Kojiro Shiraishi, the first ever sailor from Asia has made all Asians proud by participating in the world’s toughest ocean race – the Vendée Globe, the solo, non-stop, round-the-world race. Keeping him company and helping him track time on this harsh journey as he sets new records will be the Seiko Prospex Marinemaster, a GPS Solar watch that Kojiro himself helped to design. The Prospex Marinemaster watch will help Shiraishi keep track of UTC time. For this, the GPS Solar Dual Time function is perfect. Also, the legibility of the time is of paramount importance so the 12 markers and hour and minute hands are made as legible as possible this watch.
Born in 1967, Kojiro was raised in Kamakura. After his graduation from a high school specializing in ocean science education in Kanagawa Prefecture, he apprenticed with Yuko Tada, the first champion of a round-the-world single-handed yacht race named Around Alone. In 1994, Kojiro became the youngest person to complete in a solo non-stop round-the-world trip.
Since then, he has competed almost continuously in other yacht and adventure races. In 2006, he sailed in a class one (60 feet) round-the-world single-handed yacht race, 5 Oceans, and finished in second place. In 2008, he and his team lowered the world record between San Francisco and Yokohama when he participated as a crew member on a French Catamaran Gitana13. In the 2016 Transat New York-Vendée, known as the prelude to the Vendée Globe, held from May 29 to June 11, he finished seventh, which gave him the opportunity to take part in the Vendée Globe.
This Prospex Marinemaster GPS Solar Dual-Time watch adjusts, with one touch of a button, to the exact local time anywhere on earth, on land or at sea, using just the power of light. This function is especially useful when a sailor is in the waters near the poles, where time zones change with far more frequently than at the Equator. Furthermore, the Dual-Time function allows an ocean sailor to know at a glance the time in his or her home port, as well as local time.
The case and bracelet are made of corrosion-resistant titanium, protected by a super-hard coating and a ceramic bezel. On Shiraishi’s advice, they are shaped to avoid any edge catching a rope or line. The watch is water resistant to 200 meters, with a screw-down case back and crown. Excellent legibility in any weather, day or night, is ensured by the sapphire crystal (coated inside and out to minimize glare), the wide, prow-shaped markers and Seiko’s latest Lumibrite coating. The crown and buttons are easy to use, even when gloves are worn. The watch is a limited edition with only 1,500 pieces available. The watch diameter measures 48.5 mm and allows for easy reading of the dial in all conditions.
