stolen boats

I remember seeing the Oceanis 50 Kiki Too, as there aren't too many around. I can understand small moveable, difficult to trace items that get nicked and end up at boat jumbles and the likes but what I don't know though is, what do the thieves do with the yachts they have stolen?? I mean they are not easy to hide and how would they sell them on? and who to? Where do they take them Etc etc. It puzzles me. I would have thought that with a little cooperation between various countries ports/marinas, like posting an APB or ABB then surely someone would spot a boat/crew that just does not seem Kosher? Of course one can't rule out insurance scams, particularly in this economic climate as people get driven towards desperate measures!

One thing is for sure, these thefts are not very well advertised. This is the first I have heard about the Ben 50 and my boat is in the same marina. I f I had passed it at sea yesterday I would have waved to them!!

As someone said, making it difficult to start woud deter the opportunist but I hardly think that anyone steals a 50" yacht on the spur of the moment. So it is premeditated and planned therefore getting it started would be no big deal. I think perhaps a secreted GPS tracking device on board would be a good answer

Any other thoughts?
 
I think there has been an increase in thefts of yacht where brokers have gone bust taking clients money with them after selling their boats. This is the case with at least one of these. The trouble with internet is its easy to report the wrong information Elaine buntings article comments on this www.yachtingworld.com/yw/blog/20090320114259blog_elaine_bunting.html without any property investigative journalism Plus the fact like most things the amount stolen hasn't gone up we just now have access to the information via stolenboats which has to be a good thing. Thats it people want there 5 year old outboard back as opposed to the new one from the insurance Company
 
[ QUOTE ]

I f I had passed it at sea yesterday I would have waved to them!!


[/ QUOTE ]

Me too ! I've even lent my ladder and tools to someone when laid up ashore had a friendly chat and thought nothing of it.. until after.... did they actually own that boat ??? they seemed nice had sailing gear on.

I quite often don't go to the boat for long periods in the winter. I know our marina does a (School register) twice aday to see who's in or out. It would be great to see them publish this register on the net daily (like some school's do) so i could keep a check to see if the boat was still present.
 
[ QUOTE ]
At the risk of ribaldry for stating the obvious, may I list:

- isolate batteries (key job beter than standard two position switch)
- shut off raw water supply
- Isolate fuel supply
- Slack / remove raw water pump belt (for longer periods of inactivity)
- Remove wheel and lock below to mast support
- Immobilise steering lock to hard over position (at quadrant)
- Conceal winch handles (to hinder sailaway)

[/ QUOTE ]
Hmmm. In my case I need to factor in the probability that I won't successfully reverse all that and will instead end up with a dead engine while the hull is battered on the rocks.

The wheel locked below is a good one though, just takes 20 seconds to detach with a winch handle.
 
But doe's it go below ????? our's doesn't unless i buy a folding one.

and i don't fancy trying to bleed the fuel through cos i forgot to open the tap on the tank !
 
[ QUOTE ]
i don't fancy trying to bleed the fuel through cos i forgot to open the tap on the tank!

[/ QUOTE ]
Same here and one reason why I now leave the water intake on for the full duration of a cruise.

As to the helm diameter and companionway size I forget, it is about 4 feet. Which reminds me I must post a question about carbon fiber wheels in PBO because the autohelm suffers fighting the rotational inertia of my large stainless steel helm.
 
I have a quick release wheel that 'just' fits down the companionway. I do like the idea of a steering lock on the quadrant. In fact i think one of those car steering locks could be made to do the job quite easily and getting it off without the key would be a real pain working in the lazarette.

Trouble is I leave all the boat keys aboard /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Q - and i don't fancy trying to bleed the fuel through cos i forgot to open the tap on the tank !

__________________________________
No worry - your boat will be half way to Spain by the time you re-board! Under new management!

PWG
 
Thinking about it, I could fit a key switch instead of the VP push button, a lockable door over the battery switches and a key lock on the companion way steps that are access to the engine bay and batteries. Might delay them enough to put them off.

Mind you it would be handy if I could find time to even get the boat clean! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
How about a pet like insert and the Ins. Cos. letting it be known to Harbour authorities all over that rewards were in line if they snagged one. The insert would cost little and a central registration could be accessed easily. Am I being simplistic? HIN Nos are in use and havn't stopped it yet.
A
 
A few years ago now, but a new Leisure 23SL vanished from its mooring a week after being launched....after about 8 years was discovered in Holland...apparently one of about 16 craft of various types that had been supplied by a particular broker, all of which had been stolen! Method, was to grab a lift with someone coming over, and tell them he was sailing it back to sell for the owner.....and did so! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
what happens to stolen boats??

When 'Barney's Patch' a Snowgoose Elite was nicked off its mooring in the Hamble some years ago the article in Sailing Today which offered a £500 reward by the owner, helped me to identify it as a stolen boat, just before I was about to BUY IT, The two thieves got 6 years at Southampton Crown Court.
Me, I got nothing, the owner who was NOT INSURED did not even have the decency to buy me a bottle,
I hope to meet him one day.
 
PeterGibbs said:
But nothing deters a determined thief with the means to drag the boat away. But how likely is that?


PWG
Click to expand...

There was thread on here some months ago by a forumite liveaboard ( in Brightlingsea I seem to recall) who was awakened by noise on the next boat, in the dead of night, when he stuck his head out he saw two balaclavered men in a RIB who'd cast off all but one mooring line, the last one intended as a towrope. After some foul mouth abuse when challenged they legged it, so to speak - so it certainly happens!!
 
The 43 yachts on stolenboats.co.uk were lost over a five year period. Seventeen of them are listed as recovered.

What puzzles me is the one taken from Dickies yard. How on earth does one nick a 31ft yacht on dry land? Will Freestyle be next?
 
Just jumped into this thread, am I being dumb or is a tracking device not the answer. www.acutrac.co.uk do very clever, low draw tracking devices which we use for motorcycles as they need to be hiden in very small spaces.
You can ringfence an area, send text to mobile etc.
 
It is astonishing that people will pay a very large amount of money for a boat and not 'invest' a very small amount for a tracking device which will probably enable the owner/authorities to trace the yacht if it is stolen. Most of the devices ( a lot available on eBay) will text you if the yacht moves outside pre-set limits. In my case (yacht in PYH , me in Portugal), I would know immediately if the yacht moved, then a phone call to the marina, then the police - if marine plod were not at extreme ends of their predicted runs then perhaps they would be able to stop the boat before it left UK waters.
Is there any merit in putting a notice on a yacht to say 'beware - tracking device fitted'?

Michael.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top