Introduction to Smart Boating

Join me on a journey towards smart boating in this video, where I'll show you the power of free and open systems. As someone who seeks innovative solutions beyond the marine industry's limitations and costs, I've discovered the potential of Home Assistant, a leading open software used in smart homes.

In this tutorial, I'll guide you through setting up Home Assistant on your boat using a Raspberry Pi, a budget-friendly and energy-efficient computer. With Home Assistant, you'll have access to a vast community, easy configuration, and customization options. It's the perfect framework for smart boating, whether you're a tech enthusiast or not.

Through Home Assistant, you can control various boat functions, such as anchor lights, bilge pumps, deck lights, and water makers, using virtual switches. Additionally, integrating your boat's instrumentation with Home Assistant enables you to have a digital display and set up alerts and alarms.

Imagine the convenience of voice commands on your boat. With Home Assistant, you can simply say "mark anchor location" while dropping anchor. The possibilities for creating a truly smart boat are endless with Home Assistant.

Here's what I've been able to achieve for less than 300 Euros using free open-source software and affordable sensors.
1. Monitoring and Control: I can now remotely monitor and control various aspects of my boat from anywhere. Using my phone, I have real-time access to all the instrumentation on board.
2. Receive Warnings: I receive instant alerts on my phone for important events, such as:
Leaving the marked anchor zone
Unexpected changes in water depth
Sudden increase in wind speed
Detection of water in the bilge or smoke in the boat
Abnormal temperature readings in different areas of the boat
3. Remote Control: I can also remotely control certain functions of my boat from land, including:
Turning on the anchor light
Activating the deck lights
Starting the bilge pump
Sounding the boat horn
4. Automations: I've set up automated routines to simplify tasks, such as:
Automatically turning on the anchor light when the sun sets
Running the water maker for routine flushing on a daily basis
5. Digital Gauges and Alerts: I've digitized my boat gauges and implemented extensive alert systems to notify me of any abnormal readings, such as temperature or oil pressure outside the normal range.

If you'd like to support me so that I can buy extra sensors and equipment for future projects:

Buy Me a Coffee:
https://ko-fi.com/smartboatinnovations

Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:22 History of Smart Boating
4:10 Home Assistant
5:48 Raspberry Pi
6:15 What can we achieve?
11:18 Man Overboard
12:21 Demo of Home Assistant for boats
25:36 Future videos