a car was stolen from the carpark at Melville yesterday. The scumbag lowlife must have been watching the windsurfer hide the keys outside the car before heading out for a sail. May have to think about how we secure our keys. I have a non electronic key cut and attached to my harness so that I can leave my electronic key in the locked vehicle. Also thinking about buying a dash cam as this is the second vehicle stolen in the last two years when a dash cam might have captured the vehicle being stolen.
Check out PAQUA for your key. Water tight and attachable to arm, leg vest etc. I just ordered one for my canmore. Will review it when i get it.
Select to expand quoteBSN101 said..
Check out PAQUA for your key. Water tight and attachable to arm, leg vest etc. I just ordered one for my canmore. Will review it when i get it.
Sorry to hear about the theft. Melville is generally a safe place to park and leave gear, but it just takes one low life to spoil it for everybody...
I keep my keys in my Paqua along with my GPS. Just make sure the paqua is well secured. Use the neck loop PLUS the arm band. My son put his in his board shorts pocket then didn't do up the pocket... One lost Paqua and electronic key...
Sorry to hear it flatchat! Did the same thing at Melville yesterday, and had my Soloshot filming which is a pretty easy target too.
Melville is a pretty safe spot, really surprised this happened!
Describe your car - we'll keep an eye out!
Lucky for me it wasn't my car but another windsurfer. I believe the car was a black Holden Captiva but can't be certain.
Most probably not aware how cheep these are now. http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_nkw=car+gps+tracker
Possible reason as with mine on my Van is its 2G, which is shut December 2016 Mine is set up, just ring it, and it transmits longitude and latitude back to my phone.
However, as 2G is coming to an end, an astute person will select the right one I am sure 
Wont get this guys car back, but may save somebody a painful experience 
Tie your key or keys to a old shoe lace and put them around your neck,then tuck it below your wetsuit.
If you don't wear a wetsuit put them in the pocket of your harness.
Select to expand quotepetermac33 said..
Tie your key or keys to a old shoe lace and put them around your neck,then tuck it below your wetsuit.
If you don't wear a wetsuit put them in the pocket of your harness.
Yep that's what i do pete, works a treat. cheap too
The GPS tracker seems like a great idea and worth considering but, generally everything is locked in the car when you go for a sail including the phone. Hard to ring it if the phone is with it. I don't know the system so perhaps it could be called from any phone.
I've thought about grabbing an old iPhone and connecting it via the cheapest plan I can get, then hardwire the charger into the vehicle and hide it all behind a trim panel in the car somewhere.
Instant and cheap find my iCar. Can anyone see a flaw in the idea?
Select to expand quotepetermac33 said...
Tie your key or keys to a old shoe lace and put them around your neck,then tuck it below your wetsuit.
If you don't wear a wetsuit put them in the pocket of your harness.
+1 what I do, though has to be a chip-less key just for unlocking the door, and hide the key with immobliser chip + remote lock inside vehicle. When you see the person you sail with come off the water to find their vehicle plus lots of kit stolen (like I witnessed many years ago in Sydney), then it's worth doing for your own piece of mind!!!!!!
A bugger though if you've got a newer vehicle with keyless entry!
or you can loop the key around the little elastic band in your boardies pocket.
That's what it's there for right(?)
Select to expand quoteChris6791 said...
I've thought about grabbing an old iPhone and connecting it via the cheapest plan I can get, then hardwire the charger into the vehicle and hide it all behind a trim panel in the car somewhere.
Instant and cheap find my iCar. Can anyone see a flaw in the idea?
Isn't that like shutting the gate after the horse has bolted? (Won't stop the scum from taking your vehicle!) Think a hidden immobiliser switch somewhere under the dash would be a simpler and cheaper precaution
^^ agreed, stopping it from being stolen is better but if it were to be stolen it would be nice to get it back quickly before all the gear inside is sold for a point of cheap meth.
Select to expand quoteChris6791 said...
^^ agreed, stopping it from being stolen is better but if it were to be stolen it would be nice to get it back quickly before all the gear inside is sold for a point of cheap meth.
Pretty sure there are cheap gps tracking devices available for vehicles which would allow you to locate the vehicle, if nicked, using a smartphone app.
Apparently the WA Govt were giving away free car gps tracking devices. May still be time left to get one:
www.perthnow.com.au/news/wa/perth-car-owners-to-get-gps-trackers-to-fight-thieves-ng-c9f9bbd5bc92e9a15ae2f79e771d5a3c
Select to expand quoteGazMan said...Chris6791 said...
