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Theft.

Amri

By Amri
in Boating

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Amri Newbie

Amri

Posted
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Hi All,

Just wanted to Post a thread about securing your valuables when parked at Boat Ramps.

Last year, 5 days before christmas, we went out on the Logan River to target Bullsharks - it was my most successful fishing trip - caught my best catch to date, a 68cm Bullshark. Fantastic.

On the travel home, we were all excited from our good day out...Get to the boat ramp, dropped the husband off to get the trailer...he comes back and shouts at us - "where's the trailer" - we all shrugged - "how the hell would we know, been out fishing!". The car was there - no boat trailer.

Some MORONIC LOWLIFE decided that when we were out on the water using our boat was the best time to theive our trailer.

The furious thing was - it was a Sunday afternoon when we found it gone *who's gonna help us now - No one can help us - tow companies don't have the facilities to tow a boat. B) We called our Insurance Company (cough ClubMarine... cough cough) on the EMERGENCY number - NO ONE ANSWERED for 48hours!!! Even then - they had the nerve to say they wouldn't of been able to provide Emergency towing/mooring!!! (what the?!).

So, here we are a Sunday afternoon, our boat is in the Logan River - near some very dodgy neighbourhoods - sorry Eagleby. There was NO way in hell we were going to leave our boat in the river un-supervised. Panic...Panic...

In the end a Prawn Farmer who lived nearby, helped us out - he has a rusty trailer that would hold our boat...WE Jumped at the opportunity. However it meant leaving our boat with perfect stranger until we got a replacement trailer.

Now - here is when the real fun starts. Insurance company mentioned before - finally rang back - however, as it was 4 days before christmas, they were run off their feet, and told me I would have to ring around and find a trailer and then get quotes. Which I did - they had the nerve to try and give me a second hand trailer as a replacement for a 4mth old trailer. Also, there was no guarantee the Insurance would come through before christmas...HELLO, OUR boat is at a STRANGERS place....AND, we are comprehensively INSURED.

In the end, our trailer was ready 5mins before the trailer place was about to close for week!!!! Phew and double Phew for their hard work at getting a trailer built in 3 days. And A BIG THUMBS DOWN TO so called Insurance company and more namingly the F***er who stole it in the first place. You gave us a fan-bloody-tastic chrissy. Dickhead.:angry:

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benno573 Rising Star

benno573

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this is not unheard of. to help prevent this, a trailer lock isn't too expensive and i always use it, particularly around the logan river. other options are a padlock instead of a shackle for your safety chain, a chain and padlock around the axle and through the wheel, if it fits, a u-lock bike lock thingo around the axle and through the wheel. there are some mongrels in this world that's for sure. was that from the carbrook boat ramp?

and insurance companies are all the same... :angry:

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werewolf Newbie

werewolf

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benno573 wrote:

this is not unheard of. to help prevent this, a trailer lock isn't too expensive and i always use it, particularly around the logan river. other options are a padlock instead of a shackle for your safety chain, a chain and padlock around the axle and through the wheel, if it fits, a u-lock bike lock thingo around the axle and through the wheel. there are some mongrels in this world that's for sure. was that from the carbrook boat ramp?

and insurance companies are all the same... :angry:

what does a trailer lock go for benno, and where do you get one? I normally use a padlock, but wondered if it was lousy protection, as bolt cutters / crowbar would make easy meat of it...

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benno573 Rising Star

benno573

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trailer locks are reasonably immune to bolt cutters through their design, however, they are still not perfect, but at least a deterant. a mate of mine used to remove a tyre from the trailer if he was going out overnight and just leave it sitting on some bricks :blink: ... a bit hard to nick with only one tyre :P and u-locks are completely immune to manual bolt cutters if you can wind one in there somewhere.

