Have You Ever Been a Victim of Boat Crime ?

[stevensuf]

I have purchased a solar powered led flood light for the back of the boat, hopefully this will scare them off in the future, one of those motion activated jobs!

[Stingo]

Originally Posted by GaryMayo

Key seems to be insurance as you never know who will be a victim.

Insurance companies are bigger thieves that any local. Have you ever had a fair payout without an extracted debate?

[simonmd]

Sorry to hear about that Steve and VERY surprised that one of them happened in Mar Menor. I anchored there earlier this year and it was dead, hardly any boats other than the marina near the entrance.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Stingo

Insurance companies are bigger thieves that any local. Have you ever had a fair payout without an extracted debate?

Yes. We recently finished up with a claim on our Commandeur insurance policy and they paid everything fairly and quickly.

Mark

[Sailmonkey]

We've never had anything stolen from us, but the dink is hoisted at night or locked when unattended. When we leave the boat, the cockpit is bare with the exception of some ratty looking towels drying on the lifelines.
I also believe that being less than shiny and new helps us a lot too.

[Therapy]

Had chartplotter cut out of helm dash in local marina.

Had 9.9 Yamaha taken off Jon boat in side yard - constructing new house across the street at the time.

[virginia boy]

Outboard stolen in Alexandria, Virginia USA. I naively assumed that the dozen or so immigrants fishing from shore wouldn't all collude in the stealing of our motor. We came back a few minutes later to find ALL fisherman had scattered and motor was gone. Silly us!

[sailing_jack]

I had things go missing from my boat when I left it in the care of an agent who was arranging work done. This was in Marina Del Rey California (Los Angeles). I am not sure if it was from locals (his story) or from his yard workers (they had the keys!).

I live and sail in Canada, I won't say things don't get stolen here, just that I am not used to it. Should have know better in California.

[Southern Star]

Not necessairly better in Canada. I had a Yamaha 6 HP outboard stolen off the back of my boat at a Marina in eastern Ontario (whre you sail) while I was gone for a single day. It had been locked and chained to a motor bracket on the back of the bridgedeck in a well lit area and the chain was cut. I also had a previous boat broken into and with significant therft and vandalism at a marina in Etobicoke Ontario some years ago.

Brad

[sailing_jack]

Yes, it can happen anywhere, we are not immune to it. We should all take more precautions, but unless you live in a high crime area you rarely think of it.

[belizesailor]

Another suggestion for being more secure: don't run your mouth too much ashore or trust the locals too much. I know several instances where this has provided the seed for a robbery (both afloat and ashore). Keep in mind that even the nice trustworthy local you are talking to may have friends who are not.

Know of a couple of cases where the "good" local unthinkingly mentioned something around some no so good friends who then were motivated to rob. Also a few cases where the apparently good local is not in fact so good -- not carrying out the robbery themselves, but actively passing on information to those who do. I've seen this happen several times in Belize, where cleaning staff have passed on information about what is in the guest's rooms and where -- thieves are then able to quickly go straight to the good stuff.

[bruce smith]

Just a few hooligans "borrowing "the dingy, (non outboard ply pram), in Dominica,Bequia, San Francisco, and Home town Gig Harbor, Wa.

[capn_billl]

I've had things rearrainged like someone had been aboard, but nothing big missing, (maybe they borrowed a fishhook?)

My dock neighbor had an anchor taken from his dinghy, but when he returned there was a cast net in it's place.

[GaryMayo]

People will steal anything that ain't nailed down. If it catches their eye, they come back with a crow bar and pull out the nails.

Locked storage unit outside LA, lost a extension ladder, and a marine radio. Believe it was the guy working on the boat, as he had keys to the business.

Lost the items as it was being purchased. Ladder and radio was someones commission, I guess.

Can't trust anyone these days.

Institute caining like they do in the Philippines, and they would do something.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

We've never had anything stolen from us, but the dink is hoisted at night or locked when unattended. When we leave the boat, the cockpit is bare with the exception of some ratty looking towels drying on the lifelines.
I also believe that being less than shiny and new helps us a lot too.

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!