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Author Topic:   Time to buy a locking fuel cap

flippa posted 09-22-2011 01:07 PM ET (US)
The gas gauge on my new (to me) 22 Revenge works intermittantly, so I haven't paid attention to it all season. This repair was the first item on the list of things to do this winter; attempt to repair and/or install a sight gauge on top of the tank. I keep track of my hours & miles travelled and make sure to keep it topped off when I estimate to be below half a tank. This has worked out fine all season.
I pulled my boat out a several weeks ago for the first time due to the hurricane with the new (to me) trailer. Two weeks ago I filled the tank and dropped it back in.
I went out for a ride with my nephew last Friday night and the boat stalled. I had issues at the beginning of the season with the fuel bulb collapsing, so I figured something was wrong with a fuel line or tank pick up. I thought to myself that there was no way that I had run out of fuel; I just filled it last week. My fuel gauge, after being on for over 20 minutes, indicated that I had just below half a tank. I fooled around with it for a while but couldn't get it to prime.
I finally called Towboat US and they came out to assist. I had them put 5 gallons in the tank and she started right up. Damn!!!! I was robbed! I estimate that I lost 35 to 40 gallons sometime during the week.
Apparently fuel theft has been a huge problem over the past few years up here. I have kept my boats out on a mooring for over 10 years, and in all that time, have never had any issues. I had my fishing rods & other gear out in the open, but only fuel went missing.
I am going to see what is available for locking fuel caps. Any of you guys use a locking cap or have any recommendations?

Tohsgib posted 09-22-2011 02:04 PM ET (US)
There are 2 things you can do. 1 is get a locking cap. Problem with this is they can just disconnect it from your outboard and take it from there. 2nd is to get a snap alarm. This is an alarm that connects to a snap. When the snap is removed it breaks the circuit and blamo. If you had a cover this would be a great way to deter thieves. Lastly you could do as Sonny crocket did and have a 11' Gator named Elvis as a watchdog.
contender posted 09-22-2011 02:08 PM ET (US)
In your situation I would get one, but the problem is if they really want the gas they can get it out of your fuel line. See if your marina has any motion cameras or if they can set some up.
deepwater posted 09-22-2011 06:05 PM ET (US)
The surest way is to only put in as much as you think you will need for that day or trip so you have only 1/4 tank and can fill up before your next trip,,Im sure they have an electric pump to pull it out so they snake a hose down and do a test blow to feel how much back pressure they get ,,no pressure meens no gas so its not worth it to stick around and pull gas,,try a game camera that uses infrared located in the cockpit
Buckda posted 09-22-2011 08:37 PM ET (US)
Make sure to set the game camera so it doesn't flash.
The other option is to go down to the boat at random times, although they probably go about their work in the wee hours. If it's a big problem at your marina, consider going in with other slip owners and putting up some security cameras strategically placed on some of the boats to keep an eye on what is going on. Once you get them on tape, you can get a security guard to watch for a few weeks and hopefully catch them in the act and get the authorities down there to bust them.
flippa posted 09-23-2011 11:06 AM ET (US)
The boat club has a camera system. Only problem is all of the boats are out on moorings. I am over a half mile out; the camera won't show squat at that distance, so I haven't even bothered to asked to look at any of the video.
These jerks cruise around the mooring fields on real dark nights with no running lights on & rip off fuel. The captain from Towboat US stated that that it is worse on foggy/overcast nights. I guess this has been a big problem over the past few years since gas prices went crazy.
I hate the idea of having a locking gas cap; always a chance of loosing a key or the lock malfunctioning. I found this item when doing a search last night;
http://www.bargainboatparts.com/p-101913-fuel-safe-34spider34.aspx
It seems simple and is cheap. It would definitely prevent someone from pumping fuel from the boat.
They could still cut my fuel line & pump it in using the primer bulb. I am not real concerned that a thief would bother using this method; I imagine that it is a larger boat due to the volume of fuel that they steal and this method would take forever. I believe that these jerks are probably fishermen as they left my crappy fishing gear alone.
Glad this hasn't happened while I was sleeping on the boat, although I do have plenty of "weapons" all over the cabin (flare pistol, flares, fish club, my spear gun, a rediculously large US Divers dive knife, etc). I slept on it the other night and made some of these items more readily accessible. Not that I want a confrontation, but I sure as hell want to be ready for one should it occur.
I do like the aligator idea. Imagine a thief coming face to face with that. Although disarming the aligator anti-theft device would be a hassle & I would probably loose the use of the cuddy. Plus how do you winterize an aligator? I would have to throw it down a sewer & get a new one every year in the Spring.
dfmcintyre posted 09-23-2011 06:24 PM ET (US)
Flippa -
What is the tank made of?
