how does a yacht master work

A guide to the Rolex Yacht-Master

Over the years, the Rolex Yacht-Master watch has grown significantly, becoming one of the most diverse ranges of Rolex watch available.

The evolution of the luxury brand’s classic sports watch has extended beyond imaginable parallels, offering the avid collector various choices in bracelet style, bezel material and case size over three entire decades. As such, the Yacht-Master continues to prove itself a valuable and dependable mainstay within the manufacturer’s current catalogue, despite many models having become discontinued over the years. To define the Yacht-Master by Rolex, one would categorize it as a luxury sports watch, yet the collection can be broken down into two watches that remain incredibly similar to one another, despite a slightly different name.

. One is the Yacht-Master - a watch that can be considered the original sports model designed by Rolex, intended for setting sail with and enjoying whilst sailing aboard a luxury yacht. The Yacht-Master II, however, is designed for more precise functionality. Equipped with all the technology to enable an individual to record regatta timings, this younger distinction of the model is classified as a watch for racing a yacht as opposed to enjoying alongside a ride on one.

Whether wearing a Rolex Yacht-Master for aesthetical or practical reasons, however, its sleek looks and refined qualities are characteristics that are sought after far and wide amongst Rolex fans. Like with every Rolex, however, there are some factors to research and consider before investing in your very first Yacht-Master and these include pricing, history and features amongst many others.

What are the differences between the Yacht-Master and Yacht-Master II?

To break down the key differences between the Rolex Yacht-Master and the Rolex Yacht-Master II, here are a few quick facts. The Yacht-Master is available in sizes of 29mm, 35mm, 37mm, 40mm and 42mm and is manufactured in Rolesium, Everose Rolesor, yellow gold Rolesor, solid 18ct yellow gold, solid 18ct white gold and 18ct Everose gold. The watch offers running hours, minutes and seconds and features a date function at 3 o’clock. A bidirectional rotating bezel has a 60-minute scale upon its surface and each model promises a water resistance of 100 meters. The models are offered on an Oyster bracelet or Oysterflex bracelet. The Rolex Yacht-Master II, however, is available in a 44mm size and is offered in a solid stainless steel version, as well as Everose Rolesor, 18ct yellow gold and 18ct white gold. Function-wise, the models offer running seconds with an adjustable countdown timer with a mechanical memory. The watch also features a ring command bezel, along with 100-meter water resistance and is fitted on an Oyster bracelet.

A brief history of the Rolex Yacht-Master watch collection

A brief history of both the Rolex Yacht-Master and Yacht-Master II watches is beneficial before investing in a model from this range. Though not introduced until 1992, the Rolex Yacht-Master watch had foundations secured for its release much earlier than that. The brand had partnered with the New York Yacht Club back in 1958, laying down the roots to its heritage in sailing long before the iconic sports watch was conceptualized. By this point, Rolex had ready developed its first waterproof watch thanks to the 1926 Oyster case.

In 1966, the Gipsy Moth IV yacht was sailed 29,600 miles around the world by Francis Chichester, who wore a Rolex on his wrist amongst very few other measuring tools including a sextant and nautical chart. Thanks to the Rolex Oyster Perpetual watch he wore during his journey, time could be tracked amongst rough conditions for an entire 226 days whilst at sea. It put Rolex officially on the radar of seafarers as a manufacturer capable of producing robust and reliable tools for facing the challenging conditions experienced at sea.

In 1992 the world’s first official Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master was released and was crafted entirely from 18ct yellow gold, cementing its status as a luxury tool watch. Over the next 15 years, Rolex would experiment with various case materials until in 2007, the first Yacht-Master II was born. Sportsmen could utilize this tool watch whilst regatta racing – its chronograph features stood out clearly and legibly across the surface of the dial. A programmable countdown timer enabled the individual to measure the countdown time before a race commences for improved precision and a better start to the competition. With flyback and fly-forward functionality, synchronization with the Race Committee was a breeze.

Current Popular Rolex Yacht-Master models

As mentioned, it is the Yacht-Master’s affinity with the sea and its diverse range of styles and case materials that make this collection so widely sought-after within the Rolex watch stratosphere. Paired with cutting-edge technology and primed for yacht race competing, the series has much to offer any luxury sports watch fan. Here are just a few Rolex Yacht-Master watches that have proven their popularity as both a tool and an investment since their release.

