Best Sailing Watch: Waterproof Watches Tested
Marine Tech Editor Fox Morgan has created a short list of 16 of the best sailing watches on the market. There's a range to suit all budgets and sailing needs, from a basic time waterproof timekeeper to a top of the range smart watch. There something for everyone, from racing to cruising sailors.
The best sailing watches can offer a multitude of functions, from MOB alerts to tidal calculations and large faced race count down timers. And yet still there’s utter simplicity of a waterproof self winding timepiece.
Just as tablets and even smartphones have revolutionised how sailors use multifunction displays and instruments, so the latest smart watch technology has now firmly filtered into sailing. While we’re now familiar with using our watches to give us directions, make calls and send messages, and act as a repeater screen on our wrists ashore, so the latest sailing watches also make navigation, data and comms technology wearable afloat.
You’ll see that Garmin have several entries in our best sailing watches guide and if you’re specifically after a Garmin, we have rounded up the best of those in this guide to the best Garmin watch for yachting sailing and more.
However, the cleverest watch is not always the best watch for sailing. For regatta racing an extremely simple and speedy to operate model may suit better. Price is not always an indicator of functionality either; even some of the least expensive sailing watches can be packed with features. I’ve created a guide to large face sports sailing watches if this is something you are looking for then have a look.
At the other end of the scale, luxury horology brands – including Rolex, Panerai, and Omega among others – have long been closely associated with sailing, seeing it as the perfect sport to demonstrate their style, waterproof and ruggedised qualities, and accuracy.
In making our selection of the best sailing watches, we’ve chosen those with features specifically suitable for wearing aboard. That doesn’t mean, however, that they float, so be sure to do the clasp up securely and be wary of pulling off jacket sleeves in a hurry and losing your prized timepiece overboard!
Editor’s top choices at a glance
Garmin Quatix 7
Best smart sailing watch
Specifications: Apple or android smart phone compatible, Sizes: 47mm / 51mm, Weight 70g, Battery life: up to 16 days with screen on by demand, GPS tracking, waterproof to 10 ATM
Reasons to Buy: Large easy to read face | incredible versatility for an array of lifestyle activity | healthy wellbeing and boat interactivity | customisable to suit individual needs
Reasons to Avoid: Battery life not as good as the Quatix 6 if screen is always visible | bright facia can be distracting | touchscreen is pointless without the additional kit it interfaces with
Garmin’s latest sailing smartwatch includes improvements to strengthen integration with onboard electronics.
It’s a touchscreen model that can, for instance, be used to control MFD displays or Fusion audio systems, as well as Garmin autopilots.
You can also pay for things with contactless payments, but you’ll need to use an intermediary app, such as Curve if you are in the UK as British banks haven’t signed up for that function directly yet.
So let’s address the major change for the Quatix 7 over the Quatix 6, and that’s the display. Plenty of folks complained about the darkness or difficulty seeing the Quatix 6 screen, so they’ve addressed that with a much brighter lit up style of screen. It is very bright even when turned to its dimmest setting. To save the battery from being drained unnecessarily at night, there’s a night time version of the watch screen where you can view it as a digital numeric mono display, on demand, otherwise the screen is completely blank. This brighter clearer display does come at a compromise of battery life or screen saver settings.
The extra screen size in the same outer bezel size though is really very nice. Maps and other tracking options can be easily seen.
High end Sapphire models add a new ultra-clear AMOLED touchscreen.
The watch can output directly to Strava and myfitnesspal along with other apps according to your preference. We like this watch very much indeed and it is currently the best smart sailing watch for all round functionality. Pricey though, but worth it.
Garmin Quatix 7 PRO
Best smart sailing watch
Specifications: Apple or android smart phone compatible, Sizes: 47mm / 51mm, Weight 70g, Battery life: up to 16 days with screen on by demand, GPS tracking, waterproof to 10 ATM
Reasons to Buy: Large easy to read face | incredible versatility for an array of lifestyle activity | healthy wellbeing and boat interactivity | customisable to suit individual needs | has a built in led torch!
