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From: Phares Heindl <pmheindl_at_afo.net>
subject: [Paddlewise] How to prevent theft?
Date: Sat, 17 Jun 2000 19:56:34 -0400
Recently a canoe was stolen from my yard. The canoe was locked up using a
rather thick cable. The thief cut through the cable and took the boat.

I'm looking for a way to prevent this from happening and to prevent similar
things like this from happening. I'd like to ask the list what is done to
prevent theft in both long term storage and for short term trips ( such as
car top, paddling stopovers etc. )

Is there a cable or system that cannot be cut?

Phares Heindl
Phares M. Heindl P. A.
Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer
Phone 407-865-5700
Fax      407-865-5758
Web:   www.heindllaw.com
e-mail:   injurylaw_at_afo.net

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From: Hal Levine <hlevin_at_jlc.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] How to prevent theft?
Date: Sat, 17 Jun 2000 21:13:44 -0400
The July issue of Bicycling Magazine has a very interesting article about
the "real security" bike locks, chains and cables provide.  In a nutshell
almost all can be cut in seconds.  There were one or two that were "secure".
If I had the article I would list them but I don't.

Hal                 "Power your boat with carbohydrates not hydrocarbons"
Wilton, NH
http://www.jlc.net/~hlevin

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From: Fred T, CA Kayaker <cakayak_at_mindspring.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] How to prevent theft?
Date: Sun, 18 Jun 2000 10:19:30 -0700
Cables:

Kryptonite (sp?) manufactures a cable that can only be cut with special 
bolt cutters.  It is a woven cable vs. strands like a kermantle rope.  I 
purchased some heavy duty ones a Home Depot.  Based on what I have been 
told (haven't tried it) the cable can not be cut with standard bolt cutters 
or a hacksaw.

Fred

At 09:13 PM 6/17/2000 -0400, Hal Levine wrote:
>The July issue of Bicycling Magazine has a very interesting article about
>the "real security" bike locks, chains and cables provide.  In a nutshell
>almost all can be cut in seconds.  There were one or two that were "secure".
>If I had the article I would list them but I don't.
>
>Hal                 "Power your boat with carbohydrates not hydrocarbons"
>Wilton, NH
>http://www.jlc.net/~hlevin
>
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From: <Rainman779_at_aol.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] How to prevent theft?
Date: Sun, 18 Jun 2000 21:17:12 EDT
In a message dated 06/18/2000 1:28:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
cakayak_at_mindspring.com writes:

<< Based on what I have been 
 told (haven't tried it) the cable can not be cut with standard bolt cutters 
 or a hacksaw. >>

A hammer, cold chisel and a small anvil will do the trick rather nicely.
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From: Joe Pylka <pylka_at_castle.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] How to prevent theft?
Date: Sun, 18 Jun 2000 21:46:47 -0400
><< Based on what I have been
> told (haven't tried it) the cable can not be cut with standard bolt
cutters
> or a hacksaw. >>
>
>A hammer, cold chisel and a small anvil will do the trick rather nicely.
>
        So too will application of a strong acid.  A friend had his brand
new Jeep stolen that way -- the thieves just poured some into his Club bar,
waited a little, pulled it out, drove away leafing it behind....


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From: Jeff <jwoodall_at_pa.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] How to prevent theft?
Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 09:36:24 -0700
I think installing a floodlight with a motion detector would help a lot, and
maybe some tied on cow bells.  Chances are it was some juvenile delinquents
that ripped off the boat.  With a canoe you could get some hardened steel
chain and chain the boat to an old engine block or similar immovable object.
On kayaks, augment this with telescoping square sections of steel tubing
(the heavy stuff with holes along the sides) which are slipped in and
extended along the interior, then locked with a hardened steel linch pin.

jeff

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From: Robert C. Cline <rccline_at_swbell.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] How to prevent theft?
Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 08:48:32 -0500
Hang your kayaks on your living room wall.

Robert

> From: Jeff <jwoodall_at_pa.net>

> I think installing a floodlight with a motion detector would help a lot, and
> maybe some tied on cow bells.  Chances are it was some juvenile delinquents
> that ripped off the boat.  With a canoe you could get some hardened steel
> chain and chain the boat to an old engine block or similar immovable object.
> On kayaks, augment this with telescoping square sections of steel tubing
> (the heavy stuff with holes along the sides) which are slipped in and
> extended along the interior, then locked with a hardened steel linch pin.

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From: <NEWTOT_at_mail.modot.state.mo.us>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] How to prevent theft?
Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 09:29:59 -0500
Thought I would share a theft story that occurred here in Missouri this Spring,
on the Osage River, a slow moving shallow river with many small towns along it.

