---
title: "Social"
description: "Blogs, vlogs, video channels and forums."
---

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### Blogs

Personal sites for sailors and their boats with their tech projects. These are all reasonably live as of 2026.

- [Agile4Life](https://agile4life.blog/tag/technical/) - Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 49. Spanish/French family. Boat electronics, electrics, RasPi,  and generally sailing posts.
- [The Automated Boat](https://automatedboat.substack.com) - Substack newsletter and website on SignalK, NMEA and related boat tech topics.
- [Bergie](https://bergie.iki.fi) - Baltic sailor, boat projects and SignalK plugin developer ([meri-imperiumi](https://github.com/meri-imperiumi)) and [boat handbook with checklists](https://handbook.lille-oe.de).
- [BoatHackers](https://boathackers.com) - Leopard 45, projects with Home Assistant, Starlink, NMEA2000, Victron.
- [coelcanth](https://www.coelacanth.ch) - Hutting 40, Swiss owned, cruises Baltic and North Sea. Cruising blog posts, plus DIY hardware projects and beautifully produced [videos](https://www.youtube.com/@sy.coelacanth).
- [Catalina 320 Log](https://www.yachtslog.com) - Raspberry Pi, NMEA, SignalK, VBA.
- [Cricalix](https://www.cricalix.net) - Ireland, Victoria 34, NMEA, Python, Solar, Shipmodul Miniplex.
- [Hacking Family](https://hackingfamily.com/Cruise_Info/Equipment/Equipment.htm) - Long term world cruisers on Wauquiez-designed catamaran with advice on electronics, software, mapping.
- [Lille Ø](https://lille-oe.de/boat/) - German owner (English language site), Amigo 40, open source software and hardware projects, LoRa, videos.
- [Navigation Mac & Co](https://www.navigation-mac.fr) - French, with English translation. News and articles, focus on weather data, macOS and iPad navigation.
- [Nick Hayward](https://www.nick-hayward.co.uk/category/narrowboat/) - Narrowboat projects including Home Assistant, ESPHome, Victron.
- [Ole W. Saastad](https://www.homelinux.no) - Raspberry Pi boat integration.
- [Pyssel](https://pysselilivet.blogspot.com) - Boat projects and news, including Home Assistant, OpenPlotter, ESP32.
- [Project Bob](https://www.projectbob.xyz) - Autonomous boat circumnavigation project.
- [Sailing KSF](https://sailingksf.com) - Articles, iPad and Mac apps, autopilot project, forums. German, English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Spanish.
- [Seabits](https://seabits.com) - Pacific North West, Kristen 50 and Symbol Pilothouse motor yachts, SignalK, dashboards, Victron.
- [SY Bockra](https://corbin39.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/BOCKRA-nav-system-notes-Spring-2025-DS-06-06-25.pdf) - 1981 Corbin 39, OpenCPN, Open Boat Projects, AvNav. One-off summary document of experiences.
- [SV Sabado](https://svsabado.com) - US Lagoon 42. Blog articles, technical docs and videos, some Home Assistant, ESP Home and SignalK material. Some material only for paid subscribers.
- [The Low Cost Sailor](https://www.thelowcostsailor.com) - Boat tech news and articles. English, French, Spanish. Also <img src="../images/icons/youtube.ico" width="16" height="16"> [Spanish](https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowCostSailor) and <img src="../images/icons/youtube.ico" width="16" height="16"> [English](https://www.youtube.com/@lowcostsailor) YouTube channels.
- [Trouper](https://trouper.uk) - Swan 43, English Channel. Electronics upgrades and eBay finds.
- [Zapped Myself](https://zappedmyself.com/projects/nmea2000/) - NMEA2000, AIS, ESP32 projects.

### Vlogs

Video channels from YouTube and elsewhere for boat tech projects.

