Association Forum - The Grinch stole my OBM

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

The Grinch stole my OBM

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Ben - FL
Admiral

Member Avatar

880 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/20/2003 : 17:22:15

There has been plenty of wind here in north Florida lately. And though it has been cool it is still wonderfully good sailing weather if you bundle up. Yesterday I went to the marina wanting to build some book shelves. When my brother called I decided he could meet me and I could get in a little helm time while he practiced his sailing skills. But upon arriving at Chick-a-pea something was painfully obvious, the OBM was gone. When I went to inform Barbara, the kind lady that owns the marina, she replied, "Oh no! Not you too." They had hit about six boats all total, dicharging fire extinguishers into cabins and stealing radios and other equipment. Fortunatley only my motor was gone. I can still go sailing. It just will be difficult to get back into my slip! It has been a run of bad luck there lately. One cabin cruiser sank (the bilge pump hose had not been clamped onto the through hull.) Another caught fire and burned to the water line scorching to two next to it. And now this. We believe the theives were two visitors to one of the trailer people who live on the property. This marina is run by a retired couple who live on the river in a house but also have trailers along the dirt road going down to their place as the property is about fifteen-hundred feet from the paved road to the water. They rent about forty slips off their dock on the Saint Johns River were they have the largest boat of all, a seventy-two foot steel hull ketch. My slip costs me about half what all the other marinas charge locally. The trailer people are not allowed down to the marina. She said this is the second time in twenty-seven years the boats have been broken into. You would never know there was a marina from the road. I've learned not to be presumptuous of God so I suppose there must have been some reason he did not want me to go out on the river yesterday. It was blowing twenty-five knots.

Safe voyages,
Ben
sloop Chick-a-pea,
C250wk#364

Edited by - on

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 12/20/2003 : 18:34:19

Ben,

Wow! I'm sorry to hear about your motor being stolen. Thank goodness there wasn't any other damage to your boat. I guess if it's a twice-in-27-years sort of thing, one just has to accept it as a cost of boating. In the past 27 years, a lot more than one of my outboards has died at my own hands.

-- Leon Sisson

Edited by - on

RoofRoof
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
186 Posts

Response Posted - 12/20/2003 : 18:37:07

Didn't you have a lock on your outboard? Any kind? Or was it cut off etc?

I have a lock on mine, and the padlock that is installed on the square metal bar can't be opened by me or anyone else. I've been meaning to cut it off and get a replacement, but no immediated need.

I actually wouldn't mind someone stealing my Honda 8hp. Been fine lately, but I'll always wonder after the pain in the a it was when I first bought it new.

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
2984 Posts

Response Posted - 12/20/2003 : 22:27:21

Ben,

I'm not sure if you use the transom extension mount... but if the motor is mounted on the transom... then the motor can be thru bolted and locking nuts put on the inside wall of the transom. Removing the outboard would require someone on the inside, with a long extension ratchet.... or a chain saw. We've heard that reported.

Edited by - Arlyn Stewart on 12/21/2003 13:24:30

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 12/20/2003 : 23:27:07

I am big believer in making things easy to steal. I would much rather loose something that deal with damage. The best solution is just own old stuff no one wants.

Edited by - on

tinob
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 12/21/2003 : 11:39:10

Fhopper,

I agree with your point of view, might also be expressed as "don't offer a challenge". I posted an item a few years ago when this sort of thing was happening in which a fellow lost the transom of his cabin cruiser to which a new Mercury 100 plus HP. motor was affixed. In response to several thefts on the river of other outboards this fellow took exceptional and obvious precautions to secure his new Merc. The challenge was more than the theif could endure. Might be the chainsaw event that Arlyn is referring to.
Val on the hard DAGNABIT

Edited by - on

Mark Loyacano
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
247 Posts

Response Posted - 12/21/2003 : 13:56:48

... sorry to hear about your loss(s).
My OBM handles are secured with a plastic "ty-wrap" to prevent them from loosening while underway. A locking device would create more havok than the motor is worth.

Edited by - on

Ben - FL
Admiral

Members Avatar

880 Posts

Response Posted - 12/21/2003 : 16:49:49

There was no lock on the motor because the mounting screw handles were plastic and one was already broken where you could not put a lock on it. When I went to the Bahamas I put a 1/4" cable through the handle and around the stern pulpit seats. But that was mostly so if it came off at sea I could recover it. I'm still trying to find what I did with the serial numbers.

