Surely they will have to auction these off at some point?

[IamSam]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...warehouse.html

And presumably, they all came with outboards (not pictured)? I can't imagine many/any were rowed across the channel.

It would be nice to inject some extra supply into the market and dampen the ridiculous prices...

[Oldman2]

The word is that they will all be destroyed once they are maybe identified if stolen. Couldnt auction them off and find them reloaded crossing the channel again could they

[IamSam]

If only there was a way to register a boat so the owner could be known!

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by IamSam

If only there was a way to register a boat so the owner could be known!

There is, it’s called The Small Ships Register.

[Striker]

I wonder how many of them have been stolen in the first place.

[IamSam]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

There is, it’s called The Small Ships Register.

I don't think my sarcasm landed! Surely the boats could be auctioned if a pre-requisite was the immediate registration of anything sold? I doubt it would cost more in admin than it would raise for public funds. Perhaps something that sensible is beyond the reach of our public officials though....

[IamSam]

Originally Posted by Striker

I wonder how many of them have been stolen in the first place.

I am no expert compared to 99% of you here, but a lot of the boats don't seem to be very beamy for the length. Perhaps they were built custom for maximum passengers at minimum cost and sea-keeping ability?

[TmMorris]

Originally Posted by IamSam

I don't think my sarcasm landed! Surely the boats could be auctioned if a pre-requisite was the immediate registration of anything sold? I doubt it would cost more in admin than it would raise for public funds. Perhaps something that sensible is beyond the reach of our public officials though....

You'd only be able to auction the ones that you could 100% prove were made to the appropriate standards and only after the completion of the legal activity. They can't really even give them away to third world charities.

Some of these boats will be stolen, some bought off the shelf and others made to order. It'll be a complete mess.

I imagine a lot of outboards are being stolen around the whole coast but maybe the way they work is that they caterpillar behind a single engines boat?

[Shaggybeer]

I live in Dover and my rib is moored in the marina here. I see them nearly every time i go out being dragged in and the border force boats full of the illegals. The ribs they come over in are not the best quality and the outboards are regularly seen to be smashed/thrown/dropped etc when loading them on to the artics that collect them. They are all just thrown in a heap on the hardstanding until they get a trailer load which are then carted off to Whitfield. You wouldn’t want of these ribs.

[Balthazar]

For 5-8k they charge each illegal crosser, the passers can at least get them a decent dinghy with working engine

[spartacus]

Originally Posted by Balthazar

For 5-8k they charge each illegal crosser, the passers can at least get them a decent dinghy with working engine

I don't think that even crosses their mind. The criminal gangs that run these operations are making huge amounts of money. If they can't bring them in by boat, then they'll bring them in by road and all the dangers that poses.

My understanding is these boats and engines will be destroyed to stop them entering circulation again, unless of course they can be traced as stolen. Even then I can't see the insurance companies requesting these boats back, they have literally been thrown out of the back of a lorry onto hard standing until a decision is made as to what to do with them.