Makes me rather sad. We have had our shed done before. Maybe thirty years ago. Scrotes stole our Honda lawnmower lawnmower. Jolly good one it was too.
Last night I took this image of the new switch on the little Honda outboard. I put it on two forums. tracking me down is dead easy.
For the second time the Mushroom on the fail safe cut-off had failed. I was going to replace it with a switch but in the meantime I thought I would dismantle the broken switch in situ.
Inside was a perfectly usable button off switch so I gkue gunned it into place.
I had been sent a replacement proper switchfor freemans
by Steve from this place
Evans Marine
http://www.evansmarineservice.co.uk/
he sent it to me because he had seen this film about old Hondas
I went in to start packing for sailing this week and contemplating if I should put the little tender Wweet Pea on the roof and then noticed the little Honda 2.3 was not where I left it.
I assumed I had moved it and forgotten that I had done it and I noticed that Eleanors tent was on the floor
before it was on top of the Tohatsu
The shed was unlocked so I assume that I am uninsured. Call me a fool for not locking it but it was hammering down with rain when I went to bed.
I have no idea if the theft was related to my blogs and on-line activity - or if it was because my shed doors are often open when I am working on the boats and any passing transit driving scrote can see the outboards and all the other stuff in there. There has been a bit of a wave of shed thefts locally - all from people who are not active on the web. In addition I was done when it was belting down with rain here. The scrotes would have had to come within six feet of the backdoor where maggie sleeps. In the heavy rain she would never have heard them.
On the other hand the last time I had something stolen from my shed the internet had not been invented - so who can say? I assume it is local blokes - and it was our turn. Our shed is seldom locked at night so there was no forced entry.
If it was online that you heard about my engines and you scrotes are reading this blog - or you happen to be one of the nearly as bad blokes who have bought a surprisingly cheap Honda 2.3 with a modified cut out switch or a really well looked after Tohatsu 6hp with coil charging I would hate them to change hands for less than they are worth.
Both outboards - the Tohatsu and the Honda 2.3 have been fed regular quantities of spark plugs and fresh oil.
They are both excellent starters. If you wish to see them running here is the Honda in action just before Christmas
and here is the Tohatsu starting from cold
I shall attempt to be philosophical about this. It is a bitter pill to swallow.
On the bright side I now have a push button off switch for an air cooled Honda spare
and am driving to the boat to go sailing this week.
I shall miss both engines and I shall also miss the money I will have to spend to replace them
bummer
Bastards.
‘I would love to catch a thief on my property – they would wish they have never been born.’ My wife was and is terrified that we ever get burgled because she knows I mean it.
However, we did get burgled and I caught the burglar – he was bloody 12 (or thereabouts) and about 4.5 stone wringing wet – so I just handed him over to the law unharmed.
Just a thought, if they were were informed by the Internet they would have turned you over Friday night not last night.
Even if you think it a waste of your time, do tell the police and give them the serial numbers. You would be amazed what is found in containers leaving the UK that cannot be identified as stolen.
And set up a search on eBay – you never know.
Sad news, sorry to hear it. Outboards are very likely to be stolen. Here in Denmark visitors from Eastern Europe regularly empty a pontoon or two before they go back for their holidays. Hope you have marked the engines good, else it is pointless even to keep an eye on adverts on the net.
Hi Dylan,
Sorry to hear about your theft. A former colleague had some ladders nicked by travellers a few years ago and the
Police advice was “if you know who nicked them go and buy them back again”.
I have a Mercury 3.3hp 2 stroke you are welcome to use if it helps. It’s 15 years old but has only done one tank of fuel in all that time. Not even run in. Starts first time when it is used regularly if that makes sense.
I’m not too far from you at all. PM me if you’re interested.
Fair comment Dylan.
I got it as it was recommended to fit in the stern locker of my Wanderer. This was at a time when 4 strokes would leak oil if you laid them down. Presume this doesn’t happen these days.
Just wondering how many outboards get nicked from yacht transoms and how does insurance work for this?
I
of course I meant the 1st of the meanings, not the 4th…
1. A word describing the misfortune of something or someone.
2. A situation in which no desireable result can occur
3. A negative form of agreement.
4. A response used when the respondee couldn’t care less about the topic at hand.
1. Friend 1: My wife left me last night
Friend 2: Bummer for you.
2. Man 1: We’re surrounded by venomous snakes!
Man 2: Wow, this is quite the bummer.
3. Girl: Do you find me attractive?
Guy: Bummer
4. Friend 1: It appears that tomorrow is my last day to live.
Friend 2: Bummer
Most places here in the US they don’t have to “break-in”, just that they unlawfully-entered makes it “theft” in a rural area. It still might be worth putting in an insurance claim, although the deductible is probably half their replacement value.
Fortunately we don’t have the Wanderers/Travelers/Gypsies in our corner of rural America. They tend to run their scams in the suburbs or the cities since they can’t caravan camp here, and there’s no Right to Wander so the Police can run them off. [Deal harshly with them.]
