| Theft of equipment from boats, trailers, outboard | | | | it.If you are unlucky and are a victim of a crime, there |
| engines and even entire boats is still all too common, | | | | are also measures you can take to aid the police in |
| but there are many ways to minimise the risk to | | | | recovering equipment and to assist your insurance |
| you.Your insurance policy may list certain requirements, | | | | company in settling your claim.Keep a note of your Hull |
| so check your policy carefully.Thieves are looking for | | | | Identification Number (HIN) or other unique |
| easy targets, so look for ways to make their task | | | | identifiersRecord serial numbers of outboard engines |
| more difficult. Consider any measure to delay the thief, | | | | and other equipment |
| measures that will cause a disturbance or any | | | | Keep purchase receiptsPhotograph your boat from a |
| measure that will later identify the equipment as having | | | | number of anglesReport the theft to the police and to |
| been stolen.Mark your equipment with your postcode, | | | | your insurers as soon as possible. Your quick action |
| name or the boat's name/sail number. Consider using | | | | may result in a speedy recovery.Buying a Boat?Check |
| visible markings, hidden markings, or both.Lock trailers, | | | | to ensure that it has not previously been stolen. |
| using wheel-clamps, hitch-locks, even a padlock and | | | | Be suspicious if serial numbers or Hull identification |
| chain around an immovable object. Use good quality | | | | Numbers are missing or have been tampered |
| locks and don't leave the key with the boat!Outboard | | | | with.StolenBoats.org.ukThis is a free database of |
| engines should be locked to the boat, using special | | | | Stolen Boats developed by UK Marine Insurers and the |
| clamping locks. Alternatively remove the engine and | | | | Police to record all stolen equipment and circulate |
| place in locked storage.Keep loose equipment out of | | | | details of any theft to any person who has signed up |
| sight or better still, take it home with you.Consider an | | | | for the Theft Alert emails.Patrick Altoft is a marine |
| alarm system for larger boatsGet to know the other | | | | insurance broker with Noble Marine, a specialist |
| owners at your marina or sailing club and look out for | | | | insurance broker providing boat insurance for most |
| one another. If you see any suspicious activity - report | | | | types of pleasure craft. |