How do you secure your scuba diving gear from prying hands et al.?

[fjpatrum]

Hi everyone,

A few days back, I noticed a thread asking whether you would return to a lost-and-found mask to the original owner. That thread got me thinking:

1. Was there ever a time that you lost some pieces of expensive scuba diving equipment?
2. Were you able to retrieve them?
3. Have you ever had your scuba diving equipment stolen?
4. Have you ever had your scuba diving equipment swapped for another diver's?
5. How do you usually secure your own gear from possible loss, swapping, or theft?
6. Do you think purchasing insurance for your equipment is worth it?

I'm very interested in what you have to share. Thank you!

I don't have nearly as much experience as some of the folks who've already posted but for the most part, it's stuff. It can be replaced so I don't worry too much about it. I buy used gear that is generally old, or make my own (like my wing) so it's brand names that most people don't recognize or don't want.

I've lost a pair of sheers, I think they fell out of my pocket at some point during a dive. I've lost a z-cutter the same way. I know that one came out of the "holster" during a dive, and I lost a couple individual weights on a dive once. I wasn't able to retrieve those.

Never had anything stolen but I don't take any special precautions. I check my gear when flying, even my camera and computer, usually, and don't make any special arrangements other than trying not to spread out too much at dive sites or on dive boats.

My homeowner's and standard travel insurance cover loss of my gear so I don't bother with itemized coverage. If I were buying more expensive gear I might think about it because dive gear can very quickly overrun the maximum dollar payout on my insurance but, like I said, I don't buy new so I really wouldn't be out that much if I had to replace the gear, except possibly my dry suit.

 

[Tickler]

During my science diving training, there were a couple of "team leaders" that usually took charge of the gear for the group and coordinate a carpool. We would usually take the tanks we needed for a trip a few days before when we met for class and keep them until the next dive. One of my classmates had 16 HP95's stolen from the back of her truck because she was hanging on to them for her group and loaded them in the truck the night before so she could get an early start the next morning. That is the worst that I have ever heard. Luckily, she alerted the apartment complex that she was in and a maintenance guy was able to find them a few days later and report it to the police. It must not be easy to hide that many tanks in a college apartment...

 

[shoredivr]

1. Was there ever a time that you lost some pieces of expensive scuba diving equipment? Reminds me of a quote in "The Last Dive" from Captain Steve Bielenda of Andrea Doria fame: "if you ain't lost anything down there ya ain't done anything underwater." heh heh I left a pair of fins on a Stuart Cove's dive boat overnight, and as they were unusual fins, the captain remembered me and kept them for me the next day. An expensive tech backup light fell out of a pocket, stupidly I had not clipped it into the equipment loop in my drysuit pocket. So only lost one thing diving year round since 1998. I have found masks, weights, snorkels, reels, dive floats over the years. Once the owner of the weight pocket was swimming along oblivious to the loss in shallow water. Other times a local dive shop would put notification of a found item on their website. Some items returned to owners, others nobody responded to. I really don't need 6 dive masks.
2. Were you able to retrieve them? See above
3. Have you ever had your scuba diving equipment stolen? No, but I don't leave it around when on vacation either.
4. Have you ever had your scuba diving equipment swapped for another diver's? Yes, one jetfin looks much like another. I have made my gear look different than other peoples', such as using pink webbing for a backplate or two colours of bungie cord on bottom timers, computers, short pull tabs made of red webbing dog leash (cheap) on the spring straps of my jet fins.
5. How do you usually secure your own gear from possible loss, swapping, or theft? See above, and also I put everything in one place on a dive boat, and don't leave things around to tempt people. Though mostly I would say divers I dive with don't steal.
6. Do you think purchasing insurance for your equipment is worth it? It is part of my house insurance and my DAN insurance already.

I'm very interested in what you have to share. Thank you!

Here is my experience.

 

[drbill]

Any items I've "lost" were retrieved.

I had two computers stolen but never located. The policde and I think we know who did it, but no direct evidence to confront the guy.

It would be difficult for another diver to confuse my gear with theirs as mine is so ratty and ancient.

I do insure my important gear

 

[Stoo]

I WISH someone would steal most of my gear. It's insured, so it would be an awesome upgrade opportunity!

My stuff often lies around in my boat while I get a fill. I put the little bits, like 'pooters, out of sight. My boat is well known, and I have lots of friends hanging around the dock as a rule, so a stranger poking around might be challenged I think. Sneaking off with double 130s isn't that easy, but having said that, seeing someone walking down the main street with a set of tanks on his back is a completely normal sight in this town.

The one exception is my camera. I lock it with a cable lock in my boat, and toss a coat over it. It would keep "the honest people honest", but not a real thief.

I've only ever had one piece of gear disappear... a hand-held VHF radio... but I'm not entirely certain that I didn't leave it on the roof of my truck and drive away.

 

[Diver0001]

I had my motorcycle stolen out of a parking lot once. I had gone to the pub with some friends and left it there over night and went home on the bus because I had been drinking. when I came back the next day to get it, it was gone.

When the insurance company said, "prove that it was stolen", what, exactly are you supposed to do? Take a picture of the empty spot where you left it and show them that? Even with a police report and statements from my friends the insurance company just said (smugly, I might add), "sorry, no evidence, no claim".

