Keys under the wheel...

webmarcos

Hi,

Just a little piece of advice for those who still leave their keys under the wheel while surfing. The crooks know this trick very well. A friend of mine got his bank account emptied when he did just that at Tullan Beach in Bundoran last year.

I bought a safe key box to stash mine, you can get them at any surf shop. Unfortunately, the crooks that broke into my car in Bundoran (main car park in front of the Peak) 2 days ago didn't bother going for them, they just mangled the door locks on BOTH sides (passenger and driver's door) and went straight for the boot, where they got a few items of clothing, my wallet (with a hefty 5 euro) and and old banger of a mobile phone. But the damage to the door car will cost me way more than that...

So if you are heading to the busy beaches this summer (e.g. Bundoran, Lahinch, Strandhill, etc.) for a bit of surfing, don't leave anything valuable in your car! And don't leave any clues that you are in the water (e.g. board bag in the back seat, etc.). It is just asking for trouble. If you just have to bring your valuables, stash them in a secret compartment, the bastards that took my stuff were in such a rush they missed my Ipod and sunglasses that were in the glove box and ashtray...:)

Don't let this put you off surfing, it certainly won't stop me catching waves, but I will be more careful from now on.

lg123

****, man that **** pisses me off. the key pocket in the suit is probably the safest place for your keys. dosnt stop them from busting the locks though.

Macanri

That is pure cat, man. I always leave my keys in the wheel arch.... not anymore after hearing that .. as I say, cat.

Good advice re leaving no clues that you are in the water, and hiding any valuables!

My wifes car got robbed outside our apt a couple of weeks ago so I don't want to go through that again.

dutchgoldtony

Had the same thing happen to me - lock broken with a screwdriver, but your insurance might cover it without it hitting your no-claims. It did for me, I'm with Hibernian (also covered up to €100 contents theft)

evil-monkey

that's a balls man. some people are just f*****g scum!! never really thought about it actually. anyone have any ideas where to leave a key?? i used to go with the wheel arch too...but now i hear this!! thing is, i can't put it in my suit pocket, cos i imagine the salt water would make **** of it...it's a remote one like...any thoughts on how one could be kept secure??

Macanri

E-M There was a thread about where to leave the keys on an earlier post.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055314598

1. Get a non-electric key cut and store in your wetsuit or put a key ring on it and attach it to your zip
2. Get a key pod.

TheTubes

Macanri wrote: »

E-M There was a thread about where to leave the keys on an earlier post.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055314598

1. Get a non-electric key cut and store in your wetsuit or put a key ring on it and attach it to your zip
2. Get a key pod.

i got the non-electric key, came out of the water covered in rust after my first time using it, it still works tho so i still do it, its v handy.

evil-monkey

Macanri wrote: »

E-M There was a thread about where to leave the keys on an earlier post.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055314598

1. Get a non-electric key cut and store in your wetsuit or put a key ring on it and attach it to your zip
2. Get a key pod.

lol...simple, yet effective!! will go with the non electric key me thinks. should be easy enough to get cut. nice one!!

gavDUB

i got a key cut and works a treat
now and again if I forget to bring it, I put the key on the ledge under my back bumper near the exhaust. Its a good spot if your ever stuck

ozt9vdujny3srf

In fairness, they generally just toss a rock through a window anyway.

waves

Never knew that about Bundoran.

I've been up there loads of times and have never seen any trouble. The council do nothing for surfers there really - considering the amount of money we spend up there, you'd think they could put on a security guard or get CCTV

My old electronic key stopped being electronic the first time I took it out with me. I have a little pocket in my wetsuit for keys. Still opens the door though.

CantGetNoSleep

gavDUB wrote: »

i got a key cut and works a treat
now and again if I forget to bring it, I put the key on the ledge under my back bumper near the exhaust. Its a good spot if your ever stuck

I wouldn't depend on this, thieves could check here too

Remember your insurance will be void if your car is stolen with the key left unaccompanied in the vicinity of the vehicle

And you never know, there could be tramps reading this thread getting tips on how to steal surfers cars

gavDUB

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

I wouldn't depend on this, thieves could check here too

Remember your insurance will be void if your car is stolen with the key left unaccompanied in the vicinity of the vehicle

And you never know, there could be tramps reading this thread getting tips on how to steal surfers cars

Very true i have only ever used this as a last resort, if its a choice between this and no SURF im going to take the risk.

c - 13

Shit that really sucks OP.