Merry Christmas anyway!

Edited by - on

PZell
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
548 Posts

Response Posted - 12/21/2003 : 18:36:46

For RoofRoof -

If you have one of those rectangular jobbies that fits over the
clamps on the OB, it's real easy to jimmie that. My locks always
jam up and I just stick a bar in there, open the slot a little and
presto off it comes. I gotta get around to taking the one that's on
there off and do something different. Lock is jammed again. It gives
a thief pause tho.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 12/21/2003 : 20:12:35

Ok Sparky, I give up. Do you sell a decoder ring?
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Paul C25FK Sparky
'PZ' W7JVY KFS/KTK/KLB/KOK/WNU/KPH/WCC/VAI/V<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Frank BS,BA,MS,RB

Edited by - on

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 12/21/2003 : 23:44:31

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fhopper@mac.com
 I am big believer in making things easy to steal. I would much rather loose something that deal with damage. The best solution is just own old stuff no one wants.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

About 5 years ago, there was a break-in at the Folsom Lake dry storage lot. 25 outboards were stolen, and if I remember correctly, they were almost all late model Honda and Yamaha 4-strokes; few if any 2-stroke outboards were taken. The thieves obviously knew which were the 4-stroke motors and that they were more valuable. I guess this is one of the disadvantages of dry-storage compared to an in-water slip, that it is easier for boatyard burglars to steal stuff from your boat, especially considering they can drive their vehicle right up next to your boat.

Edited by - on

matsche
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
280 Posts

Response Posted - 12/22/2003 : 08:13:13

Ben:

Sorry to hear about your loss. No matter where you keep your boat or how well you lock it up, there's always the risk of some low-life helping themselves to your hard earned assets. For that reason, I also subscribe to the notion that to lock up your motor too well is to simply invite damage to your transom.

It's probably obvious, but I think it bears saying: Keep your insurance up to date. That might be especially important for a group like us, where many of us buy our boats cheap, then spend a lot of money and effort fixing them up (thus increasing their values). Don't forget to send them the info on your new motor.

Edited by - on

Todd Frye
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
222 Posts

Response Posted - 12/22/2003 : 12:24:27

Johns comment on insurance has me putting another star next to "insurance stuff" on my things I really gotta do list. Now that I've got a CD player, a GPS, handheld VHF and an auto pilot on board, I need to photo document and record model numbers, to prepare for the statistical eventuality. Sorry for your loss Ben.Todd Frye

Edited by - on

Charlie Vick
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
423 Posts

Response Posted - 12/22/2003 : 13:05:35

If you find the scoundrels keelhaul em!

CVick
PanaceaII '81 C25 #2439 SRSK
Fort Smith, AR

Edited by - on

Ellis Bloomfield
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
85 Posts

Response Posted - 12/23/2003 : 11:04:16

Ben, I know the feeling. My Merc 9.9 was stolen from my boat sitting under a street light, less than 50 feet from my back door, and directly across the street from the police department, a couple of years ago. And I don't want to start another hot battle on insurance, but check your policy small print, mine paid depreciated value, some pay replacement. The Merc was a great engine, probably had less than five hours on it and was spotless. And the settlement was not very good.

Edited by - on

Kirk McKay
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
111 Posts

Response Posted - 12/23/2003 : 16:59:52

I thought this had happened to me as well. I went over to the marina to bring the outboard home, and it was gone. All I could see were the two snipped ends of the wires going into the boat to the charger. Turns out, the motor guy at the yard must have heard that the Marina Office had finally found their copy of my key and he took the motor to see what damage was done during Isabel. They went into the boat and disconnected the wires, but I had connectors on the wires to make it easier to hook up, but they don't fit through the hole on the transom. They decided it was easier to just cut them rather than to crimp them down a little with a pair of pliers...

You can bet they will charge me for the new connectors!

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

3072 Posts

Response Posted - 12/23/2003 : 19:55:49

I'd considered painting my outboard motor with some sort of unique scheme (hopefully matching the boat)... maybe with the boat name on it.

