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It occasionally happens that when using certain Android smartphones, the boot position suddenly jumps by several hundred meters, usually to positions on land or on the water near large boats that are not even part of the race (e.g., cruise ships, luxury yachts, etc.). If this happens, you need to disable the "Improve Location Accuracy" option in the location settings in the Android settings. This post will explain how to do this and why it’s necessary.
[Important Info]: Do not disable the "Use precise location" option! Instead, as described below, only disable the "Improve location accuracy" option. It is easy to mix up these two settings.
When you're on the water, it's easy to tell whether a boat has rounded a course mark or not. However, for software, this is not as simple. The left image above illustrates two main challenges: First, course marks often move within a swinging circle (swing) around their measured position. Second, sailors are not required to round the mark at a fixed distance.
In Regatta Hero, you can use a simple trick to sail a regatta or a course with a simulated boat by clicking with the mouse. This is very useful if you want to familiarize yourself with the race committee functions of Regatta Hero or if you want to test a newly created course from your desk. With a simulated boat, you can also clearly see how and when Regatta Hero evaluates the passage of a course mark.
Regatta Hero is a great solution for sailors to track races easily and accurately. However, using your own expensive smartphone comes with risks—water damage, dropping the device, or even losing it overboard. That’s why it makes a lot of sense to buy a second, dedicated smartphone just for Regatta Hero, and a well-preserved used device for around 100 to 200 euros is more than sufficient.
At the end of the 2024 sailing season, we started implementing a series of new features for Regatta Hero to make them available in 2025. This post provides an overview; individual topics will be explained in more detail in separate blog posts over the coming weeks.
The regatta team of the Württemberg Yacht Club leaves nothing to chance when it comes to organizing the weekly Wednesday regatta. This includes professional announcements on the club's website, an information page with specific details on how to launch the app, and a well-attended information event with a parking lot regatta at the start of the series. The result is impressive.
Regatta Hero is a complete system for organizing, conducting, tracking, and scoring regattas or regatta series. Sailors, race officers, and buoy layers have a smartphone app installed on their devices. Spectators can follow the regatta on a webpage in real-time or as a replay.
Here you can find all the posts that have been published in this blog so far.
It occasionally happens that when using certain Android smartphones, the boot position suddenly jumps by several hundred meters, usually to positions on land or on the water near large boats that are not even part of the race (e.g., cruise ships, luxury yachts, etc.). If this happens, you need to disable the "Improve Location Accuracy" option in the location settings in the Android settings. This post will explain how to do this and why it’s necessary.
[Important Info]: Do not disable the "Use precise location" option! Instead, as described below, only disable the "Improve location accuracy" option. It is easy to mix up these two settings.
How the "Location Accuracy" Service is Meant to Improve Location Detection
Google's "Location Accuracy" service on Android devices improves the determination of the device's location by using radio signals from Wi-Fi, cell towers, and GPS, as well as data from device sensors like the accelerometer, barometer, and gyroscope. This can provide faster and more accurate location determination in certain situations, especially in areas with weak GPS signals, such as indoors or near large buildings.
But not on the water, because there GPS signals are always uninterrupted!
Nevertheless, it can occur that Android suddenly decides to use the position data of a nearby (up to 2 km away) Wi-Fi hotspot as a reference. Many hotspots transmit their location along with their radio signal. However, this is not the position of the boat, but for example, the position of an ice cream shop on land that offers its guests a Wi-Fi hotspot. This happens even if you are not connected to the Wi-Fi and even if you have turned off Wi-Fi on your Android smartphone.
This is how these absurd location data can arise. It is especially common – but not limited to – when the Android smartphone is in battery-saving mode. Google explains this behavior, among other things, in the following link:
Google Support Information on Location Accuracy.
Google also explains how to turn off this option:
Turn off Location Accuracy for Android 12 and higher:
Turn off Location Accuracy for Android 11 and lower:
Note: As mentioned earlier, always ensure that the smartphone is fully charged before starting a regatta and explicitly check that the Android smartphone is not in battery-saving mode!
