Click to jump to video tutorials
Click to download the app on Play Store
Installing the App
The app is designed for Android tablets, although it is also compatible with Android phones. However, the user experience may be less optimal on phones due to their smaller screen sizes. Additionally, the app can be installed on Mac and Windows devices using an emulator.
Android
To install the app on Android devices, get it on Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ibsailing.trusailviewer
The app is primarily tailored for tablet use, but it is functional on mobile phones, albeit with a less user-friendly experience due to the smaller screen size.
Windows
The app can be installed on Windows via Android Emulator software. The full guide for installation is here: https://ib-sailing.com/?page_id=30. This version uses the third-party Bluestacks emulator for Windows.
Another option is installing the emulator with the Android Studio development software. To do this, you can follow the guide for installing it on a Mac.
Mac
At this moment, Apple Silicon Mac devices have no Android Emulator to run the software, except the one used together with the development tool (Android Studio).
In this case, setup needs a bit more time, but once running, Macs run the app with no issues and with a great user experience. Also, the app needs to be installed manually since the emulator tablets on the development platform have no Play Store included. The full guide is here: How To Install On Mac.
Trial and Subscription
Free Usage
The app offers a basic version that is free but has certain restrictions. Users are limited to opening only two logs at once, and most of the advanced features are inaccessible. Nevertheless, users can still enjoy a reliable replay of their logs and examine them closely. The app also includes preinstalled sample files, which can be used for testing purposes. These sample files are always unlocked and can be used with the app’s full set of features.
Trial Period
All users can get a free 2-month trial period before deciding to purchase the subscription.
Subscription
All the subscribers get unlimited usage for one device the app is installed on. This means that there is no limit to the number of logs and to who is using the app. For example, a club, sailing team, or federation can have one tablet that all the coaches/sailors can share when needed.
Unlocking Trial/Subscription
To unlock the app, please send the Device ID of your tablet, obtained from the app Menu/About screen. You can send a screenshot, a photo, or just a text with the device ID. You can email it to [email protected]
Once the Device ID is sent, you will get the unlock code you can type in. For faster input, you will receive also the QR code that you just need to scan by using the QR button in the About dialog.
Importing Files
Importing Logs
Sharing From the Other Apps Video Tutorial
Use the “Import” button at the bottom right which opens the file browser where you can pick any of the supported files wherever they are on the tablet.
Supported File Types
SailViewer accepts log files of all major hardware brands. Click here for the detailed list of accepted files. In case you have the file that cannot be open, please let us know.
Sharing From the Other Apps
Logs can also be imported via the “Share” or “Open With” option from other Android apps (File Browser, Gmail, WhatsApp, Telegram…). Just select the files and once clicked on “Share”, SailViewer App will be listed between the suggested apps.
Android Smartphone Sail Logging App
There is a simple app created by the same developer for Android smartphones that logs GPS data, pitch, and heel. It can be used with waterproof phones. The logging app has a “Share” button and files can be sent via Mail, WhatsApp, Telegram…. (Telegram is a great tool to send files to yourself on multiple devices). Once set up and zeroed, phones can log for many hours before the battery needs to be charged, and even then it can be done by power bank, so no need to remove it ever from the boat.
The app’s name is “Sail Logger” and is available on the Google Play Store for free. Get it here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ibsailing.saillogger
More about the SailLogger can be found here: Sail Logger App.
Navigating the Logs
Click For the Navigating Logs Video Tutorial
Sliders
Click For The Wind Setup Video Tutorial
The “Wind slider” changes the wind direction, – and + buttons move it 1 degree
The “Time slider” sets the time window. Clicking on two menu buttons on the sides shows the options of fine tuning them with + and – 1 second buttons or entering custom time.
Zoom Buttons
Zoom + button moves the sliders to the edges and allows for easier fine-tuning. Whenever you are too close with two sliders or want to fine-tune them, use this option.
Zoom – button zooms back out. The last click zooms out into the whole log.
Move to the Point On the Graph Screen
It is possible to move any of the sliders to the selected point on the “Graph Screen”. Long press at the place where you would like to move the slider. A black line will appear at that point together with the menu. Select “Start Slider Here” or “End Slider Here” and that slider will move to the selected point.
Leg Button
“Leg” button – selects and shows a single leg for all boats or zooms out back to the whole log. For leg selection to work, id is advised to cut the logs so their legs match. If you click on the “Save” button when inside a single leg, only that leg will be saved.
