New Garmin sailing app

So guys, I've just finished my first garmin watch app targeting sailing, kiting, windsurfing, and it's free.
In the connect IQ store.
App Name : sail Racer
Included speed, max speed, VMG directly upwind, angle off the wind, track , elapsed distance, session recording with Google earth output, speed graph .... and the masterpiece
In the main menu a polar logger. It records max speed against all compass headings, and saves so you can make a polar graph using excell to find out your target speeds to give best upwind or downwind performance. Let me know what you think, or if you have any suggestions I can implement

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AquaPlow said..
awesome.. will look at getting garmin
qu re polar readout. where you testing it with a power boat???
i am clueless to the wind direction
cheers
AP

I was riding my Bike around the block :) hence why I was off the wind 10 degrees at max speed :)

Wind Direction on the graph is 360

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brinm said..
G'day, well done, does your app have to receive Garmin files or can it interprete stuff from other devices suh as Navi GT series (.gpx, .sbn and other file types)?
Maybe have a look at gpsresults.com...they have a pretty mature product...only thing missing is jumps...

It's written in the garmin code, so i think its locked to them.

with the demise of other gps trackers (Trace, Xensr et al) u might have an opportunity if you can read other types of file.....there is a gap in the market for a good user-friendly, intelligent app made by someone who understands our actual need.....

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MikeyG said..
I've searched the store and can't find it? I've got a Fenix 3 - is it compatible?

looking at your screen shots, only thing missing is the time of the day. Always useful as I'm sure many of us have jobs / families etc to get to.

Thanks

Sail Racer?

It's in there,,, it's the first app that comes up.. it has time if day, I think every field that has elapsed time, rotates every 4 seconds to time if day in the app.

What about jump height? Is that possible?

Doesnt appear to be compatible with Fenix HR3 .... pity

whoa how does it know where "upwind" is from that polar plot?

Still using my $20 underwater watch from Decathlon, tells the time beautiful.

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airsail said..
Seems starting an activity is problematic. Fenix 5, There seems to be no indication that the app is running, or idle awaiting start.
Other apps a large green arrow appears accompanied by a beep and vibe. With this app this is not the case and a session is easily missed while watch remains at idle.

There is an elapsed timer on most pages, if that time is increasing... your session is running.
The current version I also have vibrations for start, two vibrations for stop and 3 for save session. ( Uploading shortly after I test it today )

Do you think the elapsed time increasing is enough? I could add a red box around the time or a RED circle or dot somewhere.... however, it does start to clog up the page and the elapsed time is the giveaway.

The system times swaps between system and elapsed time every 4 seconds.

i'm also going to add race countdown vibrations.

You need to use the app( not the datafield). On your PC, drop a blank text file into the garmin/apps/ log folder in your watch, the polar gets written in there at the end of the session. When you click save. It does over write itself also, so you need to enable polar log in the menu, record one session, then plug your watch into the pc and copy the polar data from the text file, to say an excell. Excell has polar chart options... called radar charts.

It's a bit of a pain to do it, put if you want polar data - it all ways will be.

Hi Dachopper,

Is there a simple user manual for the app. I have installed it and tried using it the other day but it didn't record my data after I failed to push go once the app opened. I cant seem to find where the start sequence is initiated.

The app is cool for sure and the display is good for max and current speed etc, but with my old eyes, without my glasses I can't take advantage of any of the smaller fonts on the face.

I've been looking for an app that does a 5 minute countdown timer and then switches to data recording and GPS tracking for the races. Currently I use either Sailing Timer for starts and that's great but doesn't track the course after start, only elapsed time. I also use VMG app which is sensational for working on VMG and training or collecting GPS tracks and data.

Is it possible to hit Lap to start a fresh sequence for multiple races or do you save abd start a fresh session?

Thanks for the hard work.

DM

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dachopper said..

For the countdown, you can either hit Menu, once on the main screen and find race countdown, and then select the one you want.... it will sit at - X minutes until you click start....... or just click start when the start sequence commences, and then select the countdown that it should be, and the time will change to a countdown realtime. ie you don't have to pre-select 5 minute countdown, you can select it after starting the recording of the session and it will still work for you,

Hey Nick,

I can't get the countdown/start sequence function to work. Hitting Menu from the main screen only turns the screen backlighting on or off. I have a Fenix 5 if this makes a difference.

The start function is the most important part of my race, all the rest is nice to have, but not need to have. A good start is the difference between winning and losing. The other functionality is great for training and having the data to analyse after the race is cool.

Any thoughts? It's a very comprehensive app and for training its a hit.

DM

Hey Grant,

Sweet find! Thanks also to Nick. Works great In an ideal world, the start timer would take up half the screen as all data besides start timer is irrelevent before the start. If it could be made large font and then shrink back to it's current size at zero countdown, it would be perfect.

