Floating Watch Holder?

[Castro]

I'm looking to build a small watch holder that will attach to my kayak, and allow it to float if it falls off. Many people just use tape, but I have a garmin wrist gps, and would be livid if it sunk. I know someone who used a block of wood, covered in a pool noodle type foam, with a suction cup on the bottom, and you strapped the watch over the wood/foam. Has anyone constructed a watch holder before, or does anyone have any ideas? Thanks, and sorry if this isn't the right forum.

[Drake]

In my experience, when something gets out of the kayak, it's gone down stream and there is nothing you can do about it. We usually attach a small pelican case to the kayak with a carabiner. Anything important goes inside the case, and can be retrieved with a lost kayak later. Hope that helps.

[BlackSails]

Why not get one of those keychains for boat and jetski keys, and attach it to the watch?

[Random832]

You already have a watch holder that floats. It's called your wrist. (only half-serious here, but really, why not wear the watch?)

[Castro]

In my experience, when something gets out of the kayak, it's gone down stream and there is nothing you can do about it. We usually attach a small pelican case to the kayak with a carabiner. Anything important goes inside the case, and can be retrieved with a lost kayak later. Hope that helps.

I'm talking about sprint kayaking. This is an image of one, and it is done on flat water with pretty much no current. Here is the style boat I am using. A pelican case would not be useful, because I want it to display the distance, pace, time, etc. for me to monitor.

Why not get one of those keychains for boat and jetski keys, and attach it to the watch?

I need to be able to see it. I should have added that it will be mounted on the front of my boat, in front of the cockpit.

You already have a watch holder that floats. It's called your wrist. (only half-serious here, but really, why not wear the watch?)

Hard to keep looking over at my wrist.

Thanks for the help so far guys!

[Random832]

Do you own the kayak? i.e., is permanently mounting something an option? A bolt, or some kind of epoxy, is going to hold a lot better than e.g. a suction cup.

Failing that, that pool noodle foam thing you mentioned is a good idea - it's a sealed foam, which means it won't fill with water and won't (unlike e.g. a balloon or inner tube) lose flotation if it's punctured. It also tends to come in bright colours so you can retrieve it later if it does fall it off - or you might want to consider attaching it to the boat or to yourself with a chain so that even if it does fall off, it's hanging off of the chain instead of lost in the water.

[Drake]

I know someone who used a block of wood, covered in a pool noodle type foam, with a suction cup on the bottom

Do you own the kayak? i.e., is permanently mounting something an option?

I'd say using a bolt a la Random832 sounds like the most secure solution to me, but you said someone else has a working solution with a suction cup? Then go for it. (esp. with the calm water and all)

Well, I haven't built a watch holder before, but that won't stop me from giving my advice
1-Take the watch down to the hardware store, and find some PVC that the watch will snugly clip around.
2-Buy PVC and two end caps.
3-Cut PVC tube to manageable length
4-Construct fully sealed hollow tube of plastic(Should have enough buoyancy, right?) (If you're real clever about picking out all of the pieces and sizing everything up, then the end caps *should* prevent the watch from slipping off)
5- attach contraption to suction cup somehow
6-profit!

If you haven't already done so, you might consider confirming that an industrial suction cup will stick to the curves on your particular boat(I'm assuming your using the neon orange, clamping suction cups from the hardware store with 90+lbs holding strength)

[codyhotel]

I know someone who used a block of wood, covered in a pool noodle type foam, with a suction cup on the bottom

Do you own the kayak? i.e., is permanently mounting something an option?

I'd say using a bolt a la Random832 sounds like the most secure solution to me, but you said someone else has a working solution with a suction cup? Then go for it. (esp. with the calm water and all)

Well, I haven't built a watch holder before, but that won't stop me from giving my advice
1-Take the watch down to the hardware store, and find some PVC that the watch will snugly clip around.
2-Buy PVC and two end caps.
3-Cut PVC tube to manageable length
4-Construct fully sealed hollow tube of plastic(Should have enough buoyancy, right?) (If you're real clever about picking out all of the pieces and sizing everything up, then the end caps *should* prevent the watch from slipping off)
5- attach contraption to suction cup somehow
6-profit!

If you haven't already done so, you might consider confirming that an industrial suction cup will stick to the curves on your particular boat(I'm assuming your using the neon orange, clamping suction cups from the hardware store with 90+lbs holding strength)

you forgot a step, it should read

5- attach contraption to suction cup somehow
6- ??????
7- profit!


and as for my two cents so this post isn't completely irrelevant, instead of being careful of what would happen if the watch falls off, wouldn't it be simpler to just make sure that it CAN'T fall off? the simplest solution I can think of would be to take the watch, affix some velcro to the back of it and to the kayak right in front of the cockpit, then take a ziploc bag, cut it in half, then lay it down over the watch once you have stuck it to the kayak and use some waterproof tape (duct tape would work) to tape the bag down around it so no water gets splashed on.

with the tape and the velcro together that baby will NEVER come off unless you physically rip it off, and with the plastic bag taped on it will stay dry if you roll and still stay attached.

[Castro]

Thanks for the help everyone.
I think I may try the pvc route, with the end caps so that it doesn't slide off.
I will post pics just for fun and because I have nothing better to do.
Thanks

[Drake]

you forgot a step, it should read

5- attach contraption to suction cup somehow
6- ??????
7- profit!

The only suction cup I could think of was this, which isn't exactly designed to be a base for mounting things. So I assumed step 5 was going to be ??????. Then I saw that. Too easy. Not sure if castro has had anytime to find anything yet, but yeah, I might need to add another step.

[Castro]

To clarify, the suction cup (probably not the correct term, my mistake) is like what is on the bottom of a joystick, or a novelty stuffed character that attaches to a window.

[crowey]

is it waterproof? if so can you just attach it to a string, and tie it to your boat. then ducktape it so you can see.
this way you don't even have to go back to fetch it, as it's tethered to you.