* FOUND * Stolen Boat - from Mercia Marina

[Flyboy]

Several people have talked about chaining their boats to the mooring but Yank on the cut stated that they would not tolerate that in their marina for fire reasons. So if marina operators are not going to permit boaters to physically secure their property then they need to provide other security measures that do work.

 

 

This is a wake up call for boat owners and the boating industry as a whole. Something the car industry tackled decades ago. Having more than one ignition key type would be a start as would securing the electris to make hot wiring the starter impossible.

 

T C

You don't need any key to hotwire. Hotwiring bypasses the ignition switch.

Edited August 8, 2016 by Flyboy

[deckhand]

Having lived in Mercia Marina, prior to the liveaboard moving rules, boaters had a berth, which they more or less chose and stayed there. You got to know your neighbours and watched out for each other. Then the Liveaboard rules came in and anyone with that status then has to move every 10 months or so to meet the requirements of the Council. This meant you end up with neighbours that you dont know (or want in some cases). It kind of ruined the neighbourly feel for us. We took time initially to choose the berth we wanted when we decided to move in Mercia but having had to move a couple of times, our chosen pontoon got snapped up which meant we lost the neighbours we had developed a rapport with.

 

I would have challenged anyone on a neighbours boat prior to the rules, because we got to know when people were expected, having work done, etc and in fact have challenged people in the past. (Remembering one night at 11pm when someone was wandering around the marina in the dark, couldnt tell us which boat he was looking for. Turned out eventually that he was stopping with his brother and got lost but he was challenged by us.

[carp-addict]

As I have stated before I do not own a boat (yet) but the one thing I would like is an immobiliser fitted. For me that was the one game changer that stopped most cars from being stolen, nowadays they try to steal the keys to the cars as they cannot circumnavigate round the immobiliser

[Guest]

As I have stated before I do not own a boat (yet) but the one thing I would like is an immobiliser fitted. For me that was the one game changer that stopped most cars from being stolen, nowadays they try to steal the keys to the cars as they cannot circumnavigate round the immobiliser

 

However the level of sophistication built into modern integrated computerised motor vehicle immobilisation is miles ahead of what is effectively in most cases 1960's technology that is fitted to narrowboats. (and agricultural technology at that).

 

One of the benefits of this is that you can still fix most things on a narrowboat yourself rather that having to get some Herbert to plug it in to a diagnostic tester and tell you what is wrong first.

[Flyboy]

Modern cars have micro processors to control the engine management system. It is easy to have an immobiliser with this type of system. As most boats have simple systems an immobiliser is not practical IMO.

[carp-addict]

Maybe the level of sophistication needs to be put into the new builds as standard then, something will have to change or this will just continue to happen, The saving grace is the fact that once a boat goes missing the network of people on the look out is incredible leaving the only option of night time movement.

Edited August 8, 2016 by carp-addict

[Alan de Enfield]

Specifically do they require the Hull Identification Number, as it is the only truly unique identifier?

 

 

 

No, I had a boat registered with them (came off the sea) which did not have a HIN number, from memory the only info I could fill in was :

 

length

colour

material (GRP)

 

and - possibly - beam.

 

For the HIN I think I just put "N/A" in the box.

 

The 'plates' were issued within 7 days - excellent service from C&RT.

Edited August 8, 2016 by Alan de Enfield

[Jess--]

Maybe the level of sophistication needs to be put into the new builds as standard then, something will have to change or this will just continue to happen, The saving grace is the fact that once a boat goes missing the network of people on the look out is incredible leaving the only option of night time movement.

the trouble with having that level of sophistication would probably cause more issues than it would solve, the level we have at the moment can (in most cases) be coaxed back to life in an emergency without having to leave the boat (which is handy if it died in the middle of a river).

[Guest]

Maybe the level of sophistication needs to be put into the new builds as standard then, something will have to change or this will just continue to happen, The saving grace is the fact that once a boat goes missing the network of people on the look out is incredible leaving the only option of night time movement.

 

You aren't comparing like with like though.

 

Car manufacturing is a slick sophisticated high volume operation backed by multi million pound investment utilising computers and automation at every turn.

 

Building a narrowboat is essentially in lots of cases not much of a step up from a 'cottage industry' - low volume slow turnover with lots of hand built stuff going on.

 

Yes narrowboats will continue to get stolen but in no where near the numbers (as a proportion of numbers on the water) as cars once did. And of course cars still do get nicked because people as you say now just nick the keys first.

