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Title: Suunto M3 Wrist-Top Sailing and Windsurfing Computer Watch
Purchase
Item
Manufacturer: Suunto
List Price: $219.99
Our Price: $199.00
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Features:
- Lightweight wrist-top computer specially designed for competitive sailors and windsurfers
- Ensures that competitors reach the starting line in the right position and at the right time
- Sailing timer adjustable from 1 to 99 hours; audible user-configurable countdown alarms
- Rotating bezel with 0 to 360 degree scale; watch functions with time, date, dual time, and alarms
- Water-resistant to 100 feet; user-replaceable battery; weighs 0.13 pounds; 2-year warranty
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Customer Reviews: |
| Suunto M3 Wrist-Top Sailing and Windsurfing Computer Watch by Suunto Poor manual | | The M3 is probably a great watch, but the manual is so minimalist that I'll prob never figure it out. It really needs a menu hierarchy/map so you can figure out where to find the various functions. | | Suunto M3 Wrist-Top Sailing and Windsurfing Computer Watch by Suunto Suunto M3 - Great Watch | What you see is what your get: huge numbers that are easy to read while counting down the start. Light, comfortable to wear and nice looks. Two defects: (1) no protection for the glass and (2) it is not as simple to use as its functions would imply which, together with a deficient manual, makes it hard to operate taking advantage of all its functions.
If what you are looking for is a large number format countdown timer with nice looks this is it. | | Suunto M3 Wrist-Top Sailing and Windsurfing Computer Watch by Suunto Watch designed for one-design sailboat racing | I bought this watch for one design sailboat racing, and it has many thoughful improvements over other watches/countdown timers. It has a countdown timer with sync button and reminder beeps, a tack/gybe angle calculator benzel like a "one-wheel" Musto Compucourse or the Citizen Sailhawk or Navisail. It fits a nice niche below the expensive full function regatta watches like the Citizen Sailhawk and Suunto Regatta that would be a shame to beat up while racing, and more features than the inexpensive Timex Ironman or Optimum Time series race watches.
PROS:
-Countdown timer with beeps on minute and on every 59 seconds, every ten seconds for last minute, and every second for last ten seconds.
-Count up or repeat option after countdown is complete. The repeat doesn't stop after seven times unlike the Casio watches.
-Long hold required to stop the countdown timer. An electronic lock for the sync button can be manually activated.
-Countdown to a particular time so race committee can start the gun at an exact minute (like 11am promptly).
-Tactical benzel has click stops every five degrees so less likely to drift and lose track of wind direction during a race.
-Reasonable large numbers on the countdown timer
-Nice Euro look isn't fugly IMHO unlike the old Musto Competition watch or the Ronstan Clear Start Watch so it can be worn outside the race course.
-Left out silly sensors such as the electronic compass, barometer, altimeter that are useless for day racing and makes the watch more afforable than the Suunto sailing watches that have these functions.
-One design class legal because it doesn't have a built in GPS. Still love my Foretrex 201 in races which allow them, but this looks like a good pre-start timer for strict OD class regattas that don't allow GPS.
CONS:
-Benzel only has click stops but no lock so can drift during normal sailboat operations.
-No 5-degree markers on the benzel interpolating between the 15 degree labels can result in errors. Also no 70 degree or 80 degree tack angle marks on watch inside of benzel. Why doesn't someone come out with a cheap digital tack angle computer on a watch to help us Joes with poor memory remember tack angles? Calculation tack angles is easy. Its hard recalculating the tack angles to detect headers/lifts because you forgot the numbers while steering the boat in puffy, choppy conditions while simultaneously looking for air, looking for the mark, and jostling between a dozen other boats going upwind.
-Benzel is a weak link: keep sunblock away from the benzel or the numbers rub off. Also the plastic benzel gets scuffed up quite easily.
-Non-intuitive buttons and menus with strange short or long press of certain buttons having different functions requires time spent with the instruction manual and scratching one's head.
-Not all functions documented in instructions such as the logbook. | | Suunto M3 Wrist-Top Sailing and Windsurfing Computer Watch by Suunto Product Description | | Polished stainless steel case on a black elastomer strap, Features a maximum 99 hour sail coutdown timer. Smart repeat and timer lock prevents accidental off-sync. Rotating bezel aids in wind distance direction determination. Audible warning signals and large digits, with independent stopwatch. Dual-time, 3 alarms, backlight. User-replaceable battery, Water resistant to 30M | | Suunto M3 Wrist-Top Sailing and Windsurfing Computer Watch by Suunto Amazon.com Product Description | | Competitive sailors and windsurfers know that getting a good start is key to winning the race. Enter the Suunto M3 wrist-top computer, which is custom designed to make sure competitors are at the right place at the right time. The device is easy to use: before the race, simply make a few practice starts to estimate the time to the starting line from a chosen position. Next, set the countdown timer to reflect the interim between the official signal and the start of the race (generally in the five-minute range). Once you hear the official signal, start the timer. The M3 will then let you know when to set off from your chosen position so you can cross the starting line right on time. And once the timer is synchronized, you can lock the countdown timer to ensure that it isn't changed by mistake. The M3 also helps you determine the favored end of the start line, so you not only cross the line at the right moment but at the right place as well. By using the boat's compass and the M3's rotating bezel, you can quickly decide which end of the line is best. And once you're out on the course, the M3 continues to provide assistance by helping you calculate the bearing to the next race marker before reaching the turning point, and then comparing it to wind direction. This helps you steer the correct course as soon as possible, giving you a valuable advantage over competitors. You can also mark the wind direction with the rotating bezel to track wind shifts, monitor the race time, and add time stamps (interval times). Then, after the race, you can check the M3's logbook to review the race times, time stamps, and the effectiveness of your strategy. Plus, as with most of Suunto's wrist-top computers, the M3 also excels as a traditional watch, with time, date, dual time, and alarm options. Other features include an easy-to-read dot matrix display, a backlight option for night use, a water-resistant housing to 100 feet, and a user-replaceable battery. So give yourself a leg up on other sailors and windsurfers with this handy must-have. The M3, which weighs 0.13 pounds, is backed by a two-year warranty on parts and labor. What's in the Box
M3 wrist-top computer, battery, user's manual. |
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