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bazzacuda
07-09-2005, 08:21 PM
Down by the boatramp the other day and 'she who must be obeyed' spotted some advertising by the local VMR for associate members and decided it would make a good Fathers Day present. I thought it was a great idea, it made me feel appreciated, there were some possible benefits in terms of resources and it provided support for a very deserving community service.
It was when the membership material arrived home that I discovered something I hadn't expected. To summarize, it said " here is your membership number, use this when radioing your trip details, we will know who you are from your membership record. Don't use your boat name/ registration number etc because some people are using scanners to know when and where you will be and to identify easy marks for theft".
This may be old news to many but it was a wakeup call for me. Good on you once again VMR.

Barry

Bosunsmate
07-09-2005, 08:50 PM
Hmmmm good point, our local VMR takes trip sheets over the radio, they always ask for boat name/description & destination etc.....

I bet they had'nt thought about that.....hopefully this information is getting around, just like the idea of ICE with mobile phones......

They never stop thinking of ways to ruin our lives.........low life bastards >:( bring back the corporal punishment, including the cane in schools........

roz
07-09-2005, 09:07 PM
Barry,

How are people getting personal details from boat name/registration numbers?

To say that people are using scanners to find out trip details is odd, since you only have to listen to a particular marine channel, to hear people logging on.

roz

Wear_the_fox_hat
07-09-2005, 10:36 PM
Roz,
Just trying to clear the air as best I can before things get confused. I'm not trying to be a smart alec here, but it's only the Coast Guard or VMR that will know your personal details as Barry quoted from the letter they sent him. It's not possible for a scanner to know your personal details from your rego or boat name. But there's nothing to stop these germs from keeping an eye on boats as they launch or even before the launch & then monitor/scan VHF & 27Meg (or other) frequencies for your rego or boat name so they can knock off your car/contents or boat trailer before you get back at the time you have so generously & inadvertantly supplied these low lives. Thus, the Coast Guard as I understand are trying to encourage the use of your membership number for login/logout purposes for anonymity. It's worked for me so far.

Enjoy the fishing,
WTFH

DaMaGe
07-09-2005, 10:54 PM
How scary is that!!!

Report in, heading to Tangalooma back at 5pm. That’s like 10 hours your vehicle and trailer are sitting back at the boat ramp...

DICER
08-09-2005, 06:23 AM
or even know where your house is located!

how many times have we been done over by someone watching our movements just to do a massive theft - it's happened two times and in broad daylight!

the membership number is an excellent idea

Mad_fisherman
08-09-2005, 09:41 AM
Bring on the member numbers I say. There is far too much that goes on at the ramps when we are not around. Maybe we also need to be more vigilant when launching etc. as to whom is hang around the Car/trailer Park. If they look suss ask them who they are. Most people with in the fishing community would be receptive to this I think and then it may act, as a deterrent to these would be thieves.

Just a thought

Cheers

MAD!

bazzacuda
08-09-2005, 10:14 AM
Roz,

you're right, they don't get your personal details just the boat name/ registration and when you are coming back. Only the VMR have the personal details via your membership. But the thieves would'nt have to be hanging around the boat ramp, there is pretty much only one track through town to the ramp where I usually launch, someone in any of the hundreds of houses that I drive past could see my car and boat on the way past. No trouble for them to create a database of the information over time scan the radio frequencies and plan their activity.
Having trusted mates who watch out for each other seems like a good idea as well.
By the way, from what I understand, Coast Guard are not using the Membership number idea so far, only VMR.

Barry

basserman
08-09-2005, 11:03 AM
well i'm a member of the port mac VMR boat club if you could call it that and we have out member number on both the boat and trailer so even useing you member number still woun't make you safe
all they would need to do is listen out for the nubers and ETR and then walk the carpark looking for the matching number and hey presto the same as giveing you car rego!
best thing you can do is car in a well lit area that is clearly visable and has a fair bit of traffic going by atleast that way it is a bit hard to smash into a car without someone noticeing

roz
08-09-2005, 12:54 PM
Hi Barry,

I got the impression paranoia is a bit out of control.

I think better security at parking areas would go a long way to solving the theft problem.

