Members of Ullswater Yacht Club have appealed to the public for help in their search for Alice – an orange RIB safety boat which was stolen from the club site on the night of Thursday, November 29.
Club officials discovered the theft of the Rigid Inflatable Boat, Suzuki engine and trailer on Friday morning. A safety boat shed had been broken into overnight and along with the boat, three paddleboards were also stolen from a training shed.
The club’s last racing day was Sunday, November 25 and all equipment was in the process of being moved off site to external storage for the winter, work which has now been completed.
The club has launched an appeal on social media to sailing clubs, boating and trade organisations – anyone who may come across the stolen boat, trailer and engine for information. The details are: a Ribcraft 4.8m, Suzuki DF50 and Rapide Coaster Road Trailer R40.
“We would like everyone to keep eye out for this equipment or perhaps the RIB turning up on any website or Facebook page,” said Sailing Development Officer Edmund Clarke, who runs the club’s Ullswater Sailing School.
Edmund collected the Ribcraft boat from the manufacturers in Somerset on behalf of the club in 2016. The boat was nicknamed Alice by Sailing School instructors after one of their favourite tracks – ‘Living Next Door to Alice’ by Smokie.
The police have been informed and there is CCTV footage of a vehicle towing the RIB through Pooley Bridge at 4.30am on Friday, November 30.
“We want to do our best to try to locate Alice and hope that someone, somewhere spots her,” said Edmund.
His contact details are [email protected]