And that's the problem with theft claims. The insurance company is going to want some proof that the item was stolen and when it comes right down to it they can (and do) always play the "I don't believe you" card.... and unless you have solid evidence or you can afford to sick a lawyer on them to force them to take responsibility then the only thing you can do is suck it up and try to deal with the homicidal feeling it gives you. I've only been angry enough one or twice in my life that I had to force myself not to squeeze someone's neck until blood came out of their eyes but that day was one of those days.

And even WITH evidence of a break-in you can't get them to pay. My house got broken into once and some items were removed. The door was forced, you could prove it.... but when I tried to claim those items then insurance company simply said, "prove that those items were in your house at the time of the theft". They were items that you weren't likely to carry around with you. Winter tires for the car, some tools, some bits of expensive camping gear, a touring bicycle.... but even if I could have *proven* that they were in my house then the insurance company would have just played the "we don't believe you" card and squeezed out of their responsibility.

Needless to say I have no use for insurance companies. Insurance is an out-and-out scam right from the ground up as far as I'm concerned.

As an aside, I got my motorcycle back. I spotted it a couple of days later on the street, parked. I recognized it because of the unusual motor guard. I still had the keys so I just got on and drove it away. LOL Had to steal back my own bike.

R..

 

[FinnMom]

Most of my dive stuff that "gets legs"and wanders off disappears for the same reason as my other stuff: my beloved offspring.

 

[fjpatrum]

I had my motorcycle stolen out of a parking lot once. I had gone to the pub with some friends and left it there over night and went home on the bus because I had been drinking. when I came back the next day to get it, it was gone.

When the insurance company said, "prove that it was stolen", what, exactly are you supposed to do? Take a picture of the empty spot where you left it and show them that? Even with a police report and statements from my friends the insurance company just said (smugly, I might add), "sorry, no evidence, no claim".

And that's the problem with theft claims. The insurance company is going to want some proof that the item was stolen and when it comes right down to it they can (and do) always play the "I don't believe you" card.... and unless you have solid evidence or you can afford to sick a lawyer on them to force them to take responsibility then the only thing you can do is suck it up and try to deal with the homicidal feeling it gives you. I've only been angry enough one or twice in my life that I had to force myself not to squeeze someone's neck until blood came out of their eyes but that day was one of those days.

And even WITH evidence of a break-in you can't get them to pay. My house got broken into once and some items were removed. The door was forced, you could prove it.... but when I tried to claim those items then insurance company simply said, "prove that those items were in your house at the time of the theft". They were items that you weren't likely to carry around with you. Winter tires for the car, some tools, some bits of expensive camping gear, a touring bicycle.... but even if I could have *proven* that they were in my house then the insurance company would have just played the "we don't believe you" card and squeezed out of their responsibility.

Needless to say I have no use for insurance companies. Insurance is an out-and-out scam right from the ground up as far as I'm concerned.

As an aside, I got my motorcycle back. I spotted it a couple of days later on the street, parked. I recognized it because of the unusual motor guard. I still had the keys so I just got on and drove it away. LOL Had to steal back my own bike.

R..

A police report indicating your property was reported stolen is generally proof enough for most insurance companies, at least here in the USA. Whether they want more evidence that you actually owned it in the first place (though that should be easy with vehicles) might be more difficult.

I'd be looking for a new insurance company if I were you.

The two thefts we've reported of property were paid out with almost no questions asked. One was an unregistered (inherited) pistol, the other was petty cash and some relatively inexpensive jewelry.

 

[shoredivr]

Sounds like a Netherlands insurance company thing Diver0001, it's not like that here in Ontario either.

 

[Diver0001]

I'd be looking for a new insurance company if I were you.

I live in the Netherlands. I guess insurance companies scamming clients may not be a global thing but it's certainly a Dutch thing. The funny thing is that the Dutch are very risk averse and most Dutch people are insured up to their arm pits. But maybe as a result it makes them vulnerable to being scammed by insurance companies.

One good example. I have a close acquaintance who had a very serious diving accident 5 years ago. He drowned during a dive, spent 10 minutes for all intents an purposes dead on the bottom before rescuers found him, got pulled back through the eye of the needle by paramedics and doctors, spent months in a hospital in coma and and years after that in manual therapy to recover, learn how to walk again and to learn how to lead a normal life again.

It was in the news

there were two court cases about it, including a criminal case to try to indict the dive team responsible for his accident (they made some VERY serious mistakes). There was a civil case about it in which the dive team admitted guilt and agreed to be held legally and financially responsible for the crime they committed.....

and after 5 years, he is *still* fighting with the insurance company to get a single red cent from them to compensate him for his medical bills. Why? Because they keep arguing over and over again that it wasn't really that bad and that the medical care he got was "excessive".

That's the Dutch insurance system in a nutshell. Even if you literally die and get brought back to life through some miracle, they *still* won't pay. It's horrible beyond description. I feel very sorry for Dutch people, actually. Most of them are so scared of something bad happening that they insure themselves to the armpits and pay a lot of of money for coverage... when in fact, they would be better off paying those insurance payments into a savings account and dealing with their own crap.

I'm glad it works where you are.

R..