Key fob went into water

[PhilPB]

We spent a couple nights on the boat and this morning as I was unloading our stuff from the boat my car key fob went into the water. It took a 1/2 hour to figure out where they probably disappeared to and another 1.5 hrs after that to finally retrieve them. Ugh

 

[Bmarler]

I had that happen to my Volkswagen fob. It was overnight before I got it back. Took it apart, dried it out, new battery, works fine.

 

[Comodave]

Well everything floats, it either floats on top of the water or it will float on the bottom of the water. Unfortunately key fobs tend to float on the bottom of the water…

 

[Larry M]

Pull the battery, rinse in fresh water and dry for a couple of days. You should be fine.

 

[MYTraveler]

Mine went through the washing machine. I feared the worst (more than a day after it went missing. The inside was kept perfectly dry by an outstanding gasket. Thank you Range Rover!

 

[PhilPB]

The fob is now sitting in a bag of rice. Took it apart and the inside appeared dry. At least when I gave up fishing with a magnet and went into the water is was mid-tide so the water wasn't very nasty. The best part of the trip was when we got on the boat it was 102° deg inside, took about 2 hours to cool it to 70°, gotta love operable air conditioner(s)!

 

[BruceK]

Good find! One thing I learned was never get on/off the boat holding keys,of any kind. This stems from an experience juggling masses of files using a hotel elevator, car keys with remote fob in hand, exiting the elevator. Who`d have thought the keys could find the the narrow gap between door and shaft to the bottom of the shaft? $300 for the lift mechanic call out, keys retrieved.

 

[soin2la]

Good find! One thing I learned was never get on/off the boat holding keys,of any kind.

When I read that, my mind immediately went to elevators. Then I read your next bit.

This stems from an experience juggling masses of files using a hotel elevator, car keys with remote fob in hand, exiting the elevator. Who`d have thought the keys could find the the narrow gap between door and shaft to the bottom of the shaft? $300 for the lift mechanic call out, keys retrieved.

In another life I worked in a 30 story commercial building and had access to all mechanical areas including the elevator pit.

At least a couple times a month I had to lock out an elevator and fetch items that fell through the cracks. Keys mostly but some other amusing items as well.

I often think back to the days when safety and bureaucracy didn't get in the way of jobs being done quickly.

 

[hmason]

I tried the rice thing for a car key fob that went overboard with no success. What did work was putting the fob on top of a cable tv box and the warmth from the box did the trick in a couple of days. Warm stereo receiver probably works too.

 

[sjisailor]

In my case it was $400 prescription sunglasses knocked off when I flipped up some canvas that hit just right. Of course they popped directly into the gap between dock and boat.

Now I have those neck strap things on my glasses. Truly fashionable

 

[PhilPB]

I tried the rice thing for a car key fob that went overboard with no success. What did work was putting the fob on top of a cable tv box and the warmth from the box did the trick in a couple of days. Warm stereo receiver probably works too.

FOB is still buried in rice in a bag and I'll take it out tomorrow, put a new battery in and see what happens. Good thing I had an extra fob even though it was 35 miles away at my house. I also learned that I will need to recalibrate my depth sounder. The water was actually 2 ft deeper in my slip than my reading....bonus!

 

[PhilPB]

Ahhhhh....removed fob from bag of rice, reassembled and installed new battery. Works like a champ!

 

[C lectric]

That's why both my and my wife's keys have floats attached. They may go in but not sink.

Don't ask about my barbeque grill though. Never found it.

I should have added that my boat and car keys are not tied together but on their own,

 

[mdresdner]

After loosing my keys on a trip (later found them in the dinghy) and having to get a friend to go to my house and overnight me the second set, I now religiously travel with two complete sets of keys! And I don’t store them together!

 

[IWAB]

Well, this will be a good one. Took my son on a trip on MV Ursa Major, a Malahide Trawler, to Alaska, and we were anchored in red Bluff Bay. Took the dinghy out fishing and like a dummy did not have croakies on, I somehow knocked off my glasses that the lenses that cost 750 bucks and we could see them there in that freezing water 10 feet below us, but just couldn’t hook them out. Learn my lesson the hard way. Whenever I’m on the boat, croakies are on my glasses and my head.