Car key question

[Shipwreckscanada]

What do you do with your car keys when you shore dive?

 

[al248005]

I can't take mine with me while diving due to the chip inside of it so I just stick mine on the ledge for the running boards under my truck. The place I dive locally really hasn't had issues with theft and anyways it wouldn't be hard to spot in a town of 700. Last time I checked I'm the only one with a truck that looks like mine. They make those magnetic keepers that you could put your keys in and hide them somewhere out of sight under your vehicle if your worried about them.

 

[TMHeimer]

I put that darn chip key in a ziplock bag and hide it near the car somewhere (make sure nobody's looking). In bushes, under a rock, burried in dirt, sand, etc. The plastic bag protects from rain. I also have a spare in the wheel well and another in the car. And another in the house. And another.......... If you have a metal copy that will open the door (and set off the alarm), I guess you could take it with you on the dive. Some do this with chip keys--in boxes or whatever. Not me.

 

[Bratface]

I dive off of a boat so no issues for me. However, there have been dives where i needed to take the key and used the little pocket in my wetsuit--you know the one in the back by the zipper.

 

[OldNSalty]

If you only have the single key you might be able to hide it behind your car tag. I do that sometimes...it seems it is always a problem trying to figure out where to put it.

 

[Brewone0to]

I generally pull down a small low hanging branch of tree or bush, bend back the end of branch and push through key or ring.
Let go of branch and your keys are now hidden in clear site.
How many thieves do you think hunt for your key there?
Even when buddies have watched me place my keys they don't realize what I'm doing.

 

[Doc]

Get a simple, non-electronic key.

It will open your doors, right? Then your electronic key is hidden safely inside the vehicle.

Standard $2 keys are waterproof, just like driver's licenses and money.

 

[gcarter]

Get a simple, non-electronic key.

It will open your doors, right? Then your electronic key is hidden safely inside the vehicle.

Standard $2 keys are waterproof, just like driver's licenses and money.

Zackly.

I had a spare cut and wear it around my neck on a cord. "Real" keys are locked inside the vehicle. Even if there are no metal blank only keys available for your vehicle, have a look on eBay or elsewhere for a cheap replacement that you can get cut - just don't bother to program it.

Even the fancy key / remote all-in-one have options, as in this example: 4 Buttons Remote Flip Folding Key Shell Case For Audi A4 A6 A8 TT 3+1 Panic | eBay

 

[Scuba_Noob]

I have a spare, waterproof key that I keep in a small, waterproof case that I clip onto my drysuit undergarment. I guess it doesn't really need to be waterproof, as it's inside the drysuit, but it's a nice touch.

I'm not a big fan of hiding the key under a random rock or in an obvious place like the back tire, but it seems to work with many people.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I use a plastic pouch designed for keys. It's cheap ($7) and has never leaked. Since its soft plastic, there is not any pressure differential like a hard box.

FWIW: The chipped keys are actually fairly resistant to water. The chip is potted in epoxy. I have skin dived with one, no problems. Not recommended, but possible.

The keys with buttons on them are extremely sensitive to water (learned this the hard way).

If you have a plain chipped key, get it copied before you loose or damage it. On many cars, if you have 2 keys, making a 3rd is less expensive since there is a self learn mode and you are paying for the key only. If you only have 1 (or no working) keys, then you pay for the key, the dealer to make the key and the dealer to reprogram the computer to the new keys....that gets expensive