First Thief Experience

[CarlF]

I have Micron 66 antifouling paint which hates brackish water. So I'm over at Palm Cove Marina on the ICW near Jacksonville Beach where the water is nice and salty. I'm very happy with the place. Feels better than downtown. The docks are in great shape. Good protection. Lots of nearby stores/restaurants including the really nice upscale Marker 31 restaurant next door when you're feeling flush. Great monthly rate. Karen, the manager, raced a Morgan 38 back in the '70s so we had fun talking about the good old days. The channel in is a little skinny depth but I didn't see less than 5ft MLW (I came in at half tide to be conservative. Plenty of water inside). They have their own suction dredge that keeps the channel from silting in.

Best, the place has a friendly group of long term live aboards on the dock who told me crime is no problem. You can't move on those docks without someone noticing. They said they'd keep on eye on my boat when I wasn't around but that I really didn't need to worry.

My only complaint is that the resident Osprey prefers to sit on my mast more than any other mast. I'm going to have to find a way to discourage him.

[kmacdonald]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

The homeless druggies are rampant everywhere now. It's amazing, reminds me of some of those walking zombie movies.
https://www.kiro7.com/news/south-sou...eway/912886301

I guess we need to start packing heat when in the US.

[Tayana42]

Originally Posted by kmacdonald

I guess we need to start packing heat when in the US.

There is already another thread about heat onboard while underway.[emoji6]

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by CarlF

. Great monthly rate.

Is it better than $328/mo including all the water and shore power you want?

[kmacdonald]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Is it better than $328/mo including all the water and shore power you want?

No wonder you had visitors. You could spend that much just trying to heat the boat.

[JPA Cate]

Mike asked, and I'm interested, too, in whether you've invented a "lockup" for the dinghy while it is in its davits? I'm thinking that a small s/s chain, around a stern cleat to the towing eye on the front of the dinghy would make enough noise on the boat if someone tried to steal it that it would wake both of you. I have also been considering wearing a hearing aid at night, so as to hear better the noises that inform one of action needing to be taken.

Anyhow, SailorBoy1, have you changed anything since the theft attempt?

Ann

[sailorboy1]

I put my bicycle cable lock (I don't even currently have bikes) through the handle of the outboard and locked it to the stern rail. It's a pretty thick cable and would take some work to cut and you would have to be in the cockpit to do it. The outboard is attached to the dinghy with the standard attachment screws, but the cheap "lock" rings that come with it are gone and it would take a wrench to unscrew and you would have to be inside the dinghy to do, which you couldn't be till the dinghy was in the water. So the whole assembly can't be lowered off the davit without cutting stuff apart and I doubt some drug head is going to able to do with us sleeping pretty much right under it in the aft cabin.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I lost sight of where he went and by the time I put on some clothes and got a light I couldn't see where he went..

I too was naked when I chased down two dinghy thieves in the Bahamas.
My short story is recounted in post #31 of this thread

[SailFastTri]

It helps to marry the right woman

[Paul L]

Amateurs, if this had been west coast Mexico you wouldn't have heard them.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by SailFastTri

It helps to marry the right woman

Dammit ! I was just about to eat dinner

[kmacdonald]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I put my bicycle cable lock (I don't even currently have bikes) through the handle of the outboard and locked it to the stern rail. It's a pretty thick cable and would take some work to cut and you would have to be in the cockpit to do it. The outboard is attached to the dinghy with the standard attachment screws, but the cheap "lock" rings that come with it are gone and it would take a wrench to unscrew and you would have to be inside the dinghy to do, which you couldn't be till the dinghy was in the water. So the whole assembly can't be lowered off the davit without cutting stuff apart and I doubt some drug head is going to able to do with us sleeping pretty much right under it in the aft cabin.

That should give you time to get a few shots off.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

Dammit ! I was just about to eat dinner

wadya talkin about, sexy AF!

[DeepFrz]

Get a paint ball gun.

[JPA Cate]

Available for sale in US is a spray, similar to skunk spray, but longer lasting, that used to be available for women to spray their assailants --no idea if it is still there, but a fitting punishment for someone messing with one's dinghy, I'd think.

A.