About OpenSail

Institutional-grade routing.
Built for real passages.

OpenSail was born from a simple frustration: existing routing tools treat comfort as an afterthought and lock critical data behind proprietary walls. We built the platform we wished we had — one that treats a family passage with the same rigor as a commercial delivery, with full transparency into the data and models driving every recommendation.

Core Capabilities

🌊

Multi-Model Forecasting

GFS, ECMWF, AIFS, CMEMS — cross-referenced and bias-corrected. See where models agree and where they diverge before committing to a passage.

🧭

Comfort-Aware Routing

Four routing modes (Fastest, Balanced, Family, Comfort+) with heel angle, beam-sea discomfort, and slamming risk scoring. Every segment rated 0–10.

📡

API-First Architecture

Full REST + WebSocket API with developer keys. Integrate OpenSail into your nav stack, B&G MFD, SignalK server, or custom applications.

🛡️

Safety Engine

Land avoidance from ETOPO bathymetry, coastline buffering, ice cover detection, depth validation, and configurable wind/wave safety limits per routing mode.

🌐

Real-Time Data Pipeline

Automated ingest from NOAA NOMADS and Copernicus Marine. New model runs are processed within minutes of availability — no stale forecasts.

Vessel Intelligence

Polar diagram management, hull-speed estimation from vessel parameters, and per-vessel routing that accounts for your boat's actual performance envelope.

Technical Specifications

Routing EngineRust (isochrone expansion, 72 headings, A* pruning)
Forecast Resolution0.25° global (GFS), 1/12° ocean (CMEMS)
Safety ChecksWind, waves, depth, coastline, ice — 5nm sub-sampling
Comfort ModelHeel angle, beam-sea, slamming — 4 routing modes
BathymetryETOPO 2022 (upgradeable to GEBCO 15 arc-sec)
Update CadenceGFS: 4×/day, CMEMS: daily, auto-ingest on publish
APIREST + WebSocket, JWT auth, per-tier rate limiting
InfrastructurePostgreSQL + PostGIS, Redis, Docker, CI/CD

The Future: Crowdsourced Marine Intelligence

Charts miss things. Shoals shift, debris drifts, hazards appear and disappear faster than any hydrographic office can survey. OpenSail is building a crowdsourced hazard layer — sailor-reported data that makes every passage safer for the next crew.

Shoal Reports

Uncharted shallow water at exact coordinates, verified by multiple reports

Floating Hazards

Containers, deadheads, whale carcasses, fish traps — time-decaying markers

Anchorage Intel

Real holding quality, swell exposure, and protection ratings from crews who've been there

Current Observations

GPS-derived current vectors from active voyages improve model accuracy over time

Product Roadmap

Phase 1 — Live

  • GFS + CMEMS real-time ingestion
  • Isochrone routing with comfort scoring
  • Departure window optimizer
  • Live voyage tracking (public + private)
  • Subscription pause/resume for off-season

Phase 2 — Depth

  • Offline GRIB packs for bluewater passages
  • ECMWF AIFS + ICON-EU regional models
  • Ensemble uncertainty visualization
  • Native iOS + Android apps (Capacitor)
  • SignalK instrument integration

Phase 3 — Intelligence

  • AI regional downscaling (CorrDiff)
  • Crowdsourced hazard reporting
  • B&G / Raymarine / Garmin MFD integration
  • AIS ship position overlay
  • Fleet routing for commercial maritime

Ready to plan your next passage?

Free tier includes full forecast visualization and basic routing. No credit card required.