Which anchor alarm do yoy use???
- Thread starter CYQK
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jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
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I have experience with both of these apps. They are fully functional and have been a part of my electronics suite.
Aqua Map has an anchor alarm on the app. So does TZ iBoat.
Both have charting, and the anchor alarm is a feature.
If it's just a basic app, try Anchor Pro (core features are free). I have no experience with this app. I received a recommendation for it.
Aqua Map has an anchor alarm on the app. So does TZ iBoat.
Both have charting, and the anchor alarm is a feature.
If it's just a basic app, try Anchor Pro (core features are free). I have no experience with this app. I received a recommendation for it.
Maybe its where I have tried but my experience is all phone-based alarms aren’t as dependable or precise as is the chartplotter’s anchor function.
I’ve used Anchor Alarm Pro and Aqua Maps. I prefer Aqua Maps, mostly because I pay for it anyway for the charting, and the full alarm functionality with plotting comes with that. I haven’t had any problems with the accuracy. One annoyance with both is the alarm volume is set based on the phone’s regular audio volume. Keep your audio low before bed and you might not hear it if it goes off.
You don't need no stinkin' anchor alarm.
Well that was fun to write but I guess it's pretty much de rigueur today. But on most of the cruising boats I slept on, you could tell if the anchor was holding by the motion of the boat. On my H356 in the aft berth with the port open there would be a blast of air (Ahhh) when the boat yawed one way and not the other. So I got used to the rhythm of air coming in the port and then not. If that pattern changed I knew instantly that something was wrong. That was my alarm.
The worst night I remember on the anchor with the new to me anchor alarm was when it kept going off without reason. I had it set too close so that the regular swing set it off. I slept very little. Worse yet I set the display on the MFD too dim and even early in the AM, I couldn't see the menus to turn off the anchor alarm. UGH!
Well that was fun to write but I guess it's pretty much de rigueur today. But on most of the cruising boats I slept on, you could tell if the anchor was holding by the motion of the boat. On my H356 in the aft berth with the port open there would be a blast of air (Ahhh) when the boat yawed one way and not the other. So I got used to the rhythm of air coming in the port and then not. If that pattern changed I knew instantly that something was wrong. That was my alarm.
The worst night I remember on the anchor with the new to me anchor alarm was when it kept going off without reason. I had it set too close so that the regular swing set it off. I slept very little. Worse yet I set the display on the MFD too dim and even early in the AM, I couldn't see the menus to turn off the anchor alarm. UGH!
Have only dragged an anchor once and the noise of it dragging woke me at once! It’s a noise once heard is unmistakable.
That's sort of what I'm alluding to. There's an awareness that is part of being on board that is needed. If sleeping soundly with alarms for everything substitutes for that awareness I think the experience of being "Out" is diminished. I get the safety thing. And more and more there are rules. I just don't want to give up my senses to electronics.
Good seamanship and good boat Karma are about safety. You are absolutely right that you should be able to anchor safely without the need for an alarm, but an an alarm adds another measure of safety (as long as it works and isn't a bunch of false alarms). Plus most anchor alarm apps will text or even call another's phone if you are not on board.
There used to be an anchor alarm I liked very much made by SjaellSoft which gave a lot of control over GPS accuracy and frequency, but they are no longer around. I still use it regularly and it doesn't give false alarms. It can also be convenient when you know there is going to be a wind shift and you want to make sure you have a look.
I'm with shemandr on this one. When my boat is anchored, the motion is pitching, bow to stern. If the motion turns to a roll, it will wake me almost instantly. One doesn't often drag in calm weather, so the change in motion is pronounced. I've not found a reliable anchor drag alarm, as the boat will often swing farther at anchor, than it would drag, causing the alarm to go off, unnecessarily.
However, it would be quite a waste to spend 5 to 8 grand on an anchor, rode and windlass, only to spend my time aboard worried about dragging anchor.
Obviously, if the weather kicks up, one should let out scope or add another pick.
However, it would be quite a waste to spend 5 to 8 grand on an anchor, rode and windlass, only to spend my time aboard worried about dragging anchor.
Obviously, if the weather kicks up, one should let out scope or add another pick.
I use Anchor Pro free version. It allows you set the anchor at a bearing/distance, then the alarm radius you set is based on that location. So you won’t get an alarm just for a tide or wind shift unless the anchor fails to reset properly.
Anchor Pro App - App Store
Anchor Pro App - App Store
So yea I agree you should know your boat how it feels and be aware of the differenct sounds your boat makes, not just with Anchor situations. However, anyone who doesnt use one is going to wish they had at some point in there sailing life. Many said what there chosen product is, but not why !!. So mine in Anchor Pro and I have been using it for 10 plus years. Why Anchor Pro... Firstly becuase it can tell me even when Im off the boat that it has moved outside my geofence area, Most others cant do that. Secondly, I can segment off the geofence. So for example if I anchor in a spot where Im sure the boat will not do full circle, but if it did for some unplanned reason I can make this area outside the geofence, because it doesnt have to be a full circle. If Im on shore I can interogate Anchor pro and I can tell based on its distance from the anchor whether by vessel is puling hard on the anchor perhaps due to the wind increasing, or if it is sitting there nicely. A friend of mine whom I convinced to to use one, recently ended up on the reef, becuase he didnt use it on a mooring which broke. So I use mine everywhere all the time excluding on a marina. Lets talk about false positives mentioned above. My experence suggests that there are a combination of reasons for these. 1) The phone itself. I have it on two phones, one is particularly bad, so yep not all phones are as good as the next. 2) Is the location of the phone, its GPS needs to be able to gain access, 3) is people don't set the radius of the geofence to a reasonable number based on the accuracies of the GPS 4) the phone goes flat etc etc. So in my case I chose to set quite a fine radius and that does result in the odd false positive, because when a 30knot squawl comes through the anchor chain straightens out and perhaps moves 2 or 3 meters (not dragging but simply diggin in more) and yep it will go off if it set fine. So for example in a tight space, or perhaps if the boat swings 180 degrees and it becomes a lee shore, there are many examples. But while I might get the false positive and getup to check or adjust it from then on I sleep in piece. Getting any movement off sent tpo me off the boat is also some comfort. So its another tool, cost very little or in some cases nothing so everyone should be useing one,