I hid my keys on the car for nearly two years (and even went into the water a few times to come back to find one of us had forgotten to lock the car ), luckily nothing was ever taken. Have a keypod now.

The best thing you can do is try to hide all surf related items so potential thief's wont realise that the owner may be out in the water and hope for the best. That means board bags etc in the boot.

Its a horrible feeling coming back up to your car after a good session worrying that everything might be gone out of it.

I would hope though that any other surfers around would keep an eye on other surfers cars while they're kitting out and that. Surf Neighbourhood Watch kind of thing

conman78

Have an electric key too...Used to do the wheel arch or hide them on the beach...Now put them in a small plastic sandwich bag fully sealed and tied to chain under my wetsuit...never had a prob with this

SnowMonkey

you no those key/mug/coat hocks i had one of them in my bumper and was never seen or noticed..... but man thats utter bull ****, if there caught they should hold them down and do a jet ski drag on them

Jonnykitedude

A couple of the lads cars got done in rosses point a few weeks ago while out kitesurfing same happend in strandhill................total SCUM

Garry17

TheTubes wrote: »

i got the non-electric key, came out of the water covered in rust after my first time using it, it still works tho so i still do it, its v handy.

You'd need to keep a bottle of fresh water outside the car if you're going to use a key like that. The key'll be covered in salt water coming out of the sea which will feck up your door locks in no time.

Macanri

Garry17 wrote: »

You'd need to keep a bottle of fresh water outside the car if you're going to use a key like that. The key'll be covered in salt water coming out of the sea which will feck up your door locks in no time.

True. Or you could just lick down the key with your own saliva.:o

WithCheesePlease

have a non elec key that I put in my suit pocket too.

another way if you're stuck is to put your key under someone else's car (that you know). Still though, not ideal.

Balls that you even have to think like that though. I'll be taking my soft rack off the roof in future while I'm in the water after reading through this tread. Any scumbag caught in the act should be dragged to the water and drowned, no questions asked.

utick

i just leave my car unlocked and put my keys in my trouser pockets in the boot. i go to daytona and theres normally a tonne of people around, id bet a fair few people leave there cars unlocked, but if any scum were going from car to car checking id imagine they would be caught fairly quick with all the people around

Macanri

utick wrote: »

i just leave my car unlocked and put my keys in my trouser pockets in the boot. i go to daytona and theres normally a tonne of people around, id bet a fair few people leave there cars unlocked, but if any scum were going from car to car checking id imagine they would be caught fairly quick with all the people around

Hi Utick, Welcome to ireland.
I have a question for you. I'm going over to Sarasota at the end of November for a wedding. I will be travelling there on Thurs 20th Nov and coming back on Tues 25th Nov. Where would be the closest place to Sarasota that I could get a surf in? I will have a car but I will need to be able to hire a board. I assume that the water will be warm enough for me to go in in board shorts and a rashie. Thanks in advance.

CantGetNoSleep

gearoid_healy wrote: »

have a non elec key that I put in my suit pocket too.

another way if you're stuck is to put your key under someone else's car (that you know). Still though, not ideal.

Balls that you even have to think like that though. I'll be taking my soft rack off the roof in future while I'm in the water after reading through this tread. Any scumbag caught in the act should be dragged to the water and drowned, no questions asked.

Agreed

utick

Macanri wrote: »

Hi Utick, Welcome to ireland.
I have a question for you. I'm going over to Sarasota at the end of November for a wedding. I will be travelling there on Thurs 20th Nov and coming back on Tues 25th Nov. Where would be the closest place to Sarasota that I could get a surf in? I will have a car but I will need to be able to hire a board. I assume that the water will be warm enough for me to go in in board shorts and a rashie. Thanks in advance.

sarasotas on gulf coast isnt it? unless theres a tropical storm or hurricane i would imagine the waves on gulf coast would be fairly small.


but this website gives forecasts for local areas so if ya have internet access you could check all the beaches to see if theres anywhere good reasonably close to you. http://www.surfline.com/home/index.cfm


they also give forecasts for irish surf spots