Open Boat Projects is a
platform on which water sports enthusiasts present their self-constructed DIY projects around boating. The idea for this platform was born in the german sailing forum born and brought into being by some people. It all started with a trade fair appearance at Boot 2020, where a large number of DIY projects were presented live. The aim of the whole thing is to show which tools and technical possibilities can be used to implement your own projects. The projects presented are intended to encourage interested parties to implement their own projects and to contribute their own ideas that can be used by others. The focus is on the idea of open source and open hardware as well as the exchange of ideas. In the meantime, a lot of interesting projects have been realized. More projects will be added in the future. The main exchange of ideas takes place in the sailing forum under the heading open-boat-projects.org instead of. We invite everyone interested to take part in the exchange of ideas. You don't have to be an expert to do this. Anyone who has great ideas is welcome to contribute.
In January 2026, we were once again represented with our own booth at the Boot 2026 water sports trade fair in Düsseldorf. In addition to familiar projects, we presented a host of new ones and were available to discuss them with anyone interested. We gained many new ideas and inspiration for DIY projects through numerous pleasant conversations. More Information about the exhibition stand You can find it at the link.
If you find this website helpful, we would appreciate a donation. This supports our idea of open information exchange and directly promotes interesting projects.
If you want to know what we use the money for, you can read here.
These are our current sponsors:
Anyone who always wants to be up to date can do ours Facebook site subscribe to. Current articles and other interesting projects are briefly presented there.
software-projects
- Maritime Data Server (MDS)
- Create maps for Garmin devices
- PC NAVTEX USB
- qtVlm navigation and weather routing software
- Universal wind sensor firmware
- GaladrielMap chart plotter
- AVnav chart plotter
- AIS Radar Pro
- OpenPlotter hardware & software
- OpenCPN sophisticated chart plotter
- OpenData
- Maps Converter Nautical chart converter
- brouter.grade.de european waterway router
- openStreetMap openGeoData
- openSeaMap free nautical charts
- openNauticalChart nautical chart renderer
- Free Nautical Chart free nautical charts with water depths for German coastal waters
- openDEM depth data worldwide
- SignalK maritime open-data format
- Magnetic compass for SignalK
- WiFi battery monitor integrate into SignalK
- SensESP Integration of ESP8266 and ESP32 based sensors and actuators in a SignaK network
- Ruuvi sensor day integrate into SignalK
- Node-RED automation and visualization
hardware-projects
Sensors
- Level measurement with sight glass
- Magnetic compass for SignalK
- Magnetix - a digital compass with NMEA2000
- Air pressure level sensor
- Ultrasonic tank sensor with SensESP
- Ultrasonic level measurement
- Keel sensor
- NMEA2000 projects with the ESP32
- NMEA2000 to NMEA0183 WiFi Gateway
- NMEA2000 M5Stack Data Display
- NMEA2000 Data Transmitter
- NMEA2000 Data Recorder
- WiFi 1000 wind sensor
- Yachta wind sensor
- Wind sensor W132 (NMEA2000)
- Engine diagnosis
- Foredeck camera
Instruments
- NMEA0183 data exchange with Clipper Wind daughter display
- NMEA2000 for NASA Clipper Duet Depth Sounder/Log
- RS422 converter for Clipper wind instruments
- Instrument display
- Multifunctional display OBP60 V1
- Multifunctional display OBP60 V2
- Multifunctional display OBP40 V1
- Multifunction display M5Stack
- OBP Keypad 6/1
Navigation, information
- 10″ Plotter V2.0 with Raspberry Pi 4B daylight readable
- NMEA2000 WiFi Bridge Market Overview
- Navigation with Nokia Streaming Box 8000
- NMEA2000 data exchange with Garmin devices
- NMEA0183 data exchange with Garmin devices
- PiCAN-M with SignalK and OpenPlotter
- Lilygo T-Watch 2020 with connection to SignalK
- 7 ″ plotter Raspi 4B
- Volvo Penta NMEA2000 interface
- NMEA2000 gateway with M5Stack Atom
- Weather forecast with AZ-Touch
- pyPilot Autopilot
- Tiller pilot
- Marine Control Server (MCS)
- 10 inch plotter daylight readable
- plotter with Android auto radio
radio technology
- AIS splitter
