Clock suggestions

[Shuggy]

We’ve now into our 12th year with the boat (and unlikely to be looking for a replacement!). They say that time marches on, and so do our timepieces. We have had clocks in two places but rationalised to one in the saloon last year. However in 12 years we’ve had 10 clocks. They just die on me. Before anyone chips in with battery comments, yes, I’m aware that the battery needs to be changed from time to time. The latest casualty was a Plastimo one. Buying a new clock has been an annual event at Seafare in Tobermory but enough’s enough. Can anyone help me find a reliable ship’s chronometer?

Cheers.

 

[pvb]

Don't you have GPS time on your instruments? That's fairly accurate.

 

[Shuggy]

Not accurate enough. I would like to eschew the atomic clock in favour of some sh*tty chromed timepiece on my saloon bulkhead.

 

[Norman_E]

When the quartz mechanism of my boat clock died I bought a 100mm clock insert like this MEGA-QUARTZ 100mm BEZEL Quartz Clock insert movement White Arabic dial | eBay and fitted it inside the original casing so that it matches the barometer. They are available in Arabic and Roman styles in a whole lot of sizes. Mine came with a rubber ring to fit it into the case, but any fit can be achieved using electrical tape.

The one I bought is still working after at least ten years.

 

[Graham376]

Easy and cheap enough to just replace the quartz movement. Can't remember which I bought for our Plastimo clock, this one is typical example - Electronic Quarts Movement Quartz Wall Clock Movements for Electronic Clock | eBay

 

[jdc]

I use one of these: F-91W-1XY | Casio Collection | Timepieces | Products | CASIO

It's much better than any fancy expensive thing.

 

[Praxinoscope]

Replacement quartz mechanisms are easily found on the internet, they cost between about £5 and £20 depending upon supplier, the USA ones seem to be better made than the Chinese ones.
An alternative thing to try is replacing the quartz clock component, needs to be soldered but they only cost about 30p each From R?S. Components or Farnells, basically the Electronics are so simple, just the quartz clock, a wire wound coil and sometimes a ceramic capacitor, the rest of the unit is all earring, so the most likely component to have failed is the quartz clock, I did this last year with a Channel Tide Clock and it's been working perfectly since then.

 

[peteK]

I just use a radio controlled clock from Aldi,no more putting time forward in the spring.

 

[Shuggy]

Cheers all - new quartz mechanism on its way.

 

[duncan99210]

I don’t know what you’re doing to kill your clocks so often.... I’ve got a Plastimo brass cased clock on the bulkhead that’s been there 11 years now. Works just fine and is on its umpteenth battery.

 

[Praxinoscope]

I don’t know what you’re doing to kill your clocks so often.... I’ve got a Plastimo brass cased clock on the bulkhead that’s been there 11 years now. Works just fine and is on its umpteenth battery.

I think there ay have been a dodgy batch of quartz clock components, I have never had problems with the clocks on my old boat, fitted a new clock in my newer boat about two years ago and the quartz component failed, same thing happened to a friends new clock.

 

[dunedin]

I don’t know what you’re doing to kill your clocks so often.... I’ve got a Plastimo brass cased clock on the bulkhead that’s been there 11 years now. Works just fine and is on its umpteenth battery.

The hint may be in the OP 's post - each time it breaks goes back to the same small shop in Tobermory? May be buying from the same duff batch?

Certainly our boat clocks seem to last at least 10 years

 

[Shuggy]

Clock dismantled, new quartz mechanism installed. All good!

 

[Kukri]

I am the wrong person to ask.

But I can offer a silly cabin clock story.

When I bought Mirelle in 1984 her former owners retained the clock and barometer. My brother bought me a Wempe clockwork ships bell striking clock and barometer and for the next 29 years that was that.

I sold them with the boat and in anticipation of the next boat I bought, after much thought, a WW2 Chelsea clock which had begun life on a T2 tanker, reasoning that a clock that had survived Atlantic convoys on a tanker in wartime must have good joss. Besides, I like the deep pitched, sonorous, gong. Going as well as ever after 77 years.

It probably has enough radium paint on it to assassinate a city, and it weighs ten pounds, but the time keeping is excellent..,





Mirelle’s owner was recently given the clock and barometer that were taken ashore in 1984, so he kindly gave me my old set.

Kukri is quite a big boat but two ships bell striking clocks is more than enough...

 

[Shuggy]

Kukri... as you know, we both have old Nics. Mine however could not carry off a ship’s clock like that one! Yours could without a doubt. We’re currently in refit hell with a bare blasted hull and most of the electrics ripped out (as per usual) with vintage Neco motors being couriered to retired experts. Forecabin is now rebuilt but work is a cruel mistress and I need more time in overalls squeezing into ridiculously sized interior spaces with screwdrivers in teeth...

 

[Kukri]

Kukri... as you know, we both have old Nics. Mine however could not carry off a ship’s clock like that one! Yours could without a doubt. We’re currently in refit hell with a bare blasted hull and most of the electrics ripped out (as per usual) with vintage Neco motors being couriered to retired experts. Forecabin is now rebuilt but work is a cruel mistress and I need more time in overalls squeezing into ridiculously sized interior spaces with screwdrivers in teeth...

I’m putting it off with the excuse that I should sail the boat for a year or two before embarking on it!

Well done on the forecabin!

The steering gear and the binnacle compass have been to see their respective experts; luckily she never had a Neco, so all I have to do is save up for the Raymarine one!

 

[Shuggy]

I use one of these: F-91W-1XY | Casio Collection | Timepieces | Products | CASIO

It's much better than any fancy expensive thing.

I thought at the time that yours was such a ridiculously carp idea that when I had time (geddit?) I would mock it up. I've had to make the watch super-size to make it visible.

My top tip? Don't take up interior design

 

[Buck Turgidson]

I thought at the time that yours was such a ridiculously carp idea that when I had time (geddit?) I would mock it up. I've had to make the watch super-size to make it visible.

My top tip? Don't take up interior design

View attachment 85912

it's a shame they don't make one that size! I like it

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

I use one of these: F-91W-1XY | Casio Collection | Timepieces | Products | CASIO

It's much better than any fancy expensive thing.

I find that sometimes it's more convenient, when entering a line in the log, to just look at a clock on the bulkhead rather than trying to to extract a watch from under the multiple, velcroed cuffs of wet oilskins, plus possibly also a fleece and the cuffs of long sleeved thermals.

 

[jdc]

I thought at the time that yours was such a ridiculously carp idea that when I had time (geddit?) I would mock it up. I've had to make the watch super-size to make it visible.

My top tip? Don't take up interior design

Well the original post said NOTHING about bulkhead, and certainly nothing about a forepeak. It asked about a chronometer; a specific word implying an accuracy suitable for navigation when one needs to know the time to a second or so. I answered therefore with what I actually use for astro-nav. It's easily visible at the nav table, I don't wear it on my wrist. I have used it for >10 years without problems. It's waterproof, it cost about a tenner. I've used astro for ocean passages several times just for the fun of it.

By all means disagree - your mileage may vary - but your answer was just gratuitously rude. My top tip is not printable...