Concerto
Well-known member
Probably back in the UK now after another profitable consignment of "continental boat people".
Tender thief
- Thread starter billyfish
- Start date
garymalmgren
Active member
Hi Koeketiene
To answer your question, "Why?"
Petty theft and vandalism on any kind of boat is chronic in Australia.
From kids to passing fishers to pros.
If it isn't welded on, it's gone.
gary
To answer your question, "Why?"
Petty theft and vandalism on any kind of boat is chronic in Australia.
From kids to passing fishers to pros.
If it isn't welded on, it's gone.
gary
dutyhog
Active member
Our very ancient Avon was stolen despite being very tatty, covered in patches and no oars. But it was inflated hard, so usable with the oars they took from another tender.
From the same place another year a big outboard was nicked. When the original owner came to replace it with the same model he saw that the one he fancied on eBay was his stolen one.
From the same place another year a big outboard was nicked. When the original owner came to replace it with the same model he saw that the one he fancied on eBay was his stolen one.
Jim@sea
Well-known member
Buy a second hand engine cowling and put stickers on it with the make of a Korean Outboard Manufacturer, that will make it unattractive for thieves who steal to resell.
Do a "bad" fibreglass repair on the floor of the boat with strands of un sanded strands of fibreglass matt, so they will think that the hull is defective.
Fit the sort of bung which they put at the back of dingy's and when you leave the dingy take the bung with you. That way it wont be stolen by someone taking it away by water.
Change the transom bolts from the ones which bolt the outboard to the transom to a bolt with a 19mm head. and if they try and steal the outboard they will have to have a 19mm spanner.
Fit an outboard lock.
I have had 2 dingys stolen over the years, First one 1967 a 9ft Fibrocell one which was lying alongside the slipway at Holyhead Sailing Club (uninsured)
The next dingy I decided to insure separately (so if it went missing it did not effect my yacht insurance NCB)
I placed that on the deck of my 33ft Nauticat where it was in the water at what was called Marine Secol at Northwich. The dingy despite being tied to the deck of the boat disappeared. (isent insurance wonderful. )
Since then I have only had inflatables.
Do a "bad" fibreglass repair on the floor of the boat with strands of un sanded strands of fibreglass matt, so they will think that the hull is defective.
Fit the sort of bung which they put at the back of dingy's and when you leave the dingy take the bung with you. That way it wont be stolen by someone taking it away by water.
Change the transom bolts from the ones which bolt the outboard to the transom to a bolt with a 19mm head. and if they try and steal the outboard they will have to have a 19mm spanner.
Fit an outboard lock.
I have had 2 dingys stolen over the years, First one 1967 a 9ft Fibrocell one which was lying alongside the slipway at Holyhead Sailing Club (uninsured)
The next dingy I decided to insure separately (so if it went missing it did not effect my yacht insurance NCB)
I placed that on the deck of my 33ft Nauticat where it was in the water at what was called Marine Secol at Northwich. The dingy despite being tied to the deck of the boat disappeared. (isent insurance wonderful. )
Since then I have only had inflatables.
Daydream believer
Well-known member
The idea of paying lots of dosh for a dinghy then trashing it to make it look unatractive alongside ones tidy yacht does not apeal to me. However , painting the name of the yacht neatly in numerous places on the floor, On the underside and anywhere that would be difficult to remove might be a ploy worth considering. Mine has the post code in a couple of places as well.
As for bolting the outboard, then I would suggest dome headed socket bolts as these can only be undone with an allen key if the other end is suitable burred over or the nut rounded over to make to difficult to grip.
It would still not deter the thieves who removed a RIB from a marina, took it to a nearby slip; then using a jig saw, cut the transom away. Thus they released the engine complete with a piece of transom. They left the RIB with half a transom to just drift off the slip, trashed without a care.
As for bolting the outboard, then I would suggest dome headed socket bolts as these can only be undone with an allen key if the other end is suitable burred over or the nut rounded over to make to difficult to grip.
It would still not deter the thieves who removed a RIB from a marina, took it to a nearby slip; then using a jig saw, cut the transom away. Thus they released the engine complete with a piece of transom. They left the RIB with half a transom to just drift off the slip, trashed without a care.
