 |
| ||||||||||||
 | |||||||||||||
 Suunto M3 Wrist-Top Sailing and Windsurfing Computer Watch By: Suunto Average Rating: 3.5 Total Reviews: 3 More Information Poor manual  On: 2007-12-25The M3 is probably a great watch, but the manual is so minimalist that Ill 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 - Great Watch  On: 2006-08-18What 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. Watch designed for one-design sailboat racing  On: 2006-08-01I 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 doesnt 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 isnt 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 doesnt 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 dont 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 doesnt 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. -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 ones head. -Not all functions documented in instructions such as the logbook. -Silly designers mixed up the starboard and port tack angle arrow colors. The arrow pointing 45 degrees to the left of north would be in the port direction, but is starboard tack and should be green. Gybe angle colors are correct. Watch designed for one-design sailboat racing On: 2006-07-31I 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 doesnt 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 isnt 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 doesnt 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 dont 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 doesnt 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. -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 ones head. -Not all functions documented in instructions such as the logbook. -Silly designers mixed up the starboard and port tack angle arrow colors. The arrow pointing 45 degrees to the left of north would be in the port direction, but is starboard tack and should be green. Gybe angle colors are correct. |