Rolex Yacht-Master ref 126622

Rolex Yacht-Master watches made from Rolesium make for an interesting talking point to wear with elegant attire and often make for sophisticated gifts to mark an anniversary or wedding day, especially for those who prefer their wristwatches to exude a very classic look. That said, Rolex packs a lot of modern technology into the design of a Yacht-Master watch such as the model 1266, which not only offers a very compact and manageable case size for those with a slender wrist but has also been forged from a material that is exclusive to the Yacht-Master watch range itself. Stainless Steel and platinum are materials chosen for their robust, corrosion-resistant and luxurious properties, whilst the three-link design of the oyster bracelet creates a timeless look whether paired with elegant or casual attire. Polished middle links and brushed outer links create a unique look against the wrist, especially when you consider that these finishes differ from those seen in the Rolex Submariner and Sea-Dweller models, which instead offer a fully brushed bracelet finish.

Rolex Yacht-Master ref 116680

One of the most popular Rolex Yacht-Master watches has to be the ref 116680 with a blue ceramic bezel. Rolex had begun equipping its watches with Cerachrom bezels back in the year 2005. This model was made available in stainless steel, two-tone Everose, or yellow gold, and since it belongs to the Yacht-Master II collection, measures a broad 44mm diameter. As of 2019, Rolex Yacht-Master II watches were equipped with the Calibre 3235 – a trusted workhorse for many of Rolex’s models. Framed inside this striking blue bezel is a white dial adorned with a small second sub-counter in blue at 6 o’clock, along with a countdown that can be programmed for a duration of between 1 and 10 minutes. The programming is memorized by the mechanism so that at a reset it returns to the previous setting and once launched, can be synchronized on the fly to match the official race countdown.

Rolex Yacht-Master ref 116655

The Rolex Yacht-Master ref 116656 is, without a doubt, one of the most coveted and popular models from this series of luxury sports watches. The model not only features a matte black ceramic bezel but features a set of two-textured, highly polished and raised numerals upon its sandblasted surface. The watch is fitted to an Oysterflex bracelet, promising all-round comfort and thanks to its unusual choice of contrasting rich black and luxurious pink gold colours, can be enjoyed by both male and female Rolex fans alike. An Everose case and gold serrated ring complete its look, combining nicely with the elegant black bezel, whilst on the display itself, cathedral-type hands and a cyclops date window reside.

The Rolex Yacht-Master II ref 226659

Slightly larger in size is the 42mm Rolex Yacht-Master II watch with the reference 226659, which features a stunning 18ct white gold case and bezel with a striking black Cerachrom bezel inlay for precise tracking of elapsed time. The Oysterflex bracelet is just one of the many appealing features of the Rolex Yacht-Master series. Although creating the aesthetic and sporty look of a rubber strap with its outer elastomer rubber shell in black - inside the structure of the bracelet is a series of flexible metal inserts. The Rolex Yacht-Master II ref 226659 debuted in 2019 with the desirable Calibre 3235 secured to the heart of its case, creating plenty of power reserve for those occasions when taken off the wrist, promising superior reliability and accuracy. Its classic black and white gold colourway make it easy to pair wot formal, casual or elegant attire.

There will always be plenty of reasons to invest in a Rolex Yacht-Master watch. Having been equipped with a reliable movement and a set of unique features that enable superior regatta timings out on the water, there is little else on the market that matches the supreme craftsmanship and instantly recognizable aesthetics of the iconic Rolex Yacht-Master watch. Whether you have any use for the polarizing watch’s regatta timer feature or not, it is one of the most niche complications watches imaginable. The Yacht-Master will always be a timepiece that holds its value, symbolizing a brand of significant provenance and value.

More Rolex guides

To find out more about which Rolex hold their value you can read more of our guides where we cover all Rolex Nicknames or our classic guide to the Day Date models and our comparision with their sister brand: Rolex vs Tudor .

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How to Set and Use the Rolex Yacht-Master II

Regatta races are an exciting way to test your sailing ability. The Rolex Yacht-Master II has a countdown timer so you can time your regatta race.