[Flyboy]

 

No, I had a boat registered with them (came off the sea) which did not have a HIN number, from memory the only info I could fill in was :

 

length

colour

material (GRP)

 

and - possibly - beam.

 

For the HIN I think I just put "N/A" in the box.

 

The 'plates' were issued within 7 days - excellent service from C&RT.

I think it was an EU directive that was introduced in 1998 as part of the RCD and is a requirement for all boats made after this date.

[Carrera]

Perhaps the answer to 'why did the thief choose such an identifiable boat' is no more complicated than him not being a narrowboater.

 

To him, a narrowboat is a large but easily moveable object with considerable value. I'm not a narrowboater either, and had I seen this boat on the water it would not have occurred to me that it was distinctive in any way; I suspect the thing I would have noticed most about any boat would be the name, and in his eyes the fact that there was none on this particular craft might have made it seem handily anonymous, whereas it seems that in practice the opposite is the case. He had the misfortune to steal a boat that has unusual design features that would stand out to anybody in the narrowboat fraternity; it that is indeed the case then he has been caught out by his own ignorance.

[carp-addict]

Yes maybe you are right in terms of being stuck in the middle of nowhere, I obviously dont have the experience or the answers but if I was paying 80k + for a new build I would expect better security than at best agricultural

[Guest]

Yes maybe you are right in terms of being stuck in the middle of nowhere, I obviously dont have the experience or the answers but if I was paying 80k + for a new build I would expect better security than at best agricultural

 

Well if it makes you feel any better you could spend a lot more than £80K and not get much if anything better.

[Neil Walker]

Ok. Fantastic! I have had nothing more to contribute to this thread as I have not seen said boat(although I looked)and did not want to confuse the thread.

 

Actually I have. The talk of security and insurance. Surely this thread shows tea leaves that they WILL not get away with this sort of crime and therefore should decrease?/nullify any insurance increases apart from maybe the short costs of loss adjusters etc.

 

Would car owners go to the same levels? I think not. Well done the community. Hopefully C&G have a fuller experience of boating knowing we are all alongside them. As we all should be RATHER than sniping at each other about silly things!

[spadefoot]

If you were paying for a new build, you could specify whatever security you wanted.

[MtB]

Yes maybe you are right in terms of being stuck in the middle of nowhere, I obviously dont have the experience or the answers but if I was paying 80k + for a new build I would expect better security than at best agricultural

 

 

This seems a rather irrational attitude in my opinion.

 

I'd say its up to you as the specifier of your new narrowboat when you commission the build, to specify the security measures you'd like. Then the builders can incorporate the work in their price quotation.

[cuthound]

Perhaps the answer to 'why did the thief choose such an identifiable boat' is no more complicated than him not being a narrowboater.

 

To him, a narrowboat is a large but easily moveable object with considerable value. I'm not a narrowboater either, and had I seen this boat on the water it would not have occurred to me that it was distinctive in any way; I suspect the thing I would have noticed most about any boat would be the name, and in his eyes the fact that there was none on this particular craft might have made it seem handily anonymous, whereas it seems that in practice the opposite is the case. He had the misfortune to steal a boat that has unusual design features that would stand out to anybody in the narrowboat fraternity; it that is indeed the case then he has been caught out by his own ignorance.

I would agree, living canalside we have lots of requests from friends and rellies to stay. Most don't notice the difference between most boats, (trad, semi-trad, cruiser stern etc), so wouldn't have noticed the unusual stern on the stolen boat.

 

Initially they only notice the difference between grp's, working boats and leisure boats. It is only when they have more than a passing interest in boats that they begin to notice the subtle differences between types.

 

That said, it does seem at odds with the boating skills need to get a boat out of a marina and possibly pre-book a dock for the repaint.

[carp-addict]

Mike for the moment I will leave the thread for info relating to the theft as most of the discussion is for another day, the point I was trying to make is that in 2016 surely security on new builds should be better as technology is changing all the time that enough from me on the subject I am not an expert on

[Guest]

Mike for the moment I will leave the thread for info relating to the theft as most of the discussion is for another day, the point I was trying to make is that in 2016 surely security on new builds should be better as technology is changing all the time that enough from me on the subject I am not an expert on

 

In some respects yes you are absolutely correct, but as things stand the narrowboat building industry hasn't had to adapt to the same risk of theft as the automotive industry has. If narrowboat theft ever reaches those sorts of numbers (in proportion) then it will do, until then it's down to owners to take their own precautions or specify things as said when their boat is in build.

