Ships clock & barometer for the wheel house

[toddster8]

Originally Posted by Smokeys Kitchen

-2 for Chelsea. I am now looking locally for repair

It's nothing that you couldn't do yourself. The only tricky bit was finding a movement with a short enough shaft to fit inside the glass lens. As it happened the original hands were the wrong size for the shaft I got, so bought hands to fit for about $5. Had to trim a few mm off the second hand tip and bend it slightly to move under the curve of the glass. It's possible the original hands could be made to fit with careful drilling, but they are pretty delicate.
As mentioned above, I highly recommend a continuous sweep second hand, due to radio interference from the "ticking" kind.

Aaand... the now nearly empty brass housing seems like an obvious hidey hole to be the "ship's safe." Probably too obvious. I had toyed with the idea of just taking out the face and using the housing for full electronic display of time and weather data. Maybe someday.

[RSB333]

Go with Chelsea mechanical and you won't be sorry.
RSB333

[Brewgyver]

Originally Posted by Sdpaddler50

The reviews for the Weems & Plath products on Amazon are not very good, with people noting the clock looses 10 mins every day. Unacceptable for a $250 clock. Are they wrong?

I always take online reviews with a grain of salt (closer to 7,000, aka a pound).

The idea that a modern quartz movement could lose 10 minutes a day is hard to swallow (too salty!) I'd be surprised if it lost 10 seconds a day.

The typical nautical clock and barometer are on my someday list, most likely for the next boat. In the meantime, I have one like this:


In the $20 range. It was in the boat when I got it, six years ago, and still matches my cell phone time every time I bother to look. It's hung above a hanging locker, so I could still get a cool brass job for the main bulkhead.

[Sdpaddler50]

Regarding on line and internet reviews, agree, you have to keep things in perspective.

I spent time in the Merchant Marine and USN quite a few years ago so I probably saw a few Chelsea clocks back then. Very cool to see the older ones being refurbished and kept alive.

I Appreciate the input.

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by Brewgyver

I always take online reviews with a grain of salt (closer to 7,000, aka a pound).

The idea that a modern quartz movement could lose 10 minutes a day is hard to swallow (too salty!) I'd be surprised if it lost 10 seconds a day.

The typical nautical clock and barometer are on my someday list, most likely for the next boat. In the meantime, I have one like this:


In the $20 range. It was in the boat when I got it, six years ago, and still matches my cell phone time every time I bother to look. It's hung above a hanging locker, so I could still get a cool brass job for the main bulkhead.

And here I think you hit the nail on the head; does the OP want a set of well functioning, reliable tools for their usage, or is is a combination of "really cool" factor, plus it tells me the time and pressure....


Either way, as long as you get what you want, it works!



Regards,

[dfelsent]

Originally Posted by Brewgyver

I always take online reviews with a grain of salt (closer to 7,000, aka a pound).

The idea that a modern quartz movement could lose 10 minutes a day is hard to swallow (too salty!) I'd be surprised if it lost 10 seconds a day.

The typical nautical clock and barometer are on my someday list, most likely for the next boat. In the meantime, I have one like this:


In the $20 range. It was in the boat when I got it, six years ago, and still matches my cell phone time every time I bother to look. It's hung above a hanging locker, so I could still get a cool brass job for the main bulkhead.

I’ve got exactly that at the nav station.
And a Chelsea clock and barometer on the saloon bulkhead. The clock and barometer were with the boat when she was new in 1972.
Please pardon the photo quality,it’s a screen grab from a video of the chimes.

[svHyLyte]

We have a Chelsea Ship Strike Clock and Barometer set that I purchased as a graduation gift to myself upon completing graduate school in the early '70's with both still functioning very well. The spring wound 8-day clock is fitted with two tiny levers, one activating and deactivating the ship's bell and the other for adjusting the rate. With patience and with tiny adjustments one can adjust the clock's rate to an error of less than +/- 1 a minute per day. I wind the clock at about the same time-0800-every Saturday and make whatever adjustment to the time that might be necessary, usually very little. A good polish with Brasso once a year is about all the maintenance required. The set was not inexpensive--by a long shot--at the time but, after 50 years, I figure I've gotten my money's worth, No?


FWIW...

[doublewide]

When our barometer failed we searched for an expensive replacement as you did. Then we bought a relatively cheap indoor-outdoor electronic weather station. It keeps perfect time and gives accurate pressures. And more. Did I mention it was very affordable.?

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by doublewide

When our barometer failed we searched for an expensive replacement as you did. Then we bought a relatively cheap indoor-outdoor electronic weather station. It keeps perfect time and gives accurate pressures. And more. Did I mention it was very affordable.?

So which station did you buy?

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by doublewide

When our barometer failed we searched for an expensive replacement as you did. Then we bought a relatively cheap indoor-outdoor electronic weather station. It keeps perfect time and gives accurate pressures. And more. Did I mention it was very affordable.?

A nice looking mechanical clock is a good thing to have in the cabin -- for the sake of atmosphere.


But a mechanical barometer is not actually much use unless you are logging pressure hourly -- and in my opinion that is a poor use of crew resource.



Don't confuse cabin decoration with actual instrumentation. For atmospheric pressure -- a really important thing to keep an eye on -- you want a proper electronic barograph. Maybe wind instruments measure pressure, and for $99 or less you can get an NMEA2000 barometer. Most MFD's have some kind of barograph display.


Or there are also good arguments to use a freestanding weather station. There is a great variety of these available; they all work pretty well inside the cabin. Like any of the Oregon Scientific ones: https://www.oregonscientificstore.co...-stations.aspx

[doublewide]

LaCrosse Technology

[NewportGuy]

I have three Chelsea mechanical clocks and one barometer, both old and newer. Sorry to say that newer Chelseas don’t live up to the fine brand tradition. If you’re serious about getting reliable nautical quality, best advice is to find older Chelsea items at a real clock shop or nautical antiques place. As noted in the posts, the Chelsea company repair service prices are very high. But I’ve had good experiences with local clock repair shops (another dying breed). The traditional Chelseas are everlasting and beautiful.

[Rasselas36]

I have had a W&P barometer and clock for the past 10 years. Never had an issue with either of them.

[JBsurfin]

Originally Posted by HBrew

I bought a Weems and Plath clock and barometer. The barometer is pretty useless as the dial is moved when the boat slams hard. But the clock keeps good time. A standard battery quartz electric movement, so nothing of interest to someone who likes clocks, but it works.

I have a vintage '83 series Weems and Plath clock and barometer. Its a wind up version / 8 days.. Sent it to a clock repair place to be cleaned up 13 yrs ago, never have a problem keeping time, barometer does ok, but in today's world you can get weather info in many places..

[swordds]

Both my Weems & Plath clock and barometer were a big disappointment. The clock in particular is a very cheap AA battery powered dime store unit, very loud and cheaply made. I would not buy another from them.