When you're on the water, it's easy to tell whether a boat has rounded a course mark or not. However, for software, this is not as simple. The left image above illustrates two main challenges: First, course marks often move within a swinging circle (swing) around their measured position. Second, sailors are not required to round the mark at a fixed distance.
Because of the latter, it is not possible to simply draw a counting circle around the course mark and consider entering that circle as rounding. The issue lies in the trivial question of how large this counting circle should be.
Evaluating Buoy Course Marks
The right image above shows how Regatta Hero solves this problem. The approach is as follows: For each course mark, two tangents are drawn to the swinging circle defined for that mark. One tangent is perpendicular to the line connecting the previous mark to the current one, represented by a blue line. The second tangent is perpendicular to the line connecting the current mark to the next one, represented by a yellow line.
A course mark is considered rounded when a boat crosses the yellow line towards the next mark, but only if it has previously crossed the blue line from the previous mark towards the current one. These blue and yellow lines are also visible in the map viewer.
Note: Of course, a boat can also pass on the wrong side of the buoy. This is due to GPS inaccuracies, which are greater than the typical width of a boat. It is important to remember that Regatta Hero is not an umpire but rather a tool for recording and tracking races. The responsibility to correctly sail the course remains the same as in regattas without Regatta Hero.
The following three images demonstrate that this "two-line" logic always works for course marks set with a buoy, provided that the swinging circle is not defined too narrowly. As a rule of thumb, the swinging circle should be set twice as large as the estimated maximum.
The image below illustrates the process of passing and evaluating a course mark (counterclockwise) in three crucial phases. In the leftmost image, the boat has not yet crossed the blue line. In the middle image, the blue line has been crossed, activating the yellow line. Once the boat crosses the yellow line towards the next mark (rightmost image), the mark is considered rounded. The distance at which the boat rounds the mark does not matter.
In addition to rounding course marks, Regatta Hero allows defining a course mark that only needs to be passed without rounding. This is useful for providing orientation on a course by indicating where sailors should pass. This type of course mark functions similarly to a gate but without a limiting buoy on port or starboard.
Passing Buoy Course Marks
In the following image, only one line (blue) is formed. This line is the angle bisector between the line from the last mark and the line to the next mark. When a boat crosses this line (either on port or starboard), the mark is considered passed.
Apart from single-buoy course marks, there are also course marks defined by a line between two buoys. These include gates, as well as the start and finish lines.
Passing Gate Course Marks (e.g., Leeward Gate)
A gate consists of two buoys. The width of the gate is determined by the distance between the two buoys. Regatta Hero calculates the boundaries around the gate by drawing partial circles around each buoy based on the gate width and the buoys' swing. The radius of these partial circles is the sum of the gate width and the swing radius.
Additionally, two more boundary lines are drawn parallel to the connecting line between the two buoys at a distance equal to the swing radius. The area defined by these boundary lines is shown in green in the following image. Every time a boat enters this green area, the gate is considered passed.
Passing the Start and Finish Line
The start and finish line evaluation follows the same principle as a gate course mark. The only difference is that the green area is halved and, in sailing direction, only starts after the connecting line between the two buoys.
As soon as a boat enters the green area, it has officially started or finished the race.
Note: RH does not determine who started early due to the 3–5 meter GPS inaccuracy. A boat can cross the start line up to one minute early (i.e., at -1:00 or later). A boat that crosses even earlier must return and cross the line again for the start to be counted.
In Regatta Hero, you can use a simple trick to sail a regatta or a course with a simulated boat by clicking with the mouse. This is very useful if you want to familiarize yourself with the race committee functions of Regatta Hero or if you want to test a newly created course from your desk. With a simulated boat, you can also clearly see how and when Regatta Hero evaluates the passage of a course mark.
