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Keep an eye on the anchor rather than the boat
A gust of wind passes, the wind shifts, and the boat begins to drift in an arc around its anchorage. For a traditional anchor alarm that uses the boat?s GPS position, distinguishing this normal drift from actual drifting requires correctly setting the monitoring radius.
The French company Mooring Solution has chosen to shift the problem by a few dozen meters. Its Morphéis connected anchor buoy does not directly monitor the boat; instead, it tracks the anchor's position.
With an alarm that uses the boat?s GPS or a smartphone?s GPS, the boat can drift a significant distance simply because the wind or current changes direction. The longer the length of anchor line, the larger the potential drift circle.
If the alarm radius is set too narrow, it will trigger false alarms more frequently. If it is set too wide, the boat will have to travel a greater distance before the alarm detects an abnormal situation.
Morphéis seeks to eliminate this variable by using as a reference the element that is supposed to remain stationary: the anchor.
A GPS buoy positioned directly above the anchorage
The principle involves deploying additional equipment when anchoring. Morphéis is deployed along with the anchor and remains on the surface, near the anchor?s vertical position. The buoy is equipped with its own GPS positioning system, a battery, and a solar power source. It communicates via radio with a receiver installed on board. When the system detects a movement of the anchor that meets its alarm criteria, the receiver alerts the crew.
An SMS notification can also be sent, provided the necessary connectivity is available. This feature is designed specifically for situations where the owner has gone ashore while the boat remains at anchor.
The logic is therefore different from that of an anchor alarm app installed on a phone. Morphéis is a standalone system with its own GPS and its own connection to the boat.
This independence is one of the product?s key features. It also accounts for part of its price: Mooring Solution currently lists Morphéis at ?1,499 (including tax), which is a far cry from free apps or those sold for just a few euros.
Nearly ?1,500 for an app that's sometimes free
At ?1,499 (including tax), Morphéis is clearly not trying to compete head-on with a mobile app. Instead, the manufacturer is targeting boat owners for whom anchoring is a significant part of their sailing itinerary and who want a standalone system for boats ranging from 40 to 60 feet.
This criterion provides a better understanding of the vessel?s use. On an offshore cruising boat that spends many nights at anchor, equipment specifically designed for monitoring the anchor may be more practical than on a small boat that anchors only a few times per season.
Still, the price difference is considerable.
The question, therefore, is not simply whether direct anchor monitoring works. We need to know whether the benefit gained compared to existing systems is significant enough to convince boaters to add an additional device on board?along with the hassle of storing, deploying, and retrieving it.