Not only does it look fantastic, but its highly specialized functions are powered by one of the most impressive movements Rolex has released to date. Using these functions though can be a frustrating and complicated path.

While there are number of steps to the process, Rolex designed it to be quick and simple once you get to know it.

With this guide, you’ll learn how to set the Rolex Yacht-Master II for a regatta, as well as how to use it during the race.

What is a regatta watch?

First of all, what is a regatta watch? The Rolex Yacht-Master II’s countdown timer is used to time events that involve boats or other competitive pursuits, such as sailing races, chariot races, and even football matches.

The goal of these events is to get from point A to point B in the fastest amount of time possible. To do this, teams will use the count-down timer on their watches to measure their progress and determine whether they should increase their speed or slow down if they are falling behind.

You’re probably wondering why you would need a watch with such an advanced feature if you aren’t partaking in regatta activities yourself. Well, there are plenty of instances where having the ability to time something accurately can be useful. Even everyday tasks like boiling your eggs perfectly or recording the length of timeouts count! The possibilities are endless.

How to Set your Countdown Timer on a Rolex Yacht-Master II

The countdown timer on the Rolex Yacht-Master II is an elegant and useful feature. You’ll need to set it up though before the beginning of the regatta to start the countdown at the appropriate time.

To set the countdown timer:

1. The timer needs to have stopped. If it is still going, push the upper pusher on the right hand side of the dial/case to stop the timer.

2. Once the timer is stopped, you need to turn the bezel to the left, or counterclockwise, a quarter turn. It will stop at a quarter as that’s as far as it can go, and it will click into place for you.

3. Push the bottom pusher on the right hand side of your case. When you push this button, it will stay pushed down. This bounces the second hand to zero or the 12 o’clock mark. The minute hand will also return itself back to wherever you previously had it set. Having the lower pusher depressed blocks you from pressing the upper pusher.

4. Unlock the crown by turning it counterclockwise. The crown is the center knob at the 3 o’clock position on the right hand side of your case. Turn the crown clockwise setting it to the minute that you need.

5. Once you’ve set the duration of your preferred countdown, you’re going to return to the bezel. Turn the bezel this time in a clockwise direction until the click, or a quarter turn. This action unlocks the upper pusher and lets go of the lower one.

6. Push your crown back in and rotate it clockwise until it locks. This ensures that your watch keeps its water resistance.

How to Use the Countdown Timer on your Rolex Yacht-Master II

The countdown timer on the Yacht-Master II is used to display how much time has passed in a race (or other endeavors). Many people use this feature when they’re tracking their own races, but it’s also useful for non-sporting activities.

Here’s how to use it:

1. Your top or upper pusher starts and stops your countdown. This is similar to other traditional Rolex complications like what you’d find on the Daytona . The lower pusher resets the timer.

2. The difference with the Yacht-Master from other chronograph watches is that you can jump forward or backward to the closest minute with a one touch to the lower button. There’s no need to reset the counter, wasting valuable time in a race.

3. To use the fly-back or fly-forward functions mentioned above, while the timer is running, give one quick press to the lower pusher. The timer resets itself to the closest minute while still running. This allows you to instantly start measuring the next duration, with no time lost.

Timing a Regatta Race using the Rolex Yacht-Master II

Ok, so your timer is set, and you know how to run it, but what are you supposed to do with it during a regatta race?

Regatta Racing (photo: Rolex)

1. If you’re unfamiliar with why you need a timer in a regatta, this isn’t unusual. A gun and a wave of a flag signal the countdown to the start of the race. When you see or hear this, then press the top pusher that starts the timer. If you did your job, your timer was set at the needed number of minutes ahead of time. At this point, the second hand is tracking the elapsed time since you started. The minutes hand will move every 60 seconds tracking the time until it hits the finish or zero. End of a countdown.

The Rolex Yacht-Master II in Steel and Everose Gold (photo: Rolex)

2. There may be a point where you’ll have to pause and resync your timer. You’ll want it to maintain sync with the official clock. Being on-time is important in a regatta. This is easy to accomplish. When you hear the second or third prep signals, the official ones, press the lower pusher. This resets the second hand back to the beginning, or zero, synchronizing the minute hand back to the closest minute, thus syncing with the official clock.