Regards - Don
flippa posted 09-23-2011 07:46 PM ET (US)
It is the stock aluminum tank.
Tom Hemphill posted 09-23-2011 08:15 PM ET (US)
I hope that you reported the theft to the appropriate law enforcement agency. It's possible these thefts are widespread, and they would like to devote extra resources toward catching the culprits.
dfmcintyre posted 09-23-2011 10:32 PM ET (US)
Flippa -
Ok, good. Reason for asking was some early 22 hulls were delivered with plastic, and certain problems developed with them. Would indicate 1/4 tank, actually be empty, but upon filling, would be full at less then factory quantity, leaving you to believe that somehow there was still fuel in them.
Regards - Don
flippa posted 09-24-2011 03:37 PM ET (US)
I didn't bother to call it in to Boston Police.
I quess it is a widespread problem & has been for several years from what the Towboat US captain said. Real tough to catch someone in the act; the thieves work real late at night & can see other boats coming.
I was talking with a friend last night, and he told me about this incident earlier this year in Gloucester;
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/08/05/ pirates-accused-of-breaking-into-boat-off-gloucester/
Great; these a-holes believe that they are pirates. The idiots should be hung out on Nix's Mate just like in the old days.
Crime has been increasing with the economy. At the beginning of the season last year I was told that I had to install a lock on my kicker motor immediately (as in go to the store right now and put it on before you leave) because they were disappearing off the boats at night.

Mumbo Jumbo posted 09-24-2011 04:34 PM ET (US)
"Glad this hasn't happened while I was sleeping on the boat, although I do have plenty of "weapons" all over the cabin (flare pistol, flares, fish club, my spear gun, a rediculously large US Divers dive knife, etc). I slept on it the other night and made some of these items more readily accessible. Not that I want a confrontation, but I sure as hell want to be ready for one should it occur."
-Flippa
Well, those items may not be up to the job. If thieves board your boat at night, you need to be well prepared. The "boater's best friend" below, with several extra magazines, is a salty solution:
http:/ / www. glockworld. com/ item/ 3676_Glock_Handguns_Pistols_DA_Text ured_grips_Safeaction_trigger_3_safeties_Im. aspx

Sleep tight.
MATTANZA posted 09-24-2011 05:09 PM ET (US)
i found my gas cap on the deck once, when i had my boat in a slip. i guess someone wanted some gas, but couldn't get the siphon hose to the tanks... an 8' & 12' run. in your case, they probably won't be back. with the price of gas so high, it cost me over $500 to fill my tanks. i guess people are getting desperate to drive for free.
WT posted 09-24-2011 05:13 PM ET (US)
I prefer the Glock 40mm because it does more damage due to its high speed with hollow points.
Maybe you should leave a 1 gallon gasoline tank marked "gasoline only" filled with "contaminated gasoline on board. :-)
Warren
Mumbo Jumbo posted 09-24-2011 11:02 PM ET (US)
Warren-
Did you mean the 10mm or the 40 S&W Glock?
A popular accessory available for the 9mm "Whaler Defense" Glock is the 33 round magazine. Handy should be there be more than one gas pirate.
-Bill
WT posted 09-24-2011 11:46 PM ET (US)
Ooops
.40 S&W is what I meant. 10MM is too expensive to shoot endlessly at the gun range.
It's unfortunate but with cut backs to law enforcement, the bad guys know they can probably get away with more crimes. Not much we can do except grin and bear it.
Warren
elaelap posted 09-25-2011 03:13 AM ET (US)
Four or five years ago I had my Outrage 18's kicker's fuel supply -- a red plastic 6 gallon tank -- taken from the boat's splash well while my boat was parked in my driveway. I suspect it was some local kid, since we live in an out-of-the-way location a mile or so off the nearest thru street. It obviously wasn't a boater, since instead of uncoupling the fuel line at the motor, the thief cut the fuel line itself, which was worth more than the tank and gas put together. Cetaceous's kicker was an ancient 6-hp Yamaha two stroke, scrounged off a series of sailboats, so I hope the pre-mix (could it really have been 10-to-1?) gummed up the thief's vehicle.
Tony
contender posted 09-25-2011 10:52 AM ET (US)
I do not know how they work but what about a hunters camera? The ones they set up in the woods that are infrared( no flash) and can be set to snap a picture at different intervals. I think it works on motion or can be set just to snap at preset times....Good luck
weekendwarrior posted 09-26-2011 06:46 PM ET (US)
Put a few gas cans full of water or sugar water in plain view. When they get taken you will have the personal satisfaction that the thief got what be deserved.

