Post #60: From Helm to Hardware – Where Sailing Meets OceanTech
- henry belfiori
- Apr 16
- 3 min read
Hello all!
This week I’ve swapped the city for some ocean life — taking my Day Skipper sailing exam and spending time immersed in the elements. Spending time by the sea reminds me of firstly why I am passionate about this industry, and also how closely navigation, weather, and water are tied together — and how sailing often quietly intersects with real ocean innovation.
Sailing isn’t just tradition. It’s an expression of freedom, adventure and sometimes a moving lab / prototype for ocean tech. Here’s a quick look at where the helm meets hardware, and how the sailing world is helping shape the future of ocean science.
Sometimes it's easy to lose sight of how important the ocean is to us humans (especially living in a city like London), however, as soon as you see it again - it's vastness and majesty all comes back. IYKYK
Enjoy - these are some super cool organisations merging sailing and oceantech that i found fascinating:
Sailboats as Ocean Monitoring Platforms
Modern sailing vessels are increasingly being used to gather scientific-grade environmental data, especially in areas where conventional research vessels are too expensive or slow.
Saildrone
These autonomous, wind-powered trimarans are packed with high-resolution ocean sensors. Built in the US but with a global mission, they’re used by NOAA and other agencies to measure carbon flux, temperature gradients, and fish biomass, even in extreme environments like the Southern Ocean. With 365+ days of endurance and zero emissions, they’re redefining what's possible in remote sensing.
Tara Ocean Foundation
A 36-metre schooner turned floating lab, Tara has conducted more than 12 scientific expeditions — from mapping microplastics in the Pacific to studying plankton genomics. The boat is equipped with onboard sequencing, microscopes, and water sampling instruments, combining traditional seamanship with frontier biology.
Race for Water
A Swiss-led expedition that circumnavigated the globe using a hybrid sailing/solar/hydrogen-powered vessel. It combined long-range capability with microplastic sampling and local outreach, showing what tech-integrated sustainability could look like in ocean transport.
Citizen Science at Sea
Beyond the major expeditions, sailors themselves are becoming data gatherers — voluntarily feeding climate scientists and NGOs with on-the-water observations that would otherwise be missed.
eOceans - This mobile platform empowers sailors, divers, and recreational boaters to log marine life sightings, pollution events, and environmental anomalies. Data is geo-tagged and uploaded in real time, giving conservation groups and researchers new eyes on the sea. eoceans.org
Smartfin - Originally designed for surfers, this project embeds sensors into fins to measure ocean temperature, pH, and movement. With some hardware adaptation, this kind of fin-based telemetry could easily extend to sailing dinghies, hydrofoils, and other small craft. https://www.surfsmartfin.com/
As sailing tech becomes more digital — from NMEA networks to onboard mesh connectivity — the opportunity to create a distributed ocean sensor network is growing.
Racing Meets Research: Boats as Testbeds
High-performance sailing pushes both the physical and technological limits of what’s possible — and that makes these vessels perfect testbeds for marine tech.
Team Malizia (Vendée Globe) - This IMOCA 60 offshore race boat carries CO₂, salinity, and temperature sensors throughout its solo ocean races. Data is transmitted via satellite to European climate research labs. The boat essentially serves as a high-speed climate observatory — and proves you can collect rigorous data even while racing at 30 knots. https://www.team-malizia.com/
Emerging needs in this space:
Lightweight sensors that don’t drain battery life
Ruggedised, ocean-safe antifouling coatings for sensor pods
Autonomous power management for long-distance cruising data systems
Integration with onboard nav software (NMEA 2000, Raymarine, etc.)
As emission regulations and tech capabilities evolve, sailors — particularly in racing and long-range cruising — will likely become part of the ocean-tech feedback loop.
Closing Thoughts
Being on the water forces you to think differently — to anticipate, read the environment, and adapt in real time. Marine innovation works the same way. As sailors become more connected and climate-aware, their role in monitoring, testing, and protecting the ocean is only going to grow.
If you’re working on tech that could live on a boat — or already does — drop me a line. I’m always looking to surface new examples at the intersection of wind, water, and innovation. 🌊
Have a great Easter!
Warm wishes,
Henry
Comentarios