3. At this point, the race has begun. Your personal countdown has finished and you’re off. Now you can restart your timer by pressing the top pusher to stop it and then the bottom pusher to reset it to the last programmed setting.

How to Use Your Rolex Yacht-Master II: Final Thoughts

Now you know how to use your Rolex Yacht-Master II in a regatta race. It’s a great watch that will make timing your races much easier and more accurate. Better yet, use your timer for anything you need a countdown for.

On the market for a Rolex Yacht-Master? Check out our wide selection of Rolex Yacht-Master watches at SwissWatchExpo.com.

How Does A Yacht Watch Work?

Watches and sports have always gone hand in hand. Whether a particular brand is the official timekeeper for a tournament or a particular model is designed with an athlete in mind, the two have been a longstanding pair, which comes as no surprise, since most sports rely on accurate timing.

But nothing quite compares to the precise timekeeping required in sailing. Unlike other sports that begin with a simple serve or starting gate, a regatta begins in the elements: on the water and at the mercy of the wind. The moments leading up to the start of a regatta are nerve-racking – each yacht attempts to hold its position in the water at an imaginary starting line, all while enduring the force of the wind. First, a horn signals the countdown to the start of the race, typically around ten to fifteen minutes. Skippers must maintain control of their sailboats until the official starting gun fires or else they can be penalized severely for prematurely crossing that invisible starting line.

What Is a Yacht Watch?

Over the years, countless watch brands have created their own version of a yacht timer with specific functions designed for the needs of the sailing community. Watchmakers recognize how crucial it is for the skipper to be able to measure and anticipate the interval leading up to the start of the regatta, and that’s where the yacht watch comes in.

The key feature of a yacht watch is a display indicating that critical countdown time. From more widely known models, like the Rolex Yacht-Master II, to vintage models, like the Heuer Skipper, most regatta timers share the same basic functions. However, various models have different ways of illustrating this interval, often using a combination of colors and numbers.

The Rolex Yacht-Master II

The Rolex Yacht-Master II features a countdown function in a horseshoe shape on the interior of the dial at the 12-o’clock position. The display illustrates a ten-minute timer with a red chronograph seconds hand and a flyback function. With the push of a button, this allows the regatta timer to sync with a reference clock to the nearest minute.

To set the regatta timer, unscrew the crown, turn the rotating bezel ninety degrees counterclockwise, and press the pusher at the 4-o’clock position. Next, rotate the crown clockwise to set the timer to the desired interval, anywhere from one to ten minutes. Once you’ve selected the corresponding number of minutes before the race starts, rotate the bezel back ninety degrees clockwise to its initial position. You’ll know you’ve done it properly when the pusher at the 4-o’clock position pops back into its original place. Screw the crown back in to ensure the watch remains watertight. Now the timepiece can be operated like any standard chronograph. Press the pusher at the 2-o’clock position, and the red chronograph seconds hand will begin counting down.

Heuer’s Regatta Timers

Heuer also produced two notable yacht watches back in the 1960’s and 1970’s, which display the countdown feature in a different format.

The Heuer Skipper features a colored and numbered subdial at the 3-o’clock position, which serves as the regatta timer. In this model, the countdown subdial houses a fifteen-minute counter divided into three five-minute segments, each of which is indicated by a different color: red, white, or blue.

The Heuer Regatta illustrates the countdown with five indicator dots at the 12-o’clock position. Each dot represents one minute, clocking five minutes total. Time is measured as the dots change color, typically from white to red or red to blue.

This summer, whether you’re following the Sailing World Cup or enjoying a race at your local yacht club, you’ll have a better understanding of those critical moments leading up to the starting gun’s fire and why it’s worth measuring with a yacht timer. And if sailing isn’t your sport, the countdown function on a yacht watch could be handy in a variety of other ways, and honestly, it just makes a nice-looking watch with slightly different style.

Images ©: Header, 2-4; Crown & Caliber. 1; Sail-World . 

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Tugboats left before ship reached Baltimore bridge. They might have saved it.

As investigators work to determine what caused the hulking Dali container ship to topple Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key bridge in a matter of seconds on Tuesday, maritime experts around the country are pointing to what could have stopped it.

