TheWinch
New member
I've used an anchor alarm on my BlackBerry the last few years. Worked as a charm! Now no more BlackBerry though... So what do you recommend as anchor alarm for an Android phone?
Anchorwatch
- Thread starter TheWinch
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single
New member
I had a play with this and it worked fine. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=si.zkd.paa2beta If you have ever woken up in the dark with the alarm going it is quite disorientating but atleast this is easy to see where you are.
Buy a better anchor? 
Jonathan
Jonathan
Skipper_Christoph
Member
I'm using Drag Queen.
Myself using an iPhone but also available for Android.
Myself using an iPhone but also available for Android.
NormanS
Well-known member
I don't know what it is, but there is no way that I would have something called Drag Queen aboard. I'm with Neeves on this one. #3.
Trop Cher
Member
Mistroma
Well-known member
I have iAnchor (or possibly iAnchor Lite, can't remember the exact name).
It works well and only problem was that it sometimes reverted to either Catalan or Galego or lost profiles. Never much of a problem and I think it was fixed in an update. I don't use it much but it is simple to use and works well. No instructions but it is pretty intuitive apart from the need to un-tick "Map" option. It defaulted to displaying position on Google maps and showed a blank page as I always had data switched off. However, it shows a simple display with rings and boat position vs. initial position when map turned off.
It is free and so worth trying out by wandering around your garden to test the alarm function.
Bigger anchor suggestions are sensible, unless it's already way over-sized. I always like to have a backup or plan B and would still turn iAnchor if conditions merited an anchor watch. Might wake you up if you intended to stay awake and nodded off.
You might want complicated features or prefer simple on/off, so I'd suggest trying any of the free apps. and switching to another if you don't like it. I think that I tested about 6 in one day before settling on iAnchor.
It works well and only problem was that it sometimes reverted to either Catalan or Galego or lost profiles. Never much of a problem and I think it was fixed in an update. I don't use it much but it is simple to use and works well. No instructions but it is pretty intuitive apart from the need to un-tick "Map" option. It defaulted to displaying position on Google maps and showed a blank page as I always had data switched off. However, it shows a simple display with rings and boat position vs. initial position when map turned off.
It is free and so worth trying out by wandering around your garden to test the alarm function.
Bigger anchor suggestions are sensible, unless it's already way over-sized. I always like to have a backup or plan B and would still turn iAnchor if conditions merited an anchor watch. Might wake you up if you intended to stay awake and nodded off.
You might want complicated features or prefer simple on/off, so I'd suggest trying any of the free apps. and switching to another if you don't like it. I think that I tested about 6 in one day before settling on iAnchor.
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mtb
New member
just tried it here at home, it works I side stepped the give us your email bit by closing the app store
There are a number of very reliable anchors whose inability to drag, when set correctly and of the correct size, with the correct scope and decent snubbers is well documented. No-one would tempt fate and outrage in recommending any of them in the absence of more information on you, your yacht, cruising ground - and importantly your current ground tackle.
2 weeks ago we enjoyed an unforecast 50 knot front (or the ferocity was unforecast), I recorded the speed on our wind instruments, and locally it was recorded at 60 knots. We were at anchor - if your anchor drags and your alarm goes off - by the time you react it could be too late. Unless the alarm is wired to a piezo electric alarm you simply would not hear it above the racket - and you would certainly not be asleep!
Just become more reliant and comfortable with your ground tackle (and there is no shame in tying to a tree if its forecast Storm Force 9, we weren't, and if it is F9 its prudent to be up and about with all you instruments on, we were).
Edit Basically if you need an alarm under benign conditions - sort out your ground tackle, if you are twitchy because the conditions are 'demanding' you will not be asleep anyway, so have Plan B ready.
Jonathan
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Seajet
...
I use the earlier type of electronic anchor watch, which I expect most people here already have onboard; a depthsounder with two alarms.
Set the shallow one to give warning if she might go aground, and deep alarm for when she might be dragging given the anchorage and amount of scope out.
Ideally set in both cases to give one time to do something about it !
I also use the Mk1 eyeball, occasionally on ' normal ' nights or frequently if it's getting boisterous; an alarm clock or loud watch which can be set for say hourly countdown intervals is very handy for this.
Set the shallow one to give warning if she might go aground, and deep alarm for when she might be dragging given the anchorage and amount of scope out.
