Have You Ever Been a Victim of Boat Crime ?

[belizesailor]

Interesting that most of the posts of robbery events appear to be from developed countries like USA and Canada....where everyone thinks it's "safe".

[AnchorageGuy]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Hoist and lock the dinghy every night is a good strategy (I do it too), but I know of several people who've had their dink/motor stolen from the davits while they slept (or watched a movie with the AC on) aboard!

I think a little trip wire connected to an alarm would be good for dink/outboard security -- that way you get a definite loud notification that something is up.

I once heard a little bump in the night when anchored in Jamaica (with dink dutifully lifted in the davits). Slipped out of the bunk without turning on any lights to go investigate. Could see in the moon light a local fishing boat under my stern...I slipped around the other side and eased up inches behind the guy's head and asked "Can I help you with something?". I think he alomst got his little paddle craft up on a plane!

We have always lock the dinghy and outboard to the boat, even when on the davits. There is an alarm available that is a long cable and if cut it sends out a screeching sound. We have always used heavy chain. It's harder to cut and when trying to cut it the rattling on deck usually will alert you.

[Celestialsailor]

I'm hoping that voting "no" won't jinx me...

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Interesting that most of the posts of robbery events appear to be from developed countries like USA and Canada....where everyone thinks it's "safe".

Though this is a cruising forum I think the vast majority of posters are from the US and Canada and most of them seldom leave the country.

Kinda like "Most car accidents happen within 25 miles of home". While an interesting observation, a worthless statistic.

We stayed at Boot Key for two weeks and only tied the dingy to a cleat at night. No prob.

[webejammin]

I was at a cruses party just north of Seatle WA in Everett at a big marina where one of our boats got there dingy and 15 hp outboard stolen, It was not locked just tied and the painter was cut and the week before a dingy and motor stolen out of the same marina. I had left my SUP stand up paddleboard on the water at the dock and locked it, although I felt I didn't need to but after the dingy got stolen that night, I'm glad I locked it and will always lock everything at night.

[Rhythm]

No. I just purchased a small battery powered motion sensing alarm from Amazon for $40 and plan to mount it inside the companion way. Theory is that at 130 db of screeching, the thief would rather use both hands to cover their ears and get out rather thank taking something. Will also use some chain to chain up the dingy and outboard and stow the gps and radar screen. Can't completely prevent theft, but can do things to reduce the risk.

[centaur]

Had a couple of break ins, one on the hard first year and twice in the local harbour.
Lost a good fishing rod and a petrol genny. My big security guard son had a word with one culprit who was seen leaving the boat. No trouble since from that quarter.
Also fitted an simple trip alarm.
Of course we are mostly gringos here but some are worse than others.
Centaur

[webejammin]

Originally Posted by Rhythm

No. I just purchased a small battery powered motion sensing alarm from Amazon for $40 and plan to mount it inside the companion way. Theory is that at 130 db of screeching, the thief would rather use both hands to cover their ears and get out rather thank taking something. Will also use some chain to chain up the dingy and outboard and stow the gps and radar screen. Can't completely prevent theft, but can do things to reduce the risk.

Can the alarm be set for normal anchorage waves ? I wornder if it could be connected to the VHF PA speaker too.

[anjou]

Some might dispute Corsica is far from third world, but I wouldnt join in the frey

Originally Posted by stevensuf

So far , boarded in Spain - Mar Menor, various items stolen from cockpit , Dinghy and outboard stolen in Corsica - France! Far from third world! We have been at anchor for sixty days now, No crimes in marinas first month or so.

[Rakuflames]

This is REALLY annoying. Not a BIG theft, but the third time I have had lines taken.

I have posted before about what I call my "double-ended spring line" that makes it very easy for me to dock. I coast her in, grab it, clip it to the right place on my toerail, and she's secure. She can't go into the seawall, and she can't go into the channel, and I can take my time, relaxed, with the rest of the lines.

Well, I've been in and out of town -- a lot -- helping someone else with the boat he just bought. Yesterday I was securing my boat for possible bad weather from Isaac, and one of my neighbors pointed out that my bow was very close to the seawall. I said, "Don't worry, she won't hit it .." but then we looked. My friend said, "This isn't clipped where you usually clip it."

That's because someone TOOK my double-ended spring line, and used my secondary spring line in its place. They didn't put it far enough forward and my bow as indeed too close to the seawall.

Just hacks me off. Line isn't cheap and this is the THIRD time I've had good lines taken.

I would love to figure out a way to end this. I buy good lines. I want to depend on them. I replace my halyards before most other people do, and I keep my docklines spiffy too. Of course someone else would want them.

I would love to hear suggestions on how I might keep this from happening.

[zeehag]

lock the ends of the line you wish to not lose to dock cleat and to boat--wont be stolen without more effort from thief. chains and locks work well to deter potential thieving--at least makes it take longer so thief might well be seen doing the dirty work. good luck.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

I would love to figure out a way to end this. I buy good lines. I want to depend on them. I replace my halyards before most other people do, and I keep my docklines spiffy too. Of course someone else would want them.

I would love to hear suggestions on how I might keep this from happening.

Eyesplice the cleat end with a galvanized thimble. Then chain the eyesplice to the cleat. (Assuming here that you're using cleats with a center hole. If not, it's a rather simple matter to add an eyebolt with ring setup to a dock. Eyesplice directly to the ring.

[terminalcitygrl]

Dye it a unique and highly visible color?

[Kettlewell]

That's one thing I like about New England cruising, and actually most of the East Coast--very little theft. In Maine half the boats on moorings aren't locked up, and almost nobody locks up their dinghy. If they do, it's usually a registration from somewhere else.

[Bash]

I'm willing to bet that upwards of 90% of thefts experienced by cruisers concern dinghies and outboards.

This was certainly the case for me; someone ripped off my dink. Years ago. Since then, I've always locked it with a cable, and I've always locked the engine mounts as well.