Surgical is the only way I can describe it.. couple of clean cuts and it's gone.. cable lock as back up sliced..
...and a heavy duty Squire maritime lock..
..made to look like damp spaghetti.. bolt cutters I think, from the look of the cut
So sailing is on hold for the time being.. I have the serial number, evidence I secured it, I've reported to the police, I have a crime scene number, the insurance claim was put in this morning.. now we wait...
A premeditated theft by some bloody mongrel(s). It's very unfortunate Steve, hope you get it all sorted soon. A feature of theft here in NZ is that when the insurance etc is sorted out and new gear purchased, the bastard(s) come back again to steal the brand new stuff.
ReplyDeleteAlden - been thinking that too.. will have to come up with a plan.
DeleteSteve, sorry to hear this. My engine is on the back of my boat. I've got a similar setup to you on my outboard so I might go get it one afternoon this week so it's secure at home.
ReplyDeleteI suspect it's no coincidence we have travellers in Leigh Park at the moment. They arrived last Friday.
Ta Mark - just mine by the look of it - number of other boats in the moorings still have engine on the back - stealing to order?? Problem with having the 'go-to' outboard I suppose - popular and therefore easy to move on....
DeleteMine's an old Mariner 2-stroke, not sure how popular they are with tea-leaves. One thing I did on mine to help avoid the silent bolt cropper attack is once the padlock is through the arms of the outboard clamp, I fit a motorcycle chain as well and thread the chain through the motor mount. The chain covers all the padlock "D", so you can't get bolt croppers at it. If they took mine, they'd be ages doing it quietly snipping at chain or it would have to be a noisy attack with a disc cutter. But in total I've got the padlock, the chain and another chain for them to get through before they can have my outboard.
DeleteBut after seeing how quickly even an approved outboard lock can be destroyed and removed with a petrol disc cutter (20 seconds), I guess if they really want it, they're going to get it.
Mark.. think you're right... they were quick and it was very professional... there's a few black rubber marks along the side of the boat at the back - just under the rubbing strake so I'm guessing smallish boat with black fenders/tyre fenders.. there's no damage to my boat whatsoever... and I know what a lump that engine was to get into the scoop... been sailing 10+ years now - it was bound to happen some time.. :o(
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ReplyDeleteScumbags and jam rolls - we had an outbreak a while back, as Alden said they often comeback again, the local vicar suffered a double theft, then his insurers refused to cover him - can't win.
ReplyDeleteI know it's a pain but when I kept a Jag 21 on a mooring in the middle of Portsmouth harbour I used to put the outboard down below - was a Suzuki 5HP
http://bursledonblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/scrappage-scheming.html
Good luck
Ta Max.. I used to do the same, but it's a heavy old lump so I moved it to the transom permanently last season.. ah well... the insurance payout is better than a poke in the eye but comes nowhere near the replacement value of the engine (if you can even find one), so I'll be going the second hand route...
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