Attempted Trailer Theft,

[Jacob59]

Well I went out of the my farthers boat today with his good mate. We went down to the Kalang River in urunga; we launched the boat around 5:40am. Had a pretty good day out but that’s another story. Back the boat ramp getting they boat the trailer we had, well some dramas, with the boat about 1/2 way up the trailer winching it on, the trailer slide about 2inch back down the ramp, me and karey both looked at each other DohDohDohDohtin our selves thinking the truck was sliding down but it wasn’t, then the trailer slid/fell of the tow bar and the safety chain was not done up! luckily my dad was still in the boat and managed to hold it up with motor why we got the winch off the boat but without letting the trailer slide any further back at this point it was completely under water, then with a hand from a on looker karey and I managed to get the trailer back up and on the tow bar, we then attached the safety chain.

When we launched the boat we were the only people at the ramp. And the safety chain was fully attached, our major fault here was not checking that they still were, we think that someone may have attempted to steal it, I know that from now I will be triple check all safety chains weather launching a boat or retrieving one, and ill remember to use the tow bar lock as well.

[duffman]

not cool

[DaiwaFreak]

That is dodgy as, you are lucky to still have your trailer. Its happened to a friend before, except he never saw his trailer again. He had to sleep on his boat overnight until he bought a new trailer to bring it home no joke.

Cheers,

Daiwafreak

[Jacob59]

That is dodgy as, you are lucky to still have your trailer. Its happened to a friend before, except he never saw his trailer again. He had to sleep on his boat overnight until he bought a new trailer to bring it home no joke.

Cheers,

Daiwafreak

after today, i wouldnt doubt that story, at all. We were lucky to be on a shallow ramp with not much of an incline, any other ramp and we would have be busting out the swags 2nite for sure.

[Doc_Hollywood]

I have a lock to secure the trailer to the car but more often than not its youngsters or morons (sometimes the difference is blurred) that think its funny to lift up or undo your hitch so when you reverse down or put the boat on the whole lot comes adrift. I remember one west ozzie / tassie who drove all the way home not realising his trailer was hanging on by only the chains. :eek:

[BlackBreamer]

More than likely it wasn't an attempted theft it's clowns that like to watch you struggle and laugh whilist the trailer submerges, it has hapened here in Adelaide too, it wont be long till some one gets seriously hurt, they also have been undoing wheel nuts.... They are fools... Put padlocks on the safety chains but make sure you squirt them every trip with crc or a similar product..;)

[bp30tr]

yeah have heard of people seeing kids undoing chains and lifting trailer hitches to keep themselves amused while they are watched by there parents
here in albany aswell

[Ozzy1]

I padlock my chains to my towbar with a good quality padlock , it gets a good spray of Inox to keep it good , don't forget to cross over your chains when you hook them up as if the trailer comes off the towball for any reason the chains act as a cradle for the fitting to rest on , I also made a wheel lock that I got the idea from off another site , to also deter the twerps , when I retrieve I always check that the trailer is connected and also check the wheelnuts to make sure they are on. I carry 4 spare nuts in the cars glovebox in case of emergency as well. Having spent years in the transport industry these sort of checks come naturally now.

I'm also going to buy a towbar lock , anything to make it harder for the idiots to tamper with or steal has to be a good thing

Cheers
Ozzy

Here's my trailer lock , I have since painted it bright orange


http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii257/Mickoboy1/Boating/006-2.jpg

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii257/Mickoboy1/Boating/003-1.jpg

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii257/Mickoboy1/Boating/004-3.jpg

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii257/Mickoboy1/Boating/005-1.jpg

[Piscateur]

Saw this happen at the Warneet ramp in Vic Where a boat was pulled out only on chains with the female end of the tow connection gouging the ground. I voiced a warning in which they replied it was the local kids that found it funny. Always check

[Salmo]

Ozzy.....mate you are the man....:cool:

great idea....should start making them to sell bro

Oh and I use a Lookwood prolock instead of a shackle so my trailer is locked to my car when out fishing.....I had someone try to be a silly bugger a couple of years back at Matilda Bay:mad:

Last year a bloke down at Hamlin Bay lost a trailer.....had to leave his boat down there (on a dodgy mooring) and organise a replacement back up in the big smoke before returning to get the boat days later.....:eek:

[Online store]

Had my hitch latch lifted a few times, but started using a cheap but great Jarvis Marine hitch lock, works a treat and is quick and simple, would post a link but the Jarvis Marine site is running a bit slow at the moment.

