Stolen Tender to Empress Recovered

About two weeks after it was stolen, the Boston Whaler tender to Empress was recovered by the Lifeguards who patrol Mission Bay.  A Lifeguard patrol boat found the tender on the beach of Sail Bay near the Catamaran Hotel at the northwest end of Mission Bay more that two nautical miles from where the tender was stolen.  Bravo Zulu to the Mission Bay Lifeguards.

Because the thieves apparently were unable to start the motor without a key and the paddles apparently were not used, the thieves must have towed the tender away using another boat.  The thieves did considerable damage to the tender including destroying the shift/throttle control apparently while attempting to start the motor without a key.  The thieves apparently were in the process of removing the motor from the transom when something or someone scared them away.  They did disconnect the fuel tank and make off with it.

The tender currently is on a rack at the Driscoll Mission Bay boat yard awaiting assessment and repair of the damage.  As yet undiscovered damage to the outboard motor, chart plotter, GPS, or depth sounder may have occurred.  The Penhunes hope that the insurance company will pay most of the cost of the needed repairs.

Tender Awaiting Repair at Driscoll Mission Bay