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Old 19-01-2017, 07:41   #1
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Theft in the Abacos

Hi,

Looking for input from cruisers to the Abacos. My wife, two sons and I are headed to the Abacos for the first time in about two months, depending on the weather window. Planned itinerary is West End, Great Sale, Green Turtle, Man-o-War, Elbow Cay, and if time permits, points south to Little Harbour. I will have two dinks (one hard, one roll-up inflatable) and two motors, one 2.5hp, one 4hp. I'm thinking about how to prevent theft of dinks and / or motors. My boat is old (1981 Pearson) and looks it, though it is structurally and mechanically sound with davits for the hard dink. First question for those who are in the Abacos or have been in the last year, how bad is the theft problem? Second question - what steps do you take to prevent it, and how effective have they been?

Thanks,
AJ
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Old 19-01-2017, 08:44   #2
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Re: Theft in the Abacos

Theft in the Abacos is no different than theft in your own neighborhood.
Just use common street sense.
Anything can get stolen at anytime anywhere.
For many years have cruised the Bahamas to include the Albacos and throughout the Caribbean as far as Venezuela. Never had a problem till my boat was in the Cayman Islands at a private dock in a gated community surrounded by houses that costs were in excess of $2 million. My dingy was out of the water on my swim platform and locked with a large mental cable. They came at night with cutters and took my 20 HP Yamaha outboard. It was never recovered.
So good luck, be smart but don't be excessively paranoid. Might want insurance if possible. That always takes the sting out of theft.
Simple things like locking your engine to the dingy, using a halyard to hoist your dingy out of the water on a routine bases will at least negate the opportunistic thief.
Good luck and enjoy the islands.
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Old 19-01-2017, 08:57   #3
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Re: Theft in the Abacos

Second all said by Caradow. The Bahamas are about as safe as anywhere you could cruise in the Americas (USA included) but dinks and outboards are attractive targets. Always lock them overnight.
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Old 19-01-2017, 09:08   #4
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Re: Theft in the Abacos

I'd be interested to see who wants a 2.5hp or 4hp outboard.
The locals use 90's.
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Old 19-01-2017, 09:26   #5
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Re: Theft in the Abacos

Thanks for the replies. I do plan to lock the outboards, raise one dink on davits and raise the other alongside the boat on halyards, so it sounds like unless I'm just unlucky, that should be enough.

My brother-in-law used to live in the USVI, and over the course of two years, he lost two outboards, an anchor rode, gas cans, and other little stuff. Sounds like the Abacos are better with regard to theft, so I feel better.
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Old 19-01-2017, 09:53   #6
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Re: Theft in the Abacos

I think most places in the Abacos are generally safe. I don't know that I would leave my boat unattended anywhere without taking precautions, but I don't think most cruisers there even lock their dinks at night. At least in my experience. Marsh Harbor is probably the highest risk area. You shouldn't expect to need extreme measures. If you feel like locking it, go ahead and you should be fine.


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Old 19-01-2017, 09:58   #7
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Re: Theft in the Abacos

Quote:
Originally Posted by AJ_n_Audrey View Post
Hi,

Looking for input from cruisers to the Abacos. My wife, two sons and I are headed to the Abacos for the first time in about two months, depending on the weather window. Planned itinerary is West End, Great Sale, Green Turtle, Man-o-War, Elbow Cay, and if time permits, points south to Little Harbour. I will have two dinks (one hard, one roll-up inflatable) and two motors, one 2.5hp, one 4hp. I'm thinking about how to prevent theft of dinks and / or motors. My boat is old (1981 Pearson) and looks it, though it is structurally and mechanically sound with davits for the hard dink. First question for those who are in the Abacos or have been in the last year, how bad is the theft problem? Second question - what steps do you take to prevent it, and how effective have they been?