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benno573 Rising Star

benno573

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werewolf wrote:

benno573 wrote:
this is not unheard of. to help prevent this, a trailer lock isn't too expensive and i always use it, particularly around the logan river. other options are a padlock instead of a shackle for your safety chain, a chain and padlock around the axle and through the wheel, if it fits, a u-lock bike lock thingo around the axle and through the wheel. there are some mongrels in this world that's for sure. was that from the carbrook boat ramp?

and insurance companies are all the same... :angry:

what does a trailer lock go for benno, and where do you get one? I normally use a padlock, but wondered if it was lousy protection, as bolt cutters / crowbar would make easy meat of it...

i think i only paid about $75 for mine, and i picked it up at the boat show. try autobarn or something like that maybe, a caravan/camping or trailer specialist shop or something?? :unsure: was a few years ago now. :S the padlock is between two bit of pretty solid bits of steel, and i can't see anyone getting bolt cutters in there with enough purchase to cut the lock without a major struggle. the safety chain gets wrapped around it when you are parked so they can't flog it out of your backyard either. will post a pic of the device tonight if i remember.

u-locks are ideal protection in conjunction with a trailer lock. the trailer lock locks it to your car and the u-lock stops the trailer going anywhere, but i cant make a u-lock fit on my trailer anywhere so i just hope that a trailer lock is enough. :dry:

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bootyinblue Newbie

bootyinblue

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I use these locks


/>http://www.biasboating.com.au/p-1679-trailer-safety-lock-heavy-duty.aspx

They lock the trailer to the vehicle when leaving it, and also locks the trailer coupling closed when its in the garage. I also use a 1m steel cable and padlock when leaving the trailer over night so I padlock the wheel to the trailer (same cable I have to use according the insurance company to secure my boat to the trailer when its parked in an alarmed garage....go figure!!)

Reverse trailer up against a brick wall, treated pine log bollards, mates car (whoops) when away so your car is infront of the trailer.

Basically, its like most things. Make it so hard for them to steal so they look elsewhere to ply their trade.

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Schultzy Newbie

Schultzy

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Trailer theft used to be a fairly common occurrence on the Pimpama many years ago.

What the crooks (can’t call them ar$e4ole$ on a forum can we) hope, is that you’ll leave your boat unattended while you go looking for another trailer.

They then come back and winch YOUR boat onto YOUR trailer and tow it away.

And I bet they’d run to the cops if you caught them at it and gave them some "attitude adjustment therapy".

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Nastymind Newbie

Nastymind

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chubbstar wrote:

That's exactly what i use.

Bloody great they are.

It can be used whether your trailer is hooked up to your car or not.

The padlock i use can't swing out far enough to be busted with bolt cutters.

The only way to take it off would be to pick the lock and that's nothing that a high quality padlock doesn't fix.

;) I might just add that you can purchase them at Anaconda Logan too :P

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rayke1938 Experienced

rayke1938

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Nastymind wrote:

chubbstar wrote:

That's exactly what i use.

Bloody great they are.

It can be used whether your trailer is hooked up to your car or not.

The padlock i use can't swing out far enough to be busted with bolt cutters.

The only way to take it off would be to pick the lock and that's nothing that a high quality padlock doesn't fix.

;) I might just add that you can purchase them at Anaconda Logan too :P

$20 in their latest catalogue.

cheers

Ray

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Gunnabuild1 Newbie

Gunnabuild1

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Booty's got it right just make it so hard they go somewhere else,taking a wheel off sounds pretty extreme but if your trailers there when you come back its probably worth it.

But that doesn't cover the ones that trash what they cant steal.

Glenn.

I use my bike chain to hook up the trailer to the car but it ruins an overnighter wondering whether your stuff is still there or damaged by some bored scumbags.

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Bommie Newbie

Bommie

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jeff f wrote:

all the locks are a good idea

but if they really want it they'll get under the car with a spanner and take the bolts out and drop the tounge off the vehicle

thats why I lock my safety chain to the towbar not on the tongue, plus a trailer lock

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jeff f Newbie

jeff f

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Bommie wrote:

jeff f wrote:
all the locks are a good idea

but if they really want it they'll get under the car with a spanner and take the bolts out and drop the tounge off the vehicle

thats why I lock my safety chain to the towbar not on the tongue, plus a trailer lock

good idea exceot you cant get at the bar on most modern sedans

too much wraparound plastic mouldings

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