🛰️ Signal K: The Open Data Wave That’s Changing Boating Forever
⚓ What is Signal K?
Signal K is the open-source language of the sea — a universal marine data format built by sailors, for sailors.
It lets your boat’s instruments, sensors, and apps talk to each other, no matter the brand or vintage.
🌀 Think of it as the "Esperanto" for marine electronics — but with way more wind in its sails. 🌬️
It’s modern, free, and made for the way we sail today: WiFi, tablets, phones, and the cloud.
📡 Built on solid web tech: JSON, WebSockets, and HTTP — it plays nice with everything from your chartplotter to your smartphone.
🧩 It’s not just a protocol — it’s an ecosystem: server, plugins, web apps, and a global crew of salty hackers keeping it alive.
👉 Learn more at the official Signal K site
🧭 Why Should Real Sailors Care?
🗽 Freedom
No more being locked into one brand. Mix and match NMEA 0183, NMEA 2000, Seatalk, and more.
Signal K bridges the gap between old-school and next-gen.
🧰 DIY Power
Build your own smart boat with a Raspberry Pi, or run it on gear like the Victron Cerbo GX.
Use prebuilt images like OpenPlotter or BBN OS and have it running by sunset.
📶 Remote Access
Check your boat from the dock, the bar, or the other side of the ocean.
With plugins like MQTT and InfluxDB, you can log, visualize, and even automate your systems.
🌍 Community
Built and improved by a global tribe of sailors, tinkerers, and marine techs.
Join the buzz on Discord or GitHub — ideas and support 24/7.
🛟 Signal K runs under the hood of gear from big names like Victron Energy and Airmar, and it’s growing fast.
🌊 How Does Signal K Work Onboard?
Picture this:
📟 A Raspberry Pi at the nav station, plugged into your NMEA network.
🧠 Signal K Server running like a silent crew member.
📱 You open your tablet — bam — live data everywhere: GPS, wind, depth, batteries... all streaming in real time.
Use it to:
✅ Broadcast AIS and nav data to apps like Navionics, iSailor, iNavX, Aqua Map, WilhelmSK
✅ Set anchor alarms
✅ Run a full weather station
✅ Auto-log engine hours and passages
🎯 It’s like having a digital first mate who never sleeps — and it’s 100% open source.
👉 See how to set up Signal K on Raspberry Pi
🛠️ What Can You Connect?
🎯 Sensors
Wind, depth, speed, temp, batteries, tanks — you name it.
Signal K supports NMEA 0183 & NMEA 2000, so almost anything goes.
🗺️ Navigation
GPS, AIS, autopilots, OpenCPN chartplotters.
Signal K becomes your data multiplexer — feeding clean info to every screen onboard.
📲 Mobile Apps
Navionics, Aqua Map, WilhelmSK, iSailor — all read Signal K via WiFi.
Plus, dedicated Signal K mobile apps and sleek web dashboards.
🏠 Smart Boat Meets Smart Home
Integrate with HomeKit, MQTT, Node-RED and more.
Automate lights, pumps, bilge alarms — or even link the boat to your house. 🏡
⚙️ Signal K’s plugin system = limitless expansion:
Weather overlays, cloud backups, custom dashboards — you’re the captain of your data.
👉 Explore Signal K compatible apps and solutions
🚦 Real-Life Use Cases
⚓ Anchor Watch
3am wind shift? You’ll get a ping on your phone before the boat even moves.
🛰️ Remote Monitoring
Battery low? Bilge running? Get notified from shore — or another continent.
📓 Digital Logbook
InfluxDB + Signal K = every mile, squall, and tack stored forever.
👥 Crew Sharing
No more crowding around one screen — everyone onboard gets the data they need, wherever they are.
🌐 MarineTraffic Integration
Turn your boat into an AIS beacon and contribute to global tracking.
(Some sailors even earn free premium services this way.)
⛵ How We Use Signal K at Sailing Religion
We run Signal K on Raspberry Pi, feeding data to OpenCPN, phones, cockpit tablets... and the coffee maker (just kidding… maybe ☕).
It’s saved us more than once:
💥 That time we got a low voltage text alert before the fridge died
💨 Or when the anchor alarm screamed just as the wind shifted 30º
We use plugins for:
🌦️ Weather overlays
🚨 Custom alarms
📊 Auto engine hour logs
🤓 And the occasional data geek-out
🎯 It’s not about gadgets — it’s about peace of mind, freedom, and watching sunsets instead of blinking LEDs.
Every season, we find new ways to make the boat smarter, safer, and more fun.
And that, amigos, is what Sailing Religion is all about.
🐚 Frequently Asked Questions
Is Signal K hard to install?
Not if you follow the guides! Start with a Raspberry Pi and use a prebuilt image like OpenPlotter or BBN OS. There are step-by-step instructions, and the community is always ready to help.
Step-by-step install guide here
Will it work with my old instruments?
Yes—Signal K bridges NMEA 0183, NMEA 2000, and more. Check your hardware, but most boats can join the party. There are even affordable HATs and adapters for Raspberry Pi to connect to almost any network.
Can I use it with my phone or tablet?
Absolutely. Many apps (Navionics, Aqua Map, WilhelmSK, and more) read Signal K data over WiFi. There are also web dashboards and dedicated mobile apps for both iOS and Android.
Is it really free?
Yes! Signal K is open source and always will be. The only cost is your hardware and time. You can even contribute to the project or develop your own plugins.
Where do I get help?
The Signal K community on Discord and GitHub is full of sailors and techies ready to lend a hand. There’s also a detailed FAQ, documentation, and plenty of real-world examples to get you started.
🌐 Useful Resources
🔗 Signal K Official Site
🔧 Signal K Server on GitHub
🧭 OpenPlotter
💡 Tip: Install Signal K while docked, test it with your crew, and get comfy before heading offshore.
Like any good tool, it’s best learned before you need it.
🌅 Final Bearings
Signal K isn’t just a protocol — it’s a movement.
It’s about freedom, sharing, and making your boat smarter without selling your soul to a single brand.
Got questions, war stories, or want to show off your nav setup?
Drop anchor in the comments or send us a message.
At Sailing Religion we share this info because it matters—not because anyone’s paying us to. We don’t earn commissions or get sponsored. We only talk about gear we actually use and trust on the water
Live free. Sail hard.
— Sailing Religion ⛵
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