Comparison

Around the Sticks Lite vs Rowing Victoria

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Around the Sticks Lite

This app provides yacht racers with essential course information, including mark bearings, distances, and turning instructions. It's designed for autonomous operation during races, requiring minimal user input so you can focus on sailing. Never lose your way on the course again.

Highlights
  • Mark bearing, distance, and turn shape
  • Autonomous race operation
  • Offline functionality
  • Accidental activation lock
  • Proximity mode for mark turns
  • Race start timer with audio cues
  • Custom mark and course creation
Features
Read full description

Around the Sticks is a richly featured yacht racing course app, providing clear and concise information on mark bearing, distance, shape of turn, side to pass and steering angle relative to mark. Optimized to perform autonomously in race conditions, the app requires very little user inputs, leaving you free to concentrate on the racing. Never get lost out on course again! Key features include: -Designed specifically for use in race conditions, and operated through a waterproof casing. Phone will not go idle whilst racing, rather the screen will dim and can be awakened by tapping anywhere on the screen (user settable) to save battery. -No internet connection is required whilst racing. -Buttons on main screen are automatically locked to prevent accidental activation. -One touch race: Once race is started (either with race timer or manually), no further inputs are needed from the user (if all mark positions are known to the app) mark rounding is automatic and the target moves automatically to the next mark. Laid marks, (without set/known coordinates) can be incorporated into courses to maintain the sequential structure. In these cases, once rounded an easily activated manual advance option advances to the next mark. -The main screen includes a link to course description, progress through the course, clear and easy to read bearing to and distance to, name and picture of the next mark, the side it must be left to, plus the name of the following mark of the course. Speed Across Ground and VMG to the mark are also included on the main screen. -Once near (distance user settable) to the next mark, proximity mode is activated. The shape of the turn and the bearing to the following mark are pre-emptively displayed, allowing the crew to prepare for the turn -Race start timer with sync signals for 5, 4 and 1 minutes to start, a user-settable timer button and clear audio cues. This can be used to trigger the start of a course within the app, or as a stand-alone feature -Clear help captions help explain features when you're getting started. Tap on a feature to display a caption explaining its function. Once you're familiar with the app, captions can be disabled in user settings -Create and store your own marks and courses, either by entering co-ordinates or "pinging" current location. User courses can be compiled with a combination of existing and custom marks, in a few moments. Ideal for race days where you're handed a new course at the last minute. It's also easy to enter into the app the entire course list for your club at the start of the season, so any course you may require is instantly accessible. Up to 200 courses may be compiled and stored in this way, however the full version of the app is required to navigate within user courses. Up to 3 user marks can be created and stored (200 in the full version of the app) -Around the Sticks free comes pre-loaded with marks and courses from Melbourne, Australia, this database will be extended regularly to include more territories/clubs. The first five courses of each club list are fully functional, the remaining courses can be used for reference purposes, however navigating within them requires the full version of the app. -Warning: As with all navigation apps, continued use of GPS may drain the battery life faster than normal. It is recommended that the app's easy to use timed screen dimming feature is activated to minimize this.

About

Rowing Victoria

Read full description

The official app for rowers in Victoria. Direct Notifications: • Stay up-to-date with regatta news and waterway conditions. Premiership & Individual Standings: • See where you and your club/school stand across a range of categories. Regatta Calendar: • Live access to regatta schedules & race results. Website Access: • Access additional information with a quick link to the RV website.

Screenshots

Around the Sticks Lite4 screens
Rowing Victoria4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Around the Sticks Lite at none against Rowing Victoria's shown. Around the Sticks Lite also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 13 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Around the Sticks Lite ships an update monthly, Rowing Victoria every 13 months. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and July 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 6 level
Around the Sticks Lite versus Rowing Victoria: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAround the Sticks LiteRowing Victoria
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 13 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.012.0
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB35 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTim MetherallRowing Victoria Inc

In-app purchases

None

Around the Sticks Lite

No in-app purchases

None

Rowing Victoria

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Around the Sticks Lite free?
Around the Sticks Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Rowing Victoria free?
Rowing Victoria is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Around the Sticks Lite or Rowing Victoria have ads?
Rowing Victoria shows ads; Around the Sticks Lite does not.
Which is updated more often, Around the Sticks Lite or Rowing Victoria?
Around the Sticks Lite ships an update monthly, and Rowing Victoria every 13 months. Most recently, Around the Sticks Lite was updated on June 1, 2026 and Rowing Victoria on July 8, 2026.

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