- <img src="../images/icons/youtube.ico" width="16" height="16"> [8-bit Sailing](https://www.youtube.com/@8bitsailing/) - Raspberry Pi, OpenPlotter and Raymarine.
- <img src="../images/icons/youtube.ico" width="16" height="16"> [Boating with the Baileys](https://www.youtube.com/@BoatingwiththeBaileys) -  Electrical and electronics projects on a 2000s Bavaria 36, including SignalK, KIP, Node-RED, OpenPlotter and SensESP.
- <img src="../images/icons/youtube.ico" width="16" height="16"> [Boats and Bits](https://www.youtube.com/@boatsandbits) - DIY boat tech, Raymarine networking, electrics, 3D printing.
- <img src="../images/icons/youtube.ico" width="16" height="16"> [DIY Onboard](https://www.youtube.com/@DIYonboard-e4i) - Raspberry Pi and OpenPlotter.
- <img src="../images/icons/youtube.ico" width="16" height="16"> [Gary Woodruff](https://www.youtube.com/@garrywoodruff960) - Boat projects and HowTo guides for boat electrics and electronics, focus on Lowrance equipment.
- <img src="../images/icons/youtube.ico" width="16" height="16"> [L Matrix](https://www.youtube.com/@lmatrixcorpus) - Long term conversations with ChatGPT for big boat sail racing, from [The Mariner](https://csmthemariner.com)
- <img src="../images/icons/youtube.ico" width="16" height="16"> [Out Chasing Stars](https://www.youtube.com/@OutChasingStars) - OpenCPN and general boat electrics, electronics.
- <img src="../images/icons/youtube.ico" width="16" height="16"> [Pacific Yacht Systems](https://www.youtube.com/@PacificYachtSystems) - Last active in 2023, large back catalogue of instructional videos on marine electrics, electronics and networking.
- <img src="../images/icons/youtube.ico" width="16" height="16"> [Raspberry4Sailing](https://www.youtube.com/@Sir-Real) - OpenPlotter, SignalK, KIP projects on Raspberry Pi.
- <img src="../images/icons/youtube.ico" width="16" height="16"> [Smart Boat Innovations](https://www.youtube.com/@SmartBoatInnovations) - Raspberry Pi, HomeAssistant and SignalK boat projects.
- <img src="../images/icons/youtube.ico" width="16" height="16"> [Surf n Turf](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK_IzlFMWDRA) - Tutorials on OpenCPN and SignalK and general boat life.
- <img src="../images/icons/youtube.ico" width="16" height="16"> [SV Apres](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqHa5JFKHBLwxeCuc6uaa5TzAXVeqTyiD) - OpenPlotter, NMEA2000 and general boat tech.
- <img src="../images/icons/youtube.ico" width="16" height="16"> [The Florida Captain](https://www.youtube.com/@TheFloridaCaptain) - Open source boat network and apps.
- <img src="../images/icons/youtube.ico" width="16" height="16"> [Tom Seahorse](https://www.youtube.com/@Tom-seahorse/videos) - UK. Catamaran. Raspberry Pi, OpenCPN, Home Assistant.

### Forums

*All active as of 2026*

- [boatdesign.net](https://www.boatdesign.net/forums/onboard-electronics-controls/) - Electronics and Controls forum.
- <img src="../images/icons/facebook.ico" width="16" height="16"> [Boat Electrical and Electronic Q&A](https://www.facebook.com/groups/5844662375630348) - Private Facebook group, >70k members, avg post per day.
- <img src="../images/icons/facebook.ico" width="16" height="16"> [NMEA 2000 Support Group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/380510566227511/) - Public Facebook group.
- <img src="../images/icons/facebook.ico" width="16" height="16"> [NMEA 2000 Technical Forum](https://www.facebook.com/groups/699562237256639/) - Private Facebook group.
- <img src="../images/icons/facebook.ico" width="16" height="16"> [OpenCPN Users](https://www.facebook.com/groups/2405863179652854/) - Private Facebook group, >12k members, dozen or two posts a month.
- [OpenMarine](https://forum.openmarine.net) - Marine electronics and networking, focus on Macarthur HAT, PyPilot, OpenPlotter and Node RED.
- [Panbo](https://panbo.com/marineelectronicsforum/) -  Marine electronics and networking.
- <img src="../images/icons/facebook.ico" width="16" height="16"> [Raspberry Pi for Boats](https://www.facebook.com/groups/1666364153609573/) - Private Facebook group, >17k members, couple dozen posts per month.
- [Segeln-Forum Boot & Technik](https://www.segeln-forum.de/board/194-boot-technik/) - German language sailboat forum.
- [SignalK Community](https://signalk.org/community/) - Discord and GitHub Discussions.
- [SignalK Google Group](https://groups.google.com/g/signalk) - Active as of end 2025.
- [The Hull Truth](https://www.thehulltruth.com/marine-electronics-forum-19/) - Marine electronics forum.