Thanks,
AJ
Yes there is theft in Abaco and it is increasing. Check the Abaco bulletin board but no Bahamian would be caught dead with your outboards or your roll up dink. I think you'll be perfectly safe. Last time I heard anything that small being "stolen" was years ago and the "stolen" dink was found drifting a day or two later. The cruiser who reported it stolen on the net then had his wife come on the net and apologize for saying it had been stolen. He didn't have the cojones to apologize himself or admit he hadn't tied it up securely.
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Old 19-01-2017, 10:07   #8
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Re: Theft in the Abacos

I'll let you know next month, but I think most dinghy theft is because people don't secure them. A big thief problem in the Abacos would kill the local economy and I bet most understand that.
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Old 19-01-2017, 11:11   #9
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Re: Theft in the Abacos

The targets of choice in the Bahamas seem to be large Yamaha engines. I wasn't in the Abacos last year but the year before there was a boat stolen every day or two. Center consoles with large Yamahas were the primary targets. The hulls were usually fount with the transom cut out with a chain saw or sawsall. They didn't waste time unbolting them. Last year a 21 ft CC was stolen off of the boat next to us in Georgetown even though it was attached to the mother vessel with a cable and the people sleeping on board. It had a 250hp Yamaha. It was only about 150 feet away from us and we never heard a thing. These thieves are quite expert. Dinghy theft is much less common though it does happen occasionally.
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Old 19-01-2017, 14:55   #10
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Re: Theft in the Abacos

Thanks again to all who posted. I have heard good things about the Abacos, but mostly from people who traveled there > 7-10 years ago, so it's good to hear that things are still okay if you use common sense. Some of the news items I read implied it was worse.
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Old 19-01-2017, 16:59   #11
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Re: Theft in the Abacos

Quote:
Originally Posted by AJ_n_Audrey View Post
...

My brother-in-law used to live in the USVI, and over the course of two years, he lost two outboards, an anchor rode, gas cans, and other little stuff....
Ten bucks says he was in St. Thomas or there abouts, the welfare (and druggie) capital of the VI, US or British. Not'a safe place for tourists or cruisers after nightfall. BTDT...
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Old 19-01-2017, 17:03   #12
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Re: Theft in the Abacos

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Originally Posted by s/vPainkiller View Post
I think most places in the Abacos are generally safe. I don't know that I would leave my boat unattended anywhere without taking precautions, but I don't think most cruisers there even lock their dinks at night. At least in my experience. Marsh Harbor is probably the highest risk area. You shouldn't expect to need extreme measures. If you feel like locking it, go ahead and you should be fine.
Agreed. I don't have a boat but just did a charter in the Abacos with the Moorings in November. First charter (of 8) that didn't even give me a cable and lock for the dink. Not saying it's not needed and if it were mine I'd lock it. But even the charter companies there aren't worried about it. I was surprised.

Felt so much safer there than St Vincent and Grenadines.

Cheers,
Joe
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Old 19-01-2017, 18:43   #13
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Re: Theft in the Abacos

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Originally Posted by Captain Bill View Post
The targets of choice in the Bahamas seem to be large Yamaha engines. I wasn't in the Abacos last year but the year before there was a boat stolen every day or two. Center consoles with large Yamahas were the primary targets. The hulls were usually fount with the transom cut out with a chain saw or sawsall. They didn't waste time unbolting them. Last year a 21 ft CC was stolen off of the boat next to us in Georgetown even though it was attached to the mother vessel with a cable and the people sleeping on board. It had a 250hp Yamaha. It was only about 150 feet away from us and we never heard a thing. These thieves are quite expert. Dinghy theft is much less common though it does happen occasionally.
I've heard the center console power boat guys say that you could leave 4 stroke Mercs idling with a full tank and nobody would bother them, but a Yammer Hammer chained to the dock with no keys or gas was a goner by morning in the Bahamas. I've got 4 Mercs and 1 Yamaha.....I understand why they leave the Mercs behind.
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Old 20-01-2017, 05:41   #14
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Re: Theft in the Abacos

The large powerboat theft is all tied to migrant smuggling. Runs between Cay Sal and the U.S.
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Old 20-01-2017, 06:19   #15
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Re: Theft in the Abacos

I've spent well over a hundred nights anchored in the Abacos and never locked my dingy or motor. Never had a problem. I'm much more worried about theft in Florida and Nassau.
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