[SloopJonB]

What's a watch?

 

[capta]

What do you wear while sailing

I rotate these 3, I guess I need a yachtmaster too :laugher

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Just out of curiosity, are you rich because you have a little boat and can afford 2 (two) Rolexes, or do you have a little boat because you are not rich after buying 2 (two) Rolexes that's all you could afford?

 

[abrahamx]

I have never worn a watch.

 

[SVAuspicious]

My Rolex Submariner does give me some decent sense of what time it is. Even when I keep up with the $500 maintenance it doesn't keep time nearly as well as my phone. It's jewelry and a convenience.

It was a gift from my second wife and the only good thing to come out of that marriage.

 

[flyingwelshman]

So I got this really cool Casio watch:

It's pressure rated to 200 meters - which makes it good for diving ('200 meters' translates into about 120 ft in waterproof watch terms). It's got a built-in electronic compass - way cool for sailing especially for when I am adrift and need to know where the shipping lanes are.
It's got a built-in thermometer. Again: great for diving so I know what thickness wet suit I should have put on.

The problem(s) is (are) I use the compass so infrequently that now when I hit the button I have to recalibrate it. I don't know where the instructions are and I can't be bothered to look them up online because I've already recalibrated the damned thing a few times.

The watch needs to be away from body heat for at least 20 minutes before it can give an accurate ambient temperature reading. Kind of useless....

Other than that the watch has served me well. You can set multiple time zones. This is a good feature except when you hit the wrong button and get up 1/2 hour too early for a 3:00 am watch.

 

[Alex W]

I was very distressed when my old Timex sailing watch "bit the dust" last spring (after 27 years, parts are no longer available). As consolation, my daughter bought me a Casio "Sea Pathfinder" for my birthday that has proven to be an excellent piece of gear.

Do you have the model number of this watch? It looks like Casio has sold many watches under a variety of price points with the title "Sea Pathfinder". It sounds like a good watch.

I haven't worn a watch since I was 12, but am thinking about getting one again for sailing. I can't use my cell phone as a watch when sailing on dinghies or the Blanchard Juniors that I teach on. I do have a cell phone in both cases, but it's usually buried in a dry bag.

 

[hellosailor]

Depends on how I'm sailing. I have an old (late 70's?) Timex LED watch that has the big red plastic face with small dim red LED numbers that only show up when you push a button. Very much bleeding edge expensive technology when it was new. That only comes out when I'm in full vacation mode. People ask, isn't that a pain the *ss having to push a button when you want to see the time?

And I say no, not at all. It pretty much ensures that I DON'T SEE THE TIME unless I really want to.

Someone else needs to know the time, they can pay me to push the button. Or get their own watch.

Now if The Gummint would stop screwing around with Daylight Slavings Time, which always throws off my internal sun-clock for weeks on end....

 

[SloopJonB]

I do not understand the Rolex mentality. At one time, decades ago, they were the best but now it's equivalent to buying a Ferrari with 1955 Chevy running gear under it.

You can buy watches for a tiny fraction of the price that look just as good for the jewelry part AND they actually keep time.

Kind of like having Bob design you a Francis Lee and then building it plank on frame with oakum & red lead to keep the water out.



Oh yeah - the second hand sweeps instead of going tic tic tic - That's worth a few grand right there.

 

[Markwesti]

I like the beginning of Easy Rider, when Wyatt (Peter Fonda) troughs his watch on the ground. While sittin on the bike getin ready to head out .
HaHa, I wear a Casio Oceanus . But only on a light day sail . Actually I take off the Wedding ring and the watch when we sail .

 

[weinie]

I do not understand the Rolex mentality. At one time, decades ago, they were the best but now it's equivalent to buying a Ferrari with 1955 Chevy running gear under it.

You can buy watches for a tiny fraction of the price that look just as good for the jewelry part AND they actually keep time.

Kind of like having Bob design you a Francis Lee and then building it plank on frame with oakum & red lead to keep the water out.



Oh yeah - the second hand sweeps instead of going tic tic tic - That's worth a few grand right there.

I have several rolexes and other "luxury brand" watches, purchased new and pre-owned over the years. Yet none have ever cost me anything! Why? Because all have appreciated over time. (Insurance premiums notwithstanding).
A casio is worthless the day you buy it. A vintage Breguet, not so much.

