Feature Request: Add a "Bearing to anchor" and "Distance to anchor" to calculate the anchor position

[Ric121]

Request: Add "Bearing to anchor" and "Distance to anchor" fields to the interface to calculate the actual position of the anchor and the exclusion circle.

Rationale:

• Setting the anchor at the boat position is not very practical as you don't have time to interact with openCPN during the manoever.
• Several popular apps use this kind of settings (Anchorwatch, Anchor Alarm, etc...)

Details:
See attached file for an overview of the interface change. Please excuse the poor hand writing.
I guess it would have to be changed in the API as well so the other webapps or pluggin could use it.
If the fields are 0 (default value) there would be no change to the actual calculation of the anchor drop position.
I the fields have values
The actual position (coordinates of the watch circle center) would be
Latitude/Longitude corrected by the bearing to the anchor and the distance to the anchor as depicted in page 2 of the uploaded document.

The bearing I mention should be the true bearing (or magnetic it doesn't matter), not the angle to the bow, as my skecth could be confusing. This is the one you obtain with a handbearing compass that everydbody should have on board.

FeatureEnh.v01.pdf

[sbender9]

The plugin settings page was never meant to be used for setting the anchor alarm.

The ability to do what your asking is already there, but even better.

I think only WilhelmSK supports it. All you have to do is enter the rhode length and wait until your bow is pointing at the anchor. It uses your heading sensor, depth sensor and the distance of your bow to the water to calculate the anchor position.

I have no intention of spending time on making the plugin config user interface do this. It will never be user friendly. so unless I am missing something, what you really need are enhancements to existing user interfaces?

[sbender9]

[Ric121]

OK no problem. I don't have IOS, nor heading sensor, but fair enough. sorru for the bothering. pleae close the issue

[sbender9]

My anchor position here was set using the feature in WilhelmSK I mentioned above. As you can see, it's pretty damn close. But not perfect. There are way too many factors involved in estimating the anchor position. Data and time are the only way IMHO.

[sbender9]

Not bothering. No need to apologize.

Again, what you want to do, even without a heading sensor, is easily done. I just don't think the plugin config interface is the place to do it.

Fair winds!

[Ric121]

Thanks. btw, who is raising the notifications? The pluggin or the app? Because I have another issue ;-). I reported it in Freeboard but I don't know what side it is... (SignalK/freeboard-sk#122)

[sbender9]

The plugin raises the notifications