Recording problems

Recording stopped or a gap in the track

If iOS quits the app, the phone restarts or you force-quit, the sensors stop until you reopen Manta. The same trip then continues, and the time in between stays empty. To prevent this, see Recording in the background.

No GPS position or poor accuracy

Manta discards iPhone positions less accurate than 25 metres, which below deck can be all of them. Give the phone a clear view of the sky. While a plotter sends its position, Manta uses that instead.

Location permission

Under iOS Settings → Apps → Manta → Location, choose “Always” and keep “Precise Location” on.

With “While Using”, “Record” first shows “Background location is off”. “Turn on” asks iOS once, and opens iOS Settings after that. With “Never”, there is no warning and the iPhone records no track.

Instruments not connecting or no data

Open Settings → Connect your plotter and read the status:

• “Searching the network…” or “No gateway found yet”: join the plotter's WiFi and check iOS Settings → Apps → Manta → Local Network.
• “no data yet”: look for a separate NMEA output switch on the plotter.
• “Can't reach the gateway”: switch from “Manual” to “Automatic”.
• “Receiving data”: grey rows under “What's coming in” are values your network doesn't provide.

Many plotters serve one connection at a time, so close other apps using it. See Connect your plotter and WiFi gateways.

Missing engine or sail entries

• Under Settings → Automatic logging, “Engine on/off” and “Tacks & gybes” must be on.
• Without engine data from your instruments, Manta reads the phone's vibration. Mount the phone or lay it flat.
• “Sails up” is automatic only after the engine has run on this trip, and tacks and gybes need it. If you leave under sail, log it yourself.
• On Free, tacks, gybes and sail changes are saved but folded into one row, “more automatic entries”.

See Automatic log entries.

Trip distance looks wrong

Distance is measured over ground, so it differs from a log reading. A gap or pause counts as a straight line, so the figure is short. A recording left running after mooring adds GPS drift: crop the trip to recalculate.

Trip missing on another device

Check Settings → iCloud & backup on both devices. “iCloud is off for Manta” and “iCloud storage is full” keep trips on that device. See iCloud sync and privacy.

A running recording stays hidden on other devices until it ends or has been quiet for an hour.

The message “A recording is already running”

Shortcuts, Siri and Spotlight say this when a recording is open, possibly one Manta resumed after an interruption. In Manta, tap “Current trip” if the panel is hidden, then “Pause” and “Stop”.