[MedSailor]

I've never had a problem worrying about my tender our outboard being stolen. Why? I've exclusively owned and used some really sorry looking tenders and outboards. The outboards I've used were on their last legs, and never lasted very long (one was found in a grassy field where it lay for years) and so usually I row.

More recently I am sporting an expensive tender, but since it's a bright orange portland pudgy, nobody is going to steal it.

With 2 kids soon to be in the tender, precious rowing space is being taken up by the crumb snatchers and so I soon may be using an outboard on my tender, and I may even end up buying a boat that comes with a (more theft prone) RIB.

How do you theft proof your tender and outboard? Paint it pink? Bolt it to the driftwood on shore? Surround it with caltrops to discourage barefooted bandits?

MedSailor

 

[manatee]

I've never had a problem worrying about my tender our outboard being stolen. Why? I've exclusively owned and used some really sorry looking tenders and outboards. The outboards I've used were on their last legs, and never lasted very long (one was found in a grassy field where it lay for years) and so usually I row.

More recently I am sporting an expensive tender, but since it's a bright orange portland pudgy, nobody is going to steal it.

{snip}

I wouldn't be too sure of that; just about a year ago: http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gener...en-orange-portland-pudgy-portland-oregon.html

 

[Cap-Couillon]

Had a friend who spent several days painting his new dink with artificial seagull crap...
Also uglyfied his outboard cowling with several shades of primer, followed by a light distressing with a piece of chain. Add additional seagull crap as required.

Ain't theft proof, but someone looking to steal for resale, will find a more inviting craft.

Don't wear a Rolex in the ghetto...

 

[MedSailor]

I wouldn't be too sure of that; just about a year ago: http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gener...en-orange-portland-pudgy-portland-oregon.html

Hehe, it wasn't me that stole it. honest!

Actually that link really does suck. Mostly for the OP because these boats are spendy and loosing any boat sucks bigtime. It sucks for me too because I thought the orange one was theft proof. I guess enough people know what they are now to know they're expensive....

Back to the caltrop idea....

MedSailor

 

[christian.hess]

Had a friend who spent several days painting his new dink with artificial seagull crap...
Also uglyfied his outboard cowling with several shades of primer, followed by a light distressing with a piece of chain. Add additional seagull crap as required.

Ain't theft proof, but someone looking to steal for resale, will find a more inviting craft.

Don't wear a Rolex in the ghetto...

Bingo, the captain of our boat I was crewing on did exactly this to a brand new yamaha 8, painted it matt black and dark colors...the dinghy he had it all covered with a matt ocre covering that hid all the shiny details and well it looked less appealing than most others out there...the trick is to be the least appealing or at least be next to one that is all blinged out

jejeje

 

[arvicola-amphibius]

A mean dog works well.
I had a great Staffy-Kelpie cross who went everywhere with me. She would sit in the dinghy, or in the back of the pickup truck with outboard motor, tools, sails etc laying around loose while I went off shopping and she would have eaten anyone who got too close to 'her' possessions.
It was quite funny to watch from a distance as someone came by for a snoop only to be confronted by this snarling, slavering hound from the Baskervilles.
One such snooper nearly had a heart attack. The dear dog eventually succumbed to old age. But I am looking for another like her now.

 

[MedSailor]

A mean dog works well.

I don't have a dog, but I do have a 1/2 Siamese 1/2 Himalayan cat named "Demon" who has lived aboard with me for 10 years. Do you think she'd fit the bill? On the other hand I fear for the integrity of the inflatable boat....

Here is a photo of the time she gave me rabies:

MedSailor

 

[deltaten]

Willie-Pete and Claymores !
Yep! That'll do it.
Asevered head on the sprit might work, too..
Nuthin'sez "don't mess with me" like ahead onna pike.
Mebbe get some buds ta stage a nasty photo op of the pilllage after "the last two guys" tried to steal yer dink and place that pic conspicuosly aboard . Blood, gore,severed body parts, scorched members, etc.
Quite disconcerting.

Or...howzabout. a "burgler" doll (ala "Hamburgler)with pins thru. it? Would prollyoworkwell in summathe islands.
Mebbe a rubber snakenin the bilge/or a plastic doggie-doo pile? Nah! too mild LOL

 

[travlin-easy]

There are some great locks for outboard engines that make them virtually impossible to steal. You'll find them at West Marine and most local outboard dealers. Amazon.com: Outboard Motor Lock: Sports & [email protected]@[email protected]@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/[email protected]@[email protected]@31TbC4yyk5L

Gary

 

[capta]

I haven't found a solution to owning a nice dink and motor and not worrying about theft, other than having a motor nobody wants. My 7 year old Johnson runs like a top and almost always starts on the first pull, but it isn't a Yamaha, so no one down this way wants the thing.
90% of the dinghy thefts in the Caribbean are for the outboards, I believe and Yamaha is the motor of choice. Parts are readily available (including engine cowlings, so painting them isn't much of a deterrent, really), and they are just better motors than anyone else produces. There is no lock, wire or chain that I've seen that can't be cut with a big enough master key! If somebody wants it and they have the tools, they will take it.
However, I also believe that many, many reported "stolen" dinghies are really dinghies that have gotten loose from a boat; we see this even in daylight, several times a month. That is easily solved by pulling it out of the water, either on a halyard or on davits when not in use; keeps the bottom cleaner, too.
So, to the person who is coming up with the way to keep an inflatable from being stolen, please do so before my Johnson dies and I need to replace it with a Yamaha. Thanks.