Reasons to Avoid: expensive bit of kit (but worth every penny)
Garmin’s latest sailing smartwatch includes improvements to strengthen integration with onboard electronics and now sports a little red and white mini torch.
It’s a touchscreen model that can, for instance, be used to control MFD displays or Fusion audio systems, as well as Garmin autopilots.
You can also pay for things with contactless payments, but you’ll need to use an intermediary app, such as Curve if you are in the UK as British banks haven’t signed up for that function directly yet.
High end Sapphire models add a new ultra-clear AMOLED touchscreen.
The watch can output directly to Strava and myfitnesspal along with other apps according to your preference. We like this watch very much indeed and it is currently the best smart sailing watch for all round functionality. Pricey though, but worth it.
I’m going to get straight to the point here, this watch is utterly brilliant. Once you put it on your wrist, you wont want to take it off. I have put a metal strap on mine as I find the Silicon strap, day to day can irritate my skin. But I pop on another sports strap for sportsing about.
I row, sail, swim, free dive, run, cycle, indoor row, do gym work, look up tides, sunrise and set times, Barometer, Storm alerts, monitor my heart rate, monitor my sleep patterns, use the multiple alarms for a multitude of stuff, sync the watch to the rowing machine, and pin drop where I parked my car because I tend to forget where I put it. Thankfully I’ve never had to use the MOB alert button, but it’s good to know it’s there.
Anyway, if you want to know more about this and are wavering on dropping such a ton of money on it, just drop me a line and I’ll happily answer any questions you might have.
Suunto Ocean Smart Diving and sailing watch
Specifications: Display: 1.43-inch AMOLED color display with sapphire glass and stainless steel bezel. Battery Life: Up to 60 hours in dive mode. Up to 50 hours with continuous GPS tracking.
Dive Features: Supports single and multi-gas modes, including air and nitrox. Utilizes the Suunto Bühlmann 16 GF algorithm for decompression management. Compatible with the Suunto Tank POD for wireless tank pressure monitoring. Customizable audio and vibration alarms for safety alerts.
Sports and Activity Tracking: Over 95 sport modes, including running, cycling, swimming, and yoga. On-wrist heart rate monitoring, step counting, calorie tracking, and sleep analysis. Advanced training features with heart rate variability analysis.
Navigation and Outdoor Features: High-precision GNSS system for accurate location tracking. Offline maps available globally at no extra cost. Barometric sensor providing altitude readings and storm alarms.
Reasons to Buy
Dual-Purpose Design (Diving + Sports Tracking), Premium Build with AMOLED Display, Offline Maps & Advanced Navigation
Reasons to Avoid
Higher Price Tag, Limited App Ecosystem,
What I think of it…
This watch is a beast! As someone who enjoys both freediving and outdoor sports, this watch can handle both worlds on the water and under the water easily.
The watch feels premium and rugged. The 1.43-inch AMOLED display is bright and crisp, even under direct sunlight. The sapphire glass and stainless steel bezel give it a solid, high-end feel, and I love that it’s made in Finland with renewable energy. The strap is comfortable, and despite being packed with features, it’s not overly bulky on my wrist, though let’s not pretend this thing is small, I’m used to wearing large watches, so if you do have a smaller wrist like me, it might take a little getting used to.
Battery life is good but not mind-blowing. I got around 50 hours with GPS tracking, and up to 60 hours in dive mode, but with regular smartwatch use, I needed to charge it every 4-5 days. That’s reasonable, but some competitors last longer.
If you’re an adventurer who dives, hikes, and trains, this watch is one of the best all-in-one solutions out there. It’s rugged, packed with features, and reliable in the water. However, if you’re strictly a runner, sailor or cyclist, a dedicated Garmin or Coros watch might suit you better for the price.
Garmin MARQ Captain
Best premium sailing watch
Specifications: Type: Smart | Size: 46mm
Reasons to buy: Weather and tidal data | MOB and GPS functions | Stream boat data to your wrist
Reasons to avoid: Full extent of capabilities is governed by the onboard technology it’s connected to | Premium price
Tested by: MBY Editor, Hugo Andreae
Our top priced pick comes from wearable tech-specialists, Garmin. The MARQ Captain sailing watch comes packed with marine-relevant features.
