While both apps have worked well for us, I have to admit that I still sometimes wake up in the night and go out to the cockpit to confirm we haven't dragged the anchor. There are several other apps available that also include anchor alarms, so if neither of the above is to your liking, shop around. If there is no cellular signal, we can still use the anchor alarm on our Garmin handheld, though it's not nearly as simple to set up and seems to use more battery power. Pros: Map view is provided, app runs in backgroundĬons: Limited customization, it's not freeĬonclusion: Both of these apps are easy to use and have provided reliable anchor drag alarms, given that we have cellular reception in the anchorage. This app and the GPS will continue to run in the background of your device even if the device is put to sleep. The only variable you can set in AnchorApp is the GPS accuracy alarm, which has settings for 3, 10, and 16 feet. You are unable to set the distance that triggers the alarm, but taking a stern waypoint essentially determines this distance for you. To use AnchorApp, you first take a waypoint where the anchor is dropped and take a second point from the stern of the boat once the anchor is set and all of the anchor scope is out. Also unlike DragQueen, you'll see your boat's and anchor's position plotted on a map once the alarm is set. If you're a fan of skeumorphism, you might find this as a nice little bonus, but beyond that the app doesn't necessarily provide any more function than DragQueen.

The background of the app looks like the deck of a boat, complete with a cleat and teak planks. The app does needs to stay open to function, so you won't be able to shut off the device or close the app while the alarm is set.Ĭons: Alarm sound is very annoying, no graphical chart displayĭragQueen monitoring screen on an iPhone 4SĪnchorApp has a lot more going on visually/graphically than DragQueen.

There is no graphical chart display like on other anchor alarm apps, but you really don't need one. Your anchor location, distance to the anchor, GPS accuracy, and anchor bearing are all shown while the app is running. Personally, I wish the app allowed you to change the alarm sound to something different, but it's not a deal breaker considering this is a free app. The alarm noise with this app is very loud and actually quite obnoxious, so you're sure to wake up if your anchor is dragging. The app allows the boat to swing around the anchor without setting off the alarm, but if the anchor drags past the set distance, the alarm sounds.

Anchor alarm app