George C1 is much more in tune with what’s happening in the BVI than me, but the word in parts of the local liveaboard-cruising community is that petty theft as well as dinghy and outboard theft has risen noticeably in the BVI over the last several months. I have heard several lively discussions about it recently. At least two cruisers gave accounts of thefts they were personally aware of. Whether accurate or not that’s an opinion working its way around segments of the local cruising community. Additionally, an operations manager at one of the biggest charter companies (not TMM where my boat was previously in charter) told me they were experiencing a definite uptick in dinghy thefts. He did not mention JVD as a “hotspot”. Nonetheless, I think it’s more than poorly tied dinghies or tidal theft.
In over 3 years we have never left our dinghy in the water overnight. It is always “lift and lock”. I know it’s easier on a catamaran. We have 20ft. of 8mm SS chain that runs through our outboard, gas tank, and a forward eye with 2 heavy duty locks. If someone really wanted to steal our dinghy at the dock they could undoubtedly do it; however, we hope our dinghy is one of the least inviting potential victims on the dock. Charterers are much more vulnerable because they are usually relying on a cable lock of some type that the average 10-year old could defeat. Just locking a dinghy, regardless of its pregnability, is at least a minor deterrent because most dinghies I see are not locked up at all.