Free: Help find my boat...stolen

[KC375]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Insurence can be a double edged sword.
I witnessed the Insurence company basically steal an old man’s Maule. He had owned it forever, and it was insured for what he had paid for it 30 yrs ago. He had a hard landing, Insurence showed up and wrote him a check for what it was insured for, and turned around and sold it for more, cause it was underinsured.
Then it’s entirely possible to have more in a 40 yr old boat than it can be insured for, then there is the very real cost of Insurence, some may not can afford it.

That’s a surprising and interesting story. I’d be interested in learning more. Can you share any more details? Where did this happen / what jurisdiction? Who was the carrier?

[john61ct]

Would you rather be kind?

or right?

This community response to the OP is. . .

Well, words fail me!

[CarinaPDX]

It seems there are quite a few Vagabond 47s around, and more than a few are for sale. The HIN and Official Number are unlikely to be useful - they are the first things to change. It is possible the sheer stripe was painted a different color, and trim removed, such that even the OP might not recognize it. While making up the new documents the year was likely changed too. CF members are unlikely to identify it, unless they are in the immediate vicinity and hear an odd story.

I recommend the OP do some searching online for "Vagabond 47" and hope to find a photo from the proud new owners, with some feature that was unique. There are quite a few for sale that should be checked out - one in Cancun.

OP: Do you have any indication of the nationality of the new owners? The flag of the vessel would be very helpful. Also, asked already but not answered, was there an AIS aboard and if so, what is the MMSI? The thieves might not have changed those settings. Marinetraffic.com keeps a history of the AIS reports. Even if there was no AIS doesn't mean there isn't a new one, albeit not recognizable. There aren't a large number of yachts in the SW Caribbean.

Panama, without transiting the canal, is a bit of an odd destination. We are now in hurricane season so if they did head there they would be stuck low in the Caribbean for the next 6 months or so, or pass through the canal. It is a pity so many months have passed since the theft, and more importantly, since the last sighting. If they head through to the South Pacific it could be particularly difficult to track.

BTW you might PM svjedi; he might have seen her in Panama, or keep an eye out. It seems many yachts in Panama stop at that marina.

Good luck,

Greg

[malbert73]

So really sorry the boat was stolen. My first offshore passage was on a vagabond 47 and I was amazed how comfortable it was.
But... help me understand. Irma was 20 months ago right? And it disappeared after Irma? What happened in past 20 months that now suddenly it’s missing?

[hzcruiser]

Originally Posted by malbert73

So really sorry the boat was stolen. My first offshore passage was on a vagabond 47 and I was amazed how comfortable it was.
But... help me understand. Irma was 20 months ago right? And it disappeared after Irma? What happened in past 20 months that now suddenly it’s missing?

It's been missing all along but now someone spotted it! Simple as that...

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by hzcruiser

It's been missing all along but now someone spotted it! Simple as that...

I think the point is that if he had wanted to recover it he should have taken action at the time, and not give the bad guys time to move it a good distance, disguise it, create new paperwork, and sell it. At this point if it is recovered it is still unlikely the thieves will get caught, and as the OP pointed out the new owners are likely innocent and stand to lose as well.


Greg

[hzcruiser]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

I think the point is that if he had wanted to recover it he should have taken action at the time, and not give the bad guys time to move it a good distance, disguise it, create new paperwork, and sell it. At this point if it is recovered it is still unlikely the thieves will get caught, and as the OP pointed out the new owners are likely innocent and stand to lose as well.


Greg

Sure thing. My assumption, based on the owner's posts, was that he hasn't been sitting on his hands for all that time; this is just another avenue that has opened up recently.

[BugzyCan]

I tried looking for "Jade Queen" boat name in South Caribbean area on the MarineTraffic site, you can filter by boat type, but if the ship name changed then this won't help. It also shows a lot of "pleasure craft", and I could not find a way to filter by sailboat only. Still, was kind of entertaining.

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais...ry:25.0/zoom:4

[Chotu]

What kind of responses are these to a victim of theft?

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Chotu

What kind of responses are these to a victim of theft?

Poor, he is one of us and lost his boat. I note that he said he had hired a plane to try and find her after the hurricane so he certainly put some effort and money into finding her.

Whilst the boat could be anywhere, it's a small world, so hopefully someone will see it, perhaps with a novice crew that aren't up to handling it will be the first clue. Turning up at a marina and not having an insurance policy would also raise eyebrows.

Pete

[Pete7]

OJ, we need some details that might narrow down the boat if someone sees it in passing or at a dock. Things like what sort of anchor does it have and who made the sails? is the makers label on the sails or any racing numbers etc. Spinny pole? Radar make? Any electronics or chart plotters visible from a pontoon? Any damage to decks or hull, are they teak decks?

Finally do you have any other photos. Post the lot and fingers crossed. Hopefully Google will pick up this thread for anyone searching V47s in the future, so you never know.

Pete

[malbert73]

Originally Posted by hzcruiser

It's been missing all along but now someone spotted it! Simple as that...

Ahh makes sense. Good luck to owner good thing is sailboats are tough to hide.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by KC375

That’s a surprising and interesting story. I’d be interested in learning more. Can you share any more details? Where did this happen / what jurisdiction? Who was the carrier?

Airplanes and boats are insured on an agreed upon value, not blue book.
if you submit a claim the insurer has the option of either paying for it to be fixed or paying the agreed upon insured value. if they do that then of course they own the item, so if your boat is worth more than its insured value, they can and will write you a check and take possession.
They of course then resell the item.
All above board, all legal. The airplane owner didn't understand that, to save some money he kept the insured value low thinking if he had an accident he would take the insurance money and then pay the rest of the repair himself

[zeehag]

the amount of dissing of the owner of the boat is shameful.
seems he DID start his search at time of disappearance. why diss him on this.,.
has any of you tried to search fro a needle in a haystack, aka stolen or lost boat?>? if so, stfu. if not, learn this is a difficulty. the man had a boat. it was stolen. it is still his despite what others have done. unfortunately the possession ifs 9/10 of law is a fallacy. just because you HAVE something does not make it yours.
help this man find his boat.
insurance mumbo jumbo is moot.

bolo for this boat and help him find it.

[Cpt Pat]

Originally Posted by john61ct

And empathy is a character trait, not something the recipient has to perform properly in order to "deserve"

"Evil is the absence of empathy."