Alternatives to the big yellow sailing watch?
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11461
Printed Date: 16 Jul 25 at 7:31pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Alternatives to the big yellow sailing watch?
Posted By: GarethT
Subject: Alternatives to the big yellow sailing watch?
Date Posted: 07 May 14 at 10:31am
|
I know they do big blue, white and pink ones, but that’s not
what I mean. My son (the younger one this time) was let down by his
during a start at the weekend, so that’s four we’ve had fail as a family. I know
Optimum Time’s after sales service is good and they will replace under warranty
promptly, but that doesn’t really help you on race day. Can anyone recommend an alternative? My son is a windsurfer
so really needs a big one that can rotate and attach to the mast. Does anyone
have anything to say about the Ronstan version? It’s twice the price, but if it
is more durable it may be worth the extra. Personally I love my Casio Sea-Pathfinder (£18 from Argos)
but a wrist watch is apparently harder to use on a windsurfer. Any other recommendations would be gratefully received. |
Replies:
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 07 May 14 at 11:13am
Hmm, I wouldn't have said that, punching the button on a windsurfer is a lot easier without having a wiggle stick in one hand and a bunch of rope in the other, oh and usually mid tack or gybe. Having said that back in the day I used to make sure I used those watches that had two big sticky out buttons, Optimum are OK but you do sometimes have to hit it twice to activate same with the Casio. I never like the big yellow shoulder mounted watches, there seemed no sense in giving the guy next to you your countdown.. About as ridiculous as a bloke who came on one of our training courses once with an Alarm clock strapped to his harness.  ------------- https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website |
Posted By: GarethT
Date Posted: 07 May 14 at 11:20am
| I think it's more the seeing it whilst holding the boom than pressing the buttons. |
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 07 May 14 at 11:24am
|
I went through a phase of wearing it under my right wrist since I generally started on starboard with underarm near the mast.
I trust he's been told he shouldn't wait til it beeps before he starts pumping...  ------------- https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website |
Posted By: gordon1277
Date Posted: 07 May 14 at 11:26am
|
Hi
Ronstan clear start. more money but better quality I think. ------------- Gordon Lossc |
Posted By: GarethT
Date Posted: 07 May 14 at 11:27am
|
I'll suggest that.
To be fair, he had his best starts of the weekend whilst wearing a bog standard wrist watch! |
Posted By: GarethT
Date Posted: 07 May 14 at 11:29am
Thanks. A lot of the foreigners were using them at the Euros and they do look more robust. |
Posted By: L123456
Date Posted: 07 May 14 at 1:49pm
Same watch different colour IMHO ...
|
Posted By: GarethT
Date Posted: 07 May 14 at 1:55pm
|
Really? http://www.force4.co.uk/10960/Ronstan-Clear-Start-Race-Timer-Watch.html" rel="nofollow - http://www.force4.co.uk/10960/Ronstan-Clear-Start-Race-Timer-Watch.html
|
Posted By: L123456
Date Posted: 07 May 14 at 1:57pm
Don't know about that one I was referring to this one:  |
Posted By: GarethT
Date Posted: 07 May 14 at 2:07pm
|
They don't sell those anymore.
I wonder if the warranty costs were too high. |
Posted By: Do Different
Date Posted: 07 May 14 at 2:53pm
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For me a great big KISS works best. Any basic analogue watch with a coloured full sweep second hand. One glance and you are sorted, no buttons to press, double press, press accidentally or not press properly. Sync is easy as well, just glance again to make sure. No resetting needed on general recalls.
|
Posted By: NickA
Date Posted: 07 May 14 at 8:11pm
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Yay. the Ronstan has a SYNC DOWN function. My suunto regatta only does "sync to nearest" which is frequently worse than useless - ie how often do press the go button early and need to sync up compared to how often you miss the 5 minute flag due to being on the other side of the lake or upside down. If you miss a signal by more than 30s then the sync to nearest button takes you BACK to the last signal. ------------- Javelin 558 Contender 2574 |
Posted By: djdhi
Date Posted: 08 May 14 at 12:09pm
|
I have 3 casios, when the strap broke as they do, I made an extra long strap out of webbing and velcro and wear this on my forearm . Ihad to get out my palm amd needle to sew the velcro on as just sticking it on wont do. I really prefer this to my yellow sailing watch, except you dont have the option of a buzzer at the countdown intervals. It also has the advantage of looking as if you are not trying too hard. Regards djdhi
|
Posted By: laser193713
Date Posted: 08 May 14 at 12:46pm
| I have had my 2 big yellow watches since the new 5410 countdown became available on them, must be what, 8 years now? I have replaced the battery in both just once and both still function perfectly. I really don't know how people manage to break them!? |
Posted By: pondlife1736
Date Posted: 08 May 14 at 8:46pm
| Mine stops working every couple of months or so. Usually wont switch to countdown mode. I've lost track of the number of times I've taken the back off to bridge the reset contacts. I should replace it, but not with another one the same, so interested to read the comments. |
Posted By: catmandoo
Date Posted: 09 May 14 at 11:36am
you're lucky your suunto does anything !!! my forth or fifth(lost count ) suunto is in the bin !!!! , gave up after many replacements over years all under warranty and good faith from suunto , however for an expensive watch I expect them to last , be waterproof as first 3 certainly werent and have motherboards without known failings . been using a gill regatta master for last few years which has proved very good though no syncro , new version has , newer optimum time watches look worth a shot too . ------------- |
Posted By: NickA
Date Posted: 09 May 14 at 3:42pm
|
My suunto regatta seems pretty reliable - just poorly designed (and insufficiently waterproof for scuba diving .... I wonder why?) => I also have a suunto Viper dive computer (ah that's why the sailing watches aren't 200m rated!) which is so solid it was reason I bought a suunto sailing watch. I had a suunto M3 before which was excellent, but is now at the bottom of Kielder Water - retention of the watch on its strap was, apparently, less well designed than the watch itself. Hey ho. Meanwhile, almost everyone uses Optimum time and nearly everyone complains they're unreliable. ------------- Javelin 558 Contender 2574 |
Posted By: gordon1277
Date Posted: 09 May 14 at 3:43pm
|
Hi
I use the Fasttime SW6 Watch which has really large numbers for a standard size watch. Also very cost effective at £17.99.Easier to on when going straight from work to sailing and might forget to change watch as I did last year and wrecked my ordinary watch. ------------- Gordon Lossc |