I lost my Garmin yesterday when I was whacked in the head with the mast. I heard a ping and it was got. Something must have snagged obn it and ripped it off.
It was 6 years old but still worked great and I'd just replaced the band .
I've bought a new one and I'm looking for some sort of wrap to go over the watch to prevent it happening again..
I thought maybe a home made one . Cut off a bit of the wrist / arm of a wetsuit and making a hole for the watch face would work?
Problem is I don't have any old wetties ..
I've had a quick browse on Google and could only find one that was in America with $35 postage.
Anyone got one or made something to do the job?

If it's an approved model and you want to use it as a posting back up, the rubber needs to be clear of the watch face. otherwise the satellite signal gets degraded

Select to expand quote

decrepit said..
If it's an approved model and you want to use it as a posting back up, the rubber needs to be clear of the watch face. otherwise the satellite signal gets degraded

I'll keep that in mind..How much clearance is needed?

Stubby holder will serve Sue
just cut a hole for the watch face

Select to expand quote

sboardcrazy said..
I'll keep that in mind..How much clearance is needed?

Sorry Sue I'm not sure, I haven't done any experimenting on it. We just know that some of the files sent in for evaluation, where a watch saver was used, had bad data.
But it shouldn't be much, just a couple of mms probably. But if you use some easy cut rubber, you van experiment with it on and with it off, to see if it makes a difference to data quality. Just slowly increase the distance until you see no difference.
BUT, it will need to be wet with salt water.

Yep, a stubby holder works just great.

Was the band that broke and had just been replaced a Garmin band? I'm just wondering if the band was of lower quality and the cause of the issue since it was just changed before this happened? Not saying Garmin bands are indestructable... just curious if this was a Garmin band.

I've been using garmin watches for 10 years now. Daily wearing including much sports use (including windsurfing). Never had a watch pin release or band break. I have had the retaining clips break and replaced them, but never the band itself. I considered putting a secondary tether for windsurfing (a second band around wrist like a hair band or something with a small string attached to the main watch band so if it snaps it is tethered), but have never bothered and never had an issue.

Select to expand quote

elmo said..
Stubby holder will serve Sue
just cut a hole for the watch face

We thought of that.. My wrist may be too small?
I might be able to customise it though..

Select to expand quote

vosadrian said..
Was the band that broke and had just been replaced a Garmin band? I'm just wondering if the band was of lower quality and the cause of the issue since it was just changed before this happened? Not saying Garmin bands are indestructable... just curious if this was a Garmin band.

I've been using garmin watches for 10 years now. Daily wearing including much sports use (including windsurfing). Never had a watch pin release or band break. I have had the retaining clips break and replaced them, but never the band itself. I considered putting a secondary tether for windsurfing (a second band around wrist like a hair band or something with a small string attached to the main watch band so if it snaps it is tethered), but have never bothered and never had an issue.

I'm think it was Garmin. I got so overwhelmed by the choice out there I ended up going to the Garmin site to buy.
I don't think it was the bands quality that was the issue.
Something snagged on it. I think any band would have snapped.

This might work

Select to expand quote

sboardcrazy said..
I lost my Garmin yesterday when I was whacked in the head with the mast. I heard a ping and it was got. Something must have snagged obn it and ripped it off.
It was 6 years old but still worked great and I'd just replaced the band .
I've bought a new one and I'm looking for some sort of wrap to go over the watch to prevent it happening again..
I thought maybe a home made one . Cut off a bit of the wrist / arm of a wetsuit and making a hole for the watch face would work?
Problem is I don't have any old wetties ..
I've had a quick browse on Google and could only find one that was in America with $35 postage.
Anyone got one or made something to do the job?

That's what I did, cut a bit off the end of an old wetsuit sleeve, works great. Or any strip of neoprene works just glue it together with aquaseal.

wear a long sleeve rashie or neo top

Have you considered a wrist lanyard. These normally have a fine string that could be pused through one of the watch band holes at the end. You then effectavely have the watch with a wrist strap attached to the band. When you put the watch on, slip your wrist through the strap and then attach watch as normal. If the strap breaks, you have a secondary attachment and would only lose the watch if it fell off your wrist also which seems unlikely. You would feel it hanging off your wrist and take preventative action.

The main benefit over the a neoprene strap over the watch is that it would not effect the GPS performance and it would be very light and unobtrusive.

Another cheap and cheerful option is an old wrist brace, the kind that has a hole for your thumb. Mine are quite long but they have a good bit of Velcro on the end so you could wrap it snug either side of the face (or cut a hole) and use that. They have softish Velcro.

Another option is the strap from a broken leg rope (Soft, Velcro again) or arm rope from a body-board.

Select to expand quote

choco said..
This might work

Great! Thanks.

Select to expand quote

vosadrian said..
Have you considered a wrist lanyard. These normally have a fine string that could be pused through one of the watch band holes at the end. You then effectavely have the watch with a wrist strap attached to the band. When you put the watch on, slip your wrist through the strap and then attach watch as normal. If the strap breaks, you have a secondary attachment and would only lose the watch if it fell off your wrist also which seems unlikely. You would feel it hanging off your wrist and take preventative action.

The main benefit over the a neoprene strap over the watch is that it would not effect the GPS performance and it would be very light and unobtrusive.

I did something like that with string for my last sail. It was pretty rough. I was worried it would give another thing to snag on but I pushed the string under my wettie so that wouldn't be a problem.
I noticed the knot had come undone when i took it off so I'll have to be more careful next time.
I'll research a few ideas.

Select to expand quote

jksmurf said..
Another cheap and cheerful option is an old wrist brace, the kind that has a hole for your thumb. Mine are quite long but they have a good bit of Velcro on the end so you could wrap it snug either side of the face (or cut a hole) and use that. They have softish Velcro.

Another option is the strap from a broken leg rope (Soft, Velcro again) or arm rope from a body-board.

Mmm I have one that I used when I broke my wrist. I'll have a look at it.

www.amazon.com.au/%E3%80%8AWatchsuit-attaches-Seconds-Various-situations/dp/B0CGR37VB9?th=1
Do you think this one would affect GPS comp results?

only one way to find out Sue

Select to expand quote

elmo said..
only one way to find out Sue

Yep might get one.. My wrist brace has too narrow a circumference..

Select to expand quote

choco said..
This might work

Thanks. I just bought one of these. We'll see..

Whats the safest strap for speedsailing with a Garmin?
I would be pissed to lose an expensive watch in the drink!

Select to expand quote

windsurftom said..
Whats the safest strap for speedsailing with a Garmin?
I would be pissed to lose an expensive watch in the drink!

The one I bought is great! See link above. 2 layers of Velcro. The main wrap and the smaller bit that closes the cover.

I lost my fenix 5 years ago . Ever since I don't use the quick release bands anymore. Replaced with standard band ..haven't had any issues.