Cutting Logs
Click for the Logs Cutting Video Tutorial
Saving Selection
Pressing the “Save” Button or “Menu/Log/Save Logs” Saves the selection. It saves the part inside the time slider selection for all opened logs. It also saves the wind direction so it is set automatically when opening the saved log.
Once clicked, the app will ask for a new title and/or comments for the logs that will be saved. If left blank, it will copy the ones from the original file
If the selection start time is the same as the log start time, the app will ask if you want to overwrite the original file. If choosing not to, it will move the selection start one second later and save it as a new log.
Cutting Races
The app can also cut and save windward/leeward races. Based on the start time and defined finish line. For more info click here.
Mobile Phone Usage
On mobile phones and devices with a small screen, sliders and buttons are hidden until any part of the background of the app is touched. Many dialogs become scrollable to accommodate the smaller screen. The app is not optimized for mobile phones but still can be used and tested. Hiding the “Files” screen helps get some more space while using it.
Screens
All the screens in the app can be resized and closed. To resize, use the “+” and “-“ buttons or pinch to zoom. To hide, use the “X” button. They can also be shown or hidden by using the “SCRN” button that appears once logs are open or via Menu/Screen option
Files screen
The Files Screen shows all the logs available to the app. All the basic info about the log and the GPS track of it.
DATE – allows you to scroll down to the selected date.
IMPORT – opens a file browser to select logs to import
DSL – deselects and closes all files that are open so you start fresh. Useful if you have files opened down the list so you don’t need to search for them.
DELETE – deletes opened logs, and asks for confirmation before actually doing it
REFRESH – refreshes the list.
Click the logs to open or close them. Selected files turn into blue color.
Long click the log to see more info about it and have an option of editing it.
While scrolling through the list of files, the map view shows the places where the logs on the screen were logged. The date range of visible logs is displayed on top of the File Screen
Path Screen
Click here for more details on Path Screen
The “Path Window” shows the GPS track of the boats and some extra data (maneuver losses, distances) and features. More info about the window can be found here.
Graphs Screen
Click Here for more details on Graphs Screen
Graphs Screen shows graphs of one or multiple values. You can choose any of the measured or calculated values. It also shows short statistics data and some of the events.
Polar Screen
The polar diagram shows all the sailing points of selected time in a way that distance from the center is the speed and angle is the angle to the wind. Click for more information.
Histogram
In the histogram window, you can view the distribution of the selected value. To change the displayed value, click the Value button. The button with the numerical value represents the data size percentage on the screen, where 95% indicates that 2.5% of data on each edge is excluded from the display.
Data Screen
The Data screen shows the average numbers of any selected value for the chosen time period. For more info, follow the Data Screen Guide.
Race Screen
The race window shows data for the whole race. It doesn’t depend on the time selection and always uses the whole log, so it should be used on pre-cut races.
It shows different statistics for each leg and the whole race.
Map Screen
Shows the Google Map of the selected logs. Useful to see the geographical effects. Click on the Type button to circle through different map types
Video Screen
The Video Screen shows the imported videos with data overlaid on it. For more info, please follow the Video Screen Guide.
Correlation Screen
The Correlation Screen shows the correlation coefficients between any chosen values. The correlation coefficient is a numerical measure representing the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables; it ranges from -1 (perfect negative correlation) to 1 (perfect positive correlation), with 0 indicating no linear correlation. A positive correlation means the variables tend to increase together, while a negative correlation implies an inverse relationship, where one variable increases as the other decreases. Click the Vals Button to select the values you want to see.
Player buttons
You can use the built-in player to see the log playing. By pressing the “Player” button a small window with player controls shows up. Just roll the end slider close to the start one and press play to start playing the log. Use the “Fast forward” and “Backward” buttons to change player speed.
The “Roll” button sets the time window duration or unrolls the whole log
“Free” roll means that the time window is the size of the current selection
GIF – starting and stopping the player by using the GIF button will create the gif animation file of the Path Screen. You can then share it.
Menu Button
Import Logs
Select logs to import from the device storage into the app.
About
About dialog is used to activate the paid app. It shows how long the subscription lasts. Also, it shows the ID of the device. Send it to the developer to obtain your unlock code. It allows copying the ID to the clipboard so you can paste it into any messaging app.
