!!!Keep an eye out for my Stolen Kayak this Memorial Day!!!

[BSMosley]

My canary yellow Old Town Otter fishin' kayak was stolen out of the back of my pickup in Fayetteville in the wee hours of the morning Tuesday, May 19. Also nabbed by the dickless weasels involved was one very distinctive hand-carved kayak paddle, and all of my fishing poles and tackle.

However, I realize the fact that its disappearance coincides with Memorial Day Weekend is likely no mere coincidence, and the spineless dog who perpetrated this heinous act will quite possibly be out on one of our fine Arkansan waterways this very weekend!!! Perhaps even with a distinctive wooden kayak paddle.

So-- in the interest of preserving the safety of ourselves and our property in our native home of NWArkansas, not to mention getting the kayak back, I would greatly appreciate everyone keeping their eyes peeled as they take to the waterways this weekend for a canary-yellow Old Town Otter kayak, missing the handle on the bow(front); perhaps being piloted with the wooden kayak paddle pictured at the top of this post.

Let's send the message to these amateur Somali pirates that this sort of behavior will not be tolerated.

If spotted, you should take note of the description of the perp, any vehicles they might be using, license plate numbers and any other pertinent information and contact the Fayetteville PD: 479-587-3555; myself: 479-790-8328; or whatever the local law enforcement agency is.

And on an entirely unrelated note, I'm playing a show next Wednesday at the Smoke and Barrell on Dickson. It also happens to be my birthday.

So thanks guys, and enjoy your holiday weekends.

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Notice the missing bow handle

Good one of the paddle

[Zakkt]

Dude I hope you get your stuff back, and that paddle should be able to be spotted a mile away. Although it's way south of you I will be on the Caddo this weekend and I will keep an eye out. Good luck

-Zakk

[Eric Esche]

Next to having your name and contact numbers written/engraved both in obvious and non-obvious places on your boat, and keeping a record of your serial numbers if any in a safe place, having a good photo record is the next best thing, and sometimes the only thing.

I will keep an eye out on Beaver lake this weekend, but maybe the rest of us when not paddleing, will catch up on our documentation and putting identification marks on our boats and gear.

Eric

[GutIt]

Quick question, Mr. Mosley? Why is your bow loop missing? Was it cut in the theft?

Eric is, as usual, right about the recording of #’s, shooting pictures, and marking boats/gear with ID, but that is for recovery.

I would rather not have to chance a recovery of a stolen boat. So, as a deterrent, I try to remember to lock them down. More so these days with all the thefts being reported. Most boats today have rescue/security bars and canoes have thwarts. Most of today’s rack systems have locking towers. If a boat doesn’t have these it wouldn’t be too hard to install one.

I know it goes against all grain to have to lock a boat. I also know that locking a boat won’t completely stop a determined thief, but we don’t have to make it easy for them either. Most of these scumbags are not that determined and if they can just knife a couple of tie downs and lift the boat, they will. If the boat is locked, and cutting tie downs won’t let them get the goods, then they will leave it and move on. These perps are far from rocket scientists and they usually won’t hang around to try to defeat a lock-down. A lot of times just the sight of a locked boat will be a deterrent.

And while I’m at it? Happy B-Day in advance, BSMosley! A nice B-Day present would be getting that gear back. Hope that B-Day wish comes true.

[BSMosley]

The bow handle was missing beforehand, but I will say I made it pretty easy for them. Just a couple of bungees. They evidently removed one, gave the boat a good yank, and sent the other damaged bungee flying over the truck where it came to rest on the sidewalk. Not to mention all my gear was in the boat, so no extra effort expended there. Chalk it up to naivety on my part, but I guess no one expects anything bad to happen to them until it does.

Thanks for all your concern and support guys, it is mucho-appreciated.

[KimL]

Spotted a yellow sit-on-top coming down Highway 67 toward Little Rock today on the top of an orange Honda Element. Roger thought it was unlikely that it would have been yours, given the distance from Fayetteville, but then it occurred to me that with the end of school, that boat could be anywhere now. I know--a vehicle spotted on the opposite side of the highway isn't much help, but maybe it'll keep the thread alive.

[GutIt]

I may be mistaken, but I don't think an Otter is an SOT!

[KimL]

Oh, I see that!