Two local kayakers had pulled their boats on shore and went off looking for
arrowheads.  When they returned, their boats were missing.  So they decided to
swim across the river to get to the same side where they had parked their car.
Should have been an easy swim, but only one of them made it across.  It took
over a week to find the body.  The boats reappeared at the nearest boat ramp,
and a few days later some fisherman came forward and said that they thought the
boats had "drifted"  and thought they were doing someone a favor by moving them.
(I don't believe this!)   No charges were filed.

My fiancee and I left our sea kayaks near the ramp yesterday during a shuttle -
I don't think anyone from this area will be stealing boats with this story fresh
in their minds.

Tim


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From: Shawn W. Baker <baker_at_montana.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] How to prevent theft?
Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 08:20:03 -0600
>Recently a canoe was stolen from my yard. The canoe was locked up using a
>rather thick cable. The thief cut through the cable and took the boat.

That really, really sucks.  May paddling a stolen boat be bad karma for
that person for many, many years.

A cable is the security system used by most people who lock up their
boats.  It's darn-near impossible to prevent a serious thief from taking
something that isn't theirs.  If you get an expensive Kryptonite cable
that cannot be cut, who's to say the thief wouldn't cut the thwart or
handle the cable is locked to?  If you lock it inside, they could always
break a window to let themselves in.

Get a shotgun (just kidding!!!) and list your boat's serial number on
all of the stolen boats websites you can find.  Contact your dealer and
report the boat stolen.  I'm not sure manufacturers keep records of
boats that are stolen, but it would be worth looking into.  Keep an eye
out for it, have your friends keep an eye out for it (unless, of course,
it's a Coleman or Grumman--they're so prevalent you'd have a hard time
noticing your own).  If you still don't notice it for a month or two,
post photos of the boat at local paddleshops.  I hesitate to suggest
doing that right away, because you might scare the thief and they might
transport the boat far away.  Of course, then you cut down the number of
'eyes' who might notice your boat.  Whatever you do, now that it's
already stolen, make it very difficult for that jerk to sell or enjoy
paddling YOUR boat.

Sorry for the loss,
Shawn

-- 
Shawn W. Baker          0                                    46°53'N
© 2000            ____©/______                              114°06'W
~~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^\  ,/      /~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^
baker_at_montana.com    0        http://www.geocities.com/shawnkayak/

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From: Jerry Hawkins <jhawkins_at_cisco.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] How to prevent theft?
Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2000 13:35:02 -0700
Paddlers-
Assuming your canoe or kayak has a classic shape, one can make a lockdown arrangement with about 15-20 feet of case hardened chain and two padlocks.  Wrap one end of the chain firmly around the kayak (or canoe) about 1/3 length from the bow.  Lock in place with the first padlock.  The loop of chain should be able to slide fore but not aft.  Stretch the chain straight down the hull to a point 1/3 length from the stern and make a second loop.  Fasten the second lock.  The chain should now be unable to move either forward or backward.

With good chain and locks this arrangement is quite heavy.  It isn't suitable for cartopping unless you substitute lightweight coated chain to avoid screwing up your hull.  

Whatever chain you buy, if the guy at the hardware store cuts it with an 18" or 24" bolt cutter, any thief can do the same.  It should take a table mounted cutter, or a 36" cutter and the chain should give a sound like a pistol shot when cut if you are buying the right stuff.  I'm told by a law enforcement relative that thieves prefer the 18" cutter for its low price ($20) and concealability.  Virtually no cable or chain will resist a grinder, and now that Makita and Skil and others make battery powered grinders, a thief willing to make noise can take pretty much anything.

I don't follow my own advice.  My canoe hangs in plain sight of the street, and my kayak is with it.

jerry.


At 07:56 PM 06/17/2000 -0400, Phares Heindl wrote:
>Recently a canoe was stolen from my yard. The canoe was locked up using a
>rather thick cable. The thief cut through the cable and took the boat.
>
>I'm looking for a way to prevent this from happening and to prevent similar
>things like this from happening. I'd like to ask the list what is done to
>prevent theft in both long term storage and for short term trips ( such as
>car top, paddling stopovers etc. )
>
>Is there a cable or system that cannot be cut?
>
>Phares Heindl
>Phares M. Heindl P. A.
>Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer
>Phone 407-865-5700
>Fax      407-865-5758
>Web:   www.heindllaw.com
>e-mail:   injurylaw_at_afo.net
>
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> 
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