Boat Thieves Portsmouth

[Tradewinds]

Just received this email from Yahoo Nicholson Owners Group
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Dear All,

I am wanting to enlist help from all of you in the hope that some information might come to light from a Nic 35 owner which will enable the police to catch and put an end to some thieves stealing from moored boats. I will explain.

Last week when I went to our Nic 35 -Zuleika Vair - which is kept during most of the year on a swinging mooring in Portsmouth Harbour I was horrified to find that the boom, sail cover and lazy jacks, kicker and wind generator had been removed. The thieves had cut the bottom off the mainsail presumably to make the removal of the boom easier.

Our Nic 35 was built in 1974 and therefore she is one of the early ones with Procter spars which were made from gold coloured anodised aluminium. As these gold colourd spars are no longer used by modern boats it will only be of use to the owner of a 30 to 40 year old boat. However it is my belief that there cannot have been many types of boat built in that period which would have taken a boom of the size of the Nic 35 one so that it would appear quite possible that my boom may be offered for sale to another Nic 35 owner. Could I therefore please ask you all to look out for any mention of a Procter boom being available for a Nic 35 where the circumstances appear at all suspicious.

Many thanks,

John Tapscott

_________________________________________________

So, if you see or hear anything PM me & I'll give you John Tapscott's email address.

 

[sailorman]

Just received this email from Yahoo Nicholson Owners Group
________________________________________________

Dear All,

I am wanting to enlist help from all of you in the hope that some information might come to light from a Nic 35 owner which will enable the police to catch and put an end to some thieves stealing from moored boats. I will explain.

Last week when I went to our Nic 35 -Zuleika Vair - which is kept during most of the year on a swinging mooring in Portsmouth Harbour I was horrified to find that the boom, sail cover and lazy jacks, kicker and wind generator had been removed. The thieves had cut the bottom off the mainsail presumably to make the removal of the boom easier.

Our Nic 35 was built in 1974 and therefore she is one of the early ones with Procter spars which were made from gold coloured anodised aluminium. As these gold colourd spars are no longer used by modern boats it will only be of use to the owner of a 30 to 40 year old boat. However it is my belief that there cannot have been many types of boat built in that period which would have taken a boom of the size of the Nic 35 one so that it would appear quite possible that my boom may be offered for sale to another Nic 35 owner. Could I therefore please ask you all to look out for any mention of a Procter boom being available for a Nic 35 where the circumstances appear at all suspicious.

Many thanks,

John Tapscott

_________________________________________________

So, if you see or hear anything PM me & I'll give you John Tapscott's email address.

Sorry to hear that.
once again the damage caused out weighs the value of what was stolen.
when is the nxt boat boot sale

 

[markju]

thieving b******S

Hi john
i remember you and your nic from the year before last as i sailed with you one weekend and we stopped over in newtown river.
Very sorry to hear that some thieving b******s have done this to you.
mark j

 

[oldharry]

Thats a horrid feeling - getting to the boat and realising some light fingered scum has been busy. Has happened to me twice - fortunately both with minimal damage - just loose gear removed. Rotten bad luck.

With something as specialised as your boom, I would say it almost certainly has been stolen to order for some equally unsuspecting owner who has a damaged one.

Reminds me of a neighbour who kept his brand new Land Rover Defender on his front drive: Police called one day, "This your vehicle sir?" Yes - something wrong officer? " Are you planning to take it abroad shortly" -No - " Then you are not aware that its booked on the night ferry to Cherbourg next thursday?....." Aaarggh! "We strongly suggest you keep it locked up and out of sight somewhere else until then sir"

 

[rivonia]

Have you gone around the local Scrap yards? Sorry to hear about your loss. I would not like to be in there shoes if found. Good luck

Peter

 

[Sandyman]

John

Where abouts in Pompey Harbour is your Nic moored ?

 

[wicormarine]

Nic 35 - missing spars.

I run Wicormarine boatyard in Portsmouth Harbour and a Nic 35 has come to us recently for a re-paint. She came without spars and your message was passed to me by another of our owners. I would be happy to help if I can.

 

[Steve Clayton]

W'marine:
If, hypothetically, I'm the low-life thief, with, hypothetically, a potential purchaser fairly close to you, and either party see your post then no chance of the spars turning up in your yard. Respectfully suggest you delete your post.

 

[Tradewinds]

John

Where abouts in Pompey Harbour is your Nic moored ?

Hi,

Might not be absolutely clear but I cut & pasted John's email (which was on a Yahoo forum) so that it would have wider coverage here.

I don't know if John's a member of the YBW forum - probably not.

 

[Sandyman]

Hi,

Might not be absolutely clear but I cut & pasted John's email (which was on a Yahoo forum) so that it would have wider coverage here.

I don't know if John's a member of the YBW forum - probably not.

My mistake. I didn't read your posting correctly. PM on its way.

 

[Billjratt]

This sounds like a "steal to order" job rather than boat jumble or whatever, as previously proposed.
Problem is, it may not be for a Nic. Somebody fitting out a cheap 35ft -ish hull (ferro or other self build?) would probably accept the equipment you lost, (and more from elsewhere)

 

[Danpompey]

I am sorry to hear about the inconvenience and expensive loss.

Please can I ask that you ask the owner to make sure they have reported this to Hampshire Police as they "crime map" where the occurrences are happening so they can make sure the "hot spot" areas are effectively patrolled.

As someone has mentioned above it does sound like this has been "stolen to order" as its quite random items to have taken and not likely to turn up at a boat jumble... which leads me onto a question....

Items stolen from boats.... where do they get sold?....

I know Portsmouth Harbour has had several thefts of electronic navigation equipment such as chart plotters but where do they get sold? I've been to jumbles and not seen any...

Ebay...? just searched for chartplotters and ticked the "used" box...14 matches half of which USA, the others are with all the mounting kits and manuals, unlikely to have been stolen...

Thoughts please!

 

[Mudplugger]

Where does it all go!

A local boat was broken into and approx £3k of bits taken, local police seemed not to be particularly concerned, but owner exceeding irritated! Did a lot of checking on E.bay , B&O, et al, discovered Chartplotter & GPS had been sold to Dubai!...notified fuzz with info of sender, a week later they went round, told that the lodger was out, went back with warrant 5 day's later & found nothing!! How suprising!!