All good info, thanks.
In summary, it appears that the Ronstan is a good bit of gear but for a few hang-ups. IMO the price dictates it be better made and I wonder why Ronstan hasn't done more to correct the problems.
I've owned a few expensive Casio watches, now living in DJ's locker due to poor band durability. Casio were not keen to provide any warranty for this bad feature so Ronstan are ahead in this area but the inconvenience is still a pain.
I might have a look at Woolworth's (no Wal-Mart here) for an elcheapo for the moment and save my pennies for an RF4030, Clear Start.

I'm a fan of the Timex Ironman watches--numbers and buttons are pretty big. You can set a 5 min. countdown as well. Timex also has some other models with large numbers--not as large as the Ronstan, but all under $25 and very durable.

As for losing watches due to the band, the first thing you should do with any watch that has a band pinned on each end is take off the supplied band and replace it with one that goes under each pin and attaches to itself (velcro bands are excellent). That way when a pin breaks you don't lose the watch.., it will still be held by the other pin.

That gives you time to take the watch off and put it in your pocket.

By the way, another good feature of Ronstan's watch.., it has a band that is complete unto itself and goes under the pins and not attached at each end. You won't lose the watch due to a pin letting go.
Rick

The garmin has an individual connection to each pin - and for one of the units I lost, I still have the pins ... one was in the velcro arm band and the other I found on the trampoline (not the gps unfortunately).

I use the Casio Sea Pathfinder, after using 2 Optimate/Ronstan and 2 Musto watches. The Casio is half the price of the Optimate and a third of the price of the Musto - I like "boys toys" and couldn't face getting a cheap "kids watch", but the Casio is the best for me. It has reasonably large numbers, can be started at 5 mins and reset easily (psuedo-synched) at four, and these intervals are easily changed. But best of all, it hasn't leaked (as the Optimate/Ronstans did), nor has the glass been smashed as happened to both my Musto's. This is a case where cheaper is definitely better - for what I spent on my previous watches I can buy 5 Casios... but I haven't needed to. Its weakness is that the buttons can be knocked, suspending the countdown - but I haven't missed a start yet that I can blame on the watch.

I use a garmin foretrex 201 , but as Jake has found to cost don't rely on pins !!!!, first time out I lost one and nearly the unit , a friend lost hers first time - both pins came out , and another two folk in my club have lost pins very quickly , all now strap to boat with tape around unit itself , I sometimes use a neoprene arm band with mylar window intended for a mp3 player which does the job , buttons can still be pressed through neoprene.

I told Garmin about their "serious " design flaw and offered the neoprene arm band solution, they didn't seem too concerned though,as they didn't consider it a problem , they offered to replace my unit which I accepted but its no different , my friend who lost hers completely was given a new one too .

A while back some brave soul brought this matter to attention on Yachts and yachtings website in UK , but the thread was removed by Y & Y and soul dissapeared into ether , perhaps as Garmin advertise with Y & Y !

or am I being sceptical ??? !

If anyone has a 201 and loses pins let Garmin know , perhaps they wil then recognise this flaw in an otherwise great unit.

Optimumtime from England came out with a new wrist watch identical to the big yellow one (I think they also make the red Ronstan one) same functions but can also be used as wrist watch. sold many with no complaints so far...
Ziv - Hobie Cat Israel

set to 5-3 with sync option, bips every minute, on 15 secs to start bips once every second, on 10 twice and on 5 secs bips 3 times until start when you get a long bip.
there really no need to take your eyes of your boat...
the new model dont have any problems of poping out of bracket cause there isnt one.
never had water problems with it since i mostly use it racing tacticat.com hahahaha
z

Are you using that on your starts in Tacticat? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />