The money topic

[Jaan]

If you're going to carry a wad of cash, why not in one of these?
(Bolt snap on belt loop, on land.)
View attachment 722805DRYFOB
Posted question on Amazon; and Jessica N., rolled 25 bills into one. (Manufacturer suggests 50 notes.)
Even if it flooded, U.S. Dollars dry out and spend fine.

FYI Rated to 330ft(100m) Also note that we just released two larger sizes

DRYFOB™

DRYFOB is a Waterproof Car Key Container suitable for scuba diving. Tested and IPx8 rated to 130ft/1hr. The rugged anodized aluminum waterproof case with dual O-rings is neutrally buoyant with FOB.

dryfob.com

 

[loady]

do bay Islands hotels and merchants refuse cards? Have most of you been robbed? Are there no ATMs? Why are you bringing huge amounts of cash and if you do not storing cash in the room or hotel safe? Are you staying at dorm hostels? I prefer to only hold hidden travel cash for emergencies if my cards are stolen. Carrying lots of cash seems risky. What am I missing?

 

[chillyinCanada]

FYI Rated to 330ft(100m) Also note that we just released two larger sizes

DRYFOB™

DRYFOB is a Waterproof Car Key Container suitable for scuba diving. Tested and IPx8 rated to 130ft/1hr. The rugged anodized aluminum waterproof case with dual O-rings is neutrally buoyant with FOB.

dryfob.com

How much larger, please? Lots of interest for container large enough for epirbs etc.

 

[Jaan]

How much larger, please? Lots of interest for container large enough for epirbs etc.

Interior Cavity Measurements as follows:
The Original DRYFOB had a Length: 3.75” (95mm), Diameter: 1.65” (42mm)
Newly Released DRYFOB-L has Length: 3.93” (100mm), Diameter: 1.81” (46mm)
And DRYFOB-XL (PLB) has Length: 4.80” (122 mm), Diameter: 2.75” (70 mm)
More info and buoyancy characteristics here: https://dryfob.com/product-information/

 

[Gdog]

do bay Islands hotels and merchants refuse cards? Have most of you been robbed? Are there no ATMs? Why are you bringing huge amounts of cash and if you do not storing cash in the room or hotel safe? Are you staying at dorm hostels? I prefer to only hold hidden travel cash for emergencies if my cards are stolen. Carrying lots of cash seems risky. What am I missing?

Many places are cash only. Some take cards, which come with international fees. Some take Paypal, which is nice. As has been stated in this thread, the room safes in this hotel are compromised. Being able to rely on using cards is a convenience that is not that available in many places.

 

[Doc]

Interior Cavity Measurements

Buying a half finished $99 Chinese manufacture dive lite now re-imagined to keep stuff dry that can, by design, be wet.

Divers will buy anything.

I just can not fathom that i have been diving now these 63 years and just relied on the fact that US$ are totally 100% waterproof.

I am fairly certain that in that same waterproof category fall drivers licenses and standard car keys. Seen all sorts of credit card with chips make it, the providers tell us that even if the epoxy encased chips get wet, they will dry out. Better yet, don’t take them diving.

Now I have finally seen the need for the PADI DryFob Distinctive Specialty. And card. And chevron.

But as to the OP:

I have widespread island experience on Roatan. I would not use a CC (most) anywhere. Cash Machines should have red X’s on them. You gotta be nuts. Avoid. Horse & Carriage, USA & Apple Pie, Thailand and Penicillin.

A debit card, or better yet several of them, with very limited values, That’s one very smart way to go. Suck ‘em dry in one shot at a cash machine. Then…consider them hacked.

I had felt no need to jump-in here for these 5 months, because….

I am spoiled. Where i go, CoCoView, they do all CC Charges in-house with management employees in charge. I take a bucket of cash, usually starting at about a minimum of $1500 for tips. CCV is so secure that the cash sits in my wallet, in my long pants, which are rolled up and stuffed in a dresser. The ‘room safe sits there forlornly unused.

This is why I watched this thread for so long without adding a response. CCV presents no such issues. My iPad sits in the dining room unmolested between meals, cameras sit on the deck rails of my room, the room key resides in the door handle, dive lockers have no doors much less a lock. That boat-hop & 40 minute ride to West End is what makes it all possible.

I just had to say something when I see the need to substitute a used-up u/w flashlight housing with the purchase of a $99 widget. Find used dive flashlight housings on eBay for all sorts of prices. All sorts…



Look for Ikelite housings, you can find them in the old-outdated pile at your LDS for $5. Get creative, they made them for all sorts of things from the size of a pack of cigs up to a purse dog.

Or, buy an anodized $99 aluminum widget. Or follow me to CCV. No Specialty Cert required.

 

[tridacna]

Buying a half finished $99 Chinese manufacture dive lite now re-imagined to keep stuff dry that can, by design, be wet.

Divers will buy anything.

I just can not fathom that i have been diving now these 63 years and just relied on the fact that US$ are totally 100% waterproof.

I am fairly certain that in that same waterproof category fall drivers licenses and standard car keys. Seen all sorts of credit card with chips make it, the providers tell us that even if the epoxy encased chips get wet, they will dry out. Better yet, don’t take them diving.