Functions include weather and tidal data for your home port, a regatta timer to pinpoint starting times, a ‘tack assist’ function to determine whether you’re on lift or a header, a man overboard button and GPS.
The full extent of its capabilities is governed by the onboard technology to which it is connected, but possibilities include streaming boat data direct to your wrist wherever you are on the boat and controlling products from the Garmin-owned Fusion range of audio systems.
Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.
Best Smart sailing watches
Garmin Instinct 2S Solar
Specifications: Type: Smart | Size: 40mm / 45mm / 50mm, weight 53g(2oz)
Reasons to buy: GPS positioning on charts | barometric pressure and compass | Smartphone connectivity | An incredible amount of styles and colours | A single charge lasts 14 days
Reasons to avoid: Premium price without a premium design
The Instinct 2, launched in February 2022 is Garmin’s all-round watch, which they call their outdoors watch. Features that are particularly relevant to sailors include GPS positioning on charts; barometric pressure and a compass.
It has smartphone connectivity, receives emails and texts, and can control music via a phone. This watch also has an inbuilt thermometer and heart rate monitor.
The Garmin Instinct is available in no fewer than 20 different styles and colours. It’s actual diameter is 47mm (1 13/16” in) but the viewable face is 32mm (1 1/4”). The Instinct is 16mm (5/8” in) thick and weighs 53g (2 oz).
For racing sailors, it also has multiple start sequence options. We have an indepth review from long term testing of this watch coming soon.
The Garmin Instinct watch is a good alternative for anyone seeking a more moderately priced alternative to the Quatix 7.
Best Big Screen Watch for Sailing
Gill Stealth Sailing Regatta Race Watch Timer
Specifications: Type: Digital | Size 65mm
Reasons to buy:Robust design with secure strap | Extra-large | easy to press silicon buttons | Great display
Reasons to avoid: Some consumers report issues with clasp/strap
With wrist, hull, mast or boom mount options, the Swiss-made Ronstan ClearStart Race Timer is aimed squarely at racing sailors.
Made by renowned rigging and hardware company Ronstan, it’s a robust design with a secure elastic strap and substantial ‘bumper’ around the digital display.
The ClearStart Race Timer’s features include extra-large, easy-press silicon buttons, a highlighted start/stop button, oversized 16 mm digits set in a 65mm rotating face and a double line display simultaneously showing the race countdown and time.
In addition, the ClearStart Race Timer offers ‘5-4-1-0’ and Match Racing start sequence programmes, making it a great choice for competitive sailors. Ruggedly constructed and built to last, this sailing watch weighs in at 92 grammes and is water-resistant to 50 metres.
Ronstan Clear Start Race Timer
Best Race Sailing watch
Specifications: Type: Digital | Size 65mm
Reasons to buy:Robust design with secure strap | Extra-large | easy to press silicon buttons | Great display
Reasons to avoid: Some consumers report issues with clasp/strap
With wrist, hull, mast or boom mount options, the Swiss-made Ronstan ClearStart Race Timer is aimed squarely at racing sailors.
Made by renowned rigging and hardware company Ronstan, it’s a robust design with a secure elastic strap and substantial ‘bumper’ around the digital display.
The ClearStart Race Timer’s features include extra-large, easy-press silicon buttons, a highlighted start/stop button, oversized 16 mm digits set in a 65mm rotating face and a double line display simultaneously showing the race countdown and time.
In addition, the ClearStart Race Timer offers ‘5-4-1-0’ and Match Racing start sequence programmes, making it a great choice for competitive sailors. Ruggedly constructed and built to last, this sailing watch weighs in at 92 grammes and is water-resistant to 50 metres.
Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.
Optimum Time Series 3 sailing watch
One of the most popular sailing watches on the market
Specifications: Type: Digital | Size: 65mm
Reasons to buy: Great price | Highly functional | Easy to read
Reasons to avoid: It’s really big
The popular ‘big yellow’ Optimum Time Series 3 is a lower-priced, yet highly functional racing watch. And it truly is big – far too large for my wrist at a gigantic 65mm (2.56” in) diameter and 16mm (0.62” in) thick. It’s also available in colours other than yellow – including white, blue and pink.
