Support
SAR Tools 2026 is a Progressive Web App (PWA) designed to work on both Android and iOS devices. A PWA runs in a full screen browser container after you add it to your home screen - so it looks like any other app. After purchase, open your install link on the phone or tablet you will use offshore, then follow the steps below to add it to your home screen for offline use.
SAR Tools 2026 is not available in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. You need to purchase it here and then you will be directed to the install page. You can purchase it from a desktop or mobile browser. If you are using a desktop computer to checkout and pay - then it will then redirect you to the install page. It will detect if you are on a desktop computer automatically, and give you a qr code to scan with your phone/tablet to install the app on the mobile device.
How to install
After you scan the QR code or click “Proceed to install app”, you need to add the app to your home screen using the specific instructions below for your device and browser.
Android phones & tablets (default browser: Chrome)
If there is no option to add the app to your home screen (e.g. Samsung One UI) then try this: go to your phone/tablet's Android settings, find the Home screen section and enable "Add apps to Home Screen." Other Android browsers may vary; Chrome is the most reliable for PWAs.
iPhone & iPad (default browser: Safari)
iPhone & iPad (default browser: Chrome)
GPS location
To log your start and end position in the Sector Search and Expanding Square calculators, the app needs your device location. The same applies to Get location on the Lat/Long page.
Location is requested through the browser. On iPhone and iPad that is Safari; on Android use Chrome. If location is set to Deny (or blocked), these features will not work. Permissions should be Allow, or Ask / Ask Next Time so you can approve when prompted.
iPhone & iPad
Web apps added to the home screen still use Apple’s WebKit (Safari) engine—even if you first opened the install link in Chrome. Set Safari’s default for websites: Settings › Safari › Location, then choose Ask or Allow (not Deny). If you never get a prompt, confirm Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services is on.
Android phones & tablets (Chrome)
SAR Tools should be installed and opened in Chrome; the home screen shortcut still runs in Chrome, so location is controlled in Chrome’s site settings, not a separate “app permission” list like a Play Store app.
Default for all sites: in Chrome tap More (⋮) › Settings › under Advanced, Site settings › Location. Ensure sites are allowed to request location (not turned off globally). When SAR Tools prompts you, choose Allow while visiting the site or Allow this time—not Never allow.
If you already blocked the site: same path › Location › All sites, pick the site that has the URL: sartools.ca, then Reset permissions or change location access to allow. If it still fails, confirm the phone’s Settings › Location is on.
Faq
What is SAR Tools 2026?
SAR Tools 2026 is a Progressive Web App (PWA) for marine search and rescue. It gives pattern timing and navigation math at a glance: sector search and expanding square legs with headings and timers, a speed, distance, and time calculator, and latitude/longitude tools for distance and bearing to a target. Screens are built for on-water use; after you install and cache the app you can use core features offline in poor coverage. It is sold as a one-time purchase from this site—see pricing and checkout on the homepage.
What calculators and tools are included in SAR Tools?
Sector search timing with leg headings and track spacing; expanding square search timing; a speed, distance, and time calculator (enter any two values, get the third); and lat/long utilities to find distance and bearing to coordinates. Together they cover the marine SAR pattern and quick-navigation jobs highlighted under Marine-Grade Features on the homepage.
Does SAR Tools work offline?
Yes. After you add SAR Tools to your home screen, your browser caches the app so core screens work without a network—important offshore or in dead zones. You still need connectivity for the first install and when an update is published (the service worker will fetch the new version when you are online).
Can I use SAR Tools on both iPhone and Android?
Yes. The same SAR Tools 2026 PWA runs on iPhone and iPad (Safari) and on Android phones and tablets (Chrome) using Add to Home Screen or Install app. Follow the device-specific steps in How to install above on this page.
How much does SAR Tools 2026 cost?
SAR Tools 2026 is a one-time purchase of 14 USD. There is no subscription. You pay through the checkout link on the homepage (Buy Me a Coffee / purchase flow); payment is processed by that platform, not inside the app.
How do I install SAR Tools after I purchase it?
After checkout, open your install link on the phone or tablet you will use offshore. Then add SAR Tools to your home screen: on iOS use Safari and Share → Add to Home Screen; on Android use Chrome and Install app or Add to Home screen. Step-by-step instructions are in How to install at the top of this support page.
Why isn’t SAR Tools 2026 in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store?
One cross-platform codebase (a Progressive Web App) is far easier to maintain than separate native Android and iOS apps. Store listings also mean ongoing compliance work, reviews, and updates across two ecosystems. Distributing SAR Tools privately as a PWA keeps development sustainable so crews get fixes and improvements without the overhead of parallel native releases.
Does the SAR Tools app store my private data?
No. SAR Tools runs on your phone or tablet in the browser. The calculations and inputs you use for searches stay on your device; there is no sign-in account inside the app that uploads your mission details to SAR Tools. Location is only read when you use a feature that asks for it (your browser controls that permission). Checkout and payment are handled by the sales platform you use to purchase access, not by a SAR Tools user database.
When and why was SAR Tools created?
RCMSAR crew member Adam Hyde created SAR Tools after training nights in 2013: running sector search patterns with a stopwatch and paper headings was slow and error-prone. The first iPhone version shipped in 2014, tested at Station 1 (West Vancouver), followed by Android and later store releases. Read the full timeline on our History page.
What organizations use SAR Tools?
Crews and agencies around the world have used the app, including Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR), the RNLI, USCG Auxiliary, Coast Guard New Zealand, and others. See History for context and notable missions.
Is SAR Tools suitable for classroom training?
Yes. The one-time price is low enough that each trainee can install it on their own phone. In a classroom you can walk through a practice search, talk through sector or expanding-square timing, and build muscle memory with the app before you go on the water.
What is the SAR Tools app in the Apple App Store?
That listing is the older native iPhone app (through version 2, released in 2019). It may still appear in the App Store, but it is no longer supported and is not the current product. SAR Tools 2026 is the supported release: a Progressive Web App you install after purchase from this site. For the full story (Play Store, PWA, and timelines), see History.
Why do you charge for SAR Tools?
SAR Tools is built and maintained by a small, independent effort—not a funded software company. A one-time purchase covers ongoing work: updates, hosting, compatibility with new phones and browsers, and direct support when crews hit install or GPS issues. Charging once keeps the app sustainable without ads, subscriptions, or selling user data.