These small but mighty vessels tow and push ever-larger ships through channels and help them when their propulsion systems – or lack thereof – cannot. They are standard equipment in ports worldwide and are especially useful to help ships with docking and undocking.

On Tuesday, a pair of tugboats operated by McAllister Towing and Transportation did just that, helping the Dali unmoor itself from the main terminal at the Port of Baltimore and orient the ship toward the open waters.

But they broke away before the massive ship navigated under the bridge , as is common practice. Minutes later, the Dali appeared to lose power and propulsion, sending the craft adrift and directly into one of the bridge’s support columns. The steel-truss bridge immediately collapsed into the frigid Patapsco River.

The accident is igniting debate over the proliferation of “megaships” that fuel today’s commercial transportation industry and whether port protocols have ramped up to safely accommodate them. Although the Dali is average-sized compared to many of these behemoths, the devastation it caused in Baltimore was formidable.

Live updates: Two bodies in Baltimore bridge collapse recovered; search for 4 others ends

Had the tugboats accompanied the ship all the way under the bridge, some experts said, they might have been able to stop, slow, or steer it away from danger.

Such a scenario should be standard operating procedure in all ports, said Capt. Ashok Pandey, a master mariner and associate professor of maritime business at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. But he said the industry’s reliance on tugs has waned over the years as technological advancements gave many ships the ability to maneuver through channels independently.

Technology is great, Pandey said, until it fails.

“We went wrong by simply equipping ships with bow and stern thrusters that we use in lieu of tugs to maneuver in and out of the ports,” Pandey said. “When we are getting into ports like Baltimore, within a few miles of the bridge, that's too important an asset that we must think of protecting it by all means possible. And we can do that. We can easily do that.”

It may be rare for a ship to lose power at such a high-stakes moment, but it clearly does happen, and he said tugboats could have averted catastrophe.

Implementing such a practice would require a significant investment for U.S. ports, which either own and operate their own tugboats or contract out for tug services. Those costs are then rolled into the ports’ fees charged to shipping companies who use their facilities.

“There are a finite number of tugs, and 99.9% of the time there are no issues,” said Sal Mercogliano, a former merchant mariner and current maritime historian at Campbell University who also hosts a YouTube show called “What’s Going On With Shipping?”

“If the port required tug escorts in and out, then they would not be able to help other ships dock, and undock,” Mercogliano said. “It would need more tugs, and the question becomes, how much will this cost, and will it be passed on to the consumer?”

Because ports compete with each other for shipping business, he said, it’s unlikely that one port would mandate tug escorts unless all of the ports did it for fear of losing lucrative contracts. Shipping companies want the most efficient and cost-effective deal and will simply move to the next port if confronted with higher costs or longer waits.

Mercogliano said he’s not even sure tugboats would have been able to stop the Dali from hitting the bridge. When its power appeared to fail, the ship was going about 8 knots – roughly 9 mph – with a weight of over 100,000 tons.

“It would be like a Prius trying to move a Mack truck on the highway,” he said.

Realities of the container ship arms race

The Dali isn’t even big compared to other container ships hauling goods from port to port these days.

Over the past several decades, newly constructed ships have ballooned to gigantic proportions with load-carrying capacities that used to require five or six ships. The largest container vessel in the 1980s had a maximum capacity of 4,300 20-foot containers – otherwise referred to as TEUs, or 20-foot equivalent units – the standard unit of measurement for cargo capacity.

Today’s largest ship, the MSC Irina, has a capacity of 24,346 TEUs.

The Dali, by comparison, has a capacity of just under 10,000 TEUs, making it the typical “meat and potatoes of container ships,” said Kevin Calnan, assistant professor of marine transportation at California State University Maritime Academy.

Like most container ships, Calnan said, the Dali has one engine and one propeller. Its emergency diesel generator, standard in all such vessels, has enough power to keep key systems going – but not enough to restart the engine or provide propulsion.

In a video posted to social media, lights on the Dali shut off, then turned back on, then shut off again before the ship struck the bridge. Experts said that was likely the generator as it powered up the lights but not the engine.

It would have taken a second engine on board to fully power the ship and restore propulsion at that point. But Calnan said nobody in the commercial shipping industry is advocating for two engines because of their size and cost.

