Anchoring App - Opinions?

[aussi]

Well, I did ask for opinions

Obviously I’m more interested in opinions from people who actually bothered to take a look at the app. I built this for myself as I know that when I get tired I can make silly mistakes when doing tidal range calculations in my head and it’s useful to have a cross check. I therefore suspected it would be useful to others too, especially those who have a bit more trouble with maths.

Thank you to those who have taken a look, it sounds like it’s working well across a range of devices, which was my main worry. Thank you also for the suggestions and bug reports:

Worked on android oreo 8.1 mostly, but one time going into it got an error "Could not load request from https://exp.host:443/@aussi/anchorbuddy: the request timed out".

I’ll take a look at that red screen error, I think it’s from the tool that I used to build it - although the app doesn't need an Internet connection, the tool does check for updates.

Other thoughts are swiping left/right should work as well as tapping on help and about.

Let people set dark theme

Good ideas, I'll look at those.

Also , preferred depth unit (I know that is just cosmetic).

I wasn't going to introduce units, as you say they are only cosmetic. The note on the help screen hopefully explains this clearly, but if more people ask for it I might pop it in.

Does that imply it needs an Internet connection to work?

No, it doesn't.

A.

 

[aussi]

Similar on tablet, won't run with WiFi turned off. Major bug to sort out but then v1 software always has something .

Are you on Android too and if so, do you know which version? Also, does it do this every time you try to run it with no wifi or Internet, or just the first time?

 

[LadyInBed]

Does it work if your smartphone has 2% battery

What! no 12v to USB charger wired in?

and had decided to update 250 apps after 72 hours at sea?

Tut Tut - Always turn off auto update when at sea.

 

[GHA]

Are you on Android too and if so, do you know which version? Also, does it do this every time you try to run it with no wifi or Internet, or just the first time?

Sorry might have been a false alert can't recreate the error. Android 7, if i start the app it goes straight to the main screen even after killing the app.
Edit - just tried rebooting the tablet, again no problem - straight in with no wifi.

 

[robertj]

Loaded it looked into it but decided that I will manage like before. When I deleted it froze the phone

 

[aussi]

Sorry might have been a false alert can't recreate the error. Android 7, if i start the app it goes straight to the main screen even after killing the app.
Edit - just tried rebooting the tablet, again no problem - straight in with no wifi.

Hmmm. The best* kind of bug - the kind that only happens occasionally and when you're not looking for it! Two of you have seen this though, so it's definitely happening. I'll see what I can find out…

*i.e. worst

Loaded it looked into it but decided that I will manage like before. When I deleted it froze the phone

Are you on Android or iOS, and which version? Also, which other apps did you have running at the time? Presumably you had to reboot your phone - when it powered back up, had AnchorBuddy been uninstalled or was it still there?

 

[SteveGorst]

Thanks for all the feedback, the ethos of aussi and I developing this app was to help newcomers cope with the huge tides we have in our area. With a tidal range of 7m or more we have seen many boats float off into the distance after anchoring at low water and multiplying by 3, literally. The app also helps us to work out the closest possible anchorage to the beach to avoid drying out at low water and have a reasonable safety margin under the keel. There are some bays around Anglesey where you can get much more shelter and less swell by doing this. This was the main thrust of the app from my point of view. I do hope some of you who anchor in similar tidal conditions will find the app of some use even if it is just to double check your arithmetic.

All the best and don't forget to visit us in Conwy one day.

 

[[70521]]

How does cross checking turn into relying?

Very easily.

Humans usually take the least line of resistance.

 

[[70521]]

What! no 12v to USB charger wired in?

Tut Tut - Always turn off auto update when at sea.

Some people have posher boats than mine

Actually, in the day job I need to work out what to do if everything goes wrong, perhaps I was a wee bit too critical

 

[GHA]

Very easily.

Humans usually take the least line of resistance.

Righto

You have no GPS onboard then, far to easy to forget any nav and rely on it, never once used a calculator onboard?

Or just talk the usual forum old tosh

 

[Hadenough]

Righto

You have no GPS onboard then, far to easy to forget any nav and rely on it, never once used a calculator onboard?

Or just talk the usual forum old tosh

He won' t have any fingers to spare for that, they will all be occupied scratching because of his hair shirt :encouragement:

 

[[70521]]

Righto

You have no GPS onboard then, far to easy to forget any nav and rely on it, never once used a calculator onboard?

Or just talk the usual forum old tosh

There must be at least five GPS devices on board, really useful for the collection of data, and I do check my manual calculations against the super duper accurate position they all give me. Got to admit there is no calculator on board, but I could use the phone if I wanted.

I actually enjoy navigating the "old fashioned" way, but I get to play with some massive computers at work. When I close the office door I like to switch off from all that technology. I find it faster to work out that the at high water the depth will be say 10 meters and multiply that by four, my preferred scope other multipliers are available, giving me 40 meters of rode to set out. All done in less time than it took me to go below, find the phone (it is never where you thought you left it) and do what ever I needed to do to get the figure 40.

Now where did I place that family heirloom the sun-shadow board? If only I could get the hang of these new fangled Cardinal Markers

 

[GHA]

I find it faster to work out that the at high water the depth will be say 10 meters and multiply that by four, my preferred scope other multipliers are available, giving me 40 meters of rode to set out. All done in less time than it took me to go below, find the phone

So anyone else dog tired at 3am wanting a quick double check of mental arithmetic to make sure there will be couple meters under the keel with a water depth of 6.2, tidal height of 3.6 and lw of 0.3 isn't allowed to double check cos it will only lead to relying on technology which might go down?

Righto

 

[[70521]]

So anyone else dog tired at 3am wanting a quick double check of mental arithmetic to make sure there will be couple meters under the keel with a water depth of 6.2, tidal height of 3.6 and lw of 0.3 isn't allowed to double check cos it will only lead to relying on technology which might go down?

Righto

Use it if you want, you are the skipper.

 

[Neeves]

In common with some others - I'm not in the least bit interested in an app to calculate what to deploy - if I cannot do it in my head I'm too old and need to retire, from sailing.

Sorry if I appear to be a luddite.

Jonathan