Stolen mooring - what can be done?

[emkay]

Thanks for all the advice so far. Please keep it coming so we can consider all options.
Just a little more info:
Its a private mooring, so no harbour master, also no crown estate involvement.
We don't intend to break the law ourselves, or cause any damage to property, so although the suggestions involving hand drills, cutting loose, acid, getting 'the boys' involved etc were gratefully received and very entertaining we will most likely not be following through.
We don't know the identity of the person and my feeling is that it will probably be seen as too much work for the police, although I will suggest my friend takes this route initially as there is a clear case of criminal damage.
I especially like the idea of sinking the mooring while the guy is out on his boat so he has no mooring buoy to return to. Its elegant and a bit of a poke in the eye, without actually causing damage. My friends boat is likely to remain on shore for some time so we wont need to retrieve the mooring for at least a month, probably more, by which time the bloke will hopefully have forgotten to some extent. Only problems are actually being lucky enough to catch him while he's away from the mooring, it won't return the 30M of chain to the 60M we started with, and there's still the chance the bloke will do something to retaliate at some point down the line.
Thanks once again for the great advice.
Please keep the suggestions coming, we're particularly interested to hear from anyone else who has been in a similar situation.

M

 

[emkay]

Oh..... and this is in no way targeted to fishermen in particular, so lets not generalise.
I find the local fishermen I know to be friendly and V helpful.
Its the person and his individual actions that are at fault here, not his chosen occupation or hobby.
He could have done the same with a sailing yacht, kayak, coracle, submarine, stand-up paddle board, rib, lilo, motorboat or any other type of vessel and we'd still have the same problem.



(OK, maybe less of a problem if it was a lilo).

 

[Lakesailor]

It would be ironic if his boat caught a fishing line on it's prop whilst bobbing about on the mooring. He probably wouldn't realise until he had cast off.

 

[MASH]

I think the Police will have to act if you can show proof of criminal damage - proof that is, not just hearsay. I'm surprised this wasn't the first port of call. Give them a try first. What's to lose? Damage and removal of several hundreds of pounds worth of chain is no small matter.

Name and shame is a good plan, as is the video idea, but Write an article for the local newspaper(s) with pics of the fishing boat in question.

Aren't fishing boats registered? Would the registry be interested in a crooked boat?

 

[fisherman]

Would the registry be interested in a crooked boat?

No.

 

[Pete7]

No.

As in the MCA? surely if he is playing fast and loose over the mooring, then chances are the boats coding could also be suspect. Phone call to Inland Revenue, fisherman seen selling catch for cash nearby?

Pete

 

[Searush]

As in the MCA? surely if he is playing fast and loose over the mooring, then chances are the boats coding could also be suspect. Phone call to Inland Revenue, fisherman seen selling catch for cash nearby?

Pete

Now there's an interesting approach. You mighty add in an anonymous call to VAT & benefits people too if you can get any evidence of who it is & that they are selling their catch.

 

[fisherman]

As in the MCA? surely if he is playing fast and loose over the mooring, then chances are the boats coding could also be suspect. Phone call to Inland Revenue, fisherman seen selling catch for cash nearby?

Pete

The question referred to registry. If there are issues with MCA cert that is different and pertains to vessel safety, rather than registry and licensing. It is quite legal to sell fish for cash (provided this is declared for tax) in quantities of up to 25kg per punter. No need to phone the revenue, they always assume that all fishermen sell vast amounts of fish for undeclared cash.

Edit, legal to sell fish provided the vessel is licenced

 

[fisherman]

Now there's an interesting approach. You mighty add in an anonymous call to VAT & benefits people too if you can get any evidence of who it is & that they are selling their catch.

Provided he is on benefits and there is nothing to suggest he is, and there is no VAT on fish.

None of this will get the mooring back.

 

[fisherman]

It would be ironic if his boat caught a fishing line on it's prop whilst bobbing about on the mooring. He probably wouldn't realise until he had cast off.

many ways to vandalise him, water in the fuel tank, deckhose up the exhaust pipe, better to do something that stops him going at all, rather than something which might put him in a distress situation later on.

 

[Jim@sea]

Visit the theives boat at darkest night about 3am. Take a gallon of strong ACID. Pour it all over the the boat. Then wait for a bout a few days to see what happens. I know, I know it is nasty-so is he

The snag is that if you do that whoever ties up a boat there in the future is a target for retaliation.

 

[Lakesailor]

many ways to vandalise him, water in the fuel tank, deckhose up the exhaust pipe, better to do something that stops him going at all, rather than something which might put him in a distress situation later on.

If he doesn't leave the mooring there seems to be little point in vandalising for the sake of it. That makes you as bad as him. On the other hand I'm sure he wouldn't give a second thought to letting his gear foul your prop.

 

[ghostlymoron]

This thread just goes on and on with devious plans. If a theft has occurred or damage done, your first action must be to report it to the authorities (harbourmaster or police). Any other action will not solve the problem and could make you liable yourself. It's very pleasing to devise these cunning plans to get even but doesn't help arriving at a solution.

 

[fisherman]

If he doesn't leave the mooring there seems to be little point in vandalising for the sake of it. That makes you as bad as him. On the other hand I'm sure he wouldn't give a second thought to letting his gear foul your prop.

Agreed, just pointing out 'how to'. A crabber got so fed up with a scalloper towing his gear away, when he came back to port he shoved his deckhose down the scalloper's exhaust stack, engine hydraulicked and badly damaged on startup.

The long drawn out consequences cannot be anticipated: a boat in Hayle had all the electronics stolen. They were replaced. The boat (44 feet and built specifically for local conditions), went out on sea trials to set up pilot etc, and was lost with three of the four crew on return over the bar. Not the fault of the thief, but misadventure of the crew, but......

 

[zikzik]

It's simple. Report the theft of chain and shackles to the police. If no action, drop the mooring when he is off of it. As is the owners right to do.

 

[Searush]

You could set the light line & float so that it is only visible & recoverable at around LW to reduce the chances of it being fouled or spotted & cut.

 

[Birdseye]

And even easier for the cops if any damage gets done to the OP's boat.

W"hat good is that? Where is the evidence? Who wants to have to repair a boat?

I'd sink the mooring when the guy is out.

 

[rogerthebodger]

I would remove it for repair while he is away so if challenged you have a good reason to have removed it.

 

[emkay]

It's simple. Report the theft of chain and shackles to the police. If no action, drop the mooring when he is off of it. As is the owners right to do.

Thanks once again for all suggestions.
Police first, then sinking the mooring if we still have problems seems to be the best approach.

 

[Lakesailor]

I would remove it for repair while he is away so if challenged you have a good reason to have removed it.

The reason is that you are fed up of some git pinching your mooring. If he asks, that's what you need to tell him.