SLALOM KAYAK STOLEN! - Please keep an eye out for this boat

Spiderman · Post by **Spiderman** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 3:06 am

Ironically I returned home from Viking Kayak Club tonight to discover my Double Dutch Virus competition slalom boat had been stolen from my home. Please see this clear description of the boat and please keep and eye out for it anywhere locally, advertised for sale in the local press or on Ebay or at events.

Please look out for this boat!

Ok, so maybe not very smart of me to leave it hanging on my garden fence but who on EARTH comes down a very quiet culs-de-sac to steal a top competition slalom boat that is both very rare (I have not actually seen another Virus in the country!) and so instantly recognisable as MINE! Gits!

I am thinking that they stole it to sell but why then not take the £50 Timberlands lying outside the front door as well? I am absolutely stunned that anyone would be so stupid as to nick something like this. Indeed, it was the solid belief that it would be of absolutely no use to anyone at all that allowed me to leave it unsecured in my garden! It just shows that some people will nick anything!

I have reported it to the Police and posted on the VKC Forum. I will also send an email to the Environment Agency in case they find it caught up and upside down at the top of a weir somewhere....ideally with the low-life who took it still in it!!

I cannot believe that this boat will not find its way back to me. They might equally have stolen an F1 race car and tried to use that or sell it on! How dumb can you get?!!

I maintain that there are still far more good people than bad people and I refuse to lead my life suspecting that the worst will happen. I will not let scumbags like this stop me trusting the masses to leave stuff alone if is not theirs. An unfortunate event but hopefully just the beginning of a story with a happy ending - eventually!

(sing along)...."Aaaaaaaaaaand.........always look-on the bright side of life.....da dum, da dum da dum da dum...

PP

Seedy Paddler · Post by **Seedy Paddler** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 9:59 am

Hey Spidey - transferred your posting info onto the UKRGB site Stolen Slalom Kayak

May get a more general viewing as i doubt if the scallies have any idea what they have.

Point of optimism - I remember a theft of a brand new slalom kayak back in the early '80s. Boat was in the process of delivery and had never been used. But also was a personal boat to the specific design and colour scheme of the owner. They did eventually get it back when some ned tried to hawk it a slalom - sometimes it pays to be unique :;):

CD

Spiderman · Post by **Spiderman** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 11:31 am

Cheers Seedy. Yes indeed

As I said above, I really do think it will find its way back to me as it is simply not the sort of thing that you steal to sell. Many thanks for re-posting it as awareness that will surely be responsible for its discovery.

If anyone reading this from other canoe and kayak clubs can maybe print the linked picture and pin it on the club notice board that will hopefully prevent someone buying it without raising an eyebrow.

Many thanks, I will keep you posted of any news here

PP

Spiderman · Post by **Spiderman** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:08 am

So...... we are on the way back from Stone on Sunday when my phone rings. It was my good friend Paul who drives a recovery vehicle. He rang to inform me that the police had asked him to go to a bus stop in the middle of Bedford to recover a "black and red canoe"!!!!!! He said there was no canoe there! Just a red and black kayak! YAY! He kindly dropped it round my house so it was there when we got back from Stone.

Not all good news though - The lowlifes had tried to set it alight

It needs to go away for repairs to the deck and to have a new cockpit rim fitted so I need to get on that pretty quick. I have taken some pictures (mainly for the repairers to give me a quote) so they have been noted up for communication purposes using the front of the cockpit as the 12 o'clock position. The fire damage is from 11 o'clock round to 4 o'clock.

http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/9079 ... e01qn1.jpg

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/6637/k ... e02ej7.jpg

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/8154 ... e03jq2.jpg

Its really sad for me to see this as the boat was in really good condition but Im overjoyed to get it back anyway! I dont mind about how good the repair is cosmetically as I plan to cover it with a big yellow, jagged speech bubble with "POW!" or "ZAP!" in it lol

That should complete it's comic book appearance quite nicely I think. They tried to pull off some of my spiderwebs but they were obviously too sticky and gave up

I can sort those no problems.