The simulation of a boat takes place in the Mapiewer. You need the admin code in the URL, just like when setting or moving buoy positions. When you open the Mapviewer in this mode, you will see the following representation in the browser’s address bar, where the parameters "organisation" and "passcode" vary depending on the club.
https://www.regattahero.com/mapviewer/?organisation=svbw&passcode=abcde12345
All you have to do now is add the following expression to the URL:
...&clickboat=GER11&handicap=79
Here, the desired sail number (in this case, GER11) is entered after "clickboat," and the applicable handicap value (in this case, 79) is entered after "handicap." So, in total, the address bar should contain the following:
https://www.regattahero.com/mapviewer/?organisation=svbw&passcode=abcde12345&clickboat=GER11&handicap=79
After that, it’s very simple. Start a race, and once the race has begun, simply click on the desired position of the boat on the map. It will then be "sent" there. If you follow the course click by click, the boat will start leaving a trail after the third click.
If you cross the starting line or pass a course mark, you will see the corresponding update in the list of participating boats. Once the "clickboat" has passed all course marks, including the finish line, the regatta will automatically end—just like in a real Regatta Hero race on the water.
Important Notes for the Simulation:
Can Multiple Boats Race Against Each Other?
Yes! You can simply open a second or third browser window with a modified URL. The value after "clickboat" must be varied (e.g., GER12). In each browser window, you can control the specified boat, and all competing boats will be displayed in each window.
Note: The drawn trails will be deleted when a new regatta is started.
Regatta Hero is a great solution for sailors to track races easily and accurately. However, using your own expensive smartphone comes with risks—water damage, dropping the device, or even losing it overboard. That’s why it makes a lot of sense to buy a second, dedicated smartphone just for Regatta Hero, and a well-preserved used device for around 100 to 200 euros is more than sufficient.
Another advantage is that you only turn on the dedicated smartphone when the race is about to start. If you fully charge the battery the night before, it will still be at 100% when the race begins. This is ideal for tracking even longer regattas without needing a power pack (though having one as a backup is never a bad idea).
The Benefits of a Separate Regatta Smartphone Using the Example of a Google Pixel 5
Protects your primary device: Your everyday smartphone stays safely on land.
Water resistance: The Pixel 5 is IP68-certified, making it well-protected against water and dust.
Long battery life: The solid battery performance lasts through longer regattas.
Only turned on shortly before the regatta starts – ensuring a full battery even for an afternoon or evening start.
Reliable operation like an iPhone: Thanks to "pure" Android - without unnecessary "memory cleaners" or aggressive "battery-saving modes" - Regatta Hero runs stably in the background without requiring complex Android optimizations.
Affordable data connection with eSIM: Some providers offer very affordable data packages (eg., 3 GB) when your device has an eSIM like the Pixel 5 has it.
Privacy: The dedicated smartphone can be handed over to others without worry. Apart from Regatta Hero, no sensitive apps or data are stored on it.
Since the latest Pixel model isn’t necessary, you can buy a used Pixel (e.g., Pixel 5 or 6) for under 200 euros. Platforms like eBay or refurbished shops often offer great deals for little money. Of course, you can also look for a used iPhone with eSIM and IP68 certification.
At the end of the 2024 sailing season, we started implementing a series of new features for Regatta Hero to make them available in 2025. This post provides an overview; individual topics will be explained in more detail in separate blog posts over the coming weeks.
Here are the main innovations:
Additionally, various optimizations have been made to the map viewer:
In the replay mode of the map viewer, the following is new:
On the website, the following is new:
The list will certainly be expanded further by the start of the 2025 sailing season. Currently, we are working intensively on a completely revised documentation and online help system. Both will also be available bilingually.
This is how you prepare a club regatta with Regatta Hero! The regatta team of the Württemberg Yacht Club leaves nothing to chance when it comes to organizing the weekly Wednesday regatta. This includes professional announcements on the club's website, an information page with specific details on how to launch the app, and a well-attended information event at the beginning of the regatta series that runs through the Regatta Hero procedure on land. The result is impressive.
The WYC website features a detailed information page that informs all participants about how the Wednesday regatta and Regatta Hero work. It includes a Q&A section and an excellently structured overview of all topics related to the Wednesday regatta. A visit to this page is worthwhile.