Best of luck

Roz

Wear_the_fox_hat
08-09-2005, 01:02 PM
Basserman,
I'm not aware of anyone up here in QLD that actually displays their membership number on their boat & trailer for all to see, but it might be different down there. As an associate member of my local VMR, I have so far found them & other VMR's in the area well organised & professional in the services they provide & I gladly pay my membership each year.

Regards,
WTFH

Fishin_Dan
08-09-2005, 01:28 PM
After using the Scarborough ramp at the Boat Club there with Sunny a few times (He stores his boat there, so we launch inside the grounds), I have thought about how good it would be to have a similar ramp. Maybe even an Ausfish Ramp! ;D

Essentially, you would pay a yearly fee that would give you access to the carpark, ramp, pontoon, etc. The whole grounds would be fenced off, with CCTV cameras all over the yard. To enter the grounds you use an electronic card. This card has it's own unique number, so the computer system could log the times everyone came into the yard, and left. This would give you great security as only "members" can get access, everything is on camera, all details recorded/time stamped/etc... Your yearly fees would cover upgrades to the grounds, administration costs, etc etc...

The other option of course would be to join a boat club that offers this as well ;)

dfox
08-09-2005, 03:41 PM
I report in with my membership number each trip that way if i fail to report back in the local coast guard can check my details and see if my car and trailer are still at the ramp. It also makes logging in alot easier not having to give so much info each trip.

Billo
08-09-2005, 03:59 PM
on the note that someone may ' knock your house off ' whilst on the water ...........i doubt they would ransack it whilst gone ....what if wife , brother , friend , house mate , kids etc etc are there ...surely no one would assume that cause your fishing , no one else is home ..

The car and boat at the ramp however , if not a secure ramp , is another story !

People could sit at the ramp , watch cars drive in and get the name of the boats , then scan to hear them log in and get the estimated a time of return .........choose a time frame suitable and break in to the car when quiet .....they don't need to gain personal details ..they know the frequency you will log in on as they could be sitting at the ramp WATCHING and know your location and the nearest VMR frequency.......scary stuff , and yes , if you're using code , then they could not identify which boat is calling in and have no idea of time frames

ba229
08-09-2005, 04:17 PM
All this said and done how many people from here (yes Ausfish members) are having their cars broken into whilst fishing?

I am sure there are plenty of you but lets narrow it down to the last 3 years. In the last 3 years have you had you car broken into or stolen whilst out fishing?

When I go out fishing there is nothing left visible in my car for them to want. For that matter there is nothing left hidden in the boot either. I only take along what will be going out with me and my trailer is locked to the tow ball.

It could seem like a hot spot of theft but I wonder if it is any higher than at the shopping center carpark.

ba229
08-09-2005, 04:38 PM
My last post got me thinking... so I created a poll :-)

CLICK HERE (http://www.ausfish.com.au/cgi-ausfish/yabb2/YaBB.cgi?num=1126161012)

basserman
08-09-2005, 05:21 PM
Basserman,
I'm not aware of anyone up here in QLD that actually displays their membership number on their boat & trailer for all to see, but it might be different down there. As an associate member of my local VMR, I have so far found them & other VMR's in the area well organised & professional in the services they provide & I gladly pay my membership each year.

Regards,
WTFH



i agree with ya on how good VMR's are

yes down here you get two stickers one for the boat and one for the trailer (you don't need to put them on but is a good ider if you do) what this does is that the number corasponds with your PM number in this case and they do have all you info in file however if you forget [smiley=angryfire.gif] to log off or are over time they can check quickly down the boat ramp for a trailer that has your number and if it is still there then that means they can launch quicker to find you
was brought in as the car rego details maynot match if you are useing a mates car or something like that
personly i have never worried about my trailer or car at my loacal boat ramps and would hate to live in a joint where you do

boatboy50
08-09-2005, 05:59 PM
Hey Guys,

I think everyone is being a tad paranoid here.

I doubt very strongly thieves listen to the scanners (not a UHF, but one capable of 27 meg/VHF). Why go to the effort, when they can watch you launch, wait till your out of site, and ransack your car within 10 minutes?

Ive been boating a LOT in my time (commercial time too on the Gold Coast), and ive never seen or had my car broken into. Ive heard of trailers being nabbed, but only ones which are not locked and take three minutes to take.

I have had a boat stolen from me years ago from my own home at night. Nothing is safe, if they want it bad enough, they will take it!

