Anchor Alert

[golfosca]

We're nearing the end of another season in the Mediterranean, in an Oceanis 473, using a Rocna anchor. I am firmly in the Rocna camp.
But no matter how good the anchor, or how good one's anchoring procedures, there are times when it is only possible to get a good night's sleep if there is someone watching, and this is when an effective anchor alert system is worth its weight in gold.
I have used the anchor alert in OpenCPN for many years, and it is my gold standard. The drawback is that it must run on my laptop (I don't have an iPad), and the laptop is power hungry.
I have found Anchor Alert, an app for Android (I have a Nexus 7) and wish to share it. After a season of sometimes vigorous anchoring, I can say that it does everything in a very handy package. It is particularly effective in the way that it sounds its alarm in a way that filters out errant GPS fixes, a bug bear of cheaper devices. It allows the anchor position to be re-set more accurately according to the traces of the boat's swing. It allows an exclusion zone to be set if there are obstacles within the arc of swing. It can be connected to the boat's sound system to sound an alarm that would wake the dead. A must have to one's anchoring kit

[StuM]

Is that the SlimJIM Software one at $16.91?

Seems very expensive compared to all the other anchor alarms available in the Playstore

[golfosca]

That's the one. I bought it some while ago, so sorry if I got the price wrong. Regardless, at $16.91 it's priceless. I did quite a lot of research before I bought Anchor Alert, and got it because its features were already ahead of the pack. Since then it has undergone upgrades which have addressed real life needs, and I'm happy to say it does everything I need. If you can buy alternatives for less that incorporate all that Anchor Alert provides, then you'd be getting good value.

[StuM]

16.91 may be well above average for an Android app, but it's not expensive in real terms. Just a few beers or a cheap bottle of wine

If it's that much better than the free/cheap apps, I may just take your recommendation and give it a try. Thanks.

[Mirage Gecko]

I have used a couple of anchor alert apps on the IPad but can not seem to get around the swing factor setting the alarm off.For example if set to say 25 mtrs then the thing goes off every time you get a decent swing like now we are going through 360 all day.
Chris

[Snowpetrel]

^^ one trick I have done is to set the anchor position when I drop the anchor, or on some plotters to adjust the waypoint afterwards. Set you swing radius slightly greater than the amount of chain let out and your set. This allows 360 swings without it triggering the alarm. Of course sometimes I want the alarm to trigger if I swing... Sounds like a good app. Cheers

[Connected]

Hi Golfosca - is this the AnchorAlert by MSTApps (and available for $4.99 from the IOS App Store)?

I currently use AnchorWatch, which gives me enormous peace of mind and has been worth far more than the few dollars I paid for it a few years back.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[belizesailor]

Also see My Anchor Watch. I run it on my phone (Samsung/Android). It has configurable power saving features so the battery easily lasts all night.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Also see My Anchor Watch. I run it on my phone (Samsung/Android). It has configurable power saving features so the battery easily lasts all night.

It appears to have been withdrawn. I couldn't find it in the Playstore and google found these:

My Anchor Watch Pro - Android app on AppBrain

" This app is unfortunately no longer available on the Android market."

and

My Anchor Watch Free - Android Informer. My Anchor Watch aims at being the best and most reliable Safety Tool of its kind for...

"This app was removed from Google Play"

[belizesailor]

That's too bad, its a very well done app.

It has a guard sector function I never thought I would use until some a'hole charter boat anchored too close to me in the San Blas.