I hope I'm wrong but the last couple times I took the boat out, my tank was
near empty, and both times I was sure I had between 1/3 - 1/2 tank. (40 gal
tank). I trailer it and park in the driveway, so if it's true, it's
happening there. Anyone have any ideas on how to be sure? My wife wants me
to design some elaborate electronic trap with digital video. While not a
great challenge I invision something more low tech like duct tape over the
cap which could never be put back on the same.

Suggestions?

The big bummer is both times I was in the water before I knew it, and had to
go to the gas dock instead of the gas station.
-jeff

In article , t
says...
I hope I'm wrong but the last couple times I took the boat out, my tank was
near empty, and both times I was sure I had between 1/3 - 1/2 tank. (40 gal
tank). I trailer it and park in the driveway, so if it's true, it's
happening there. Anyone have any ideas on how to be sure? My wife wants me
to design some elaborate electronic trap with digital video. While not a
great challenge I invision something more low tech like duct tape over the
cap which could never be put back on the same.

Suggestions?

The big bummer is both times I was in the water before I knew it, and had to
go to the gas dock instead of the gas station.
-jeff

How about a locking gas cap?

Perimeter alarm?

Motion detector lights?

A sign hanging from the gas cap that says "I have a double barrel
shotgun trained at your ass right now!!!"

jps

Around 8/17/2004 5:58 PM, jeff® wrote:

I hope I'm wrong but the last couple times I took the boat out, my tank was
near empty, and both times I was sure I had between 1/3 - 1/2 tank. (40 gal
tank). I trailer it and park in the driveway, so if it's true, it's
happening there.

This happened to my uncle as well, in his slip at a large public
moorage. He lost about 70 gallons, and only found out about it 2/3 of
the way back from a weekend trip.

Anyone have any ideas on how to be sure? My wife wants me
to design some elaborate electronic trap with digital video. While not a
great challenge I invision something more low tech like duct tape over the
cap which could never be put back on the same.

Suggestions?

Well, you could set up something elaborate to catch them on tape (many
camcorders these days have motion detection, and there is always your
friendly neighborhood or online spy store. I think even Home Depot and
the like carry basic video surveillance kits), but the low tech idea is
just a waste of time; they would still get away with the gas, and the
only difference is that you would know about it sooner.

Unless you really want to nail the thieves, just get a lock on the gas
cap and don't worry about it. If all they're after is gas, your boat
won't be such a plump, juicy sitting duck next time.



--
~/Garth - 1966 Glastron V-142 Skiflite: "Blue-Boat"
"There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing about in boats."
-Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

It's an urban legend, and it would be unlikely that the deck caps are the same
diameter, but it's always fun to fantasize about swapping the cap for the fuel
tank over to the pumpout for the holding tank.

That first mouthful to get suction started is
a real bitch.

In article , gould0738
@aol.com says...
It's an urban legend, and it would be unlikely that the deck caps are the same
diameter, but it's always fun to fantasize about swapping the cap for the fuel
tank over to the pumpout for the holding tank.

That first mouthful to get suction started is
a real bitch.

That's a hell of an idea Chuck. Nasty!

On 18 Aug 2004 06:43:26 GMT, (Gould 0738) wrote:

It's an urban legend, and it would be unlikely that the deck caps are the same
diameter, but it's always fun to fantasize about swapping the cap for the fuel
tank over to the pumpout for the holding tank.

That first mouthful to get suction started is
a real bitch.

There is something very amusing about this idea.

Hmmmm - marketing idea comes to mind.

Later,

Tom

On Tue, 17 Aug 2004 20:58:49 -0400, "jeff®"
wrote:

I hope I'm wrong but the last couple times I took the boat out, my tank was
near empty, and both times I was sure I had between 1/3 - 1/2 tank. (40 gal
tank). I trailer it and park in the driveway, so if it's true, it's
happening there. Anyone have any ideas on how to be sure? My wife wants me
to design some elaborate electronic trap with digital video. While not a
great challenge I invision something more low tech like duct tape over the
cap which could never be put back on the same.

Suggestions?

The big bummer is both times I was in the water before I knew it, and had to
go to the gas dock instead of the gas station.

The only real way to tell is to fill it and see how much is missing
afterward.

However, why bother? Find a way to lock the cap.

Later,

Tom

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 18 Aug 2004 06:43:26 GMT, (Gould 0738) wrote:


It's an urban legend, and it would be unlikely that the deck caps are the same
diameter, but it's always fun to fantasize about swapping the cap for the fuel
tank over to the pumpout for the holding tank.

That first mouthful to get suction started is
a real bitch.


There is something very amusing about this idea.

Hmmmm - marketing idea comes to mind.

Later,

Tom
If you could relocate your filler to a hidden location and couple your
old filler to an old outboard gas tank with a couple of gallons of bad
gas (strained through a chammy cloth if visibly dirty) with as much
sugar as you can get to dissolve in it, anybody who steals any is going
to have a *really* bad day :-)

--
Ian Malcolm. London, ENGLAND. (NEWSGROUP REPLY PREFERRED)
ianm[at]the[dash]malcolms[dot]freeserve[dot]co[dot]uk [at]=@, [dash]=- &
[dot]=.
*Warning* SPAM TRAP set in header, Use email address in sig. if you must.
'Stingo' Albacore #1554 - 15' Uffa Fox designed, All varnished hot
moulded wooden racing dinghy circa. 1961

"jeff®" wrote in message ...
I hope I'm wrong but the last couple times I took the boat out, my tank was
near empty, and both times I was sure I had between 1/3 - 1/2 tank. (40 gal
tank). I trailer it and park in the driveway, so if it's true, it's
happening there. Anyone have any ideas on how to be sure? My wife wants me
to design some elaborate electronic trap with digital video. While not a
great challenge I invision something more low tech like duct tape over the
cap which could never be put back on the same.

Suggestions?

The big bummer is both times I was in the water before I knew it, and had to
go to the gas dock instead of the gas station.
-jeff

use some light type of glue, and glue a small piece of fishing line to
the cap, and to the neck, or deck. If it's unglued, you know someone
is stealing it, and you can then take more drastic measures.

On Wed, 18 Aug 2004 01:03:11 -0700, jps wrote:

In article , gould0738
says...
It's an urban legend, and it would be unlikely that the deck caps are the same
diameter, but it's always fun to fantasize about swapping the cap for the fuel
tank over to the pumpout for the holding tank.

That first mouthful to get suction started is
a real bitch.

That's a hell of an idea Chuck. Nasty!


Too funny. But you have to watch revenge in cases like this. You
don't want to end up with a gas tank full of sugar or water....