“Cargo is money, and companies want to maximize the amount of space they want to put cargo in, so to build a ship with a whole other engine would be taking up the space of, like, 150 containers on that ship,” he said. “Unfortunately, there’s not too much movement to require these ships to have two engines.”

Calnan, who has worked and sailed on numerous ships during his career, is among the experts who believe tugboats “definitely” could have stopped the Dali from hitting the bridge. He said he has been in similar situations where the power went out and “having tugs there basically saved the day.”

It may take a disaster for industry and ports to change

The bigger the boats and the more sophisticated the technology, the fewer the crew members on board. The Dali's crew is 22-strong.

In his 26 years sailing on commercial ships, Capt. Mike Campbell said he witnessed that shift to smaller crews as automation and electronics made it possible to do more with less when it came to docking, navigating and maintaining the engines.

“I had captains who would turn the radar off in the middle of the day because they didn't want to wear it out, and you'd just go off visual cues, take readings off lighthouses. Now everything is chips and boards,” he said. “And people are more dependent or reliant on it because they are more reliable.”

Campbell, now a professor at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and master of the training ship Kennedy, said he’s also seen captains push to meet tight schedules, recalling a time when several other chemical carriers owned by competitors sailed out of the Port of Philadelphia into bad weather. His ship stayed put for three days, and arrived in Houston, safely, a day behind schedule. The other ships, he said, all had to sail to shipyards for repairs caused by the storm.

“I was fortunate that the people I sailed under, my mentors, they never worried about the schedule. It was always about the safe operation of the ship,” he said. “You don't want to push things.”

Mariners are always worried about their schedules now, Pandey said.

The shipping industry has become so highly competitive, with companies all vying for a slice of the business, that crews are more likely to leave port without containers than wait on a late shipment and risk falling behind. Ships typically go from port to port, spending anywhere from six to eight hours in each before moving on to the next.

He called it a race to nowhere in which everyone – from the ports to the shipping companies – is playing along.

U.S. ports have spent billions of dollars over the years adapting to the new reality – upgrading their facilities and dredging their channels deep enough to accommodate these massive ships. Some experts warn they could get even bigger in the future, possibly doubling in cargo capacity at some point.

Amid the race to compete for the revenue and jobs brought by these ever-larger ships, port authorities seem to have forgotten about protecting their critical infrastructure, according to Pandley, the former master mariner. He said Tuesday’s accident might be the wake-up call they need to do some real soul-searching.

USA TODAY reached out to the American Association of Port Authorities to ask its thoughts on requiring tug escorts or any other measures to avert the kind of disaster that happened in Baltimore, but a spokesman said nobody was immediately available to take those questions.

Unfortunately, experts said, it often takes a tragedy to improve an industry.

That’s what happened after the 1989 Exxon-Valdez oil spill in Alaska when the U.S. government required double-hull construction for all newly built oil tank ships and all oil tank barges in American waters. California passed a law in the aftermath of that disaster, requiring all oil tankers to have tug escorts in its ports and harbors.

“We have a saying that the laws are written in blood,” said Roland Rexha, international secretary-treasurer of the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association, the oldest maritime union in the United States.

“Knowing what we know now, could we have had tugs accompany the ship to the bridge? Sure. But what were the issues that caused the vessel to lose power in the first place?” he said. “There will be an investigation, and we’re hopeful that the lessons learned will lead to an active change in how things are operated.”

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Reporting by Lisa Shumaker; Writing by Lisa Shumaker; Editing by Daniel Wallis, Josie Kao and Tom Hogue

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Lisa's journalism career spans two decades, and she currently serves as the Americas Day Editor for the Global News Desk. She played a pivotal role in tracking the COVID pandemic and leading initiatives in speed, headline writing and multimedia. She has worked closely with the finance and company news teams on major stories, such as the departures of Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and significant developments at Apple, Alphabet, Facebook and Tesla. Her dedication and hard work have been recognized with the 2010 Desk Editor of the Year award and a Journalist of the Year nomination in 2020. Lisa is passionate about visual and long-form storytelling. She holds a degree in both psychology and journalism from Penn State University.

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Yacht-Master

Yacht-master 42.

