There has always been a trust among the surf community regarding belongings… especially cars. I don’t think this trust has declined or that it should but one thing is for sure it is no longer safe to leave the keys of your car un-secured under the wheel arch. However I don’t believe it is our fellow surfer we have to watch out for!
Thefts seem to be on the increase in recent times, be it the recession and people are desperate for money or the criminal population in the country is growing. Whichever it is, looking after your belongings has become a major issue for everybody.
Until last Christmas I would leave the key of my car under the wheel arch at every surf location I went to, it was just the thing to do and most other surfers would do the same… where else were we going to put it? definitely couldn’t bring them into the water with us!
Last year I became one of the increasing number of surfers who owned a Keypod to securely hold my car keys while I’m in the water. The Keypod has a four digit combination padlock with an integrated storage cavity. Basically open the lid, place yours keys or whatever you want to store into the cavity and lock safely onto the under section of your car.
This time last year two girls that were down to Tullan Strand from Dublin for the day came out of the water after a session to find that their car was stolen! The girls weren’t left stranded however; a lot of the locals and fellow surfers helped them with clothes, food, showers and a lift home… great generosity. The full story can be seen here.
A lot of websites stock the Keypod, it retails for about £19.99 Sterling – here is a link to the Magicseaweed shop. Hopefully we won’t read too many more stories of car theft while people are out catching waves.
Mark C
Up to now, I have a key cut that will only open the doors to my car. That's tied with a lace around my neck, so the car is locked and the key is with me!<br />But now I'm getting a new car and it's the Renault with no key! No idea what I'm gonna do now!! Any ideas?
Neil Cooney
Hey Mark, yeah those renault keys are massive and defo not water proof!<br />I know someone with a renault key, I'll check at 5pm after work to see if it fits my keypod and get back to you.
Neil Cooney
Hey mark. I checked my friends renault key and it fits into the keypod. I'm sure all the renault keys are much the same size. Why they make them so big I don't know. So i guess your best bet is to get a keypod for your new car!
mark
that's sorted so…thanks neil! thought i was going to have to walk down the road to strandhill!
mikef
Hey guys be careful with the keypod. Mine is stuck shut! I thought it was my younger brother changed the code and shut it but I just read on another site that if you press the small button on the right hand side of the dials as you look at them and rotate the dials randomly you can scramble the code locking the keypod shut unless your willing to go through every code. Luckily my key wasn't in