^^ agreed, stopping it from being stolen is better but if it were to be stolen it would be nice to get it back quickly before all the gear inside is sold for a point of cheap meth.
Pretty sure there are cheap gps tracking devices available for vehicles which would allow you to locate the vehicle, if nicked, using a smartphone app.
Did some research and not as cheap as I thought! Your idea may be a cheaper option Chris, from what I have read.
Hello all,
I am the unlucky person who had my car stolen and its still out there with windsurfing and stand up paddle gear in it! Not to mention all the other stuff.
I watch 4 guys hide their key before I hid mine as I don't have a waterproof option on my new fancy keys. Don't get out often and just wanted a quick sail.
Thought I was going crazy when I returned and car gone. Very hard to take any action when you are standing in bathers with nothing!! Thanks to the many champions who helped me and I wish good karma to the rest of you!
Sucks to hear about your car and gear getting done. I sprung a fellow last season at Melville in an old white falcon ute casing cars. Three of them in the car two guys and a girl. No gear in the back. They pulled in and parked quickly then the male passenger got out and started walking up and down between cars looking in windows. I asked him what he was doing and he claimed he was looking for his wallet he had lost when he was in the carpark just 20 minutes ago (Depsite no gear in the back).
Quickly buggered off though so wasn't too keen on his lost wallet apparently.
Get one of those aqua pouches. I have mine in my boardies pocket connected to the loop and not being that good a windsurfer yet, have that pocket underwater for a good amount of time and the electronic key stays perfectly dry so the pouch is great at keeping the water out.
That really sucks. 
I now use this. Hard to say how difficult it is to crack, but at least it makes it a bit harder.
www.zoomy.com.au/
surf lock and wrap the key in alfoil . Stays with your car but the tinfoil disables the remote locking/unlocking ability .
Select to expand quotedusta said..
surf lock and wrap the key in alfoil . Stays with your car but the tinfoil disables the remote locking/unlocking ability .
How about using a surf lock but attaching it to something else away from your car, out of range. No foil required and not obvious which car the surf lock relates to?
Alternatively....Matt Pritchard uses this: www.hitchsafe.com/
"...slides into your current standard 2" Hitch Receiver on your Truck, SUV or Van and is secured inside the Receiver Hitch via two bolt retaining bars inside the HitchSafe."
Select to expand quoteCambodge said..
dusta said..
surf lock and wrap the key in alfoil . Stays with your car but the tinfoil disables the remote locking/unlocking ability .
How about using a surf lock but attaching it to something else away from your car, out of range. No foil required and not obvious which car the surf lock relates to?
how about just attaching it to your car , no idea why you have to go to all that effort when a small piece of foil will do the trick . A crim if he did get into a remote surf lock would just walk around until he saw which car unlocked .
Select to expand quoteCambodge said..
Alternatively....Matt Pritchard uses this: www.hitchsafe.com/
"...slides into your current standard 2" Hitch Receiver on your Truck, SUV or Van and is secured inside the Receiver Hitch via two bolt retaining bars inside the HitchSafe."
Perfect, I'll look up and order
These guys were watching me for sure. There is security vision at the house over the road which will help eventually, but I think even if Id left keys somewhere else in grass area- whatever they knew what they wanted. Unsure why my car - may it was a boring every day mum car and not as obvious? Yes a waterproof something is the answer….little lesson for all I guess 
CCTV footage from across the road probably won't be much good, it's most likely too far away and not pointing out at the road as much as you might like. It might show you the type and colour car they were in but not much more. I'll place my money on a white Commodore sedan...
Potentially heading off topic, but does anyone know how car insurance takes to surflocks/hitchlocks? Technically the keys are on the car.
I'm wondering if an insurance company would pay out an insurance claim if a thief used boltcutters to break the surflock (or similar) and steal the car.
I've just ordered the Hitchsafe $108 delivered, did a little research and no not 100% tamper proof but I'm not worried as I think they'll just move onto the next car especially like Melville or down here on the peel. It'll also be handy when having quick swim at beach as I normally only have my towel and double pluggers. I'm not sure re insurance, might check but think much better than key on top of wheel etc. Some other good suggestions here but think the Hitchsafe will suit me better, time will tell
Obelix, thanks for mentioning my surf lock, I hope it's been serving you well.
We have plenty of surf locks available for $42.95 delivered anywhere in Australia.
Although they won't guarantee your car won't be stolen, they'll certainly be much more effective than hiding your keys.
www.zoomy.com.au/