Ideally set in both cases to give one time to do something about it !
I also use the Mk1 eyeball, occasionally on ' normal ' nights or frequently if it's getting boisterous; an alarm clock or loud watch which can be set for say hourly countdown intervals is very handy for this.
vyv_cox
Well-known member
I have to say I have never used an alarm of any sort but I have seen the one that noelex has and if I was going to use one that's what I would be looking for. I think he has posted about it previously but no doubt a PM would bring a suitable response. It's not on a phone, but a stand-alone gps unit with a display that is kept on permanently.
Chart plotter alarms use too much power so Noelex solution is one way to go but I like the idea of a depth sounder. We do not use an anchor alarm. One reason being power but the other reason being what limits do you set. If you have 50m of chain deployed then in order not to be woken every 1 hr as the yacht meanders round the anchor you set a large 'dragging' circle it is quite possible to be on the beach or hitting another yacht before the alarm goes off. I've never tried it but a Broadband radar might be the answer?
I'd still advocate an anchor whose reliability negates the need for the alarm.
Jonathan
Andrew G
New member
I never set any of my anchor watch options (chartplotter, AIS, depth sounder, iPhone, iPad). I prefer to sleep at night so have have good/excellent anchor (set well), rode, shackles, snubber, cleats, scope and tandem anchor (plus two more) if needs be.
Rule No1 is to not move (No 1a is certainly nothing to break or let go)! I'm happy with my CQR but its replacement will be with one of the "modern" anchors with 2 to 4 times the holding power.
As J Neeves says if its that bad you will be on deck anyway (or should be). Andrew
Added:
1) As part of setting the anchor I take good transit sights, preferably that can be checked at night;
2) My wind generator takes 15+kts to turn. If I am suspicious about the night ahead I’ll turn it on and sleep in the aft pilot berth so that its noise will wake me up over say 20kts. Above 30kts the rigging noise is too much to sleep through at anchor – OK tied up in a marina . . .;
3) Depth is sometimes of limited use, eg tide range of 2-3m is common here and a couple of spots >8m. You could travel a long way before an alarm kicked in. (I’ve had to anchor in 25+m with 50m one side and 0m only 30m to the other side – a good night’s sleep as it turned out).
Rule No1 is to not move (No 1a is certainly nothing to break or let go)! I'm happy with my CQR but its replacement will be with one of the "modern" anchors with 2 to 4 times the holding power.
As J Neeves says if its that bad you will be on deck anyway (or should be). Andrew
Added:
1) As part of setting the anchor I take good transit sights, preferably that can be checked at night;
2) My wind generator takes 15+kts to turn. If I am suspicious about the night ahead I’ll turn it on and sleep in the aft pilot berth so that its noise will wake me up over say 20kts. Above 30kts the rigging noise is too much to sleep through at anchor – OK tied up in a marina . . .;
3) Depth is sometimes of limited use, eg tide range of 2-3m is common here and a couple of spots >8m. You could travel a long way before an alarm kicked in. (I’ve had to anchor in 25+m with 50m one side and 0m only 30m to the other side – a good night’s sleep as it turned out).
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RobBrown
Active member
I've downloaded a free one produced by Jokaboat who is a member of these fora. Relatively simple, but seems OK and I think there is a more involved version for a small fee.
Found link
https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Jokaboat&hl=en_GB
Found link
https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Jokaboat&hl=en_GB
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pmagowan
Well-known member
I have left my chartplotter on once overnight for anchorwatch. In peel outer harbour with a very bad NW swell rolling in. It used a good bit of battery (I have 120AH house plus a standard starter) but everything was fine. I have also used some of the iphone apps and I can plug my iphone into the cig-lighter sockets I installed. Overall I think they were simply for an added level of security but since I had to get up to check things anyway I don't think they were necessary. I now have an anchor I trust in bad conditions and I sleep better. For some reason, although I sleep very well onboard, I do seem to wake if there is anything strange happening like turn of the tide etc. I think you need whatever makes you comfortable but I would not rely on the apps.
Robin
Well-known member
Congratulations! You now qualify for an official 'old salt' badge, given to those who have evolved/learned to instinctively react to unusual noise or movement, If you could sell that in an App it would make a fortune. First priority always is to have anchoring gear and procedures you are confident in and can trust,
