Stolen Outback

Not sure if this is the right area but FYI - Be on the lookout for a 2021 Hobie Outback Dune for sale without a drive. It was stolen off my trailer on Aug. 15, at Blurock Landing, a park just west of Vancouver, Washington, on Lower River Road (Highway 501). The kayak was on the upper area of my trailer, strapped, covered, cabled, and locked, so they had to work for it. It was also stolen in broad daylight with drivers passing by, and the area I was parked in is located next to a major curve that requires drivers to slow down. The kayak was a spare for friends and family. The kayak has an older Lowrance Elite fish finder with a cover, a black milk crate with a three-rod rack, a battery holder in the front hatch, two rod holders with extensions, and rod holder connectors on the tracks. Some characteristics of the kayak include damage to one of the metal accessory tracks and the hull transducer cover, and a custom rod connector on one of the tracks. I have the serial number and I have reported the theft to the authorities. I am offering $200 to get the kayak recovered. I understand times are tough and some people need cash. However, stealing a covered, locked, and strapped Hobie kayak without a drive in broad daylight next to a busy road is stupid and mean. PM me with any questions or tips. Thanks!

Sorry to hear that.  Hope you recover it.

Thanks. So do I. Chances are they will trash it because it has little value without the drive and anyone interested in the kayak will wonder why someone is selling an Outback without a drive.

Sorry to hear indeed.

This is one of my go-to launches for the Columbia and it takes quite some boldness to do this in plain sight during daytime. There is tons of traffic passing by going to Frenchman's Bar or the Caterpillar Island boat launches. Chances are someone got something useful on their dashcam when driving by. No idea on how to get the word out to these people though.

Thanks for the idea! I may post on the Willamette Springer group. I will also check for Columbia River salmon groups.

This is terrible 😞  Time to start checking Craigslist and Offer up, unless whoever stole it is homeless and they decide to keep it for their transportation between camps.

Thanks. I already have alerts on. I think you are correct about a transport kayak but the outback is a beast to row. I think it will be stripped and sunk since it will be hard to sell without a drive.

Just adding a hypothetical so you don't stop looking under every rock...

Someone claims they rolled the Outback and lost the drive unit, found out how expensive they can be to replace, and wouldn't someone like a Hobie Outback cheap enough for it to make buying a new drive affordable?

I don't think people who steal stuff are looking for top dollar when they try to offload it, and $500 would be $500 they didn't have before the theft.

Great tip! I am an optimist (which is why I kayak fish for salmon), and will be on the lookout for any dune Outback for sale. If I get really, really lucky, it may be recovered. Thanks to everyone offering tips and comments. It's wonderful being part of the community! It should be a great fall salmon season!

That is really hard news to read. I use to park and fish there at Blurock often. And everytime I was nervous about my car windows being smashed and grab. Its sad that there is no-where safe on the rivers anymore.

What would you do differently in the future to make it more difficult for someone to steal?

I'm always concerned leaving mine outside unattended. 

I wonder if homeowners or vehicle insurance would cover the loss?

The good thing is that I believe I am covered with homeowners insurance. However, next time I would remove the fish finder and seat and add an additional cable. And probably not take it at all. It sucks but I think if someone wants to steal something, they will steal it regardless of any obstacles in the way.

I had my homeowners policy cancelled out from under me about a year after I made a similar claim (not a kayak but stolen backpacking gear).  They did cover the cost of the stolen goods (less the deductible) at the time.  My agent was at a total loss and frustrated at the underwriters for cancelling a 30+ year client.

What would you do differently in the future to make it more difficult for someone to steal?

If I have to leave my boat unattended, I use a heavy duty motorcycle security chain paired with a heavy duty padlock to secure the boat to my car. I'm pretty sure that someone with a portable angle grinder could make pretty quick work of it, so I don't leave my boat unattended for any real lengths of time. Like, I'll run into a store to grab stuff that I forgot to pack - that's about it.

I've also heard of people using motion activated alarms to spook people off. All this said, I don't think there's a surefire way to prevent theft of unattended boats. If a shitty person wants your boat and has the means to nab it, all you can do is make it harder for them.

Sorry to hear this. Can I ask which cable and how it was attached? I'm looking for a good cable lock and planning to run through scupper holes to my roof rack. I have an Apple AirTag well hidden in my outback which gives me a some hope of getting it back if it were taken. Hope you get yours back.