8 tips to prevent theft of your boat or outboard motor
More and more people have a motorboat, a sloop or another vessel. A boat, just like an outboard motor, is an easy target for thieves, as recent years' figures show. On average, over 1200 boats and 2100 outboard motors are stolen every year.
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Theft of your boat
Because boats and boat engines are relatively expensive, they are very popular with thieves. Because of the underdeveloped registration systems for recreational craft, boats and boat engines are often not recovered. Thieves therefore often get away with it. Unlike cars, for example, which all have a registration number, there is no such thing as a compulsory registration system for boats in which all boats in the Netherlands can be traced. This is an important reason why boats are difficult to trace after theft.
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Register your boat
However, it is possible to register your boat with the police immediately after purchase. With the registration card for pleasure boats, your boat is entered into a central database that can also be read by the police in the event of theft. This means that a search for your boat is started even before you report it stolen. Subsequently, the stolen pleasure boat will be placed on the Internet so that people on and off the water can look out for it. Therefore it is important that a picture is available. Because all data are known, the chance that your stolen vessel will be found is much bigger.
Reducing the risk of theft
If you have taken out a boat insurance with theft cover, the insurer will refund you the value of the boat (provided the conditions are met). But as prevention is better than cure, we give you some tips below to prevent theft.
- Secure the boat as well as possible to a cable or chain with an approved lock.
- Make sure there are good locks and hinges at the cabin entrance.
- Provide an additional electronic security system, such as an alarm system or a vessel tracking system.
- During the winter, store your boat in a secure boat shed or in an enclosed area.
- Put your postcode and house number in a highly visible place on your boat, inboard or outboard motor.
- If you have your boat on a trailer, secure it with a suitable and approved lock, such as a hitch lock or wheel clamp.
- Remove your engine from the boat or else make sure it has an approved outboard motor lock.
- Nothing in, nothing out: take valuables with you when you leave the boat.
Read also:
- Taking out boat insurance: what do I need to look out for?
- Do I need a licence for my boat?
- What is the best way to winterise my boat?
- How mandatory is boat insurance?
- Taking the boat trailer on holiday: what do I need to watch out for?
- What does WA + full casco boat insurance cover?
- What does WA boat insurance cover?
Calculate the premium of your boat insurance directly!
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