Yet another boat burgled

[Cosmic]

A friend of mine has just told me that their boat was broken into yesterday. I don't know all the details but it was somewhere around Islington.

 

Several items were taken, all worth far more to my friend than to the scumbag who took them, but the worst thing is the damage this sort of thing does to our capacity to feel safe in our own homes.

 

Please, be very careful, people.

[RichardN]

A friend of mine has just told me that their boat was broken into yesterday. I don't know all the details but it was somewhere around Islington.

 

Several items were taken, all worth far more to my friend than to the scumbag who took them, but the worst thing is the damage this sort of thing does to our capacity to feel safe in our own homes.

 

Please, be very careful, people.

 

Was that Carrie's boat? It is just awful that someone should break into her boat. Please tell her that I have cursed and sworn extensively on her behalf!

 

Richard

nb indigo dream

[romarni123]

This year I have heard of more boats being broken into than ever before I think its the sign of things to come.

[Liam]

There was more than a few boats broken into on the Outrington moorings near Lymm on the Bridgewater a few weeks ago. Quite a bit of damage done or so I've heard.

 

And also at Sale, one of the two "Open Lock Project" Trafford trip boats have had their diesel siphoned off and their batteries stolen.

[Lady Muck]

Our marina was 'done' along with the lock cottages a couple of xmases ago. They didn't get into our boat but damaged the door. Nothing worth nicking anyway, I don't leave valuables onboard.

[Guest]

There was more than a few boats broken into on the Outrington moorings near Lymm on the Bridgewater a few weeks ago. Quite a bit of damage done or so I've heard.

 

And also at Sale, one of the two "Open Lock Project" Trafford trip boats have had their diesel siphoned off and their batteries stolen.

 

This being one of the things that has concerned me whilst out cruising can somebody remind me of the

 

'whys and wherefore's' of using a lockable diesel filler cap...

 

as in

 

where to get one

 

and how do they contravene BSS requirements (which I think they do from memory)

[Tiny]

A mink has broken into the boat next to ours. It got in through a top window they left open when not on the boat. The mink seemed to enjoy biting holes in the wooden walls and tearing out the insulation.

 

It makes a change from the local scrot who nicks from houses and has a line in taking generators and other stuff from boats which he sells on through the trade which normal deals in mowers and stuff nicked from garden sheds. This stuff is big business round here with hundreds of crimes a year of which only a few are on boats as some in the marina are lived on. As for the scrot, when caught he admits to every crime for miles (which makes the police happy) then his lawyer says it is his drug habit that makes him steal and he is on a course to give it up. At this point he is given a small jail sentence (which always seems roughly the same although one might think reoffending would make sentences ever greater. And a few months later the thefts start again.

 

This being one of the things that has concerned me whilst out cruising can somebody remind me of the

 

'whys and wherefore's' of using a lockable diesel filler cap...

 

as in

 

where to get one

 

and how do they contravene BSS requirements (which I think they do from memory)

 

I have been told that to get past the locking cap some bods simply drill a hole into the tank and extract fuel that way.

[alan_fincher]

This being one of the things that has concerned me whilst out cruising can somebody remind me of the

 

'whys and wherefore's' of using a lockable diesel filler cap...

 

as in

 

where to get one

 

and how do they contravene BSS requirements (which I think they do from memory)

Nothing I am aware of in the BSS that stops you making your diesel filler lockable.

 

Provided of course in so doing you don't then make it not BSS compliant in some other way - for example those who drill through the raised lip on a stern deck that is supposed to stop spilt diesel entering the boat, to pass a padlock through, might then get a fail at their next test, because spilt diesel can run through the hole they drilled.

 

Cap type depends on your current arrangement - something very different being required (for example) if your current filler is a screwed "cup" onto a protruding pipe, than from if it's a "flush" deck mount type.

 

One much discussed replacement for the latter was called "FuelLock" I think, but it has been variously reported that people were having trouble with the locking mechanism, and (I think?), that they are no longer marketed.

 

If you do want to replace an existing "flush mounted" type on the counter, you ideally need to get one with same number and layout of fastening screws, or you get involved in having to drill and tap new holes, and with potential swarf adding itself to what's inside your tank.

 

Don't forget that if a standard style locking cap is held in with 3 or 4 brass bolts with a fairly standard head, it is still just a matter of someone unscrewing those to gain access to your diesel though - I have seen lots of locking caps that on the face of it would take no time at all to remove!

[GeoffS]

One much discussed replacement for the latter was called "FuelLock" I think, but it has been variously reported that people were having trouble with the locking mechanism, and (I think?), that they are no longer marketed.

I have a Fuelock and the mechanism is ok although I do keep it well lubricated. I had a set of boats keys stolen from my car and called Fuelock to get a replacement. At that time the price of diesel had come back down (maybe about 18 months ago) and they said there wasn't a demand for them but maybe that will change again!

[Bobbybass]

My diesel 'cap' is actually a 1 1/2 inch BSP (I think..I'm not on boat at present) pipe end.

I bought a large shackle loop and got a local company to weld that onto the cap (slipped him a couple of quid) I then have a very strong bit of chain ... padlocked to a deck 'loop'.You can't undo the cap becuase the chain isn't flexible enough.

Not infallable...but stops the opportunist.

 

Bob

[Keeping Up]

I had trouble with my Fuelock jamming, and eventually had it replaced with an all-brass lockable cap even though that meant I had to drill and tap new fixing holes. I used "Posidrive" cross-headed screws, then lightly drilled out the crosses when I'd finished so they can't be unscrewed.