The story behind the VisionAnchor smart anchoring system that helps captains monitor their anchor and ensures a good night sleep when anchored at night.

Anže and Matija earned their captain’s license and went on their “maiden voyage” with a small rubber boat they rented in Croatia next to the island of Krk. They anchored the boat successfully but when it was time to leave, the anchor did not want to come with them. It stayed under the sea. Where? Nobody knows. This happened because the D shackle link between the anchor and the chain was in poor condition and it got loose during the anchoring process. Upset and defeated, Matija and Anže went back to shore and had to buy a new anchor so they could return the boat to the rental company.

But that got them thinking: How come anchoring has not changed since … well, the beginning of time. We have so many smart devices in our pockets, our watches, even our cars are smart, but anchors are still this “stupid” iron shape athached to a chain that you throw in the water and “hope for the best''.
 

The initial idea was to attach a camera to the anchor so you could actually see how your anchor sets and what the seabed is like. Sand, mud, big rocks, underwater plants or cables … The problem is of course the wifi connection under water. Andrej, who had years of experience on his family sailboat Elan Y, suggested a smart anchor buoy with a camera that attaches to the anchor. The anchor buoy is located above water so it can communicate with WiFi or LTE technology. 

And so the VisionAnchor smart anchoring system was born.
 

Good winds to all and may your anchor always hold.