Free: Help find my boat...stolen

[Exile]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

I was focusing more on objective issues such as legal ownership, rights and claims rather than empathy or comfort, neither of the latter would make you whole again. It would seem you are searching for a boat which you have no further legal right to claim.

To that end, if it was insured at an agreed value, a figure representing current condition regardless of who did the work. I presume that figure is what it’s worth and if you have already been paid in full for that value, your rights of ownership or further claim of return end there.

Did your underwriter not make that release of claim upon payment acceptance known to you?

This is exactly how I viewed your post, and didn't understand what all the accusations & excitement were all about. Unless another agreement was made, the OP's acceptance of a pay-out from the insurance co. would mean that the insurance co. then owns the boat. No different than if the boat had sunk during Irma at Dinner Key and a surveyor declared it a total loss (i.e. cost of repairs exceed agreed upon value). This doesn't mean that the OP cannot or should not continue trying to recover it, esp. with a more recent potential sighting. It also doesn't mean that, if found, the OP could not theoretically buy it back from the insurance co. But if the boat is now owned by a good faith purchaser (who either didn't know and had no reason to know) that it had been stolen, things get even stickier and consulting with a qualified maritime attorney would probably be advisable.

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by Exile

This is exactly how I viewed your post, and didn't understand what all the accusations & excitement were all about. Unless another agreement was made, the OP's acceptance of a pay-out from the insurance co. would mean that the insurance co. then owns the boat. No different than if the boat had sunk during Irma at Dinner Key and a surveyor declared it a total loss (i.e. cost of repairs exceed agreed upon value). This doesn't mean that the OP cannot or should not continue trying to recover it, esp. with a more recent potential sighting. It also doesn't mean that, if found, the OP could not theoretically buy it back from the insurance co. But if the boat is now owned by a good faith purchaser (who either didn't know and had no reason to know) that it had been stolen, things get even stickier and consulting with a qualified maritime attorney would probably be advisable.

It did seem strange how a few people don’t understand the principle involved regarding receipt of payment for a loss. They might become apoplectic upon realization that he would be required to reimburse his underwriter for their payment to him should he somehow recover this boat.

[b-rad]

Instagram shows quite a few #vagabond47 tags.
One is lifeonaslant and were in curacao in your time line.

[earthvisions]

Originally Posted by Offjetnow

Hi Folks; Stolen from Biscayne Bay, Miami, after Hurricane Irma. "Jade Queen" HIN# BYB473130883;
USA Documentation# 904841; Engine Serial # L014420U868121J (Perkins 4-236).
I was sailing with a friend a few weeks ago in St Maarten and ran into two sailors from Europe who saw my boat in Curacao. (Amazing story too long to tell here). A young couple bought it, and got a "great deal" because the boat had been through Hurricane Irma! (That's when she was stolen, here in South Fla.) After MANY calls to the USCG, I realize the only way to get my boat back is by flooding the internet with pictures and info. I will also contact my Senator and have him contact the USCG; perhaps then something will happen. It seems that the couple that bought the boat (from the thief) are victims also. If they contact me, I might work with them to mitigate their loss. According to the sailors, the couple were planning to sail to Panama, but not to the Pacific. This sighting was in February/March. Information was limited, but enough to convince me that my boat was seen. I intend to send a file by email to every country/immigration site in the Caribbean rim. I want my boat back. Offjetnow@gmail.com or 305-910-8075

Im in Bocas del toro panama on my catamaran they will come through here probabably I keep a look out

[Juggerknot]

Curacao is not huge, maybe OP can get on the net or better yet, jump on a plane and start talking to marinas as it sounds as if the new "owners" had put in for repairs. May get lucky, nice spot too.
Bummer on the theft btw, world's full of turds

[category4jay]

Originally Posted by 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.

You tell em Z!!!!!!

[category4jay]

Seems to me OP should get his boots on the ground in Curaçao and do some good old fashioned detective work. This couple had the name changed on a V47. Someone on the island did the work to remove the old name and probably knows the new name or more. Talk to the Port Captains-there appears to be only five ports. Hell send me a ticket and I’ll go...LOL. I just don’t think it would be THAT difficult to find her IF she was actually in Curaçao.

[category4jay]

Originally Posted by Juggerknot

Curacao is not huge, maybe OP can get on the net or better yet, jump on a plane and start talking to marinas as it sounds as if the new "owners" had put in for repairs. May get lucky, nice spot too.

