posted 05-01-2001 12:54 PM ET (US)            

I took the boat down there with a friend and we tested the sling by launching and going for a ride. When we returned we put the boat back on its trailer, flushed it out out and rolled it over to my designated parking space. I had meant to bring some chain and a lock so I could chain it to the fence "just in case" but I didn't, but made a note to return first thing the next morning. Surely it would be safe for one night behind a locked gate, right? Wrong. I felt ill at ease all night so I got up early the next morning and drove across town. As I rounded the last bend my heart sank! The boat was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps managment had moved it I thought but no, it was not to be found. I was stunned, I couldn't believe it. I called 911 to report it stolen but quickly found out that they had found and towed a boat registered to me from the side of a hiway in the South end of town.

My roommate and I drove to the towing yard to recover it and when we arrived I saw that the motors were missing. The thieves had helped themselves to the Johnson 150, the Johnson 15 kicker, both batteries and my fish landing net. To remove the motors quickly the thieves had cut both steering cables, the control cables, wiring harness, fuel lines, battrery cables, everything! In addition to this they pried both teak console access doors off their hinges destoying one of them damaging the other. It hurt to think of all the time I spent scraping and sanding down the teak louveres to bare wood and rubbing in about six coats of teak oil.

Well the story had an OK ending. The boat was insured and the insurance paid for a brand new Johnson 150, 9.9 kicker, and all the riggings from the console back in addition to batteries, props, ect. The bill came to about ten grand. My deductable was $100.

After that I bought a length of 3/8 galvanized chain with the biggest padlock that would fit through the links which went throught the trailer frame and around, not the fence, but a 10 x 10 timber on the dock itself. A Kryptonite bicycle lock wrapped around the leg of the kicker and around the loop of chain. I put a Tempo clamp handle lock on the kicker motor to make it difficult to unscrew. I put a coupler lock on the trailer and a prop lock on the SST prop. Never had a problem after that. But boy, I still fantasize about catching the bastards....

posted 05-01-2001 04:38 PM ET (US)            

1. Wheel locks on two wheels and spare.
2. Krypton cable lock on spare and mount to frame.
3. Welded nuts on coupler, jack, winch stand.
4. Weld hitchball to cushioned receiver hitch.
5. Wheel immobilizer similar to Boot.
6. McGuard motor and prop lock.
7. Fulton coupler lock which covers opening.

posted 05-01-2001 04:44 PM ET (US)            

Spend more than $30 on the new jack if it
goes in salt water. The $30 jacks aren't
well corrosion protected. The more
expensive ones last longer. I went through
three cheap jacks in a year and a half.
The expensive ($55)jack is coming up on two
years and going strong.

posted 05-01-2001 09:32 PM ET (US)         

So one Sunday evening about an hour before dark, I pull my Whaler back into the dock at the Port Sheldon launching ramp, about 10 miles south of Grand Haven Michigan, after a day on the water. On the other side of the dock is big Go-fast boat, about 30' with twin Mercruiser 502's, etc, sitting there with the engine covers up.

As we get the Whaler back on the trailer, I ask the guy what he's waiting for.

He says "one of my engines went out, and I had to idle in here. I'm out of Grand Haven, about 10 miles up the Lake Michigan shore. I'm waiting for one of my buddies to come an get me with a trailer, so we can get the boat back to it's slip."

So I thought, "allright, sounds reasonable" and finished up loading the Whaler to head home.

Then his friend pulls in with his trailer, or so I thought.

I look at it and quickly ask "that can't be THE trailer for THAT boat?"

The trailer is a light weight dual axle, 13" wheels, painted EZ loader or something similar, about 5 years old, with a rating of about 4000 lbs, for about a 20-22'boat.

Dumb as I am, "I say I think your trailer's a little small for your boat".

To which his buddy says, "Oh, it's not HIS trailer - he doesn't trail that boat. It's too big and heavy".

Seeing the totally confused look on my face, the friend says "I just borrowed it from his Marina parking lot. There's a whole bunch of trailers left there over the summer".

So I say, "did the owner know what a heavy boat (I estimate about 9000lbs) you're going to put on his trailer?"
He says "Oh, hell no, I just took it. The guy will never know the difference when he puts his boat back on it this October." (This is in July)

I said, "But's it's way too small and short".
You're going to trash that trailer if you put THAT boat on it"

He says "well, it's the biggest one I could get, so it will have to do. It should work out just fine"

So I think this is going to be interesting to see what these two Bozos do next!

The pickup truck backs the trailer in the water, the guy revs up the one engine still running and jambs the boat on the bunk trailer as far as it will go. The trailer creaks, groans and makes other not good sounds, and settles down real low. They hook the winch as best they can. Truck pulls the whole load up and as the boat weight floats on to the trailer, the frame collapses front to back where the tongue connects, one of the front trailer tires blows out from the weight as boat comes up the ramp. The last 6' are hanging right off the back of the trailer, the rear cross member sags almost down to the ground, and a spring snaps, allowing the frame to slam down on the axles directly.

So here they are, looking at the boat sitting crooked on the trailer, which is basically destroyed and scaping on the ground.

Standing there in total disbelief,
I said "now what are you guys going to do?"

The guy with the gold chain says "Oh, no sweat, we'll just go slow and take the back roads. The cops aren't out this time of the evening (now dark), the Marina's closed so we'll just re-launch her up there and put the trailer back. The guy will never know the difference until October."

posted 05-02-2001 08:39 AM ET (US)         

While I did chuckle at the Port Sheldon story. I can't help wonder why you didn't take down a liscence plate number of the truck and trailer and the registration number of the boat; and then call the police.

Those two idiots were commiting a crime. "Borrowing" a trailer without the consent of the owner is called theft. In this case it would probably classified as grand larceny. Imagine the hassle the owner of the trailer had when he needed his trailer in October.

Sorry about the lecture, but as a person who has been the victim of violent crimes twice, and a couple of theft and vandalism incidences I am hyper-sensitive to crime.

posted 05-02-2001 08:52 AM ET (US)         

While I did chuckle at the Port Sheldon story. I can't help wonder why you didn't take down a liscence plate number of the truck and trailer and the registration number of the boat; and then call the police.

Those two idiots were commiting a crime. "Borrowing" a trailer without the consent of the owner is called theft. In this case it would probably classified as grand larceny. Imagine the hassle the owner of the trailer had when he needed his trailer in October.

Sorry about the lecture, but as a person who has been the victim of violent crimes twice, and a couple of theft and vandalism incidences I am hyper-sensitive to crime.

posted 05-02-2001 03:55 PM ET (US)         

I wasn't trying to stir up a hornets nest with this one.

I have been in the same quandary as you. Do you risk you property and possibly you life and health to report a crime? That is a personal judjement, which one must weigh the possible ramifications carefully. I have been the witness to some crimes as well. Stepping forward isn't always the prudent thing to do. I merely asked if Larry had considered it. Many times one can make an anonymous call to the police. They can then just "happen" to be crusing by. But as Larry stated, anonymity and a 25 Whaler aren't easy to obtain.

So before a lot of "piling on" occurs on this thread. I was merely posing a question, from a crime victims stand point. On one of the occasions that I was assulted if some body hadn't called the police I would probably not be writing this.

Sean