Unfortunately, it does not seem to work this way with most boats.

 

[guitarguy56]

Waste of my time and effort!

 

[SloopJonB]

I have several rolexes and other "luxury brand" watches, purchased new and pre-owned over the years. Yet none have ever cost me anything! Why? Because all have appreciated over time. (Insurance premiums notwithstanding).
A casio is worthless the day you buy it. A vintage Breguet, not so much.

Unfortunately, it does not seem to work this way with most boats.

As well as the insurance, how much have you spent on having them adjusted & repaired?

 

[SloopJonB]

This is a strange post... you say you can buy a watch for a fraction of the price of a Rolex and you get what you buy... most of these watches use quartz movements made either in China or one of the other places they make these cheaper movements that run on batteries... I prefer a kinetic movement that doesn't need batteries and at the same token be a high quality watch not much difference than when you want that highest quality marine engine or electronics system for the boat.

Rolex's do hold their value... and my GMT II bought over 6 years ago still holds the value today... what will your Casio/Timex or whatever value hold 6 years from now if not only a sentimental value at best!

We could hold this same conversation with houses, cars, airplanes, etc... what it boils down to is somewhat 'envy' factor? Who knows... we all play the Joneses to some point in our lives... my boat is bigger, faster, newer, etc.

I've heard all the "quality" and "investment" arguments for Rolex's but the fact remains they are beautifully made antiquated technology being passed off as "the best". The fact that they won't keep accurate time without being regularly tuned up says it all to me

I once read a line that is sort of apropos in regard to a mid 60's Rolls Royce Silver Cloud - "It's a demonstration of what a cost is no object mentality can do for a 1937 Packard".

You still end up with 1937 Packard technology, no matter how exquisitely turned out it is.

And by the way, envy has nothing to do with it - I could go out right now and buy 1/2 dozen Rolex's if I was somehow possessed enough to do so.

Nouveau status seeking and rationalization seems more likely to me.

 

[guitarguy56]

Again a waste of time...

 

[SloopJonB]

More like disdain I think. At this middling latish stage of life, the only people I have anything approaching envy for are those who own early 60's Ferrari 250 GTL's.

The only deadly sins I suffer from are anger, lust and sloth - and I'm proud of it.

 

[guitarguy56]

Silly wasn't it!

 

[azguy]

Just out of curiosity, are you rich because you have a little boat and can afford 2 (two) Rolexes, or do you have a little boat because you are not rich after buying 2 (two) Rolexes that's all you could afford?

Super fair question. I have a little boat because (a) I'm on a lake (b) I had never sailed before (c) I single hand all the time.

I actually started out after my ASA classes looking for a Catalina 30 and while on a cruise with a seller I realized this was crazy considering I wasn't sure this was 100% for me and I was only one guy.....so I decided to start with a C22 and work my way up....

Actually the fallacy that Rolex do not keep time is crazy, they are automatic watches after all and will never keep time like a quartz watch or a phone. My group keep time with +/- 10 seconds every 10-14 days which is more than adequate. I have them pressure tested once a year and regulated to the cost of $50.

They do need to be serviced every 7-10 years at the cost of $600, but I have never had mine service as the are between 7-10 years old and still keeping great time.

As another poster noted, all my watches are worth more today than what I paid for them that never hurts either...

 

[azguy]

Oh, I also have two Harley's and a 1967 Camero...... that doesn't make me a bad guy...more like well rounded.....

 

[harmonic]

I have a 100 dollar waterproof casio tells the time has a tide function which I cant set as the instructions are confusing,not too worried though I can look out my window and see what it is doing.It has lasted a few years of abuse now so am happy with it.

 

[PCP]

I have several rolexes and other "luxury brand" watches, purchased new and pre-owned over the years. Yet none have ever cost me anything! Why? Because all have appreciated over time. (Insurance premiums notwithstanding).
A casio is worthless the day you buy it. A vintage Breguet, not so much.

Unfortunately, it does not seem to work this way with most boats.

You are probably right but what fun can you take out of a watch, not to mention 2 or 3?

Fun out of a sailboat, specially one that is for the other sailboats like a vintage Breguet or a Rolex is for the other watches....well, that's another story but maybe not for you maybe you have fun with the watches too

PS - while sailing I use the watch on the plotter. On land I use the one on the smartphone.

Regards

Paulo