An advantage for racing is that this watch is easy to read at a distance thanks to its huge 16mm digits. A bracket is supplied to fix it to a mast. It also has a sync button if you miss the start gun, and can then run a repeat sequence or race timer for handicap competitions.
Robust, and water resistant to 5 ATM, with a wide elasticated strap.
Timex Intelligent Quartz Yacht Racer watch
Best for Analogue race sailing watch fans
Specifications: Type: Analogue | Size 46mm
Reasons to buy: Striking analogue display | Countdown timers
Reasons to avoid: Larger than average design | Complex to set up | lacks reset button | Expensive
This is a very striking analogue watch, designed to appeal specifically to racing sailors who don’t want a digital display. It features a racing countdown timers (from 5 mins, 3 mins or 1 minute), then after the start the chronometer automatically starts a race timer for up to one hour.
This is a larger than average design, at 46 mm (1.81” in) diameter and 14mm (0.55” in) thick.
However, this watch is complex to set up, as some functions require three buttons to be pressed in sequence. There is also no ‘reset’ button for anyone who misses their start sequence timer.
Gill Race Watch Timer
Best racing sailing watch for watersports
Specifications: Type: Digital | Size 44mm
Reasons to buy: Water-resistant to 30 metres | Carbon housing | The sleep feature preserves battery life
Reasons to avoid: Basic design and functions
This striking red and black Race Watch Timer is a sailing-specific watch developed exclusively for watersports apparel company Gill. It’s water-resistant to an impressive 30 metres, with the timepiece unit encased in a reinforced carbon ABS plastic housing with a stainless steel back.
As well as telling the time, the sailing watch’s functions include a countdown with synchro, day, date and alarm. There’s a keyboard lock feature to you don’t accidentally change the settings and an electro-luminescent backlight allows the wearer to check the data day or night.
A neat sleep feature preserves and prolongs battery life in a ruggedly constructed unit designed for durability and years of trouble-free service.
Limit ProXR Countdown sailing watch
Best value racing sailing watch
Specifications: Type: Digital | Size: 50mm
Reasons to buy: Large, clear, easy to read display | Multiple design options | Dual time, stopwatch, countdown and pacer functions
Reasons to avoid: Lacks features/functions of more premium competitors | Chunky
Limit has been producing watches for more than 110 years and specialises in offering a wide variety of styles at great value prices.
For a budget-friendly sailing watch option, the Limit ProXR Countdown comes with a large, clear and easily readable display and is backed by a two-year guarantee.
It also has a dual time display and stopwatch, countdown and pacer functionality. No fewer than five alarms can be set and there’s a night time illumination facility.
Available in a choice of orange/black or blue/black, the looks of this chunky 50 mm case diameter sailing watch certainly belie its low price tag.
FAQ: What makes the best sailing watch?
The ability to read the time, countdown or data in a hurry or at an angle is key, so look out for digital readouts with large numbers – some sailing watches have the ability to switch from digital to analogue readouts – and screens that can be viewed in different qualities of daylight. Backlit functions are essential for anyone heading offshore, whether racing or cruising.
A well-fitting wristband or strap with a secure clasp is vital to keep the watch on your arm. Most sailing watches have soft rubber or synthetic wristbands, which are more durable in a marine environment, and safer than steel. Rubber straps are also lighter and easier to adjust.
If you plan to use your watch for race start timing, look for programmable start sequence options, a sync button, countdowns that switch to seconds in the final stages. A loud, clear alarm or ‘beep’ function that tells you time to the gun is particularly useful, so you can keep watching your course, trim and other boats around you during the final approach to the line rather than having to glance at your wrist.
You can read more about other types of GPS enabled and waterproof fitness trackers and smart watches at YBW.com
Didn’t find what you’re looking for? Head to Amazon’s dedicated boating page for more marine products.
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