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Author	Topic: Time to buy a locking fuel cap
flippa	posted 09-22-2011 01:07 PM ET (US) The gas gauge on my new (to me) 22 Revenge works intermittantly, so I haven't paid attention to it all season. This repair was the first item on the list of things to do this winter; attempt to repair and/or install a sight gauge on top of the tank. I keep track of my hours & miles travelled and make sure to keep it topped off when I estimate to be below half a tank. This has worked out fine all season. I pulled my boat out a several weeks ago for the first time due to the hurricane with the new (to me) trailer. Two weeks ago I filled the tank and dropped it back in. I went out for a ride with my nephew last Friday night and the boat stalled. I had issues at the beginning of the season with the fuel bulb collapsing, so I figured something was wrong with a fuel line or tank pick up. I thought to myself that there was no way that I had run out of fuel; I just filled it last week. My fuel gauge, after being on for over 20 minutes, indicated that I had just below half a tank. I fooled around with it for a while but couldn't get it to prime. I finally called Towboat US and they came out to assist. I had them put 5 gallons in the tank and she started right up. Damn!!!! I was robbed! I estimate that I lost 35 to 40 gallons sometime during the week. Apparently fuel theft has been a huge problem over the past few years up here. I have kept my boats out on a mooring for over 10 years, and in all that time, have never had any issues. I had my fishing rods & other gear out in the open, but only fuel went missing. I am going to see what is available for locking fuel caps. Any of you guys use a locking cap or have any recommendations?
Tohsgib	posted 09-22-2011 02:04 PM ET (US) There are 2 things you can do. 1 is get a locking cap. Problem with this is they can just disconnect it from your outboard and take it from there. 2nd is to get a snap alarm. This is an alarm that connects to a snap. When the snap is removed it breaks the circuit and blamo. If you had a cover this would be a great way to deter thieves. Lastly you could do as Sonny crocket did and have a 11' Gator named Elvis as a watchdog.
contender	posted 09-22-2011 02:08 PM ET (US) In your situation I would get one, but the problem is if they really want the gas they can get it out of your fuel line. See if your marina has any motion cameras or if they can set some up.
deepwater	posted 09-22-2011 06:05 PM ET (US) The surest way is to only put in as much as you think you will need for that day or trip so you have only 1/4 tank and can fill up before your next trip,,Im sure they have an electric pump to pull it out so they snake a hose down and do a test blow to feel how much back pressure they get ,,no pressure meens no gas so its not worth it to stick around and pull gas,,try a game camera that uses infrared located in the cockpit
Buckda	posted 09-22-2011 08:37 PM ET (US) Make sure to set the game camera so it doesn't flash. The other option is to go down to the boat at random times, although they probably go about their work in the wee hours. If it's a big problem at your marina, consider going in with other slip owners and putting up some security cameras strategically placed on some of the boats to keep an eye on what is going on. Once you get them on tape, you can get a security guard to watch for a few weeks and hopefully catch them in the act and get the authorities down there to bust them.
flippa	posted 09-23-2011 11:06 AM ET (US) The boat club has a camera system. Only problem is all of the boats are out on moorings. I am over a half mile out; the camera won't show squat at that distance, so I haven't even bothered to asked to look at any of the video. These jerks cruise around the mooring fields on real dark nights with no running lights on & rip off fuel. The captain from Towboat US stated that that it is worse on foggy/overcast nights. I guess this has been a big problem over the past few years since gas prices went crazy. I hate the idea of having a locking gas cap; always a chance of loosing a key or the lock malfunctioning. I found this item when doing a search last night; http://www.bargainboatparts.com/p-101913-fuel-safe-34spider34.aspx It seems simple and is cheap. It would definitely prevent someone from pumping fuel from the boat. They could still cut my fuel line & pump it in using the primer bulb. I am not real concerned that a thief would bother using this method; I imagine that it is a larger boat due to the volume of fuel that they steal and this method would take forever. I believe that these jerks are probably fishermen as they left my crappy fishing gear alone. Glad this hasn't happened while I was sleeping on the boat, although I do have plenty of "weapons" all over the cabin (flare pistol, flares, fish club, my spear gun, a rediculously large US Divers dive knife, etc). I slept on it the other night and made some of these items more readily accessible. Not that I want a confrontation, but I sure as hell want to be ready for one should it occur. I do like the aligator idea. Imagine a thief coming face to face with that. Although disarming the aligator anti-theft device would be a hassle & I would probably loose the use of the cuddy. Plus how do you winterize an aligator? I would have to throw it down a sewer & get a new one every year in the Spring.
dfmcintyre	posted 09-23-2011 06:24 PM ET (US) Flippa - What is the tank made of? Regards - Don
flippa	posted 09-23-2011 07:46 PM ET (US) It is the stock aluminum tank.