[Alex]

Ozzy.....mate you are the man....:cool:

great idea....should start making them to sell bro



Second that! What a great idea!
I saved the link to this thread for my future references. ;)

Cheers,
Alex

[Haydenn]

Ozzy.....mate you are the man....:cool:

great idea....should start making them to sell bro

Oh and I use a Lookwood prolock instead of a shackle so my trailer is locked to my car when out fishing.....I had someone try to be a silly bugger a couple of years back at Matilda Bay:mad:

Last year a bloke down at Hamlin Bay lost a trailer.....had to leave his boat down there (on a dodgy mooring) and organise a replacement back up in the big smoke before returning to get the boat days later.....:eek:



yeah man
you should deffinatly make them to sell
they are a great idea.
cheers

[Jacob59]

go on the new inventors show, copy right it too :D

[Ozzy1]

Wish I had thought if the idea but as I said I got it from another site , it works well thats for sure and anything that stops the twerps or makes it hard for them is a good thing.

Cheers
Ozzy

[arpie]

Same thing happened to my brother at The Keys, Forster a few years back. Luckily the chain had been left done up, but the hitch latch had been 'undone' so the weight of the boat would do the rest! Luckily the chain held.

I now put a padlock on the hitch when the boat/camping trailer is attached & also have a locking Reese towbar bolt as well, cos they can just as easily undo the whole Reese connection & either steal the whole trailer (possibly with boat) or have the whole thing go into the drink if the chain is undone too.

RP

[Ozzy1]

I decided in the end to make my own hitch lock as well ,making it stronger and tighter fitting on my hitch. One thing I found with the bought one I had on the last trailer was it was always a bit loose. This one is nice and tight and fits well. I made a pin idea on the shaft so it can't turn , it is still easy to get the padlock undone , but the shaft can't turn so none of the chrome section of the padlock is open to being cut. Since these pics I have now welded on the pipe in the centre that fits in the ball socket and it also sits over the towball nut so when the trailer is on the car the lock can be on, stopping these cretins from stealing my trailer and also lifting the hitch. It's also painted bright red like the wheel lock , once it's dry I'll take a final picture, it really is sad though that we even have to do things like this , whatever happened to the old days where a man didn't touch another mans belongings.


Ozzy


http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii257/Mickoboy1/Boating/Towlock.jpg

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii257/Mickoboy1/Boating/Towlock2.jpg

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii257/Mickoboy1/Boating/Towlock4.jpg

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii257/Mickoboy1/Boating/Towlock5.jpg

[Ozzy1]

Well here it is all finished and on the trailer , sure does stand out , shame about the scratches , but you get that when it's a tight fit.

Cheers
Ozzy

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii257/Mickoboy1/Boating/Hitchlock5.jpg

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii257/Mickoboy1/Boating/Hitchlock6.jpg

[Ratbags]

Ozzy, just like a bought one, but better. Great idea on the pin to hold the lock inside.

[Hazell]

We had some one try to steal our boat in Carnarvon on our way to Exxy. I had looped the 2 backup chains through the trailers tow point handle to stop it opening so they could not hook it up and gave up. Apparently thefts like that are pretty common up there.

[scope]

Absolute scumbags the people who do this - Was fishing with Zim man one day at Jacobs well and someone pinched the hook on the end of his winch - kinda weird thing to do I thought. Had to jimmy one up with a padlock - couldn't have fallen off either because it was there when we launched. Either someone was desperate or playing a practical joke.....

Needless to say Jacobs well is on the revenge list at present

[Ozzy1]

One final one , had to shorten up the wiring on the trailer , as I noticed it had been dragging on the ground and worn through a wire. So while I was doing that I thought lets see how it fits with the trailer on the car. Brilliant fits really well and I tried really hard to get it to move around etc. I reckon nothing short of a 6ft jimmy bar would bend it , and they are going to stand out with one of those at the ramp lol. And yes I know the U bolt is missing from the jockey wheel bracket , was when I bought it , and yes slack getting around to getting another I know

Cheers
Ozzy

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii257/Mickoboy1/Boating/OnCar1.jpg

[stacer420]

Great job mate, love your work. Can you tow with it attached?

[Ozzy1]

I don't think I will be able to mate due to it being narrower across the lock than the bought type. I think whilst turning it may foul the towbar tounge , but I reckon I might give it a try and see how far I can turn with it on , out of the driveway should be enough to tell I reckon.

Cheers
Ozzy