I have been told that I need to worry about gear being stolen from Spartina when she is tied to a dock, advice that I have never taken too seriously. Bands of roving thieves on Tangier Island - I don't think so. Pickpockets prowling the pier at Big Trout Marina in Engelhard - never seen 'em. Light fingered hooligans in New Bern - not in my experience.
I do try to use some common sense, tucking away the handheld vhf and gps in the day storage box, or maybe just putting the binoculars up under the side deck where they can't be seen from the dock. But theft, in my experience, is not a huge concern in the little waterfront towns of Chesapeake Bay and the Carolina Sounds. In fact one time in Beaufort I inadvertently left my new $600 digital camera sitting out in the open as I went off for about 30 minutes to run some errands. I came back to find the camera exactly where I had left it. But I also found that there had been a furtive visit to Spartina while I was gone, someone had tucked an invitation to a social gathering in the dock lines.
For some odd reason, maybe a story I had heard in the past, I have always thought that if anything would disappear from Spartina it would be the winch handle. Odd, I know, but I've worried about it walking away. So today I purchased a 10" molded nylon Titan winch handle from Lewmar. I like the bright color for its visibility and it will become the primary winch handle. The original handle, grey, metal and now corroded, will be tucked away on board for that day when the winch handle thief arrives.
The new copy of the GMCO Waterproof Chartbook of North Carolina arrived a couple of days ago from Amazon. I am glad to have it, though not sure when I will use it.
And I successfully sliced the thimble into the centerboard pennant. It is nice to get these little jobs taken care of now. I'm hoping I can take on more substantial work in about a month.
8 comments:
Got that same handle, primarily because two prior handles went over the side, glug, glug, glug...............
I once was on a boat in a little regatta. A neighboring boat set their spinnaker at the dock in a light breeze just to check the set. As they brought in the sail it caught on a nail on a piling and split wide open. Later, during the race, I saw their winch handle go flying overboard. A very expensive afternoon sail.
Hey Steve, I hope your recovery is progressing well. What do you need the winch for? Lifting the centerboard perhaps?
Yes, exactly. I've the the 100 lb. steel plate cb and a winch is definitely needed to lift it. A cb built to the plan's design won't need a winch. steve
I've had people give me the same warning; especially about oars. I keep wondering who who wants a pair of ten footers!?
Common sense and trust in your fellow boater, I'm not going to worry to much about things being stolen. I'm too busy having fun. steve
I'm always more concerned about losing a winch handle overboard. My old boat (1968) has heavy, cast metal winch handles that would sink faster than a Danforth anchor.
I have heard many (many) stories of people having stuff stolen - including dinghys and oars - while moored in the Caribbean and off the boat exploring town.
I can understand having concerns in certain places - maybe marinas in cities or in other countries, but not so much in little waterfront towns of the mid-Atlantic.
steve
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