I think a distinctive looking outboard would be very an un-attractive target... too easy to spot. Dunno if it's worth the trouble (yet).

Edited by - on

frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 12/23/2003 : 23:47:33

Ben, sorry to hear of your raw deal. I guess your slip is in the Julington Creek area. I read about the fire at the marina, but did not say anything about the burglaries.
I have quite a few law inforcement friends who always tell me, the more noise and more effort you can force a would be thief to make the less likely they are to stop at your place. Yes, I know it happens, but out of all the losses reported very few are items a thief had to take more than 3 minutes to get it done and be out.
My outboard is secured with 2 5/8" jam nuts on the clamp screws. I saw this in a magazine a few years ago and it works great. All you do is remove the mushroom ends from the clamp screws install the nuts, then reinstall the mushroom ends. Mount the motor as usual, tighten the clamp screws as normal then screw the jam nuts against the mount and tighten. Unless the thief cares a well equipped tool box he will have to be magila-the-gorrila to get my engine or crank up his chain saw and wake up the world.
I do not keep any electronic devices on the boat except the depth and speedlog, if we are not on it. All others, GPS, AM/FM/CD, and VHF are all removed prior to boat lockup. The one time my C25 was broken into they kicked in the campion way boards looked around and left with nothing. It took 2 hrs to repair the boards and we were ready to go again.

Edited by - on

tinob
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 12/25/2003 : 11:27:39

Ben,

Just an idea---look in the local papers for used outboards--or place an add for a used outboard with your ob's specs--- might turn up a lead.

I currently have my OB tarped with heavy duty garbage bags and loads of duck tape both to secure it from weather and to deter thieves from "finding" an outboard. Soon afterwards I noticed someone had scraped away the area where the name and hp would appear. Looked like a squirrel had tried to get in. I'll bet that had it been a new four stroke it would be gone.

Sorry for your loss.

val on the hard DAGNABIT

Edited by - on

Mark Loyacano
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
247 Posts

Response Posted - 12/25/2003 : 13:34:23

Good idea, Val. A cautionary word though ... after we were robbed (cars in front of our house at night) our local police advised us that often the thieves knew their victims.

Ben, sorry about your loss.

Edited by - on

tinob
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 12/25/2003 : 17:09:00

Mark,

I agree with your police. We were having a series of ashtray thefts every so often alternating between my car and my wife's. I'm the guy who always forgets money at home and cringe at the occasional embarrassment of buying something and discovering that I left my money in my other pants. To circumvent this problem I leave money in my ashtray. Often a considerable amount.

Turns out the culprits were the neighbors kids(20+ yrs). The solution was to lock your doors and turn on the alarm. In addition to this I rigged the area with several automtic security lights and (fingers crossed) no more problems. But it's not summer and most of them are away at school. When school lets out and they get thirsty, who knows.

Val on the hard DAGNABIT

Edited by - on

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 12/26/2003 : 13:06:36

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fhopper@mac.com
 Ok Sparky, I give up. Do you sell a decoder ring?
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Paul C25FK Sparky
'PZ' W7JVY KFS/KTK/KLB/KOK/WNU/KPH/WCC/VAI/V<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Frank BS,BA,MS,RB
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Frank, run a search on that in google....I did it a while ago, sparky is a bonafide telegraph hall of famer.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 12/26/2003 : 15:43:46

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Duane Wolff
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fhopper@mac.com
 Ok Sparky, I give up. Do you sell a decoder ring?
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Paul C25FK Sparky
'PZ' W7JVY KFS/KTK/KLB/KOK/WNU/KPH/WCC/VAI/V<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Frank BS,BA,MS,RB
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Frank, run a search on that in google....I did it a while ago, sparky is a bonafide telegraph hall of famer.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I just did, wow. Mr. Zell, ...it is an honor.

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 12/27/2003 : 15:00:45

This is a good read....

http://www.radiomarine.org/lastmorse.html

Oscar

Lady Kay 250 WB #618
Sunrise on the Neuse River...

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

3072 Posts

Response Posted - 12/27/2003 : 15:35:08

"This is a good read.... http://www.radiomarine.org/lastmorse.html"

Yes indeed... a good chronicle of a real "moment of passage" in our lifetimes.

A hearty welcome aboard to Paul.

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.