Praxinoscope
Well-known member
Many years ago in our early sailing days as a small syndicate four of us as friends bought our first boat (Leisure17), and holidayed on it on the South Coast, as we had spent 'so much' on buying the Leisure we were cash strapped for finding a tender, but found a chandlers with a display 'Campari' inflatable at a price we could just afford, during our holiday this inflatable (more a deflatable) became known as the 'Yellow Peril'. For some reason the fabric seemed to develop leaks at various points which we carefully repaired with various coloured patches, by the last night of our holiday the Campari looked as if it was suffering from some form of smallpox, it had so many patches on it.
Our last night was spent moored off Swanage where we spent the evening in the pub {of course) leaving the yellow peril ashore ready for the row back, but when we went to find it someone had nicked it!
All we could do was laugh and hope that it followed its normal pattern and started to leak as they rowed away in it, and that they could afford the cost of continuously applying patches to the various leaks, and then swam out to the Leisure for our last night on board.
For once we felt that the scum bags that had nicked our tender would get everything they deserved!
Our last night was spent moored off Swanage where we spent the evening in the pub {of course) leaving the yellow peril ashore ready for the row back, but when we went to find it someone had nicked it!
All we could do was laugh and hope that it followed its normal pattern and started to leak as they rowed away in it, and that they could afford the cost of continuously applying patches to the various leaks, and then swam out to the Leisure for our last night on board.
For once we felt that the scum bags that had nicked our tender would get everything they deserved!
fisherman
Well-known member
Outboard was nicked on the beach in the middle of the annual regatta, chap just picked it up and walked off.
Local engineer, Evotek, says he has never been challenged walking up the pontoon with an outboard he has collected for repair. Wearing a boilersuit does a lot. On site once two chaps in boilersuits turned up during lunch break and cleared out all the hire gear. If you do something in plain sight people assume you are kosher.
I made sure my punt was a mess but it didn't help. very close to the road on a driveable beach in Helford. An equally messy but better one has been in the same place for over a year and not nicked. Luck of the draw+ accessibility. We go for ages with no trouble then one night everything goes, as all the outboards at Helford Passage not long ago.
fisherman
Well-known member
In Hayle they took a Cat FV to the slip and removed the two 80HP Hondas. After that my mate installed GPS trackers in his O/Bs. No idea of cost.
Covert Outboard Motor Tracker GPS - 12 Months Live Tracking Included
How does £72 pa compare with insurance?
Covert Outboard Motor Tracker GPS - 12 Months Live Tracking Included
How does £72 pa compare with insurance?
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billyfish
Active member
Bloody hell . It astounds me. Going to try rope wire wth locks I think . Only to put off the opportunist
stevebrassett
Well-known member
My insurance company will only cover the tender if it is marked with the name of the mother ship,
billyfish
Active member
I was led to believe it was a bad idea to have your boats name on the tender because the toerags know your ashore and pilfer from the mothership. So I have post codes on mine. Cant win can we ?
john_morris_uk
Well-known member
Some people have argued that, but it doesn't wash with some authorities outside the UK.
RYA Guidance on taking your vessel abroad;
sfellows
Active member
I did that once. Took me ages to drag it back from the Police Station.....
Rhylsailer99
Active member
paint it bright pink that should stop most thieves.
Norman_E
Well-known member
Australian immigration officer: "Do you have a criminal record?"
Brian Johnston: "I did not know it was still obligatory."
Brian Johnston: "I did not know it was still obligatory."
Koeketiene
Well-known member
I keep my boat on a swinging mooring.
When away, the tender is stacked in a rack on a pontoon.
Tenders not marked with the name of the boat they belong to are removed by the HM.
KompetentKrew
Well-known member
I think the current strategy is a winner, @billyfish - sticking with tatty and low-value tender and outboard.
I keep eying new folding e-bikes but live constantly in the shadow of the immaculate anniversary edition Dahon Vitesse that was stolen from outside Amsterdam public library.
I keep eying new folding e-bikes but live constantly in the shadow of the immaculate anniversary edition Dahon Vitesse that was stolen from outside Amsterdam public library.
Graham376
Well-known member
Don't know about yours but our insurance policy requires tender to have name on and the outboard to be locked with a secure device made for the purpose or some such description. Battery powered grinder will still remove any lock in a few seconds.
P.S. Most painted names can be removed from PVC with acetone so, short of hot branding or routing the transom, won't stop theft.
