What do you look for in a sailing watch?

What features do you consider essential for a sailing watch?

  • Digital display

    Votes: 20 71.4%

  • Analog display

    Votes: 7 25.0%

  • Day and/or date

    Votes: 25 89.3%

  • Countdown timers

    Votes: 13 46.4%

  • Stopwatch

    Votes: 18 64.3%

  • Alarms

    Votes: 22 78.6%

  • Tide height

    Votes: 8 28.6%

  • Compass

    Votes: 7 25.0%

  • Barometer

    Votes: 8 28.6%

  • GPS or EPIRB

    Votes: 2 7.1%
  • Total voters
    28
snowleopard

snowleopard

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Before the strap goes on my cheap casio and I need to replace it, What features do you look for on a sailing watch?

Digital display with seconds for e.g. astro

Analog display for reading the time at a glance

Alarms for reminding you about forecasts, getting up for the tide etc?

Date

Day (for those senior moments)

Countdown timer for races (why is it you only get 5/10 minute timers but many clubs now use 2-minute preparatory guns?)

Stopwatch

Tide height

Moon phase

Sun azimuth (yes, mine really has that! - why?)

Barometer

Compass

GPS

EPIRB

Calculator

Dual time

Unfortunately the noddy poll option only allows 10 options.
 
I never wear a watch. There are so many clocks and mobile phones around these days I cant be bothered.

sorry, no option on your poll for this one! :D
 
Poll doesn't mention most important feature - waterproof. Why don't you just replace the strap on your old Casio rather than the watch itself?
 
Cruiser2B said:
Poll doesn't mention most important feature - waterproof. Why don't you just replace the strap on your old Casio rather than the watch itself?
Click to expand...

As I am in a similar position, one of the answers why replacing the strap is not a long term option is that replacement straps never seem to be as secure, mine is now coming of at least once a day.

My current one has the tide gizmo which was good whilst we were at home but now we are roaming it is pretty useless and completely superceded by an Iphone app in my case (tides plan 10).

My key requirements are relatively cheap, (I destroy watches with great regularity) good clear time display, easy to find and use light, easy to read day/date, as I am retired I lose track of these things so easily, when I raced countdown timers and stopwatch were essential, and would also be useful for astro, and finally I do use the alarm for the early morning departures.
 
When you find something that has a large (backlit) face, multiple daily alarm settings, countdown timer of at least 12 hours and time-elapsed counter of at least 12 hours then please let me know. I don't particularly need compass, barometer, GPS, or moon phases/tides.

I posted yesterday http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=247141 and the main suggestions have been the Suunto M3, Yachtman or Regatta, or the Casio Pro-trek (but there are many models)
 
Sailing watch

I use an Optimum Time watch. There are several models with count up/down options, big displays. Big Bright yellow thing though so only useable when sailing.
For racing has useful options like 5/10/15 minuter sequence, synch button so if you do not get the 5 min gun spot on, you can synch with the 4 minute.
 
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