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View Full Version : Another stolen boat, Princess 33 fly, from Thames.


darthwomble
23-01-12, 14:44
Our boat, a Princess 33 MK1 was stolen from the Thames in the summer last year. A lot of to-ing and fro-ing later with the police and still no sign of her.

The theory is that other P33 owners would immediately recognise one if they saw one, and especially on the thames, they're pretty unusual. We believe that it may well have been moved from the Thames onto the medway, up a canal (unlikely, I know) or possibly taken over the channel. Plus, if I was looking to buy a boat, the first thing I do is try to find information on them- Forums are a natural place to start. Hopefully, it'd give a heads up to anyone who might fall into the trap of buying a stolen boat, and make it all the more difficult to sell.

The boat is a 1979(ish) MK1 with fly. Possibly named "My Phoebe" (we're told it was reregistered after it was stolen)

Externally:
It has red antifoul, the twin outdrives and trim tabs have been painted grey.
We believe the wheelhouse windows have been tinted dark and has a new light blue canopy fitted.

The radio mast has a Status "UFO" style TV aerial on.
It has white fixed davitts. One of them is bent inward slightly. Pretty distinctive.

Deck gear
The handrails around the decksides are the wire type. It has a manual windlass and a hole in the deck on the port side at the stern (where a deck fitting was, but was removed). The deck treads are in grey.

It has a Danforth which just sort of lies on the foredeck. It's not in any kind of special holders or anything.

There is an escape hatch on the front deck. I don't know exactly how standard these are.

It has white fixed davitts. One of them is bent inward slightly. Pretty distinctive.

Condition
The flybridge gelcoat is looking a bit tired and has gone a bit matte and it doesn't quite match the rest of the boat, which is still shiny.

There's a white double bench up there with a white leatherette seat, which has had the stitching split down both ends. This may have been repaired or replaced and really, it's not unique, but it is a bit distinguishing.

Interior
It has a single sliding door into the wheelhouse on the port side and the standard ladder on the starboard.

Inside, the headlining, dash and companionway overhead padding is all brand new in white pleather. There is a Nasa battery meter fitted to the helm on the right hand side access hatch of the console. The engine lift switches are on the left hatch. There are Clipper Duet speed log/depth thingies on both helms but upstairs doesn't work (never got around to wiring it up!)

It has a port-side helm and starboard galley with a forward Vee twin, Convertor U-shaped settee/dinette and a standard pullout double/sofa in the wheelhouse.

The shower is fairly unusual. It has a large fixed overhead rosette and a handheld head with a mixer tap. Not the standard beige plastic ones. The shower was done out in grey/silver plastic tiling to a high spec, so there's no reason for it to have been removed (but it may well have been). Trust me, it looked a lot nicer than it sounds!

Mostly, the layout was untouched by us and original, but I dread to think what's been done to it!

The boat was my mother's retirement, so obviously, we're VERY keen to see the thieves brought to justice.

Any help would be very much appreciated.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pBfEwPSUXSs/TyvlLAqbraI/AAAAAAAAAKk/53c9D8wn3L4/s1600/2011-02-27+15.42.36.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NpHVZCrOzbQ/TyvlLrGdpbI/AAAAAAAAAKo/rrZmz_OJjGM/s1600/Princess+Violet.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--Lia5Rsjnfk/TyvlH4vVfGI/AAAAAAAAAKc/-pprGF84UZU/s1600/2011-02-27+15.42.26.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tg41FzW2mtI/TyvlEZPMfGI/AAAAAAAAAKU/yTCT-vwMBYE/s1600/2011-02-27+15.41.55.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YjoZhyVgQ-A/TyvlBHvZjHI/AAAAAAAAAKM/aNTGreQ9SyI/s1600/2011-02-27+15.41.42.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9X5gKThdpjA/Tyvk9uAoYHI/AAAAAAAAAKE/ZGcy7Rl44Bo/s1600/2011-02-27+15.39.08.jpg

salinia
28-01-12, 17:41
I would be inclined to insert a picture of the type of craft in to your post if you don't have one perhaps you could find a look alike on google...hope you get it back.

lenseman
28-01-12, 20:14
If you search on the following site, and enter the name "PHOEBE", it will bring up all the yachts and ships registered with that name. You will note that there are only three vessels with that name that have been registered since June 2011.

http://www.itu.int/online/mms/mars/ship_search.sh

As has been stated above, post as many photographs you have of your loss so that forum members who know nothing about motorboats can see what she was like? :)

Loads for sale:

https://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=pfwl&tok=PvhC36WxiljDMC-c9ynRBw&cp=15&gs_id=35&xhr=t&q=Princess+33+flybridge+for+sale&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&site=&source=hp&pbx=1&oq=Princess+33+fly&aq=0&aqi=g2g-v2&aql=&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.,cf.osb&fp=a2f2e0712ab20a9e&biw=1050&bih=599


Like this one:

http://www.theyachtmarket.com/boatimages.aspx?boatID=249208&inum=1&searchid=4466001&page=1
.