Maybe just a thought for future updates if even at all possible. Everything else seems to run as described.

Great App

DM

down loaded to my Fenix 6x
will give it a crack
good work

Sail Racer User Guide :
When you first open the App, turn the watch left or right to decrease / increase the wind speed, and click (start) once your approximation of wind speed is displayed. This is not used in computations, but is displayed in your Connect IQ activity - Session Summary. Next, point the arrow into wind, and click next. This will store the wind direction, which is used for VMG upwind / downwind and angle off the wind calculations. If the wind changes during the session, you can re-set the wind from the Sail Racer main menu.Screens - currently there are 7 main screens, with the general purpose screen displaying first, selecting up or down will cycle through 3 speed oriented screens, and 3 navigation oriented screens. Access to the main menu, and start / stop session can be done from any of these screens.Most of the screens have local watch Time / Session record time towards the bottom, that will cycle between the two values every 4 - 6 seconds.
Recording - Prior to recording, if you wish to also record Polar Data, select this option in the main menu. If you have done this in the past, then the watch will remember your preference. To start recording, click start, the watch session time near the bottom will change to RED colour and start increasing ( on all screens ) and the watch will vibrate once. To stop recording, push the same button, the watch will vibrate twice and the Save / Discard / Save and Exit / Exit menu will be displayed. Move up or down to select the option desired, and if Save is selected, the watch will vibrate 3 times to indicate save completed and exit, or be ready to record another session.
Race Countdown - The race countdown uses a modified session recording time, to display a countdown for use in any pre-race countdown situation. To use this feature, simply start recording when the 5 or 10 minute gun / flag is displayed, and then enter the main menu to select the desired countdown. This will then be applied to the session time that is already running realtime. There are built in vibrations at 3 minutes, 2 minutes, 1 minute, 30 secs, 20 secs and from 10 secs to zero secs to go. The Speed 1 screen and Nav 1 screen will show the race countdown covering the entire screen, until time = 0, then go back to the normal display screen. You may also set the race countdown timer before you start recording in the main menu, and it will remain at - X minutes until you select record.
Main Menu - To access the main menu from any of the 7 screens, hold the menu button for 2 - 3 seconds until the menu is displayed. To navigate use the Previous / Next buttons and Start to select an Item.
-Reset Wind Direction
-Enable Polar Logging
-Edit / Enter Waypoint information ( Not Available until version 2.0+ )
-Edit / Enter Courses ( Not Available until version 2.0+)
-Select Race Countdown-Select Activity Type - as shown in your Activity Summary in Garmin Connect
-Adjust Tack / Gybe Filter
The Tack / Gybe filter, allows you to set a minimum speed that needs to be held as you pass through the wind direction. This is to filter out tacks being recorded when you are walking around on the beach, floating in the water or walking on a boat deck. By default 2 kts upwind, 3 kts downwind. It's recommended to set this higher if your tack or gybe angles occasionally appear incorrect. After a tack or gybe, the heading you are on will not be recorded until your speed has stopped increasing and is stable, to give an accurate tack angle
Polar Log feature - this feature allows you to record polar data, to later obtain a plot of max speed vs wind angle on a PC / Mac. To use this feature first go into the main menu and enable polar logging. The instant log, records max speed Vs angle off the wind, every second without filters, and as a result, if you preform fast tacks / gybes / you will have unsustainable speeds recorded against some of the angles. The Average log reduces this by adding 5 seconds of recordings together, and averaging the resulting vector out. And by ignoring all speed values that occur when the heading is not steady.To record the polar log you must place a blank Text document on your watch in the Garmin / Apps / Log folder, and call it Sail Racer. Every time you record a session, or exit the watch application, the Polar log and tacking information will be overwritten. So if you want Polar data off your watch from a session, enable polar logging, ensure the text file is in the folder on your watch, Start the session, Save and exit once finished. Do not open the app again, until you have plugged it into a PC and copied the data from the text file. If you open the app before copying, or start another recording session, the polar data will be overwritten.Once Polar data is in the text file, you can copy and paste into a program such as MS excel, use the import wizard when you paste, click next and select Comma to separate the separate values.Then Highlight all the excel data boxes, right click quick analysis, chart, radar chart. It's a bit of a pain, but the only way it can be done at present. Enjoy... Nick

Jesus Nick!

That's bloody fantastic! Love your work. Can I be a little critical? The countdown timer is legible in daylight with my old buggered eyes, but in the shop, I struggle to make it out. Is it possible to easily make the font the same size as, say the Speed reading? I can get by with it the way it is, but it would be so much easier to read in a bigger font.

Many thanks, great app! Will recommend the race crew get onto it

DM