Have you ever thought about what would happen if your boat were stolen? What about the expensive equipment you put on your boat? According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), a not-for-profit organization of insurance companies that compiles reports of stolen boats, cars and other items, from 2006 to March of 2009, 19,854 boats were reported stolen. During the month of July is when thieves take most of the boats, which is peak season for boating.
The report covered all 50 states, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Florida is ranked the highest state for boat theft, with 5,426 boats reported missing. The cost has reached over $5.2 million, with the most expensive boat being $600,000. An average cost of 334 of the watercrafts that were taken was determined to be $15,615.
According to the NICB, the top 10 states for stolen boats are year-round boating states such as Florida, Texas, California and other southern states. More boats are available to thieves as well as more homes, marinas and storage facilities that thieves can target. Boats are taken and either sold as is or stripped down for their parts. According to SecureProp, your expensive boat propeller can be stolen in less than 45 seconds with a socket wrench. Your equipment can also be easily stolen and put on eBay.
“I’ve heard it said the happiest days in a boat owner’s life are the day when he or she buys a boat and the day it’s sold. Then certainly the saddest day in a boat owner’s life is when a boat gets stolen,” said Joe Wehrle, NICB president and chief executive officer.
So protect your boat. The NICB offers some advice:
• When you dock it, lock it and secure it to the dock with a steel cable
• Remove expensive equipment when not in use
• Chain and lock detachable motors to the boat
• Do not leave title or registration papers in the craft
• Disable the craft by shutting fuel lines or removing batteries
• Use a trailer hitch lock after parking a boat on its trailer
• Install a kill switch in the ignition system
For more information about locking your equipment and securing valuable items to prevent theft, visit http://durasafelocks.com.
