Yacht Timer

Yacht Timer Application Description

Yacht Timer is an advanced smartwatch application designed specifically for sailing enthusiasts and professionals. It acts as a powerful tool for optimizing your start in sailing races, ensuring precision and ease of use.

Core Features

The application boasts several key features that enhance its usability:

• Big Numbers Display: The large, easily readable numbers make it simple to check the time even from a distance.
• Voice Announcements: The timer announces the remaining time aloud, making it easier to stay updated without looking at the device.
• Simple Controls: Intuitive controls allow for quick adjustments during critical moments.
• GPS Integration: By syncing with GPS, the timer can provide accurate timekeeping, similar to what race officers often use.
• Distance to Start Line: Users can enable this feature to see how far they are from the starting line, aiding in strategic positioning.
• Speed Measurement: The application displays your speed in knots, helping you maintain optimal pace.
• Time to Start Line: It calculates the time needed to reach the start line based on your current speed.
• Time to Kill Indicator: This feature helps you avoid being over the start line too early, indicated by red if you need to slow down.
• Color-Coded Distance: A visual indicator changes colors based on your proximity to the start line, ranging from blue (more than 3 boat lengths away) to red (over the line).

Additional Features

For enhanced functionality, Yacht Timer offers additional features:

• Screen Locking: Locking the screen increases the size of the digits and prevents accidental button presses.
• Orientation Switch: Users can switch between landscape and portrait orientations based on preference.
• Google Earth KML Logging: After a race, users can log their track data to review in Google Earth, providing valuable insights into performance.
• Race Officer Mode: Special mode for race officers and coaches, featuring voice announcements of the last five seconds before each full minute.

Timer Buttons

The application includes several timer buttons that facilitate precise control:

• PROG MIN & PROG SEC: These buttons add minutes or seconds to the timer's starting value when the timer is stopped.
• CLEAR: Resets the timer to 0:00.
• SYNC +, SYNC -, SYNC: These buttons round the timer to the nearest minute, useful for synchronizing with other timing signals.
• START & STOP: Start or stop the timer as needed.
• RC & Pin: Set the right and left ends of the starting line, respectively.

Setting Up the Starting Line

Setting the starting line is straightforward. Simply press the RC button when at the right side of the line and the Pin button when at the left side. Alternatively, you can enter the coordinates manually in the app settings.

Settings and Options

The application provides extensive customization options:

• Landscape Mode: Toggle between landscape and portrait orientations.
• Repeat Timer: Automatically restart the timer when it reaches zero.
• Round Seconds Higher: Ensure the timer starts precisely when seconds reach zero.
• Auto Lock: Lock the buttons after starting the timer to prevent accidental presses.
• Sync to GPS: Synchronize the timer with GPS time, a common practice among race committees.
• Text Size Percentage: Adjust the size of the numbers displayed on the screen.
• Show Distance to Start Line: Enable or disable the display of distance to the starting line.
• Speed to Line Averaging: Calculate speed over a specified number of seconds to estimate time to the line.
• Boat Length in Meters: Set the length of your boat to adjust color-coded distance indicators.
• Log Starts: Save your track data for post-race analysis in Google Earth.
• Use Manual Start Line Values: Manually input coordinates for the starting line.
• Speak RC Mode: Activate voice announcements of the last five seconds before each minute for race signals.

With these comprehensive features, Yacht Timer ensures that you have all the tools necessary for a successful sailing start.