Stolen: Zodiac 420 Pro - 1979 Evinrude 55hp - San Francisco - 8 Nov 2015

[seanavent]

Please be on the lookout and call me if you've seen it. It a red 14.5 foot Zodiac Pro 420 with a 55 HP Evinrude Engine.

It was on a galvanized trailer whose wheel was locked to the trailer frame with a 3/4' diameter cable lock and coupler lock. They drug it down the street and then I don't know how they got it away after that (maybe got a torch for the locks?).







I've worked on the boat to get it up and going for the last year. Was going to sea-trial it with new engine today.

Please call me at 415.377.2380 if you heard it being dragged away or have seen it on any online sale sites.

Note: the picture of the boat shows a silver outboard. The one I had recently installed was a 1976 55 HP Evinrude with factory paint and decals (Champagne gold with and red and blue decals).1979 Zodiac 420 Pro with Zodiac Red PVC Tube Set (installed 2013)

California Permanent Trailer Tags: 4LL6706
Trailer is a 1991 Dolphin Galvanized Single Axle with White rims. CF Number: CF 8894 SG; LED lights

ENGINE DETAILS
1976 Evinrude 55 hp (Just purchased used and don't have the serial number recorded yet)
- ENgine has 1979 control box
- Throttle cable end at motor has old Evinrude (1976) retaining clip attached with ziptie

BOAT DETAILS
- Center console rigid inflatable with wood seat with 6 gallon fuel tank underneath.
- Has custom hinged wood lifting seat compartment.
- Forward bow hatch with 2 anchors
- LED red and green strip lighting installed (but not connected) on outside of console
- 2015 Registration stickers on sides of console
- Mounts for Lowrance fish finder and Cobra VHF mount on top of console.
- Cheap digital tachmometer/hour meter glued onto console
- Custom window seal material between tube and hull at stern
- 3 rod holder in front of console
- Custom stainless grab rail on left of console
- Brand new Shakespeare 8 foot VHF antenna mounted on starboard side of seat with wire not terminated yet on radio end.
- A rust stain from old 6-gallon steel fuel tank on the fiberglass floor behind seat.
- Port side stern lifting Eye bolt missing (starboard corroded and rusted and still intact)
- Motor Mount has extra 5/8" thick seaboard on interior for added support.

TRAILER DETAILS
- Rear end of trailer has single roller with a L-bracket and bolt sticking out to rear for motor support
- New white rims and tires

[seanavent]

I originally had 1979 as the model year of the boat, but it's really a 1987.

[tworotorturbo]

Sorry to hear the bad news. I will keep an eye out online and on the bay for any signs of it. Even though thats a "common" boat, its rare out here in the bay, not too many out here. Did those tubes have a serial number?

[office888]

Looks like HIN : XDCP2081H787

Have you contacted all of the Zodiac dealers in the area?

[seanavent]

I'm not sure if the tubes have serial numbers. I've never noticed any. Where would they be if they were there?

I did order the tubes new from Defender about 2 years ago.

And I have contacted the Zodiac dealers and repair shops I know about.

Sean

[office888]

Originally Posted by seanavent

I'm not sure if the tubes have serial numbers. I've never noticed any. Where would they be if they were there?

I did order the tubes new from Defender about 2 years ago.

And I have contacted the Zodiac dealers and repair shops I know about.

Sean

The serial number for the tubeset is typically located on the hidden side of the bow flap, or towards the bow edge of the bolt rope assembly.

[dbrunes]

man, what a bummer... good luck finding the boat and catching the a-holes...

[seanavent]

An early Christmas came for me yesterday. The police found my trailer in the Bayview district of San Francisco parked for more than 3 days. After 3 days of parking they ticket and that's when they ran the tag. I was expecting to pick up my trailer and keep looking for the boat and motor, but when the guy came out with the trailer, it had the boat with motor on top. It also has a new cover and a new lock on the tongue. I wonder if y filled it with gas for me.

Maybe the guys who took it got hauled o into jail and they couldn't move it to avoid a ticket. Or maybe they were so high, they forgot where they parked it.

In any case, I have my boat back in at least 90% good condition, by I haven't looked in the storage or started it to see if they f'd anything up.

I never thought of be grateful for the SF Parking Enforcement.

[tworotorturbo]

That is good news! Glad it is back into your hands. Weird circumstances for sure lol.

[spartacus]

Fantastic news.

Goes without saying, the best security devices won't deter the pros, only the opportunist thieves. Good news anyway.

[jyasaki]

Good news Sean.

Hopefully any add-ons outweigh the losses.

jky

[seanavent]

After a second inspection, it looks like they destroyed the ignition, and replaced one of the new wheels/tires I put on with the spare. I guess the lock on the wheel to the trailer frame held long enough to blow out the tire.

I got video of the thieves from the house down the street leaving the intersection about 300 yards from my house. They were using a U-Haul van. It looks as if they were just roaming the streets looking for something to steal because I saw the same van earlier int he night on the video. They drove by once and an hour later they stole it. They drug the boat with the tire locked to the trailer frame about 200 yards from the house and stopped for about 10 minutes where I assume they cut off the locks - they had the hazard lights on and three cars passed them without even slowing. They were just out of range from the camera at the intersection. Looks like they had no license plate on the van. The upsetting part is that the police don't even want to look at the video - even when handed to them on a silver platter.

Now I have to bulk up the security on the trailer and boat and in doing so I saw this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aj9kQPgoUbM

and this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G_zz80h_Tc

It amazing how easy these measures are to defeat. I feel that there's nothing but a shotgun that'll prevent theft on the street around here.

I feel like I should never leave my garage with the boat or trailer now. And even now I may lock my trailer to my house while it's in the garage. Or I might just move to Marin if I can afford it.

[jyasaki]

Security, for the most part (and this goes for everything from computers to trailers to cars to whatever else) is primarily designed to keep honest people honest. If someone is dead-set on stealing something - anything - they can get it despite whatever security precautions are in place.

Locks and such make it *harder* to steal rather than impossible to steal. The idea is to make the hassle outweigh the gain. You want to make the theft difficult enough that they'll move on to the next (easier) target.

jky

[seanavent]

Hey John -

Thanks and I appreciate the hassel v. gain argument. I'll beef it up as much as I can and/or just take the wheels off when it's on the street. I plan on installing a spot trace and an alarm along with a wheel chock/lock.

Unfortunately insurance is almost not worth it. They value my boat at $3500 for the whole package including new tubes, outboard motor and trailer. And then they want a $500 deductible on top. I'm pretty much betting that it gets stolen in the next three years.

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by seanavent

I'm pretty much betting that it gets stolen in the next three years.

Let me know if you need help. I know a guy...