 

Personally I can't see the day when security measures on a narrowboat reach the same level of sophistication we have come to expect from our motor vehicles though, not least for the reasons I've already outlined.

[Alan de Enfield]

I think it was an EU directive that was introduced in 1998 as part of the RCD and is a requirement for all boats made after this date.

 

Not quite (completely) accurate.

 

This boat I refer to was built in 2003 and had no HIN ( or compliance with the RCD)

 

Building to the RCD specification (and hence the inclusion of a HIN) is not mandatory

An RCD is not legally required

It is quite proper and legal to build a boat in your own back yard to no specifications, or compliance codes whatever.

 

It is only illegal to sell a boat without an RCD within 5 years of its commissioning.

Edited August 8, 2016 by Alan de Enfield

[adam1uk]

Mike for the moment I will leave the thread for info relating to the theft as most of the discussion is for another day, the point I was trying to make is that in 2016 surely security on new builds should be better as technology is changing all the time that enough from me on the subject I am not an expert on

I have seen boats which have systems on them which texts the owner if certain things happen -- such as the engine being started. It would at least mean that you'd know if something untoward was going on, even if you were hundreds of miles away.

[Sea Dog]

That said, it does seem at odds with the boating skills need to get a boat out of a marina and possibly pre-book a dock for the repaint.

I think that's the key bit.

 

Someone who knew nothing about narrowboats wouldn't have the skills to drive it competently and confidently enough to slip and manoeuvre it out of a marina. I have a naval Captain friend who owns a seagoing motor cruiser and is still very reticent to steer my 57' - 3mph down a narrow canal seems awfully fast to him.

 

The knowing where to go to paint it without being noticed, and how to adapt the paint scheme to pass muster against all but the most observant of boaters' eyes, is also quite telling to me.

 

Thief he may be, but not one unfamiliar with narrowboating I'm thinking. Hopefully, he'll be caught before he puts the lessons identified in this attempt into practice and all will be revealed when the full story comes out.

[carp-addict]

 

In some respects yes you are absolutely correct, but as things stand the narrowboat building industry hasn't had to adapt to the same risk of theft as the automotive industry has. If narrowboat theft ever reaches those sorts of numbers (in proportion) then it will do, until then it's down to owners to take their own precautions or specify things as said when their boat is in build.

 

Personally I can't see the day when security measures on a narrowboat reach the same level of sophistication we have come to expect from our motor vehicles though, not least for the reasons I've already outlined.

Thanks MJG you make some very valid points and I hope you are right in that sense

[GoodGurl]

Sorry folks but I have little to add, except that yes, as Mickp confirmed on here a couple days ago, Graham and Chris have their boat back and it is thanks to you lot, the boating community. I have no idea where it is but also no reason to think it is not at Great Haywood.

 

You are everything people say you are and much more.

 

I have no doubt that Graham and Chris have a terrific story to tell which I for one very much look forward to hearing but they cannot do so yet. Also as there will have to be a court case they may not be able to talk any time soon.

 

But this was a very well-executed robbery which very nearly worked, on a very distinctive boat in a very busy marina on a busy stretch of canal, with hundreds of people searching.

 

So this thread or a new one should focus on security. Please do not think about chaining your boat to the pontoon as that is a huge risk in a fire. At Mercia we would not have it.

 

Well done all. I am really proud of being part of this community.

what does this mean?

 

 

 

 

 

I can't actually recall seeing anything that confirms anybody has been apprehended.

 

But it is now a very long thread, with an increasing number of totally spurious posts appearing, so maybe I missed it.

 

Can you find the actual post that confirms person or persons was caught?

 

I must admit I am also totally struggling to comprehend why somebody thought a partial repaint would be enough to disguise this boat sufficiently that it would not be found on a busy canal, less than 2 days travel from where it was taken from. As they seem to have removed it from the marina very efficiently, and had huge numbers of people looking a long while, that particular twist doesn't fit the rest of the story.

 

 

We are still not able to join in with comments etc at the moment. Two points we would like to clarify, there was no one on board when we found our boat, also we have not been informed by the Police that anyone has been arrested. Thank you all for comments and kind words, we really do appreciate you all.

[bizzard]

And the BSS rules don't help. We give thieves a big handy head start to nick boats by us having to label where the fuel shut off cock and the electrics isolater switches are.

what does this mean?

 

 

 

So we don't know if anyone's being held in custard.

Edited August 8, 2016 by bizzard