Now I have finally seen the need for the PADI DryFob Distinctive Specialty. And card. And chevron.

But as to the OP:

I have widespread island experience on Roatan. I would not use a CC (most) anywhere. Cash Machines should have red X’s on them. You gotta be nuts. Avoid. Horse & Carriage, USA & Apple Pie, Thailand and Penicillin.

A debit card, or better yet several of them, with very limited values, That’s one very smart way to go. Suck ‘em dry in one shot at a cash machine. Then…consider them hacked.

I had felt no need to jump-in here for these 5 months, because….

I am spoiled. Where i go, CoCoView, they do all CC Charges in-house with management employees in charge. I take a bucket of cash, usually starting at about a minimum of $1500 for tips. CCV is so secure that the cash sits in my wallet, in my long pants, which are rolled up and stuffed in a dresser. The ‘room safe sits there forlornly unused.

This is why I watched this thread for so long without adding a response. CCV presents no such issues. My iPad sits in the dining room unmolested between meals, cameras sit on the deck rails of my room, the room key resides in the door handle, dive lockers have no doors much less a lock. That boat-hop & 40 minute ride to West End is what makes it all possible.

I just had to say something when I see the need to substitute a used-up u/w flashlight housing with the purchase of a $99 widget. Find used dive flashlight housings on eBay for all sorts of prices. All sorts…

View attachment 732378View attachment 732377

Look for Ikelite housings, you can find them in the old-outdated pile at your LDS for $5. Get creative, they made them for all sorts of things from the size of a pack of cigs up to a purse dog.

Or, buy an anodized $99 aluminum widget. Or follow me to CCV. No Specialty Cert required.

Doc - it's $49 not $99. $1,500 in tips for a week? Seriously? I see why they genuflect when your name is mentioned at the resort.

 

[Jaan]

I am fairly certain that in that same waterproof category fall drivers licenses and standard car keys.

DRYFOB is primarily designed to house electronics such as electronic car key fobs and PLBs, which do not do well in water. We designed it because we saw many divers hiding their keys in the bushes when doing our shore dives. Much of what was on the market in the form of plastic canisters or bags we didn't trust to be reliable at depth (we've tried many) and were overly buoyant.

I wonder if we'd get a cut if there was a course .. haha. But seriously, we're quite proud of the DRYFOB and feel it fills a need in the market for those looking for a good and reliable solution for their keys. Machining aluminum to have a quality product is not cheap, especially in smaller quantities. New quality dive lights and camera housings are expensive too. As far as using it to keep other stuff dry .. no problem with that either

If you wanted to go the used route, an old flashlight case, if you can find one, would surely work well. The larger camera cases are rated to depth with a camera inside (much less air than a small FOB), might be ok but consider that before using. There are of course other options like lock boxes that you leave on land. Some cars have FOB less keys or ways to disable FOBs etc. Other threads have listed creative solutions too.

We've heard good things about the CCV and hope to try it one of these days. Roatan has some great diving.

 

[Doc]

DRYFOB is primarily designed to house electronics such as electronic car key fobs and PLBs, which do not do well in water.

OT: cash.

i, in reality, like your widget, just off topic, but that’s the way the thread veered, so, why not?

MILLION DOLLAR IDEA:
An ePirb all set-up in a 33m dive depth case.

Quick Batman, of to the BatLab! (Robin calling Ikelite as we speak)

How hard could this be? Why are ePirbs only spec’d out to 10m?

We've heard good things about the CCV and hope to try it one of these days. Roatan has some great diving.

You’ve been to Roatan, then? How did you deal with the cash problem?

Doc - it's $49 not $99. $1,500 in tips for a week? Seriously? I see why they genuflect when your name is mentioned at the resort.

Read their website. $99 yep, um…$99.99 actually.


As to the $1500 cash for tip (OT)

That’s for the two of us. Yes, at CCV, we do tip that (and more). The service is that superior. (I am essentially an ADA template, a 99% Gimp. With my extant OWSI, I just showed-up at HSA and was given instructor privileges. There is no ADA in Honduras, but the service level and terrain of CCV makes this a non-issue)

It’s in my wallet, in my long pants, hanging on that peg on the room wall.

CCV high security.

 

[Jaan]

You’ve been to Roatan, then? How did you deal with the cash problem?

We were at Anthony's key which was basically an enclosed environment, we paid on our credit card. I don't remember if there was a safe but there are dive lockers. We left valuables in the room (dive gear, cameras, cash (maybe locked in a suitcase)) without any issues.
I expect that in Honduras people may be happy to have a job at a good resort and would not jeopardize that for a quick grab, but seems some of the others here may have had bad experiences. We have not.

As for the price, there are three sizes from $49.99 for the car key one, to $99.99 for the PLB one. All IPx8 rated to 330ft. None were meant for cash, but we've had a lot of interesting requests .. Even cigarettes (between dives I guess , lol)

For the tips, good time to be generous for sure. We remember getting solicitations from some of the resorts trying to make it through the pandemic with their staff. A couple of lean years for many.