People do get their cars broken into at the ramp occasionally, but it is just plain bad luck.

Why do so much effort for the 10 cars at the local ramp, when they've got 1000 cars at the local cinema or shopping centre.

Stop being so paranoid, and just enjoy your boating!

Regards

Darren

dfox
08-09-2005, 07:09 PM
Shannon- why dont they just include the licence plate number of your trailer under your details like they do up here?

basserman
08-09-2005, 07:15 PM
done so when you sell your boat everything is more easyly tranfered to the new rig
all you need to do is give the new rigs info and a pic of what it looks like and the number is then on that boat

:oBIG BROTHER IS WATCHING! :o

Baycruiser
08-09-2005, 08:17 PM
Hmmmm...........shit does happen out there from time to time, but guessing it's not the norm & probably some paranoia with some of the comments on this thread. If its worth something to you............insure it, (new for old clause in your policy is a good one to have)!!

FNQCairns
09-09-2005, 08:27 AM
Repco has wheel clamps on special for $69 atm.

Bosunsmate
09-09-2005, 04:59 PM
Launched at National Park ramp (Ross River) yesterday with eldest and noticed local security mob, when asked if they were removing the existing cameras they said no, they were actually installing more cameras....

Great Idea - more cameras = more coverage, call me sceptical and pessimistic but, my question is; who is going to monitor them at 3am ?

Tthats my 2 Bobs worth anyway

familyman
09-09-2005, 10:34 PM
For what its worth I used to go rock fishing on the central coast of nsw most weekends when I was younger but after having my work vehicle broken into five times over eight years I gave it up.Would turn up to the spot ,see piles of glass around the place ,due a u turn and go home and back to bed :-[
Now i fish out of my boat but i still worry about the car while i'm gone.Hopefully the busy ramps i go to will the scum at bay >:(
So far so good. ;)
Now where's that piece of wood.
cheers jon

gogecko
10-09-2005, 01:17 PM
You are all a bit paranoid. I used to work in security and deal with the local police. More cars get broken into at shopping centres than boat ramps. Most ramps are very open, well lit, and provide no cover for crims to hide.

The number one defence against having your car broken into, is to keep nothing inside it in plain view. I keep my car, glove box and boot empty all the time. Crims break in when they see something worth taking.

"when do we first begin to covet, Clarice?"
"we covet what we see..."

lil_boatie
10-09-2005, 07:19 PM
NO!!!!!!!!! dont bring back the cane Bosunsmate, or bring it back in 2006, i dont care what happens after that. :)

Bosunsmate
10-09-2005, 07:58 PM
Don't worry bout it lil_boatie it only stings for a little while, believe me I had plenty of 6ers from the english master when I was at school many many moons ago........ ;) Reckon it was character building, or so the teachers always told me, still it never killed me - just made me a better person.

Besides only the bad kids get the cane......you bein a member here tells me your a good kid and unlikely to get a canin... ;) cept from them big fish.....

Burley_Boy
13-09-2005, 10:21 PM
Darren you said most of it mate.
If you find a consciencious little bugger logging ETR details so that he can time his breakins, then hes a crappy little theif and should probably pick a new vocation. It takes them less then a minute to break in and ransack your car and I can't see them going to the extra effort. They're usually opportunistic buggers who don't like to work.
Use a crooklock and leave the doors open :D mind you I still had a bugger bust the lock duuhhh (not at the boatramp)
Don't let the buggers spoil your time out, if its valuable insure it ;D

Fishinmishin
14-09-2005, 12:10 AM
I haven't read much of the posts in this topic so not sure if it's been said but there is always an option to log on via phone with all the VMRs or just knock on their door. List of numbers if anyone needs http://www.msq.qld.gov.au/qt/msq.nsf/index/volunteer_contacts .
Cheers, Jay

littlejim
14-09-2005, 12:15 PM
round Jervis Bay the car parks are sufficiently isolated for the bludgers not to have to monitor any marine channels. They just wait ubtil nobody is around.
a couple of weeks ago they did over the seven vehicles in the Murrays car park.
All I can see missing from my car is a few packets of chewy.
replacing the busted passenger side window cost $330.
The police say some people leave everything open so they can see there is nothing worth pinching. I think if I did that some other bod would take the car.