Manta reads the engine from your boat's instruments. Without them, your iPhone senses the hull's vibration and, together with speed and course, tells Manta when the engine runs. No wiring needed.
Automatic engine log
Starting the engine to leave the harbour, motoring through a calm, sailing again: Manta writes each change into the log by itself. You keep your hands on the lines, not on the phone.
How it works
Connected to your boat's instruments, Manta reads the engine state straight from the NMEA data. Without that data, a running engine makes the hull vibrate, and your iPhone's motion sensors pick that up. Manta weighs the vibration together with speed and course and decides when the engine is running. Either way it needs no wiring and no sensor on the engine.
What you see
Engine on and engine off appear in the log as automatic entries with a small sparkle. Each one carries its time, like every other entry. Knowing when the engine runs also keeps the log tidy: Manta logs tacks and gybes only on sailboats with the engine off.
Turning on engine detection
Engine detection comes with the app, and there is nothing to set up. Under Settings → Automatic logging you can switch engine detection on or off.
Correcting entries
Automatic entries stay editable. Tap one to change its type or time; it then counts as your own entry. On the Lock Screen, the quick actions for the engine let you log it yourself too.
Questions
Do I need to connect anything to the engine?
No. If your instruments report the engine over NMEA, Manta reads it from them. Without that, your iPhone's motion sensors feel the hull's vibration. Together with speed and course, that tells Manta when the engine runs.
Is engine detection free?
Yes. Engine detection comes with the app, on every trip.
What if Manta logs the engine at the wrong time?
Tap the entry to change its type or time. You can also switch engine detection off under Settings → Automatic logging and log the engine yourself.
Which permission does it need?
None of its own. The motion sensors that feel the engine's vibration need no permission.