Single handed timer?

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GHA

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1Following on from the sleep thread, my egg timer used to get up for a look way way offshore is getting a bit elderly and not as reliable as it once was, so what to get as a replacement?
This cunningly named one looks promising, 14 quid on Amazon ..
http://thermometer.co.uk/oven-thermometers/1103-extra-big-loud-timer.html

So before hitting the buy button, anyone used one? or are there better alternatives?

Ta

(PS, not really interested in the questions regarding single handing watch keeping , that can be another thread :) )
 
I use two really simple mechanical egg timers I bought cheap on Ebay. I like something with a nice big easy to twist knob on it that can be operated with gloves on and in the dark. I set one to 15 minutes (an easy 90 degree twist) the other to a bit more, around 20 minutes (a bit further than 90 degrees...) When the first one goes off I reset it to 15, then twist the second one back roughly where it should be, and then go and have a look round. I know it sounds daft but the trick is to avoid anything that is going to wake you up to much..... and having to look at LCD displays and push small buttons is far to complicated for me, especially if it's going to involves switching lights on or taking off my nice warm gloves!

Something like this...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Judge-Win...357357?hash=item4d407c1c6d:g:lYwAAOSwmmxW2aEZ
 
Avoid electronic things because you'll be more than likely setting it with wet fingers

the mechanical kitchen ones are fine. Mine still going after 15 years
 
I'm using this MeasuPro one. For galley and cockpit both :)

It has 4 independent timers, a stand-up clip and (removable, before you cry compass) magnetic clip. Easy to operate inside a Zip-loc bag, plenty loud, and keeps on beeping most annoyingly if you don't wake up immediately.

Yours at the top looks good too though. I'd still put it in a Zip-loc bag though, because household "water resistant" is a far cry from being able to withstand flying saltwater (at best it'll stay dry inside but the screws will corrode off within a year).
 
oldvarnish said:
Avoid electronic things because you'll be more than likely setting it with wet fingers

the mechanical kitchen ones are fine. Mine still going after 15 years
Click to expand...

I used my Screaming Meanie in a ziplock bag to ensure it didn't get wet. But I didn't need it to last for 15 years. Only 4 weeks.
 
Yngmar said:
I'm using this MeasuPro one. For galley and cockpit both :)

It has 4 independent timers, a stand-up clip and (removable, before you cry compass) magnetic clip. Easy to operate inside a Zip-loc bag, plenty loud, and keeps on beeping most annoyingly if you don't wake up immediately.

Yours at the top looks good too though. I'd still put it in a Zip-loc bag though, because household "water resistant" is a far cry from being able to withstand flying saltwater (at best it'll stay dry inside but the screws will corrode off within a year).
Click to expand...
Any cruising boat should have several hundred zip lock bags onboard :)
and I'll go over the top and get another egg timer before the next big passage as well, choice is good. This one is burning toast now and again after only about 8 odd years.
Though egg timers do have downsides, the bell only rings for a short time and max is an hour.

Another promising single hander tool is the watchdog app on Opencpn, play sound files for a host of triggers, too fast/too slow/ off course / too windy/ in outside guard zones and a dead man's handle as well. Haven't used it in anger yet but have had Homer Simpson screaming "run for your lives" playing around with it in the anchorage :)
http://opencpn.org/ocpn/Plugins_external_watchdog
 
My preference is mechanical, with a clip on the back to attach to oilies.

If you wake and hear ticking you know that you have not slept through the alarm. Re-setting can be done in pitch black.
 
What you want is a unit with only one button to stop the alarm and one button to reset the time back to 20 minutes (or whatever you want.) The purpose is to get up, take a look around and then go back to sleep without really becoming wide awake. You don't want any gizmo that requires you to concentrate in order to reset the time. That will just wake you up too much.
 
Foolish Muse said:
What you want is a unit with only one button to stop the alarm and one button to reset the time back to 20 minutes (or whatever you want.) The purpose is to get up, take a look around and then go back to sleep without really becoming wide awake. You don't want any gizmo that requires you to concentrate in order to reset the time. That will just wake you up too much.
Click to expand...
Very much agree with most of that, don't wake up properly unless you have to. Just enough to see if you do need to really pay attention. On the other hand, as you're doing this on the hour every hour every night for maybe weeks the process becomes pretty much automatic, so whatever gadget you use will work unless it's too complicated in which case it won't last more than a few nights :)
Also, imho, it's very important to log each time otherwise you'll have no reliable idea when you last had a look. I'm getting more keen on Opencpn logbook plugin, one click and it saves an entry.
 
GHA said:
Also, imho, it's very important to log each time otherwise you'll have no reliable idea when you last had a look. I'm getting more keen on Opencpn logbook plugin, one click and it saves an entry.
Click to expand...

Surely you know it was last time the timer went off, i.e. 15 or 20 minutes ago depending on your preference? Why would you need to keep a record?
 
Triassic said:
Surely you know it was last time the timer went off, i.e. 15 or 20 minutes ago depending on your preference? Why would you need to keep a record?
Click to expand...
You need to keep a record because you can't trust your memory, good chance it will be wrong, especially when you're not really completely awake. Log it, then you know.
 
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