2027
Blauwe Long (Blue Lung)
About 50 boats of sailors who are out a lot, one full season on the North Sea coast, Wadden Sea, IJsselmeer, Markermeer and Zeeland. The first real fleet. We're looking for funding.
Stichting Project SeaSense
Every sailboat can be an ocean observatory.
Yachts already carry instruments for wind, depth and water temperature, and that data disappears. We collect it, add what science needs, and build an observing network from boats that are already out there.
- 2025First prototype, towed on Amsterdam's canals and the Markermeer
- 2026First sea expedition: Netherlands → Stockholm → Belgium
- 2027Next: a fleet of 50 boats on the Dutch coast
Endorsed by the UN Ocean DecadeProject SeaSense is an endorsed Decade Project of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030). (opens in new tab)Coastal seas change fast, and we measure them far too rarely
Fixed stations measure one spot. Research ships are scarce. Satellites struggle near the shore. Meanwhile thousands of sailboats cross these waters every year, already carrying instruments. We want every one of them to count.
How it works
A small node on board
It plugs into the boat's instrument network, only listens, and adds its own air-pressure and motion sensors.
Data flows automatically
Readings are stored on board and uploaded whenever there's a connection. The sailor just sails.
Made fit for science
We track every instrument and check boats against reference stations and each other, so the data comes with known quality.
Tier 1 is the node. Tier 2 is an optional water-quality module (conductivity, pH, oxygen) for boats that want to go further.
Expedition 2026
Our first voyage at sea: from the IJsselmeer through the Kiel Canal to the Stockholm archipelago and back to Belgium, summer 2026.
Aboard a new Contest 63CS, made possible by the Naiad Foundation.
Where we are
Short version: the idea works at sea. Now it needs more boats.
Air pressure
Ready
Weather-station quality.
Depth and water temperature
Ready
Usable, especially in shallow coastal water.
Water quality
In development
Salinity and pH pick up real gradients; the probes don't yet last at sea, and oxygen isn't there yet.
Wind
In development
Collected, but not yet good enough under sail.
What's next
Our aim: a coastal observing network made of the boats that are already sailing. Dense enough to calibrate itself, open for science, and funded so it lasts.
2028
Mediterranean charter fleets
Nodes on charter boats in Croatia, Greece and Turkey, planned with Velamari as part of its fleet service, with the data shared with SeaSense.
2027+
More expeditions, wider waters
More voyages and hosts beyond the Netherlands, so each new region starts with boats already signed up.
Get involved
Sailors
Host a node on your boat, wherever you sail. Nothing to do once it's installed.
Scientists
Use the data, and help shape what we measure and where.
Donors
Help put the first fleet on the water. We're a registered Dutch charity (ANBI).
Sponsors & foundations
Back a coastal observing network that's being built right now.
Who makes it possible
Sponsors and partners
Contest Yachts (opens in new tab)
Co-hosted Expedition 2026 and supported the installation
“At Contest Yachts, we build yachts for sailors who explore the world: 'Building dreams together'. We believe that exploring also means understanding and caring for the oceans we travel.”
Arjen Conijn, Managing Director PredictWind (opens in new tab)
Sponsor
“As a former America's Cup sailor and founder of a weather-tech company, I know how valuable accurate data is for understanding the ocean. SeaSense empowers sailors to collect data that helps scientists track changes in marine ecosystems.”
Jon Bilger, Founder & CEO Data platform and cloud infrastructure
“At Aknostic, we believe technology should enable independence and sustainability—values that perfectly align with SeaSense's mission to democratize ocean science.”
Jurg van Vliet, CEO How Aknostic built our data platform (opens in new tab)Partner: fleet monitoring for charter operators
Every charter boat Velamari monitors also measures the sea. Its devices share environmental data with Project SeaSense.
Our MetroSea 2026 paper is co-authored with researchers from The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS) and TNO.