Anyone know who could repair this please? My first thought is Jim Mc C at Nomad but does anyone know anyone nearer to Bedford maybe? Help!

So, thanks to those who went paddling the river, keeping an eye out, watching Ebay etc etc....you are all really brilliant! I LOVE the canoe/kayak community!

"SPIDEY GOT HIS SPIDEY BOAT BACK YEAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

General Flangecustard · Post by **General Flangecustard** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 3:37 pm

Good to hear you got it back.

Shame about the damage:( But I suppose it could have been a lot worse. Hope it is repaired and ready for the next mini.

wm

Seedy Paddler · Post by **Seedy Paddler** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 3:45 pm

Ah well Spidey - looks like you will have to change your Viking allegiances as some upstart has clearly looked to bring their own "Up Helly Aa" celebration to Bedford.

Need to educate them - it should be a long boat and wooden - perhaps a picture of a racing Struer on the garden fence may assist for future reference.

Glad to hear of a "glass half full" outcome

Seedy Paddler · Post by **Seedy Paddler** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 8:54 am

Just thought you may want to give Dutch Geezer a PM as he should be in a position to advise RE repairs.

May even use genuine Double Dutch spare parts :;):

Spiderman · Post by **Spiderman** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 10:07 am

I have been in touch with DD here and in the Netherlands and also tried to find Jim Mc C (the latter without success so far on the phone?). A new cockpit rim is a reasonable 35Euro plus probably unreasonable shipping so that will be sent to whoever does the repair. Im on the case! Thanks for the words boys

jim croft · Post by **jim croft** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 10:29 am

:p Pete got an old 197 Olymic C1 in the garden will fit a big bloke
Jim

Spiderman · Post by **Spiderman** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 12:53 am

Good for you Jim! I hope you are both happy together.

Maybe you should get it in the pool and start practicing for the Boxing Day roll! lol

Spiderman · Post by **Spiderman** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 1:12 am

Final update regarding my boat.

Firstly, thanks again for all the concern and kind words from the slalom community at events.

The boat has been brilliantly repaired by Jim McConnachie at Nomad in Llangollen - many thanks Jim!

Thanks Silver/Jake for transporting it to Jim.

Thanks to Tradesigns in London Road Bedford (ironically where it was set on fire!) for supplying me with the screaming bright and brilliant yellow vinyl and text for boat and blades

Thanks to Marvel Comics for using my name and giving me the inspiration for the design

I think the boat will be hard to miss on the slalom circuit this season and I also think it will be quite well liked by the kids doing Paddlepower at the Club this year

Checkit Maaaan!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36513305@N ... 5/sizes/l/

KA-BOOM!

General Flangecustard · Post by **General Flangecustard** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 8:36 pm

Looks awsome! Even better than the original design

WM

Geebs · Post by **Geebs** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 1:03 am

Well we won't miss you now :p

Looks the Dog's dodahs ???

Cheers Graeme

Spiderman · Post by **Spiderman** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 1:53 am

lol....actually, I overlooked the dazzling effect from the cockpit! I first got in it at Matlock and that YELLOW was really noticeable to begin with! However, I soon adapted and did not notice it after a few minutes.

Must mention the young lad (unknown) who saw the "KA-BOOM!" and said "Wow! I like your canoe!" to which I said "Thanks! Did you see my paddles too?" and I held up one end...the lad said "ZAP!" and smiled but sadly not all messages come across as intended because when I held up the other end with "POW!" printed on it, he struggled to understand the word and said "POOH?"

I suppose my idea of sprinting "zap pow zap pow zap pow" down a course can now possibly mean my run will be zap ... or pooh! lol

Anyone know where I can get a yellow neoprene spraydeck with "BLAM! on?

PP

Seedy Paddler · Post by **Seedy Paddler** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 9:10 am

Spiderman wrote:Anyone know where I can get a yellow neoprene spraydeck with "BLAM! on?

Given your experience with "POW" I don't know if you want to go there, just thinking walking around in your gear with the deck hanging down - how often would it be mis-read?

"Oh look at that BAM!" :p