Technology: Remote Boat Monitoring

Apr 25, 2024

By Corbo Corbishley

Just over two years ago, Beneteau started installing Seanapps, their remote monitoring “Connected Boat Solution,” on some of their larger boats. By the end of 2022, Seanapps was standard equipment on all Beneteau products. At the same time, they announced Seanapps’ availability as a retrofit package for anyone to install on any make of boat.

The system connects to the cloud via 4G and the basic retrofit system monitors your boat’s location, battery levels, bilge pump activity and will also record and date stamp your trips. Via the free Seanapps App, alerts will trigger a warning to your cell phone that your boat as moved outside a Geofence area or if there is any bilge pump activity. You can also log onto the app to view the location of your boat and state of your batteries. Additionally, there is a NEMA input available to plug into your boat’s backbone so the system can store and report all data on the NEMA Network.

When I first heard of the Seanapps monitor, I was instantly interested. The previous winter, our Back Cove 37 Essential was down in South Carolina/Windmill Harbor for the season. One night while we were up north, an electrical storm tripped the circuit breaker on our dock and a few days later, as the batteries ran low, the refrigeration/freezer shut down. I am not a seafood person but my wife had loaded up on clams, shrimp and other seafood delights. When we got back to the boat a week later it was very pungent. With Seanapps I can now check the level of my batteries anytime and from anywhere. No more smelly fish for me!

Recently Seanapps announced the availability of a large assortment of additional sensors to enhance the system. These include for safety: door, motion, hatch, tender, outboard and bilge pump sensors; for comfort: A/C, temp and humidity, water and fuel levels; and for maintenance: boat batteries, shore power, genset and boat hour sensors.

Essential was the first non-Beneteau branded boat to employ a Seanapps system. While there were some challenges being the first retrofit installation and managing the initial hook-up, it has worked flawlessly once we got the bugs ironed out. It’s comforting to be able to monitor your boat, even when it’s a thousand miles away!

Corbo Corbishley, CBYP is a boater, broker, and salesman  (power and sail) with RCR Yachts in Rochester, NY.