.

.

darthwomble
29-01-12, 03:27
Thank you for the advice.

I will post up what decent photos I have. I'll stick them on my blog and link to them or something.. I'll work it out!

It's not on the ship register, it seems. The thief had reregistered it and got a new SSR on it, but they may have unregistered it, being fraudulent. Presumably, putting a new SSR to it could have been to try to disguise it, or perhaps with the intent of channel-hopping.

As far as it is my understanding, the SSR numebr is purely a kudos thing. Boats are not required to have one unless they are going out to sea, and it's basically akin to a "GB" license plate. Or am I wrong? any seagoers care to correct me?

Anyway, yep, part of my daily routine is to spend an hour trawling Google and Ebay for new Princess 33s with flybridges for sale in case it pops up. Nothing so far!

So, I'll get on with the photos in the morning. It's 3:30am and I've just got in from work, so I'll probably make a pig's ear of it if I do it now!

Again, thank you all for the advice.

wazza
29-01-12, 12:52
I also wonder where they can go... surely not from the Thames up to the Medway, just too close..!!
And of course, WHO is stealing them????
I wonder is it as organised as car theft, high end car theft that is???
:(:(:(:(

darthwomble
29-01-12, 14:24
I've uploaded a few photos to here. I'm waiting for them to pass moderation and then I'll link to them.

One theory is that a twin engined private boat could be a handy way of importing drugs from the continent. I've never been further than Chiswick, (sticking to nontidal bit) so no idea of customs policy- it seems very easy to come and go as you like though.

teddington_lock
29-01-12, 16:26
Hi Womble ,

I was on duty the night it was stolen ( we are 24 hrs at Tedders ) , and left a note for my daytime collegues to watch out for it , i was then on duty on subsequent nights .

Due to the renaming saga , a note was left to physically check each licence of any flybridge cruiser that came into the lock , to make sure the name on the licence tallied up with the name on the boat. Sometimes lock staff will just check that the licence is the current years one , especially if the lock is busy.

I can say with some degree of certainty , that if it is on the coast or the Medway , it will have been lifted out and taken there. It did not pass through Teddington Lock. My theory is that it was liberated from the moorings at Sunbury , and taken somewhere with a pre-booked crane to lift it. Have you done the obvious and scoped out any marina with a big enough crane to lift it ? see if they remember anything ?

Was it not insured ?

Had it not been stolen before and renamed and that is why it was in the police possession and moored at Sunbury on the trots ?

darthwomble
29-01-12, 19:23
Teddington Lock.. Would it be okay to drop you a PM?

Yes, it was pre-stolen. This is a saga that has been going on since about August. In fact, stolen from its mooring at Hampton Wick, recovered and left by the Police at John Lewis in Kingston, and whilst the investigation was going on, restolen from there, re-recovered in a location unknown, moved to a "secure mooring" in Sunbury and then re-re-restolen from there, vanishing from the face of the earth. The MPU said they've done a sweep of the Thames from Reading with no results- But that said, it could have been chucked under a tarp to sit out the winter, or, as you say, moved over land. This is a very long and exhausting situation with apparently no end in sight.

teddington_lock
29-01-12, 20:06
Please do drop me a PM.

I'll probably not be able to comment on anything directly , as i beleive it is still ongoing.

It definately did not pass through tedders the night it was stolen , i can tell you that.

I know for a fact that the patrol launches have still got it on their list of things to look out for.

Trouble is , if it is tucked away in the depths of a marina under a tarp as you say , the chances of finding it are small.

Has it got a hull number ?

Best of luck.

darthwomble
01-02-12, 16:25
I don't know whether this will work, but here's a handful of photos uploaded to an album.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/album.php?albumid=677

philip_stevens
01-02-12, 17:40
Didn't work for me - "This album does not have any pictures. "

darthwomble
01-02-12, 18:02
Aah. Fooey.
Still awaiting moderation, apparently! Thanks, Philip.

I'll do the uploady-bloggy-linky-thing instead and see if that works.

++++++++++++++++++++++

Which it did!
So there are now a few photos in the top post. These are linked directy from my blog, so they're quite big.

enterprise
18-04-12, 11:41
Sounds like a very strange set of circumstances, having been stolen three times in succession, would it be possible that a third party believes they have ownership rights? and has determined that this particular boat is one they have title too?

I wouldn't imagine it could be far away, lets hope it's not been hiden to cover evidence etc (ie sunk)