 

[MedSailor]

Interesting point capta about "theft" actually being poorly tied up dinghys. I raced with a guy once who was convinced that someone stole his fenders at the doc. I reasoned with him that he takes very inexperienced crew out racing and I bet that the didn't tie them on right. Besides, there was much much better stuff to steal all over the dock.

Another question to ask, besides how to theft proof the dinghy, is how common is dinghy and motor theft? I know it's the kind of bad news that gets around and a story that gets retold, but is it like boat sinkings on passages? Not as common as we might fear? Or is it common?

MedSailor

PS Also a good point about the cowling being easy to procure. Painting it pink isn't much of a deterrent at all.

 

[Frogwatch]

I make a point of trying to give mine away but of course I make sure nobody ever gets it. Eventually, everybody "knows" nobody wants it. This sorta backfired when I actually did want to get rid of a dinghy and couldnt. It is now a planter in Marsh Harbor cuz nobody wanted it.

 

[JimsCAL]

There are some great locks for outboard engines that make them virtually impossible to steal. You'll find them at West Marine and most local outboard dealers. Amazon.com: Outboard Motor Lock: Sports & Outdoors

Gary

I lost an outboard off the Pearson 26 I owned many years ago with one of those along with a cable lock. If they want it, they will get it.

 

[Alex W]

Another question to ask, besides how to theft proof the dinghy, is how common is dinghy and motor theft?

I think it depends highly on the region. I don't hear about it very often in Puget Sound (which surprises me a little bit since property crime is higher here than many parts of the country, including Philadelphia where I grew up).

I have a 15' "python" (made by Masterlock) cable lock for my dinghy that I use to keep it "secured" at my marina or if I'll be away from it for most of a day on shore. It's easy to defeat, but adds a slight peace of mind. I use the same lock to secure my dinghy motor to the boat when staying in marinas. My dinghy motor is a 20 year old Honda 2hp, easy to walk away with but maybe not the most desirable motor in the world.

 

[christian.hess]

There are some great locks for outboard engines that make them virtually impossible to steal. You'll find them at West Marine and most local outboard dealers. Amazon.com: Outboard Motor Lock: Sports & Outdoors

Gary

latitude 38 did a recent write up regarding these bar locks, pros and cons... and had the unpleasant task of destroying one since the lock got corroded and was basically now fused to the transom and mounts...

they in the end decided stainless chain and a nice bronze lock was still the overall best solution...

 

[TQA]

Well my current boat came with a tattered old Caribe RIB well stickered up and with a battered 28 year old Johnson. I was always pretty smug about it because it started first pull and did the business. I thought the only less desireable combo would be a Pudgy with a Seagull. Well you know what comes next.

It was stolen one night in St Barts, the wire strop was cut. The thief passed up an unsecured Honda 4 st that looked new to steal my old Johnson.

The thief may have been the guy in St Martin who was found with 20+ OBs in his house many of them Johnsons or Evinrudes.

In the Eastern Carib the two dinghy/OB theft hotspots are St Marten and Trinidad.

At night the safest thing is to lift it. At the dock all you can do is deter the casual thief. A wire strop will do just as well as a piece of 3/8th stainless steel chain. It always makes me smile when I see someone diligently securing the dink with such a piece of chain and a HUGE master padlock, securing it to a piece of wood about 1x3 and nailed on loosely.

Or even better in Bequia where there is an excellent dinghy dock at the produce market with raised wooden rails. These lift out vertically and any securing device can be slid off.

Get a wire strop long enough to go from the OB through the gas tank handle and leave at least 10 feet of slack. One of my pet peeves are the selfish who tie up short on crowded docks.

 

[christian.hess]

PS Also a good point about the cowling being easy to procure. Painting it pink isn't much of a deterrent at all.

youd be surprised theives will go for the easiest catch...but they will also NOT go for stuff that cant be turned around quickly to make a quick buck if you will

theives are lazy...

they are also lazy sellers usually selling stuff as is, in the moment the quickest transaction

stuff get stolen down here in the city for example you see this all the time

being ugly or having something ugly is absoluteley and positively one of the best things you can have on your side in order to deterr thieves

the issue is most owners usually like BLING just as much as thieves do...so they dont go this route

just my 2c

 

[christian.hess]

just to add, if a thief wants your dink or motor...nothing will stop him or her...ugly or not

its one of those psychological compulsive things thieves do...

oh well

 

[travlin-easy]

While you cannot stand guard over your gear day and night with a shotgun, you can make the their very uncomfortable using electronic devices. I purchased a battery operated IR motion detector that fires off a wailing siren when the beam is broken. I found it at Radio Shack many years ago, and I have two of them in my home as well. They make a very loud noise that my neighbors can hear, even from inside the house. Additionally, you can utilize motion sensor flood-lights, which can be placed on the spreaders - I saw them in use while in Marathon - they're real handy when coming back to the boat in the middle of the night and only turned on when someone came to within about 10 feet of the boat. The entire boat was instantly flooded in brilliant light. One guy even had a security camera installed on his catamaran and it clearly revealed the person trying to steal his generator one night in the mooring field. That thief was caught by the sheriff's deputy the following day.

The lock covers, chains and cables are a deterrent, not a failsafe system that makes theft impossible. They just make it more difficult. If that difficulty is acerbated by the addition of a wailing siren and intense light, it's pretty unlikely that the thief will stick around for very long and risk being caught, or shot.

Gary

 

[christian.hess]

they are all deterrents in my book

jajaja