Avon 3.4 supersport & Suzuki DF15 - Salcombe - 10 March 2008

rubberjoey · 13 March 2008, 19:40

My boat and engine went missing on Monday morning, I think it may have been lost to the elements, but it is worth posting it up just in case it materialises somewhere.

I have looked up and down the coast line in Salcombe, but no sign. If it had been seen drifting, someone may have stolen it.

I had just finished sorting all the tube repairs, stripped and rebuilt the engine! It was running like a dream.

Oh well!

Poly · 13 March 2008, 19:48

presumably with your signature it was insured?

have you told the C.G.? not only are they likely to have heard if it has been found adrift somewhere but if it suddenly turns up adrift/sunk/grounded somewhere they may start a SAR op - looking for you.

rubberjoey · 13 March 2008, 23:32

Yeah the boat was insured the day before i put it on the water, luckily. That would have been good, marine insurance ribber didn't have insurance!!

I contacted the CG this morning, thanks for the advice, valid point obviously

I wonder if people who steal boats are actually interested in them as a sport, do they even understand how much time and addtional money we all spend keeping them in tip top condition?

Just be nice to know where she is.

rubberjoey · 17 March 2008, 19:36

I have just noticed that I made a mistake with the date, it went missing on 10th not 3rd!! doh. I have asked John to correct the date.

I have found the boat which confirms my theory of breaking free from the mooring. The boat must have been in the same place (small beach off Snapes Point) for 4 days, I asked the harbour authority to keep an eye out it was in a really obvious place but not viewable from the land. No damage to the boat, not even a puncture which is obviosly good news!!

A bit p*ssed off with the harbour staff, they must have passed it hundreds of times in the 4 days, if I had known that they didn't even look in this beach area then I would have braved the elements and borrowed another boat to search.

Sometime between the 10th & 14th the engine has been stolen, I secured the engine with a quality locking bar, there is no damage to the transom or obvious signs of metal fillings, so it must have been jimmy'd or smashed off.

rubberjoey · 17 March 2008, 20:52

What a result, not going to believe this!

After a whole day of contacting various people I managed to find out who stole my engine.

A local building firm, which will remain anonymous have been working on a property near to the beach. I contacted the father of the firm this afternoon who has in turn contacted all of the employees and all 'bona-fide' sub-contractors who have been on site in the last week.

One of the employees made comment that a few of the contractors had disscused the possibility of removing the engine for their own gain, which is exactly what happened.

I have just had a call from the owner of the firm and rather embarrassed he was, explaining that one of has contractors has admitted breaking my lock off and stealing it!!

So I will collect it tomorrow evening and I have asked him for £25 to replace the lock.

Just goes to show, if you can't trust people who are supposed to be 'bona-fide' who the hell can you trust!!!

ian parkes · 17 March 2008, 21:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubberjoey

What a result, not going to believe this!

After a whole day of contacting various people I managed to find out who stole my engine.

A local building firm, which will remain anonymous have been working on a property near to the beach. I contacted the father of the firm this afternoon who has in turn contacted all of the employees and all 'bona-fide' sub-contractors who have been on site in the last week.

One of the employees made comment that a few of the contractors had disscused the possibility of removing the engine for their own gain, which is exactly what happened.

I have just had a call from the owner of the firm and rather embarrassed he was, explaining that one of has contractors has admitted breaking my lock off and stealing it!!

So I will collect it tomorrow evening and I have asked him for £25 to replace the lock.

Just goes to show, if you can't trust people who are supposed to be 'bona-fide' who the hell can you trust!!!

So they knew the boat was there clearly with no owner , and didn't have the decency to alert the authourities . You could have fallen in the water and been missing for all they knew . Then the bastards stole the engine .

Maybe its just me but did the same person steal the boat and then leave it there after taking the engine , and thats why it wasn't spotted before ??After all the wind has been in all directions , how did a boat stay in one place ?

i would certainly be telling the police about the theft , and resisting the urge to visit them with my pick axe handle .