You can also just send a screenshot or a photo of the QR code to the developer. You will get the unlock code and the QR code. The easiest way to unlock the app is just to scan the QR code provided. Use the QR button in the “About” dialog.
About window also contains a link to this help guide via the “Help” button
Log menu
Log/Align
It aligns the start time of opened logs. If you have saved the same leg of multiple boats, you can align them as if they all start the leg at the same time. Includes the option to move the start location of all logs to the same point.
Use it to compare two logs of the same boat which were logged one after the other. It is useful to change the boat number on one of the logs and save it. Then you can see it in a different color.
Log/Merge
Merges the values from log to log. Copies all logged values that are missing from one to the other log. You can swap them by using the “Swap Logs” button
Remember to save the new log to keep the changes.
Log/Share
Shares selected logs. The device will offer you all the apps it has available to share files ( Mail, WhatsApp, Telegram… )
Log/Backup All Logs
Back up all the logs on the list into a .zip file. This file can be shared via different apps on the tablet.
Log/Cut race
Cuts the race for multiple boats. What this option does is it cuts the same start time and finish line position for all the opened logs. The finish line is considered to be at the same position as the start point of the boat with the lowest boat number. If you want to have the finish line at some other point, you can use the option to have the finish line at the last selected point of the boat with the lowest boat number.
Race cutting guide can be found here
Log/Edit Log
After editing the log, changes will only be temporary unless you use ‘Save and Close’ to close the window. In this case, the logs will be saved. Alternatively, you can simply use ‘Close’ and decide later whether you want to save the edited logs.
Title
Creates a title for the log that will be shown on the files window while browsing.
Team Name
Puts a team name into the logs.
Boat Number
Changes the boat number of the boat (and color too).
TWS
Input true wind speed as observed on the water and apparent wind numbers will be adjusted to it. AWA – the apparent wind angle and AWS – the apparent wind speed.
Comments
Adds comments to the log. A part of it will get shown while browsing the files.
Offset Time
Moves opened logs in time. The input time is in seconds. Use negative values to go back in time.
Simplify
If some values (pitch/heel) are recorded more often than locations, it removes extra data. Can help when 10Hz logs feel slow while viewing.
Reduce
Reduce the data point frequency by specifying the minimum time difference between points in milliseconds. This process will remove any points that are closer in time than the specified minimum value to the preceding point. For instance, to ensure a minimum separation of 5 seconds between points, set the value to 5000 milliseconds (ms).
Filters
Click here for more details on filters
Filters enable you to choose data that meets specific criteria. All calculations and screens display only the data that meets the selected filtering criteria.
Settings
Minimum Leg Distance
Set the minimum length of the leg. If your legs are shorter than this value, make the value smaller. This is used to prevent false leg detection if the boat goes the wrong way in the leg for a while. The offset/prestart legs are not affected by this value.
Quick Mode If Log Longer Than
Open logs in quick mode if their duration exceeds the specified number of hours. This helps to speed up the process of cutting logs into races, ensuring that the app doesn’t waste time calculating unnecessary data.
Calculate Apparent Wind Values
calculates AWA and AWS (apparent wind angle and speed) for true wind speed set here.
Maneuver Timings
Maneuver Timings Settings are explained together with the Maneuver Screen.
Other options
“Calculate Pointing to Wind and Leeway” calculates the compass angle to the wind and leeway compared to the GPS course over the ground. The log needs to have the “Heading” values logged. If the compass is not aligned properly in the boat, the “Heading” value should be offset via the “…/Edit Value” dialog
Experimental Options
Search for the offset mark – the app tries to add the offset leg at the top mark. Two angles are defined in the drawing. Alpha: offset mark angle Beta: top mark angle. The app finds the highest point at those angles to the 90 degrees to the wind direction line and sets them as upwind and offset mark.
Edit Value
Allows you to calculate travel, changes, and rate of change for any value you want. It is possible to create new values as the averaging values of any value. You can offset the value if not properly calibrated (heel for example) or add gain to if (multiply by a number). You can also remove the value from the log or edit the properties of that value.
Create Average Value
You can smoothen any value and save it as a new value or overwrite the original one.
Smoothing time: Time in milliseconds of the floating average window
Overwrite: Will overwrite the original value with a smoothening one. Otherwise will create a new value with the original name and suffix ave/med depending on the method chosen and averaging time. For example, the 10000ms average of heel value will have the name “heelave10000“
Average/Median: does the smoothening using average or median values
Fill Travels
Creates a new value with the travel values of the original. Travel value shows the amount the value changes per minute. The new value name is the original name with the suffix travel.
