Top 3 GPS smartwatches for sailing & water sports (2023)

Are you looking for GPS smartwatches for water sports? Do you need a GPS smartwatch suitable for sailing or other water sports such as sailing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, wing foiling, SUP or surfing?

From time to time, we receive a message from a user of our KANARA Sport mobile app asking us for recommendations on smartwatches they can use for their sailing & watersports activities.

The truth is that there are many options on the market, and it's hard to know which one best suits your budget and your needs as a sailor or yachtsman. To make things easier for you, we've compiled a list of 3 of the best GPS smartwatches for sailing and water sports to consider in 2023.

What to consider when choosing a smartwatch for sailing or water sports

Not all athletes have the same needs. Only in our application KANARA SportWe have more than 100 different sailing classes and types of water sports that sailors and water sports practioners can track, analyse and share with other users. Everyone has their own particularities and needs.

Similarly, the smartwatches we've included in this list include specific sailing and water sports features to help you get the most out of your activities, whether you're a sailor or a water sports enthusiast:

-Sailing
-Hydrofoil
-Kiteboarding / Kitesurfing
-Windsurf
-Wing Foil
-Surf
-SUP
-Any other water sport

However, there are a couple of good things to consider before making a sailing / water sports smartwatch purchase:

GPS Smartwatch for sailing and water sports Waterproof, quality and durable

The most important thing to consider is the quality and durability of the smartwatch. Although smartwatches are not 100% waterproof, most smartwatch options on the market have improved significantly regarding water resistance.

This is because manufacturers now rigorously test devices to ensure that they will survive the activities for which they were designed and are likely to be used. As a caveat, even if a device is above the depth for which it is rated, it may still suffer water ingress if exposed to an activity that creates pressure over the depth rating.

All the smartwatches on our list are water resistant, and the manufacturers advertise them as suitable for swimming, diving, sailing, boating, surfing, SUP and high-speed water sports. We've also taken an in-depth look at the opinions of sailors and water sports enthusiasts to see if these smartwatches are up to the task.

Cost and features of GPS smartwatches for sailing and water sports

GPS smartwatches were expensive, especially when they first came on the market. Even fewer options were suitable for sailing or water sports activities.

If you do sailing, kitesurfing, windsurfing or almost any other water sport, you've already invested enough in training, equipment and travel. Do you need another expense?

Fortunately, there are several options on the market that are reliable and durable enough for use on and off the water and will fit any sailor´´s or water sport aficionado´s budget. In this list, we've included options at different price points to help you find the one that's right for you.

3 GPS smartwatches ideal for water sports: sailing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, wing foil, etc.

GARMIN QUATIX® 7 - GPS SMARTWATCH FOR ALL YOUR NAUTICAL NEEDS

The smartwatches from Garmin from the Fenix to the vivoactive and venu come highly recommended by water sports enthusiasts such as kiters and windsurfers. But the line of smartwatches Garmin quatix ® 7 has been described as the best GPS watches for water sports on the market.

If you're a sailor, it not only helps you time your starts, but allows you to create a virtual start line to time your perfect start. It also offers tack assist to show whether you're heading or lifting.

If you're a boater, this Garmin GPS watch offers autopilot control for your boat. You can use the autopilot app to change your boat's course, activate pattern steering and follow a GPS route.

The watch has a built-in GPS, altimeter, barometer and compass to help you navigate the waters with ease. It also comes with a variety of nautical functions, such as tide information, wind direction and speed data and more.

In addition, it is compatible with Garmin Connectwhich allows you to track your progress while sailing and share information with other sailors.

Price: 699 EUR (Garmin)

SUUNTO 9 PEAK- THE PERFECT SMARTWATCH WITH GPS FOR WATER SPORTS

Suunto is a leading brand in the world of watches for outdoor sports, such as water sports. Its watches are designed to help sports enthusiasts enjoy their activities without compromising safety and sustainability.

With the Suunto 9 Peak ProWith a simple, easy-to-use, and easy-to-read interface, users can access real-time data on their performance and stay connected to their friends while on the water. It also comes with various features, such as GPS tracking, heart rate monitoring and more, to help you stay safe and enjoy your time on the water.

Suunto watches are equipped with GPS tracking, activity tracking and even heart rate monitoring to ensure athletes can monitor their performance and stay safe while enjoying their favourite activities such as kitesurfing, SUP, kayaking or sailing.

Price: 499 EUR (Suunto)

Apple Watch Ultra - New Apple Watch appeals to water sports enthusiasts

The Apple Watch has become a popular choice for water sports enthusiasts. Recently, the Apple Watch Ultra has been selected as the official wearable team of the World Surf League..

It's the perfect smartwatch for those who want to take their windsurfing, SUP, surfing and sailing to the next level.
With nautical features like GPS tracking and tide information, Apple Watch can help you navigate the waters with ease.

And compatibility with your iPhone means you can access all your favourite apps while on the water. Whether you're a professional sailor or just getting into water sports, Apple Watch is an invaluable asset to help you stay safe and have fun.

Price: 999 EUR (Apple)

PERSONAL FAVOURITE GPS WATCHES OF THE KANARA SPORT TEAM

Our co-founder, Alejandro, loves kitesurfing (he has been practicing for 12 years) with his Garmin Instinct. You like that it's tough and reliable. It automatically syncs your recorded and saved sessions to your Garmin Connect on KANARA Sport for additional information about your performance on the water.

Our co-founder, Gaby, loves swimming, SUPing, kayaking and exploring nature in her spare time. She uses the smartwatch Suunto Spartan Sport To keep track of your activities. She likes the design, durability and long battery life. Suppose she doesn't have her smartwatch handy. In that case, she can use the Suunto mobile app to track her activity and automatically sync sessions to KANARA Sport for analysis and sharing with other athletes.

Get more out of your smartwatch with KANARA Sport: your sailing & nautical sports app

If you have a smartwatch Garmin or Suunto, you can connect your device to our free mobile application KANARA Sport to better track, analyse and share your sessions.

Get free information about your sessions, connect with your friends, practice, play and compete with them through the application for Android or iPhone.

We have created the KANARA Sport application to make it easier for sailors and water sports enthusiasts to track, analyse and share water sports activities.

KANARA Sport provides information about your nautical activity, such as speed, distance, duration, Velocity Made Good, heat maps, polar charts and analysis of tacks and gybes manoeuvres.

All you have to do is:
1- Download KANARA Sport free for Android or iPhone.
2- Register and verify your KANARA Sport user account
3- In your KANARA Sport profile, select Synchronise Device and choose Garmin or Suunto.

And that's it. From then on, all the water activities recorded and saved in your Garmin Connect or Suunto account will automatically sync with your KANARA Sport profile under Sessions. You can sort your sessions by sport type and privacy. Click here for more information.

Apple Watch is currently in beta testing and development. If you want to be informed about the integration of KANARA Sport with Apple Watch, subscribe to our newsletter below.

What is your favourite GPS smartwatch for sailing and water sports?

We hope you have found this blog useful. If you would like to continue your search, we suggest you check out the sailing, kite, windsurfing, wing foil, SUP, and other forums and groups for other recommendations. Do you have a GPS smartwatch recommendation for sailing and watersports? Let us know in the comments.