Recreational Boating and Marina Networks

Open water offers clear line of sight, low horizon clutter, and the ability to elevate antennas on a mast - all of which favor long-range LoRa links. (Note: the water surface itself causes reflections/multipath rather than low attenuation.) As a best-case over-open-water line-of-sight figure, a modest 6 dBi antenna at 10m above waterline may reach 20-40 km to similarly-equipped vessels; typical results are often lower and depend on the antenna height at both ends, sea state, and transmit settings.
Marina-to-Vessel Communications
Mesh networking could be used for dock communications where VHF radio is too public and cellular is unreliable when boats are in covered slips or channels.
 
Slip status boards - Sensor nodes on dock pedestals reporting power usage or water connections
 
Fuel dock coordination - Fuel dock attendant to harbormaster messaging without shouting or VHF
 
Guest notification - Message guests in slips about marina events or maintenance shutdowns
 
Pump-out requests - Environmental dock coordination
Vessel-to-Vessel Applications
Cruising fleets, sailing clubs, and buddy-boat passages use mesh for fleet coordination:
 
Buddy boat position sharing - Real-time GPS position of all fleet vessels on a shared map, without AIS equipment costs
 
Anchorage coordination - Communicate with other vessels in an anchorage when cell service is absent
 
Race committee communications - Start line to mark boats without dedicated radio infrastructure
 
Float plan check-ins - Mesh position sharing can supplement a float plan only within mesh coverage, but must not be relied on as the safety mechanism: out-of-range and in-distress look identical to a shore contact, and no rescue authority monitors the mesh. Mesh has no marine SOS function. For offshore safety use a registered EPIRB/PLB or a satellite messenger with true SOS, plus VHF Ch16/DSC.
Antenna Installation on Vessels
Marine mesh antenna installation differs from land installations:
 
Masthead mount - Ideal for sailboats: 15-20m height, 360-degree view. As a best-case open-water figure requiring elevation at both ends, this may reach 30-50 km; typical results are lower. Use marine-grade stainless mounts and UV-stable cable ties. Route coax inside the mast where possible.
 
T-top or hard top - Powerboats typically mount antennas on T-tops at 3-4m height; best-case calm-water line-of-sight range is around 10-15 km, though real range is often less.
 
Pushpit or stern rail - Lower but easy to access; use vertical polarization and ensure clear view forward and aft.
 
Connector weatherproofing - Marine environment is extremely corrosive. Use only marine-rated N-type or sealed SMA connectors; apply self-amalgamating tape over all outdoor connections; inspect annually.
Integration with Existing Marine Electronics
Using the serial module's NMEA mode, Meshtastic can output its own position (and other nodes' positions) as NMEA 0183 waypoints to a chartplotter, letting the boat's navigation display show mesh nodes alongside other targets. (Note: the node uses its own GPS module for its position; it does not source position from the boat's chartplotter GPS.)