racing watches

When i race ive been using a normal watch. Has anyone been using a racing watch? if yes what kind was it and was it usefull?
 
A racing watch is an asset but by no means essential. The audible alerts as you approach the start time are nice, as well as the ability to sync to the next horn if you didn't quite set your watch on time at the 5 minute gun.
 
A racing watch is an asset but by no means essential. The audible alerts as you approach the start time are nice, as well as the ability to sync to the next horn if you didn't quite set your watch on time at the 5 minute gun.
Yah but 99.9% of the things we buy for sailing are "by no means essential"
 
I just have a cheap casio and it works fine for me despite not being sailing specific.

I think as long as your watch includes a countdown feature which beeps every minute, then 10 secs in last minute, then last 10 secs that is plenty for a sailing watch.

I was given a Nautica Sailing Watch a few years ago to review and absolutely hated it (marketing team were not impressed but thankfully all the other sailors given it agreed) as it was far too complicated to actually use on the race course.
 


I have the Ronstan RF 4030 Clear Start sailing watch. It's easy to use on the water with huge numbers, intuitive functions, countdown beeps, and a synchronize button for when you miss the beginning of the sequence. It is worth the $99.
 
i have a timex ironman, i actually just recently saw one in a target ad for 20 bucks, it works great and is real easy to use
 


I have the Ronstan RF 4030 Clear Start sailing watch. It's easy to use on the water with huge numbers, intuitive functions, countdown beeps, and a synchronize button for when you miss the beginning of the sequence. It is worth the $99.

x2, best $99 I spent on racing gear.
 
The Ronstan racing watch works great for $55, and its easy to use, racing specific but has all the functions of a regular watch too.
I still own a Gill racing watch that is been pretty much a bad investment at $99. Ive owned it 4 years, replaced batteries 3 times, 2 new bands(at $30 each because no other replacemnt band fits), and my sailing gloves occasionally hit the start/stop button at very inoopurtune times.
It does look sporty though!
 
I still own a Gill racing watch that is been ...

I thought the Gill watch included a digital compass - something not permitted when racing a Laser. I appreciate that clubs might not worry too much and that a digital compass built into a wristwatch is totally useless but rules is rules (though personally I would never even comment about somebody using one). From what others have posted here I sort of thought that as regattas such devices would not be allowed.

I also think the rules should be changed to allow wrist mounted watches with digital compasses - but that's another thread that we have been through before.

Ian
 


I have the Ronstan RF 4030 Clear Start sailing watch. It's easy to use on the water with huge numbers, intuitive functions, countdown beeps, and a synchronize button for when you miss the beginning of the sequence. It is worth the $99.


best watch i have ever had. defiantly worth the $99
 

These look like the same watches that are sold in the UK under the Optimum brand. I actually got mine from PSC(UK) - as I happened to be there. I have the smaller wrist watch one and it is OK except sometimes the buttons get quite hard to press. Then when I decide its time to spend money on a new watch they go good again. The stiff button problem has never yet been the cause of my bad starting.

... and my sailing gloves occasionally hit the start/stop button at very inoopurtune times.
It does look sporty though!

(In the UK) Gill make (some of) their sailing gloves with the velcro wrist fastener on the "other side" (i.e. below your wrist, on the side you take your pulse on) - specifically to reduce the gloves pressing buttons problem.

Ian
 
The Ronstan buttons are somewhat hard to punch, but never been a problem....yet

My Gill doesnt have a compass

The new Harken gloves strap underneath as well, much nicer more comfortable IMHO, but I do like Ronstan sticky Race gloves best for durabilty and grip
 
yesterday was mostly very light wind to no wind for the last race and you could hear all the clear starts perfectly in sync at the start, it was pretty cool.
 
has anyone used the WinDesign sailiing watches? If so what are your comments? My citizen is going into the shop for some R&R and I need a back up.
 
This one has no buttons to get accidentally pushed, but it's pretty easy to read from almost anywhere in the cockpit, and it's accurate as long as you don't capsize. It only works for particular starting sequences though, so its use is pretty limited.
 

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This one has no buttons to get accidentally pushed, but it's pretty easy to read from almost anywhere in the cockpit, and it's accurate as long as you don't capsize. It only works for particular starting sequences though, so its use is pretty limited.

lol
 
For club racing I use two watches!! The big yellow one is on the mast. We have 4 class starts at 3 min intervals. The wrist watch is on a 3 min recycle so I can start it at any previous class warning gun. The big un is on 6 min countdown, I use the small un to count me in to the 6 min. In the final 10 secs I much prefer looking at the mast than wrist to get a good start.
At a regatta with 5 4 1 off just the big un is fine. A tip for catching the warning gun- stop the countdown at 4.58. The gun goes. You now have 2 secs to hit the button.
 

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Hola.

I have "el cheapo" casio with a countdown...take the 4 mins and go from there...easy to use, can't beat the price, and it has indiglo!! so cool!!

I have a compass on deck because my normal racing is done in a course rounding preset marks...you need the compass to get around...the "big" boats sometimes don't know where to go and cannot be trusted ;) but, I am so busy with plain sailing the laser that I only use the compass for headings as opposed to studying it for shifts...much to learn have I :) anyway, I can see headers or lifts agains the shore on the background...if I could always tack to take advantage when I detect those darn shifts ha ha ha.

be well

Antolin
 
Hi I use the ronstan 4030 clearstart (big blue watch) on my mast & have a smaller wrist ronstan watch as a back up! It is quite good to be able to synch the watches if necessary although I certainly use the mast watch for the countdown to the start as it is so visible & you generally are looking in that direction (not at your hand).
I had a big yellow rooster watch (as pictured previously) but it only lasted about 6 months before getting water damage.
The Ronstan watches have been really great & lasted well & battery changes have gone fine.
Cheers Hamish A NZ :)
 
I just ordered this off of APS for Christmas, ill post a review once it get it but from what i hear the Ronstan Clear Start line are some of the best purpose built sailing watches
 

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