Tom Hemphill	posted 09-23-2011 08:15 PM ET (US) I hope that you reported the theft to the appropriate law enforcement agency. It's possible these thefts are widespread, and they would like to devote extra resources toward catching the culprits.
dfmcintyre	posted 09-23-2011 10:32 PM ET (US) Flippa - Ok, good. Reason for asking was some early 22 hulls were delivered with plastic, and certain problems developed with them. Would indicate 1/4 tank, actually be empty, but upon filling, would be full at less then factory quantity, leaving you to believe that somehow there was still fuel in them. Regards - Don
flippa	posted 09-24-2011 03:37 PM ET (US) I didn't bother to call it in to Boston Police. I quess it is a widespread problem & has been for several years from what the Towboat US captain said. Real tough to catch someone in the act; the thieves work real late at night & can see other boats coming. I was talking with a friend last night, and he told me about this incident earlier this year in Gloucester; http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/08/05/ pirates-accused-of-breaking-into-boat-off-gloucester/ Great; these a-holes believe that they are pirates. The idiots should be hung out on Nix's Mate just like in the old days. Crime has been increasing with the economy. At the beginning of the season last year I was told that I had to install a lock on my kicker motor immediately (as in go to the store right now and put it on before you leave) because they were disappearing off the boats at night.
Mumbo Jumbo	posted 09-24-2011 04:34 PM ET (US) "Glad this hasn't happened while I was sleeping on the boat, although I do have plenty of "weapons" all over the cabin (flare pistol, flares, fish club, my spear gun, a rediculously large US Divers dive knife, etc). I slept on it the other night and made some of these items more readily accessible. Not that I want a confrontation, but I sure as hell want to be ready for one should it occur." -Flippa Well, those items may not be up to the job. If thieves board your boat at night, you need to be well prepared. The "boater's best friend" below, with several extra magazines, is a salty solution: http:/ / www. glockworld. com/ item/ 3676_Glock_Handguns_Pistols_DA_Text ured_grips_Safeaction_trigger_3_safeties_Im. aspx Sleep tight.
MATTANZA	posted 09-24-2011 05:09 PM ET (US) i found my gas cap on the deck once, when i had my boat in a slip. i guess someone wanted some gas, but couldn't get the siphon hose to the tanks... an 8' & 12' run. in your case, they probably won't be back. with the price of gas so high, it cost me over $500 to fill my tanks. i guess people are getting desperate to drive for free.
WT	posted 09-24-2011 05:13 PM ET (US) I prefer the Glock 40mm because it does more damage due to its high speed with hollow points. Maybe you should leave a 1 gallon gasoline tank marked "gasoline only" filled with "contaminated gasoline on board. :-) Warren
Mumbo Jumbo	posted 09-24-2011 11:02 PM ET (US) Warren- Did you mean the 10mm or the 40 S&W Glock? A popular accessory available for the 9mm "Whaler Defense" Glock is the 33 round magazine. Handy should be there be more than one gas pirate. -Bill
WT	posted 09-24-2011 11:46 PM ET (US) Ooops .40 S&W is what I meant. 10MM is too expensive to shoot endlessly at the gun range. It's unfortunate but with cut backs to law enforcement, the bad guys know they can probably get away with more crimes. Not much we can do except grin and bear it. Warren
elaelap	posted 09-25-2011 03:13 AM ET (US) Four or five years ago I had my Outrage 18's kicker's fuel supply -- a red plastic 6 gallon tank -- taken from the boat's splash well while my boat was parked in my driveway. I suspect it was some local kid, since we live in an out-of-the-way location a mile or so off the nearest thru street. It obviously wasn't a boater, since instead of uncoupling the fuel line at the motor, the thief cut the fuel line itself, which was worth more than the tank and gas put together. Cetaceous's kicker was an ancient 6-hp Yamaha two stroke, scrounged off a series of sailboats, so I hope the pre-mix (could it really have been 10-to-1?) gummed up the thief's vehicle. Tony
contender	posted 09-25-2011 10:52 AM ET (US) I do not know how they work but what about a hunters camera? The ones they set up in the woods that are infrared( no flash) and can be set to snap a picture at different intervals. I think it works on motion or can be set just to snap at preset times....Good luck
weekendwarrior	posted 09-26-2011 06:46 PM ET (US) Put a few gas cans full of water or sugar water in plain view. When they get taken you will have the personal satisfaction that the thief got what be deserved.