Glad you got the boat and engine back ,

Shame Colin hasn't had the same luck

Poly · 17 March 2008, 21:47

OK - so nicking the engine was crap... and not reporting the boat was a bit dumb - but I suspect the guys responsible were not paid to think! I can almost imagine the discussion over the tea urn - "I bet I can get the engine off without damaging the boat etc..." "I bet I can do it in less that 3 minutes... " and so on.

... actually that sounds like a fantastic result in the end. A week ago you had lost the boat and engine - tomorrow you should be back in action.

rubberjoey · 18 March 2008, 11:55

Yeah it is an excellent result. The boat had definately come off its mooring, the Monday high tides were the highest over that period so the package must have made to the highest point of the beach, I can only assume that any further high tides must have been slightly lower, or not enough to re-float. The person who took the engine may have even pulled the boat up a little, to safe guard his future bounty, who knows.

I know you are right, the police should be informed, but I think that the guy has definately learnt his lesson, apparently he is 40 ish so should know better. The boss said to me last night that the guy will instantly loose his job (obviously an employer/employee trust issue) but he also mentioned that he has one decission to make today, Derriford or Torbay and for those that are not in the know locally, they are both Hospitals!!.

Lets face it, what are the police really going to do? If he gets a record the chances are he will never be able to work in the building trade araound here, which means he may well take up crime to supliment his lost salary.

It is a tricky one, I could ask his boss (previous) to get him to call me and apologise in person, atleast then he will be subjected to the best possible embaressment!!

What do you think?

Poly · 18 March 2008, 12:00

I think if you get the engine back you are doing well, if you get the 25 quid for the lock you are doing even better.

ian parkes · 18 March 2008, 23:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubberjoey

Yeah it is an excellent result. The boat had definately come off its mooring, the Monday high tides were the highest over that period so the package must have made to the highest point of the beach, I can only assume that any further high tides must have been slightly lower, or not enough to re-float. The person who took the engine may have even pulled the boat up a little, to safe guard his future bounty, who knows.

I know you are right, the police should be informed, but I think that the guy has definately learnt his lesson, apparently he is 40 ish so should know better. The boss said to me last night that the guy will instantly loose his job (obviously an employer/employee trust issue) but he also mentioned that he has one decission to make today, Derriford or Torbay and for those that are not in the know locally, they are both Hospitals!!.

Lets face it, what are the police really going to do? If he gets a record the chances are he will never be able to work in the building trade araound here, which means he may well take up crime to supliment his lost salary.

It is a tricky one, I could ask his boss (previous) to get him to call me and apologise in person, atleast then he will be subjected to the best possible embaressment!!

What do you think?

Sounds Like his boss is a decent guy , and yes sacking him is the only way , when you work in other peoples houses for a living total honesty and trust is so important .

maybe if the guy did call you you could at least explain that you could have been lost from the boat and his actions could have cost your Life if he was a young lad then maybe takin it easy on him would be fair.

main thing is getting the engine back

tinker · 20 March 2008, 19:17

Could he have claimed salvage rights?

Poly · 20 March 2008, 19:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinker

Could he have claimed salvage rights?

As I understand it the general principles on which the size of salvage claims are based are:

Value of the vessel.
Degree of risk/danger the vessel was in or likely to get into.
Degree of risk/danger the salvor had to take to save the vessel.
The skills and effort required by the salvor.

Whilst the boat presumably was in "peril" I doubt the possible salvor was really putting himself in any danger, or using any significant skill.

However before trying to claim salvage the salvor would normally be expected to try to identify the rightful owner of the vessel.

You can't just take an engine - say it was salvage and thats it.

Limey Linda · 20 March 2008, 20:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubberjoey

What do you think?

I think you are being too soft. It is highly likely that a person like this has committed theft before. Even if he has not, you owe the public to procecute him. He is thieving trash and should suffer the consquences. However it is your call. Why not meet with him and ask why you should not.
Glad you got your boat back.

PS. I would give his ex boss a bottle of Scotch.