Bummer on the theft btw, world's full of turds

Agreed

[Offjetnow]

Many questions have come up that I would like to address.
Yes, I had insurance and they did pay the undervalued policy. If I can find the boat I can negotiate with them, based on any damage, and get my boat back. I have been given First right of refusal. I WANT my boat back.
Why did it take so long for me to seek internet help. I 'assumed' that the FWC, USCG, and Lloyd's would be searching and until I had a sighting (whether it was mine or not), I didn't have much hope. With the outpouring of help I've received, I now have hope.
I did not have AIS. One of those things I would get to once I started seriously cruising. I had a raymarine chartplotter with built-in GPS and Navionics.
Identifying features. New Bowsprit; Windlass(not new), Anchor; Custom built deck box on the foredeck; Rebuilt aft deck boxes. Large, powered Stainless Davits.
Green trim and green Bimini & dodger and sailcovers.
The Staysail boom is in my garage, so missing on the boat.
I have had great response from wonderful folks with the cruiser spirit of anything we can do to help attitude. Words can't express my appreciation. I would ask this; let others know to keep a look out and contact me with any information. Thank you all so much. Blessings! Offjetnow@gmail

[Offjetnow]

Additional Photos of 'Jade Queen' can be viewed on FB in the 'Vagabond Owners Group'.

[Joe Abbott]

Originally Posted by Offjetnow

The boat was moored at Dinner Key Marina in Miami(homeport) when Irma went up the west coast. My boat survived as she was well secured. After Irma passed and I returned … she was gone. Searched the Bay; rented an airplane and flew around looking for her.

How do you know your boat survived if it was gone after IRMA?


Who did the hurricane preparations on the boat just prior to Irma hitting?


You stated you were paid by your insurance company, was this for loss due to the hurricane or theft?


If you now claim it is stolen, has an official police report been filed?


You state you did not renew the USCG COD which means in the USCG registry it is "deleted". Anyone can request a USCG Certificate of Deletion and use it to legally register elsewhere as proof of deletion - has the USCG issued one on your boat?




Who is Ruth Palatnik?

[Arthurwg]

Originally Posted by category4jay

Seems to me OP should get his boots on the ground in Curaçao and do some good old fashioned detective work. This couple had the name changed on a V47. Someone on the island did the work to remove the old name and probably knows the new name or more. Talk to the Port Captains-there appears to be only five ports. Hell send me a ticket and I’ll go...LOL. I just don’t think it would be THAT difficult to find her IF she was actually in Curaçao.

I believe that Curacao has a rather large organized crime network. Be careful.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

"Since the boat have been sold to another couple even if you find it I don't believe you can claim it back, and for a sale to happen and registration on a new flag the boatsneed to be DELETED from the previous countries registry records ."
Uh, no.
Boats are titled property in the US, and no one can buy and own the boat unless they had a legal transfer of title. If I sell you the Brooklyn Bridge, you still have no claim to it because I wasn't the legal title holder. The new buyers were defrauded (assuming they were innocent) but they still lose the boat if the original owner can find it and claim it.
Similarly, someone could have stolen the boat, changed the HIN, forged some papers, or even (as is common in auto thefts) bought the title to a wreck of the same model and put THAT HIN on this boat. Making it appear to all be a legal transfer.
But it is still a theft, and the original owner (or insurer) still holds the legal title and is entitled to take it back. Yes, the new owners get screwed. That's why it is important to do a title check when buying a car or a boat, and with a boat, USCG documentation makes that more dependable and simpler.

If you've ever had to report a missing boat to the USCG, the SAR forms are pages long and some of the things they want to know are color of deck and hull, details or rig and sails, whether there are any distinctive markings. For instance, bimini, davits, granny bars by the mast? Dorade cowls? Mast painted white or black? All of that makes it simpler to say "That might be the boat" even if the new owners have been intentionally changing things. Repaint the hull and cove stripe? Move nav lights from the bow to the masthead? Sure, they could. But it helps to find out what the boat last was known to look like, because it might still have the stainless work, the bimini and sails and covers, the same type anchor and mount...all of that stuff.

Sounds good in principal but in reality if it gets on another countries registry, you still have to prove ownership was never changed and then get it removed from their registry or you will have no end of hassles if sailing internationally and they find conflicting records.

[valhalla360]

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.

They didn't steal it..he under insured it. Expecting to pay insurance based on a $10k boat but get a payout based on a $100k boat is not realistic.

He did have options. He could have refused the payoff and kept the damaged boat and sold/repaired it himself.

That may or may not be empathetic but it's reality. If they paid out the $100k, everyone would be paying more including those who keep up on their insurance and make sure it matches the value of the boat...I have empathy for them also.

I still have some empathy for the OP, he still got nailed for the deductible and he may have had it set up just the way he liked.

Really from reading the posts, while it doesn't hurt to spam the web, going to the last known sighting and following up with officials there seems the best option.

Post #101 has some good questions that would help clarify the situation as there is some conflicting information. Probably logical answers but may help clarify.

[girlfreind]

Check shelter bay marina in panama