I have my Tohatsu 9.8 long shaft clamp screws locked together so you can’t turn one because its locked to the other and chained to an eye bolt that is bolted to a wall stud. Plus its covered up with a blanket. And I still know if someone wants its bad enough, they’ll get it.
There’s gits like them and good guys like you. I know it stings, I’ve been robbed a couple of times but don’t let the bastards get you down. Keep being yourself Dylan.
All the best.
S.
P.S. Had to look up “Scrotes”. Good word – I’ll remember it.
I think Stuart sums things up really well. It’s going to hurt handing over the dosh for replacements though. We can all chip in a bit for the latest film to ease the pain.
Yes, my car had a window smashed so thieves could gain entry at a boat ramp, when I left the car there a few days. I had nothing stolen because I left nothing in the car, but the window cost me $600 to replace. Should have left it unlocked. Swine.
Also thieves stole some car parts I had in my horse paddock. They just cut the fence and left it so the horses could get out. Swine again.
Sadly in these days locks only keep honest people out and most insurance companies just look for a reason not to pay up. As you say bummer
I agree that locks only keep out honest people, the dishonest don’t care what damage they do in breaking the lock, however a loud siren operated by a door switch would probably deter even the dishonest, and as a backup a small inconspicuous inexpensive car dash-cam pointing at the door might help identify the “Scrotes” in case they try again, which hopefully won’t happen.
Still worth trying the insurance… they might look kindly upon you especially if you haven’t claimed much before…
Agreed ted .B the door was closed , good enough, if it was lying on the kerb ……that’s different , but ithis was a willful act to enter the shed and remove.theft, insurance is for theft!
I would defiantly report to the insurance, it will not cost you anything. It’s just a phone call.you pay good money every year use it!
Yes deductible will be an issue but if it happens again is the deductible per incident or per year…depends.
W
It’s bad enough when you get done over in a far and distant port, when at least you can say you don’t understand the local demography. To get done over when you should be safe and sound at home is really unsettling.
As you, or Ronnie Barker would say, utter scrotes! I grew up in a world where we never locked the doors and my Dad always left the keys in the car – happy innocent days.
We all need to keep an eye on boat jumbles and ebay – you never know…
Rotten luck Dylan. Don’t let it get you down.
Cheers
G
Very sorry to read of your visit by pond life,not nice,as I know.Try not to let it get you down. I’ve learnt and observed that one NEVER gets something for nothing. They will pay,one way or another. And the price will be heavy.
I could give you an outboard,but it’s a (gasp-raise crucifix) a Seagull,which I’m sure you wouldn’t want!
Like others,I’ll keep an eye out at boat jumbles etc.
I hope you’ve reported it,as it at least gives the police an idea about what’s happening in your area and they may “task” the locality if there is a spate of thefts. Also,you never know,they may be recovered.
Good luck and chin up!
If there’s anything to hate in this world it’s thievin’ bastards like this. Any thievin’ bastard really. I feel violated just reading about your episode with these horrendous douche bags whoever they are. I suppose the only thing left to do is to disseminate that serial number and hope someone has some sphincter tightening to cope with over coming to terms with questions about stolen property in some distant place.
Once lost a hard case full of tools and test equipment in the span of perhaps 20 seconds. Left my tool case on a cart to carry another load indoors up a short flight of 8 steps. They must have been coming at me to grab the case as I was turning to take my arm load of equipment up the steps to drop it inside on the floor. Felt flabbergasted, infuriated, ashamed, all the negative stuff that being made to feel like a victim creates.
Nice to vent sometimes.
Any hope of recovery or perhaps even a go fund me thing to help replace your equipment? I’ll drop in a few bucks Dylan.
K
Hi Dylan,
You can use my 6hp (4hp with a carb upgrade) Mariner if you like, its only a short shaft but its the same as your Tohatsu and is in the garage for the foreseeable as our boats up for sale. It was the engine on the tender.
Gutted about the news.
I would put the serial from the engines in this article. This maybe would have an effect if a potential buyer would google it before or in connection with the trade. I know it is not bringing them back, but at least it a way to maybe get back at the thieving bastards, or just to have done an attempt.
Excellent point of view, Stuart – and well put.
P.S. I’ve already got a Tohatsu, so twasn’t me. I’m a fair weather scrote, anyhow. Thanks for the starting up tip.
scrote
An obnoxious half-wit who resembles many of the qualities of the unwashed male scrotal sack. i.e. smells, rather funny looking, leathery appearance with random tufts of hair sprouting forth.
Scrotes – pustules that form on the scrotum of low life – no apparent cure.
thought this might bring a smile
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct26ZCN3Kxo
By all means email me if a long term loan of an Evinrude 5 Hp (I think) would help. I don’t live too far away and the engine is in my garage gathering dust.
Sorry to read about the outboard snatch but if its any consolation a client of mine had a 110KVA Diesel Genset nicked. The vagabonds cut neatly through a 3inch CS secondary containment pipe, containing fuel and return and also instrument cables, dragged it 30m through the 6ft high wired fence and I mean ‘through it’ to the road where I guess they dragged it uo onto a car recovery truck. Just goes to show size doesn’t matter.
By the way this was at the edge of a small country town on a busy main road.