The Story

Hello 👋!

I just bought a sailboat this spring, and was having so much fun on it! Other people accompany me on these trips; some on the boat, and some on shore. I thought it would be fun for the people on shore to see how fast I am moving, in which direction, how far I am heeling over, etc. So, I made a whole project to do just that!

Parts Used

In this project, I used many electronic components:

3x DFRobot FireBeetle ESP32

3x E22-900M30S Ebyte LoRa Radio Modules

3x 47µF Capacitors

3x Power Switches

3x 3.7V 2500mAh Lithium Ion Batteries

3x DC - DC 5V Boosters

3x 915mHz Omnidirectional Antennas

2x DFRobot BMI160

2x DFRobot GPS Modules

I also used many small parts to make my own voltage boosters and battery charger. These parts can be found at the bottom of this tutorial as a BOM, if you would like to use my PCB.

DFRobot

DFRobot sponsored many parts for this project. Their modules and electronic components are amazing! They design and build various parts, from accelerometers like the one I used in this project, to smart cameras (husky lens)! They have every electronics part you would ever need on their website, found here: dfrobot.com .

JLCPCB

JLCPCB sponsored the PCBs for this project! I order all of my PCBs from them and they turn out amazing every time! All of the PCBs I have received are high quality with no defects; shipping and production is fast; you can't beat the price; and customer service is extremely helpful. Order your PCBs today at JLCPCB.com.

How It Works

First off, I had to think of a good way for communication; I had to get the data from my sailboat, to a smartphone on land. Many places I go sailing, don't have any cellular signal, so cellular modules wouldn't work. I still want long distances though, so what else besides LoRa (it stands for Long Range radio)! iPhones communicate via WiFi, Bluetooth, or cellular; not radio. So, I decided on a perfect setup as pictured below:

Sailboat Monitoring Connection Diagram

Both of the right nodes, collect and send all of the GPS data and accelerometer data to the base station on the left, which relays the info to a webpage that it hosts on its own network.

To use it on your phone, you connect to the WiFi network "Sailboat Monitoring", then go to your favorite browser and type in "192.168.4.1" (the base station's IP address). A webpage pops up with all of the data from both nodes on it!

Its Uses

This project is such a simple concept, it has many uses!

It is perfect for making sure sailors are safe, and not in danger. By monitoring heeling angle, you can tell if the sailor has capsized. By knowing the coordinates, you are able to quickly start a rescue. By checking the Top Speed, you can see who was the fastest 😉. By keeping an eye on the course, you can warn the sailor of objects or landmasses in his path. This setup is also good for sailboat monitoring in regattas and races!

Apart from boat related uses, this technological idea can be used for relatively close proximity tracking and monitoring of people and their safety. This is helpful to prevent getting lost during hiking, for example.

From farmers in the wheat fields of Kansas, to lobster fishermen in the trawlers off the coast of Maine, to bikers in the Mojave desert of the American West, to hang-gliders in the air off the cliffs of Yosemite National Park, this technological concept can keep everyone safe.

Health, safety, and productivity is a large concern for business owners, small and large. When participating in outdoor activities, the safety and well-being of all, is catamount. Therefore, this project aims to promote the well being of all people who enjoy outdoor activities, of any age. From the 8yo who likes to bike to school, to the 40yo who drives a tractor in a wheat field, this concept will make sure of their safety in the process.

Connections (Wiring)

To make the wiring easier and...