True stolen boat tale.

[Mollers]

This thread will be of no consolation to those of you that have had boats nicked, but it is rather remarkable. I live in Famouth, in sleepy Cornwall and a few years ago a good mate of mine,John. Whom was vey boat experienced, bought an oldish ex- skirace Phantom 18 with a 235 Johnson on the back. The rig was good for a genuine 70mph. It was pretty scarey at those speeds, but anyway. We intended to race it at the St Austell bay annual OCR meet where they ran an "amateur" race, and set it up accordingly. During the pre-race trials we discovered that the top transom mounts were shot and as it was the Saturday before (race the next day)it was all over for us. We towed it up to the local outboard engineer, and dumped it outside. The engineer rang me a couple of days later to ask whether I'd moved the boat as John the owner worked in the Surrey/Hampshire area during the week and was away. I said no, and the upshot was that it had been stolen. After a lot of nashing of teeth it was dismissed as being bad luck as it was uninsured, John tried not to get too uptight about it. Anyway, about six months later some fellow car dealer mates of his,on a Thursday afternoon , asked him if he'd like to tow a small 14ft speedboat, with them down to Hayling Island and go for a run. John said OK, as the weather was good. As they were backing the boat down the slip, John looked across and there was his Phantom being launched behind an Izusu Trooper. This was months after it had been nicked and 200 miles away. He rang me shaking with nerves and asked what to do. I said ring the Police. He actually went up to three heavy looking guys that were launching the thing, and told them in no uncertain terms that it was his boat and they gave it back!!. The chances of him being in Hayling Island on that particular afternoon where 1000's to 1, but there you go.

[Hightower]

So what happened......The three guys decked him? Or did things work out OK in the end?

[TIM]

dont end the story there ..... WHAT HAPPENED?????

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by TIM

dont end the story there ..... WHAT HAPPENED?????

Ok, calm down! I'd had a couple of glasses of wine and lost the "thread", so to speak. Anyway John's not the bravest, but he wasn't leaving without his boat. He wanders over and say's "Guys, you've got my boat". They start on with a load of crap that they bought it from a guy in Cornwall. John then points out every bit of work in great detail, that he'd ever done to the boat and say's " Ok, lets get the Police 'coz I ain't leaving without my boat." So the guy's started grinding on how they were gonna get the money back from the bloke in Cornwall that they supposedly bought it from. Then, gave it back! We knew the bloke that they were refering to, he's a thieving, drug dealer from Falmouth. They knew that it was nicked, they just took it to the wrong place at the wrong time. True story.

[Hightower]

Seems strange that they just gave it back, perhaps they where involved some way?

If I'd bought a stolen boat in good faith that it was a genuine sale and had a guy just come upto me to say it was his stolen boat, I'd be the first one phoning the Police.

Glad it worked out though.

Andy

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by Hightower

Seems strange that they just gave it back, perhaps they where involved some way?

If I'd bought a stolen boat in good faith that it was a genuine sale and had a guy just come upto me to say it was his stolen boat, I'd be the first one phoning the Police.

Glad it worked out though.

Andy

They were involved we think,the Falmouth guy told them were it was.

[Shaggy]

Great story Chris, dont think I would have gone up to them, let the boys in blue do the talking.

Shaggy

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

Great story Chris, dont think I would have gone up to them, let the boys in blue do the talking.

Shaggy

So how was Ireland Shag?..... And did Robbin' Curnow sort that coughin' OB of yours?

[Noddy]

Oh that's ok then? Guy gets his boat back, no questioned asked. I love happy endings. Just a thought though - I suppose they will want another boat- I wonder how they will get it?
Martyn

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by Noddy

Oh that's ok then? Guy gets his boat back, no questioned asked. I love happy endings. Just a thought though - I suppose they will want another boat- I wonder how they will get it?
Martyn

These Guys were low life.If the full weight of the law had been thrown at them at the time. They'd be back doing what they know best now. Sad, but true.