Fill Rate Of Change
Creates a new value with the rate of change of the original value. For example, if used on the distance to the leader, it shows how many meters per second the boat was gaining or losing to the leader. The new value name is the original one plus the suffix change rate.
Fill Changes
Creates a new value showing the changes of how many times per minute the value is changing direction.
Minimum peak: Minimum size of the peak to consider it as a change. Any peak less than this size will not be considered.
Minimum time: Minimum time that peak is considered a change. Any change quicker than this will not be considered.
Fill Ranks
Creates a new value with the current ranking of each boat in that value. For example, the rank of DTL is the actual rank in the race. Also whenever the “higher than all logs” option is selected in filters, the app will automatically create ranks for that value.
Offset
Offsets value by the amount entered. Adds the entered number to the values.
Gain
Multiplies the value by the amount entered.
Rename
Renames the value for all open logs.
Remove
Removes the value for all open logs
Start Line
A start line can be set and all the data about it shown.
To find out more about it, look into the Start Line Guide
Events
Start Line Events are explained in the Start Line Guide
Text Events
A text Event can be added at any time to any location.
They can be added by long pressing on the “Graph Screen” or “Path Screen” and selecting “New Event”. When the “Graph Screen” is used, the set time for the event will be the one at which Graph was pressed. When the “Path Screen” is used, the location of the event will be set at the pressed position.
Selecting Location – You can change the location to be at any of the boat locations, just select the boat where you want it. It will be set at the place where the boat was at the selected time.
Selecting Time – The time of the event can be set as the selection start time, selection end time, or a custom time.
Text Input – Under the “Event Details” click on the “Edit” button to input the text for the event
The created events will be shown in the “Graph Screen” or “Path Screen”
Events Dialog
Events dialog is open by choosing the “Menu Button/Events”
“Export” button – exports all the created events to a file. This file can later be imported back into the app when needed.
“Delete” button – deletes selected events
“New” button – opens the “New Event” dialog
For each event:
USE button uses the event (for start line, it sets it as current start line end or set the time). For media, button is named as View and it shows the media.
START – moves the start slider to the start of the event
END – moves the end slider to the start of the event (useful for playing the videos)
Edit – edit event details
Maneuvers Screen
The maneuver screen is the new experimental screen. More about using it can be found here: Maneuvers Screen
Creating Subtitles For the Videos
The app can load the data of the videos and can export a subtitle file that can be overlaid on the video. For a complete guide, follow this guide: SailViewer Subtitles Guide
Some of the ways to use
Cutting long daily logs
Open all the logs that you want to cut together
2. Move sliders to the selected part and save the log by …/Log/Save Logs
3. New logs will be saved containing only the selection
4. Move sliders to the next part and do the same for other segments
5. Using SOG graph helps to see when the races were happening
6. You can also just touch the graph at the place you want to cut and select Start Time or End Time to move the slider there
Tuning run
– Adjust wind by hand since it cannot calculate the wind from one tack only on its own
– Look into all the data you need, and set it all up in the Data fields window
– The path window shows the start and end upwind distance between the boats. Useful to see if someone had an advantage at the start
– Upwind distance value or average VMG shows who performed better
Cut Race
- Follow this guide to see how to cut the races
Training Alone
– New value is added, DTS ( distance to self ). It calculates the distance to the imagined boat sailing at your average VMG on that leg. Can spot places where meters were lost/gained
– Every time value goes down, it was less than average performance, and meters were lost, opposite for the value going up
Filters Example
Only clean upwind sailing from the time range by selecting: “only upwind leg” + “remove maneuvers” + “vmg> fixed value a bit under usual VMG for the conditions. This leaves pure sailing and is possible to get the data for only those periods in a very quick way.
Still in development
– the app is being developed constantly and new features added. Plenty of new features are still to come. Always the main point is that it has to be simple and easy to use.
– Turn On The Experimental Features in Menu/Settings to be able to open the newly added features
– The app should work OK even on older tablets and different screen sizes and resolutions.
– Is not intended to be used on phones so everything there will be small. Still can do some of the above, even on the small screen
– Please send feedback or suggestions for the new features that you want
Ivan Bulaja, [email protected]