Two weeks before the first regatta, an information event is held at the club premises. Over 50 interested participants attend this event, where they receive assistance with installing, launching, and handling the app. Finally, a parking lot regatta is launched with all attendees! The organizing team had previously set up a circuit on the club grounds, which was then walked through.
Incidentally, a similar event took place in spring 2024 at the Hamburg Yacht Harbor.
And yesterday was the first race day in Friedrichshafen. The replay shows a perfectly executed club regatta as a time trial with a kangaroo start. Each regatta participant receives their individual start countdown from the app. After 105 minutes, the regatta ends for everyone, and the race officer immediately receives an email from Regatta Hero with the results list. Whoever completed the most laps and came closest to the next buoy wins.
And all of this can be watched live from the shore or later in the replay of the race. The following replay link jumps directly to the final phase of the race. With the slider at the top of the screen, you can fast forward or rewind.
Congratulations to the organizing team in Friedrichshafen... and, of course, to the winner of the race!
Regatta Hero is a complete system for organizing, conducting, tracking, and scoring regattas or regatta series. Sailors, race officers, and buoy layers have a smartphone app installed on their devices. Spectators can follow the regatta on a webpage in real-time or as a replay.
A smartphone is particularly suitable for Regatta Hero because it has all the necessary hardware components, such as a screen, speaker, GPS module, and mobile connection. Moreover, smartphones can be purchased for as little as €60. This means you don’t need to use your expensive smartphone; you can buy a second one just for regatta operations. If this smartphone gets damaged or lost, it’s annoying but manageable in terms of cost.
The smartphone app for sailors is easy to use: after installation, you enter your boat data (including yardstick) once and press a button to activate tracking.
The smartphone app for the race officer naturally comes with more extensive functionality. It allows for setting up regattas and courses and defining course marks for the routes. It also controls the start of the regatta, which runs fully automatically once initiated. When all boats have crossed the finish line, the regatta ends automatically, or the race officer can end it manually if some boats fail to reach the finish line.
The buoy layer can use the app to record the position of a buoy on the water, which is automatically transmitted to the system. Alternatively, they can place the smartphone (€60) in a waterproof box and attach it with tracking mode activated to the buoy. This way, Regatta Hero receives continuous updates on the buoy's swinging motion.
If smart, self-driving buoys are available, they can automatically send their position to Regatta Hero. Additionally, Regatta Hero features an MQTT interface, allowing third-party or self-made trackers to be integrated in real time.
For setting buoy positions, there is a map-based web interface based on OpenSeaMap. This interface allows the placement of buoy positions on the map with a mouse or a finger tap. This is very practical for roughly setting up buoy positions for the first time or adopting positions from navigation markers.
However, it’s important to understand that buoy positions are not automatically course marks. The race officer uses the app to define which course marks correspond to which buoy positions for a given course. More on this later.
Everything is coordinated via a cloud server provided by Regatta Hero or by sailing associations (e.g., the Sailing Association of Baden-Württemberg). Sailors or race officers don’t need to worry about server operation, configuration, or maintenance. Everything is automatically managed by the app. All you need are the login credentials (organization name and passcode) for the server.
My name is Kristian Raue, and I am the person behind Regatta Hero. I was born in 1961, grew up in the Ruhr area, and now live with my wife and four children in Kirchzarten near Freiburg.
I am a trained industrial engineer and have spent the last few decades in the software industry as a company founder and CEO (Intellicube AG, Jedox GmbH, and Cedalo GmbH).
My sailing area is the Schluchsee in the Black Forest, the most beautiful and windy sailing area in Baden-Württemberg. During the day, there are often gusty winds from shifting directions. In the summer months, however, there is often a wonderful and steady thermal wind with strengths of 2-4 Bft in the evening.
At the Schluchsee, I am the chairman of the Wassersportclub Schluchsee. I sail an F16 catamaran (Viper) and a Sailart 19.