Oyster, 42 mm, RLX titanium

Yacht-Master 40

Oyster, 40 mm, Everose gold

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Oyster, 40 mm, Oystersteel and platinum

Oyster, 40 mm, Oystersteel and Everose gold

Oyster, 42 mm, white gold

Oyster, 42 mm, yellow gold

Unyielding performance

Yacht-Master 37

Oyster, 37 mm, Oystersteel and Everose gold

Oyster, 37 mm, Oystersteel and platinum

Oyster, 37 mm, Everose gold

Yacht-Master II

Oyster, 44 mm, yellow gold

Oyster, 44 mm, Oystersteel and Everose gold

Oyster, 44 mm, Oystersteel

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How the Key Bridge Collapsed in Baltimore: Maps and Photos

By Weiyi Cai ,  Agnes Chang ,  Lauren Leatherby ,  Lazaro Gamio ,  Leanne Abraham and Scott Reinhard

On Tuesday, a major bridge in Baltimore collapsed into the water seconds after it was struck by a cargo ship, sending vehicles on the bridge into the river below. The ship lost power and issued a mayday call shortly before it hit the bridge.

The ship, a 948-foot-long cargo vessel called Dali, was about a half hour into its journey toward Colombo, Sri Lanka, when it hit a main pillar of the bridge. All crew members are safe, according to the ship’s owners.

Follow our live coverage .

A mayday call from the ship gave officials enough time to stop traffic at both ends of the bridge. The waters where the bridge collapsed are about 50 feet deep. By Tuesday morning, six construction workers who had been fixing potholes on the bridge remained missing as divers and other emergency workers on boats and helicopters continued to search for them. Two others had been rescued, and one was in the hospital.

Francis Scott

Patapsco River

The ship left the Port

of Baltimore around

1 a.m. on Tuesday.

Where impact occurred

Direction of the ship

The ship hit the

bridge at 1:28 a.m.

The ship hit the bridge at 1:28 a.m.

Where impact

Source: Spire Global

The New York Times; satellite image by Google Earth

The lights of the ship flickered on and off as it lost power in the minutes before the ship changed bearing and hit the bridge.

Ship approached from

the Port of Baltimore

Road repair crews

Ship changed heading

as it neared pillar

Ship hit pillar

Southern and central spans

of bridge began to collapse within

seconds of impact

Northern span began to

collapse seconds later

Within 30 seconds of impact,

the central part of bridge had

entirely collapsed.

Source: StreamTime Live via YouTube

Timestamps are from StreamTime Live video.

The New York Times

The Francis Scott Key Bridge was opened in 1977 and carried more than 12.4 million vehicles last year. The bridge was one of the three major ways to cross the Patapsco River and formed part of Baltimore’s beltway.

The Port of Baltimore is a major trade hub that handled a record amount of foreign cargo last year. It is an especially important destination — the nation’s largest by volume last year — for deliveries of cars and light trucks.

Ship impact

To Chesapeake Bay

Sources: Maryland Port Administration, OpenStreetMap, MarineTraffic

Note: Ship positions are as of 2:46 p.m. Eastern time.

Overall, Baltimore was the 17th biggest port in the United States in 2021, ranked by total tons, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The bridge collapse brought marine traffic there to a standstill, with seven cargo or tanker ships stranded in the harbor as of Tuesday afternoon.

Gov. Wes Moore declared a state of emergency for Maryland and said that his office was in close communication with Pete Buttigieg, the U.S. transportation secretary. The White House issued a statement saying that President Biden had been briefed on the collapse.

Erin Schaff/The New York Times

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Rolex Yacht-Master II: How to Set the Countdown Timer

Deciding that you want to wear a Rolex Yacht-Master II is easy. It looks fantastic, it’s powered by the impressive Caliber 4161 movement, and it offers insane and highly-specialized functions. However, figuring out exactly how to use the Yacht-Master II may not seem as easy. So, here we’re going to break it down for you.

Now, at first glance, it may seem like a lot of steps, but don’t be fooled; Rolex has engineered this process to be quick and simple, despite the watch itself being a technologically-advanced mechanical masterpiece. After the first couple of times, you’ll remember these steps offhand and will be able to take full advantage of its complex functionality. Additionally, while this watch is designed to time the countdown for the start of a regatta, you can use the Rolex Yacht-Master II to do everything from timing a boiled egg to keeping track of your kids’ time-out. Get creative!

