Hobie Cat Forums

Just got a report that vandals attacked my boat on the beach this week. I had tied the wings up to keep folks off but they decided to force them down anyway. Ripped the sheet lines, pulled cams off the crossbar and released shroud pins. Why?

Why do people think that its ok to mess with other peoples things? Why do they think my boat is a public seating area? I am so tired of this crap, wish I could catch some ass messing with my rig. Do parents not teach children to leave other peoples property alone?

I was planning to sail this weekend, now I will be attempting to fix my damaged boat. I am pissed off and the city council of N.Myrtle Beach is going to hear about it. They specifically asked for more boats on the beach but all I get for my efforts is hassle and damaged equipment. The cops are on the beach all day looking at the girls but at night you can't find one!

Maybe its time to sell it and forget about beachcats!

sorry you had to experience this.
some people are juvenile (and not just the young) or just mean and have to f**k with your stuff. the reason I'm always fearful of leaving my boat on the beach.

if the community is promoting more boats on the beach in an accessible area, the should patrol it sometimes. give 'em h*ll.

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Chris
'88 H18SE Arís

Just an idea and maybe a weird one but I always thought if I had to leave my boat in a public area for an extended period I would cut some pieces of- don't laugh- chicken wire, or other probably nicer light, maybe welded, fence wire into sizes to fit across the tramp area (where are most valuable items) and then cable or chain it locked under the tramp. The mesh would be small enough not to reach a hand through.

It might look like a floating chicken coop but many times a difficult target will be avoided in favor of the easy ones. A piece can also be installed around the upright mast.

The fencing can be easily rolled up and secured to something near the beach with the cabling and locks.

Someone motivated to steal your hardware can still bring bolt or wire cutters but the time involved would favor detection and apprehension.

I would definitely report it and check back with The Authorities to keep it in their minds that it is a problem- maybe go to your local news channel who might be hungry for an expose' on this crime problem? Especially since the city is requesting boaters to use the beach to give an impression to tourists?

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Raise your sail one foot, and you get ten feet of wind.
起你的一只帆，和你10英尺的。 -- Chinese Proverb
William D. Latinette @ Latrobe, PA, USA w. H14 Turbo X 2... wildlatin23@hotmail.com

Overpopulation, bad parenting, MTV's stupid tv shows, nothing to do, bad parenting, bad role models, etc.

Here, we try to build a skate park for kids to hang out at and the neighbors all complain NIMBY. They don't know that they are creating a kid who will vandalize their condo.

I feel for you man.

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H18, H17 & Various motor boats

Yes, it takes just 1 AH to mess up a whole beach. I had a similar experence backpacking when someone/s thought it would be great fun to break a window in every car in the parking lot. Nothing was stolen, just wanton vandolism. What about seeing if the city can put up security cameras in the beach boat area?

We see some issues on the beach where there are 20 cats stored in a special area. The general public using the boats as a seat, or a place to set their coolers. We have put up no trespassing signs on the posts and area but apparently they can't read. We always find empty beer cans & trash around the boats. The cat owners clean that area of the beach all the time. Due to no or minimal vandalism & items stolen, and a cheap summer cost we don't say much. We just politely ask the city parks department if they can keep a closer eye on things. It's tough to monitor a beach area because most authorities wouldn't know who owns or doesn't own the boat.

As most beaches seldom have power in the area, a security camera is out of the question. As budgets tighten....

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DVL 1989 H-18 Worlds Boat, Magnum Wings & Spinnaker

dale.vanlopik"at"att"dot"net

If you want to feel better beat the living SH*T out of the first two scummy looking teens you see.


JUST KIDDING

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ALLEY CAT 1984 RED LINE HOBIE 18 MAGNUM
Sail # 10505 or 277

I found an effective way to keep people from sitting and/or having sex on my boat. I throw a couple handfuls of sand on the trampoline. Don't know that there is much one can do about vandalism though. I've had my tramp and lacing cut and a camp fire built between the hulls.

Wrap up the boat in razor wire!

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06 getaway -- always remember, man with both feet in mouth have no leg to stand on.

Thankfully I have a private beach to store mine.

I STRONGLY recommend investigating what Neighborhood Watch can do for you in this situation. If one is active in your area then I suggest you volunteer with them on their normal patrols (the commitment is light, ~2 hrs. a month is usually GREATLY appreciated), and ask that they include your boat's storage area on their normal patrols.

I live in a great, desirable, upper middle class neighborhood in a Virginia suburb of Washington DC. When I got active in my community of 1,800 homes I quickly discovered just how much undesirable activity was going on without me even realizing it, including drugs and all that goes with it. You'd never guess by driving through the place.

The sheriff liaison to our Neighborhood Watch program said, "well yeah, this is where the money is, people, you're going to have the drugs." We've learned that a presence goes a long way in deterring undesirable behavior and I'm here to tell you that it works. We've got the data to prove it. Ours is now a model program in the county and the impact on the neighborhood is impressive.

With the sheriff's direction we've learned the goal is to deter, not eliminate, in order to "motivate" the behavior to move over into the next neighborhood. Cold facts but that's the reality.

I'd be willing to bet you that you would see a sizable reduction in the criminal behavior very quickly. All you have to do is accept the reality that the police cannot be everywhere all the time and they can't provide you 100% protection.

YOU have to take responsibility and YOU have to ACT - passing it off as someone else's responsibility sidesteps the entire issue. Even a motivated city council will not be as affective as a reasonably active Neighborhood Watch effort.

If a program is not active then start one. They're not difficult, local law enforcement will appreciate and support you, and you will learn more about your local community than you ever imagined. You will also get in direct contact with like-minded people who are as concerned as you and are willing to act.

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'81 H16

If it ain't a blowin', I ain't a goin'

Thanks for the ideas! The damage wasn't as bad as expected. One swivel cam ripped off the front x-bar, destroyed jib sheet, burn hole in tramp and a few ringy-dings missing. The biggest issue was a broken wing mount stud, luckily I had one.

Spoke with the mayor, who is a friend, about all the issues this year with the boat. City council will meet again this winter to discuss the rules and regulations they are trying to enforce. The beach front director, also a friend, said the police were talking about towing my boat off the beach. My police buddy, Monty, says there was never any talk about towing it. He also said he had chased kids off it during the week and they had gotten several reports of vandalism during the week. Seems a bad group of folks were down last week.

Didn't do much sailing as the wind was blowing 20kts with gusts up around 30kts. She is a handful in that much air, even with the wings. Went out everyday but wished we hadn't on Sat. Rough water and big air combined with crowded water made landing difficult at best. You just couldn't see the people in the water or at the waters edge until you were on top of them.

I think your location is much of your problem. Myrtle seems to attract a crowd, that is somewhat less desirable to have around your property.

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2001 Nacra 20
84 H16 108123

You are right about that. If we didn't have a house there I would go elsewhere. Headed back down tomorrow and will be sailing for the rest of the week. Its not all bad!

Totally agree it the location that is the problem. Myrtle Beach just attracts hood rats.

When i spend a whole weekend at the beach sailing i am sometimes temped to leave the boat on the beach Saturday night. Then i consider what could happen and realize that the extra time to derig and rig is worth the hassle.

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NwBostic
Charleston, SC
Ft Moultrie BeachCat Sailors https://www.facebook.com/groups/229735613710689/
Fleet 53

I live in Surfside Beach, and work in Myrtle. Two friends that work at Barefoot Landing were talking about how the A$$holes were out this week and last. Must be the parents of the kids that wrecked your boat.

I was thinking about getting a beach permit for MB, but maybe I'll keep it in the yard after all.