- Replacement marine handheld radio QuanSheng UV-K5
- AIS decoder for Wifi on Android
- ATS25 X2 weather news and weather faxes
- NAVTEX software decoder/encoder
- PC NAVTEX USB
- AIS receiver GNS5851
- Weather data via SMS via satellite
- LoRa boat monitor for remote control
- Weather fax with world receiver
- MAIANA AIS class B receiver / transmitter
Energy management
- Solar charge controller as outboard motor charge controller
- WiFi battery monitor
- Low budged energy monitor
- LiPoFe4 battery in own import
- Board controller for yachts
Automation
- Automatic anchor light with Shelly1
- Remote control for anchor winch
- Remote control for Raymarine Evo Pilot
- Remote control for Seatalk autopilot
- IR remote
- I2C modules by Horter & Kalb
- LoRa boat monitor for remote control
- Boat automation with Sonoff components and Tasmota firmware
Drives
miscellaneous
assembly instructions
Interactive parts list and assembly help
- LoRa boat monitor V1.0
- Engine diagnosis V3.0
- Multifunction display OBP60 V1.2
- PyPilot Display V1.0
- PyPilot IMU V1.0
- PyPilot main board V1.0
- Front deck camera V1.0
- Wind Sensor Yachta V1.0
- Wind sensor Yachta V2.1
- Wind sensor WiFi 1000 V1.0
Beginner Tutorials
- Arduino projects explained clearly (English)
- Comparison AVnav and OpenPlotter
- Hardware basis for AVnav and OpenPlotter
- Electronic modules from Espressif
- Comparison of marine bus systems
video tutorials
- Video of the booth at Boot 2023
- Video tutorials on all kinds of topics related to boats (mainly in English)
- Raspberry Pi on a boat (English)
- NodeRed
- AVnav
- AVnav basics and first steps (German)
- Display AVnav values of SignalK (German)
- AVnav Usage of O-Charts (German)
- AVnav route functions (German)
- AVNav AIS Display (German)
- AVnav Introduction (German)
- AVnav Introduction (English)
- AVnav Touch map import and data backup (German)
- SeeKarte Plotter for less than 200€? First steps with AvNav (German)
- Comparison OpenCPN and AvNav under OpenPlotter (French – with subtitles)
- Marine Control Server (German)
- Multifunction display OBP 60 (German)
- Wind sensor WiFi 1000 (German)
- Wind Sensor Yachta (30 min German)
developer tools
- Web-based tools
- onshape (3D CAD, professional CAD program)
- BlocksCAD (3D CAD for kids)
- EasyEDA (PCB-CAD, with simulation and integrated manufacturing)
- TinkerCad (3D CAD, schematic creation, programming, and Arduino Simulator)
- Wokwi (Arduino and ESP32 Simulator)
- Simscale (simulation program, temperature, dynamics etc., professional tool)
- MIT App Inventor (Software development for Android apps)
- HTML BOM (Interactive assembly help)
- Free Online Gerber Viewer
- Simulation of radio connections
- Simulation of Mestastic radio links 868 MHz
- Online audio tone generator 0…20 kHz (sine, rectangle, triangle, ramp)
- Online NAVTEX Encoder to generate an audio signal
- GitPod (Online compilation environment for PlatformIO and others, GitPod Help)
- ESP web tools (Online Flasher for ESP8266 and ESP32)
- Java Online Compiler (for demo code)
- PluckFe (analysis tool for G-code, 3D printing)
- Online number converter
- JSON data analyzer
- HTML and JavaScript beautifiers
- HTML editor
- JavaScript compressor
- JavaScript Scrumbler
- CRC checksum calculation
- NMEA0183 Checksum calculation
- AIS online decoder Decoding AIS signals
- QR code and barcode generator
- Base64 Encoder Decoder
- RGB565 Color Picker
- STEP to GBL converter for 3D objects in documentation
- GBL to USDZ converter for 3D objects in documentation (iOS)
- PC tools
- Fusion 360 (3D cad, pcb tool, slicer, renderer, integrated manufacturing)
- KiCAD (PCB tool with integrated manufacturing)
- cura (3D printer slicer for beginners)
- Slic3r (Advanced 3D Printer Slicer)
- repetier host (Advanced 3D Printer Slicer)
- Mach3 (CNC control software)
- Estlcam (CNC control software, easy to learn)
- Fritzing (schematic and PCB tool for breadboard, breadboard and PCB)
- blenders (Photorealistic renderer for 3D objects, professional tool)
- Raspberry Tools
- OctoPrint (remote control for 3D printer with slicer)
Tips and Tricks
- How to optimize a 3D printer (very helpful descriptions for best results)
Maker Faire
- Useful 3D parts for marine applications
- open workshops
- 3D printing and its possibilities
- CAD systems for mechanics, electronics, simulation
- Manufacturing capabilities