Setting the Countdown Timer on the Rolex Yacht-Master II

You’ll need to set your Rolex Yacht-Master II up before the regatta to initiate the countdown and set yourself up for the race itself.

• First, make sure that your countdown timer is stopped. If it’s not, simply press the top pusher to stop the timer’s seconds hand.
• Next, rotate the bezel counterclockwise a quarter of a turn (as far as it will go; until it clicks into place).
• Next, you’re going to push the lower pusher, which will stay depressed. This will reset the countdown seconds hand back to zero (12 o’clock) and the countdown minutes hand will reset itself back to the previous countdown time that was set. This will also block the top pusher from being able to be pressed in.
• Now you’re going to set the countdown duration by unscrewing the crown and turning it clockwise until it hits the countdown minute you need.
• Once the countdown duration has been set, turn the bezel clockwise a quarter-turn (as far as it will go; until it clicks into place). This unlocks the top pusher and releases the lower one.
• Lastly, don’t forget your crown! Push in your winding crown and screw it securely back down to the case to ensure that your watch remains water-resistant while in use.

Using the Countdown Timer on the Rolex Yacht-Master II

Now that your countdown is set, this is how you’ll put it to use.

• Just like other Rolex watches with traditional chronograph complications (like the Daytona), the top pusher will start and stop the countdown timer on the Yacht-Master II, while the bottom pusher resets it.
• However, unlike a traditional chronograph watch, the adjustable countdown timer on the Yacht-Master II features flyback and fly-forward functionality meaning that you can reset the timer to the nearest minute with a single push of a button, without having to stop or restart the timer at all.
• To use the flyback (or fly-forward) function on the Yacht-Master II, simply press the bottom pusher while the countdown timer is running. The countdown timer will reset itself back to the nearest minute, and then keep running again, allowing you to immediately start measuring your next countdown duration without skipping a beat.

Using the  Rolex Yacht-Master II  During a Regatta

Now that your countdown is set, this is how you’ll put it to use during a regatta

• If you don’t know how a regatta begins, it is usually a starting gun and a flag that signals the official countdown. When this happens, press the upper pusher to start your countdown timer, which is already set to the appropriate number of minutes of the countdown. The seconds hand for the timer will start moving around the dial indicating elapsed time, and every 60-seconds, the minute hand will jump to the next number until it hits zero – aka the end of your countdown.
• At some point, you may need to reset the countdown timer to synchronize with the official race clock. This allows you to ensure that you’re on-time with the official race clock, even if you do not start the timer at exactly the right time. To do this, all you need to do is press the lower pusher when you hear the second (or third) preparatory signal. What this does is reset the seconds hand to zero and synchronize the countdown minute hand to the nearest minute. This allows you to coordinate your watch’s countdown timer to the official race clock to give you the most accurate countdown to the official start of the race.
• The race begins! Your countdown has reached zero and you’re now on your way. To reset the countdown timer back to its original setting, simply press the upper pusher to stop the regatta timer, and then press the lower pusher to reset the countdown back to the last setting that you programmed into the Yacht-Master II’s mechanical memory. With the boat race now underway, you are done! (at least until next time).

About Paul Altieri

Paul Altieri is a vintage and pre-owned Rolex specialist, entrepreneur, and the founder and CEO of BobsWatches.com. - the largest and most trusted name in luxury watches. He is widely considered a pioneer in the industry for bringing transparency and innovation to a once-considered stagnant industry. His experience spans over 35 years and he has been published in numerous publications including Forbes, The NY Times, WatchPro, and Fortune Magazine. Paul is committed to staying up-to-date with the latest research and developments in the watch industry and e-commerce, and regularly engages with other professionals in the industry. He is a member of the IWJG, the AWCI and a graduate of the GIA. Alongside running the premier retailer of pre-owned Rolex watches, Paul is a prominent Rolex watch collector himself amassing one of the largest private collections of rare timepieces. In an interview with the WSJ lifestyle/fashion editor Christina Binkley, Paul opened his vault to display his extensive collection of vintage Rolex Submariners and Daytonas. Paul Altieri is a trusted and recognized authority in the watch industry with a proven track record of expertise, professionalism, and commitment to excellence.

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