Best Sailing Watches With GPS

‍Written by Paul

Our editors independently researched & tested all of the watches mentioned in this article & we only recommend what we believe are the best. We may receive a commission on purchases made through our links (at no extra cost to you)More details

In a rush & just want to see the top picks?

Our Top Picks

Best Overall: Garmin Instinct

Best For Underwater: Garmin Descent MK1

Best For Price: Coros APEX Multisports

Best For Battery Life: Garmin Quatix 5x Sapphire

Best For Features: Garmin Fenix 5x Sapphire

Worth Mentioning: Suunto Traverse

Looking for the best sailing watches with GPS for your next sailing trip?

Well, you've come to the right place. We've compiled a list of some of the best on the market today for various prices so there is something for people with different budgets.

We'll also look at the features of these watches to assist in picking your favorite one.

A high quality timepiece with precise times can be very important, especially for those participating in regattas.

So what exactly makes a good watch when you are enjoying a wonderful day on the water? Durability, precision, quality, water proof functionality and good craftsmanship.

With these watches, you'll be able to tell precise navigation, check shipping data, heart rates, tide reports, weather information, GPS navigation and much more.

What should you look for in a sailing watch? Durability to withstand the most punishing of sailing trips. Elegant design because let's face it, who loves a boring design and finally waterproof to survive the harsh sea waters.

So let's get started.

Suunto Traverse

The first on our list is the Suunto Traverse. There are a number of great features and benefits to this watch including: 

  • Integrated GPS Navigation
  • 100 Hours Battery Life
  • Speed, range & height measurement capabilities
  • Waterproof up to 330 feet
  • Weather & Storm warning capability
  • Real time route recording

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Made in Finland, The Suunto Traverse is a well made watch capable of withstanding punishing conditions making it a perfect choice for sailing. It's composite case feels light on the wrist & the stainless steel bezel helps protect the screen.

It also comes with text, call and push notifications alerts & can pair easily with your smartphone. One thing to note is the movescount app (comes with the watch) defaults to the best gps signal which in turn will drain the battery much faster.

Simply adjust the sport mode (within the app) and the battery life will be much better.

Pros

  • Compass, GPS, altimeter, thermometer very accurate
  • Storm alerts are great when sailing
  • MGRS format available
  • Phone integration built in

Cons

  • Takes some time getting used to the settings
  • Can drain battery faster if not in the right settings
  • Battery life only 4 days

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Garmin Instinct

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The Garmin Instinct is the next on the list. Some of the benefits and features include: 

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Built to a US Military standard, this watch can withstand a lot of punishment making it a great timepiece for your sailing trips.

It's water resistance capabilities makes it perfect for withstanding even the harshest of climates.

Pros

  • Compass, GPS, altimeter, thermometer very accurate
  • Battery life 14 days
  • Storm alerts are great when sailing
  • US Military Grade Construction
  • Phone integration built in
  • Thermal & shock resistant means it can take the punishment when sailing
  • Sleep tracking capability

Cons

  • Display in a shade of grey only
  • Can drain battery faster if not in the right settings
  • Not touch screen (this could be consider a plus for some) 

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Garmin Quatix 5 Sapphire

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The Garmin Quatix 5 Sapphire Marine is the next on the list. Some of the benefits and features include: 

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This watch is particularly great when collecting water sports data when out and about sailing. It also has the ability to connect with a boats stereo &  also has comes with an app to connect with.

With the great gps navigation built in, you can track your journey from your wrist.

Pros

  • Autopilot control functionality
  • Sail assist capabilities
  • Beautiful Design
  • Stereo control capabilities
  • Boat streaming data

Cons

  • Not touch screen
  • The material can sometimes cause corrosion

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Garmin Descent MK1

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The Garmin Descent MK1 also makes the cut as one of the best. This watch is particularly good for those who enjoy diving while out sailing/boating.

Some of the benefits & features include:

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With it's full color onscreen mapping and location reference, this watch offers quite a lot and is priced as such.

With the great gps navigation built in, you can track your journey from your wrist.

Pros

  • Dive logging capabilities
  • stainless steel or titanium material options
  • Full LED display
  • Stereo control capabilities
  • Boat streaming data

Cons

  • Not touch screen
  • Only 40 hours battery in dive mode (some people forget to turn it out when not diving)

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Garmin Fenix 5x Sapphire

best sailing watches with gps

The Garmin Fenix 5x is the winner for overall best sailing watch with gps. It has a wide array of features like:

  • Colored screen GPS navigation
  • Track stats including heart rate over time, steps, distance traveled
  • Compass,gyroscope & barometric altimeter
  • Stainless steel bezel, buttons & rear case
  • Scratch resistant
  • Wifi enabled & waterproof to 100m
  • Battery life 2 weeks in smart mode

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This has a lot of features & benefits to both the fitness freak & the sailing lovers.

With the great gps navigation built in, you can track your journey from your wrist. Track stats like your heart rate if you want to assess every bit of data if in regatta.

Pros

  • Built in navigation sensors
  • Auto upload to garmin connect
  • Beautiful Design
  • High quality scratch resistant stainless steel
  • Smart notifications

Cons

  • Not touch screen
  • Only 24 hours battery in gps mode

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Coros Apex Multisport

black fitness & sailing watch

The Coros Apex Multisport is not just a fitness watch but an awesome watch when out sailing. It features:

  • Colored screen GPS navigation
  • Battery life 24 days on regular use mode
  • Compass,gyroscope & barometric altimeter
  • Scratch resistant
  • Heart rate monitor

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This has a lot of features & benefits to both the fitness freak & the sailing lovers.

With the great gps navigation built in, you can track your journey from your wrist. Track stats like your heart rate if you want to assess every bit of data if in regatta.

Pros

  • 80 hours on gps mode battery life
  • Various watch strap choices
  • Beautiful Design
  • High quality scratch resistant material

Cons

  • Not touch screen

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So there you have it. Hopefully there is something for everyone in that list & you find the top one for you.  All the watches listed above come with high reviews and we've tested all of them too.

They all come with a warranty so you have extra peace of mind when choosing your favorite.

With durability as a key component, your watch will most definitely withstand the rough climates when out sailing on the water.