who view request for such replacements with suspicion, informing the local police as they deem appropriate. Also with some of the bigger engines requiring up to £200 to be spent to get the replacement this was a further barrier to a profitable theft.

Another option, as one friend did, was to paint the original makers cover bright pink ! and another painted his matt black to make it look old

 

[neale]

Lots of outboard hard covers for sake at Beaulieu last weekend.

 

[Gin]

Hopefully 'Plod' was there to oversee the offerings?

 

[apogee]

Yes, hard covers are often available secondhand. I paint a broad, distinctive band on the leg with two-pack polyurethane.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

I wonder how many stolen outboards are actually recovered. I've never heard of one being returned to its owner.

 

[Plyn]

Many years ago (mid 80's) we had 2 stolen from our locked shed, they were both recovered and returned to us.

 

[sampeeter]

You can use the following things to mark your outborad
Smartwater
Invisible Ink
Trace Technology
Perfluorocarbon tracer

 

[sampeeter]

thanks we will try

 

[Fimacca]

they do get some recovered - but most owners don't bother marking or even sometimes locking them other than a thin cable lock. (pointless) there are more recovered than you hear about - but they are not marked, and end up getting returned to the thief, as police need to prove they belong to someone else to keep/return them.
So 'gin' - just be a little more supportive of your local cops - they are doing their best.......
lock them with an obvious lock. you don't need fancy stuff - a bike steel 'd lock' is hard to cut through - if it will fit
use a canvas cover, and remove your hard cover. it works.
mark it, engraved and uv pen under the cover or in strange places
bolt it to the boat
smart it
photograph it
write the serial number down - you would not believe how many do not know it !
report sus folk around the boats to the local cops. they want to check out odd bods.

 

[Beyondhelp]

Saw this at LIBS.

http://datatag.co.uk/outboard-motor.php

Seemed good enough that I purchased a kit...

 

[ronsurf]

I wonder how many stolen outboards are actually recovered. I've never heard of one being returned to its owner.

I got my Yamaha back after it was stolen from inside the cabin. I had to prove it was mine, which I did by producing the service document with the serial number on it.

The police stressed the importance of marking your property AND recording the serial number. Both help get the item returned to you, but the main reason is that if you can't prove without doubt that it's yours, the police can't prove it's stolen. You should record the serial numbers (and a photo) of all the valuable stuff you own.

People go on about serial numbers being ground off, but this only happens before the item is sold on. If it's just been nicked and is in a lock up somewhere, the serial number will still be on it.

When I had to go and identify my stuff (there were 3 cells full of nicked gear) the amount of unclaimed gear was staggering. And if it 's not claimed by the owner, it goes back to the thief.

I have a photo of the item with the serial number in the filename and emailed to my gmail account. It's stored there and available if the worst happened. Not just theft, but for other insurance reasons as well.