Hardware for an app-hosted vessel

An app-hosted vessel uses an iPad or Android tablet as both the BoatKit host and an onboard display. The broadest documented tablet option is a compatible NMEA 2000 Wi-Fi gateway. Direct USB connections are narrower, platform-specific alternatives that require more compatibility and installation review.

Read this guide before buying a hub, CAN adapter, or Ethernet adapter. BoatKit has not published a compatibility matrix for generic tablet accessories or a complete direct-USB installation kit. For help evaluating an unverified combination, ask the developers in the BoatKit Discord community before buying hardware.

Choose an input plan

Input plan	Platform	What you need	Current boundary
Yacht Devices RAW-compatible Wi-Fi gateway	iPad or Android	Yacht Devices YDWG-02, vessel Wi-Fi/LAN, and manufacturer-approved NMEA 2000 connection parts	Broadest documented tablet option; begin with a read-only RAW TCP connection
USB CAN (SLCAN)	Android 10 or newer	USB-host-capable tablet, OTG adapter or powered hub, and a compatible SLCAN USB CAN adapter	Bidirectional evaluation path; candleLight/gs_usb firmware is not supported
Actisense NGT-1	Android 10 or newer	Actisense NGT-1-USB, USB host support, and an OTG adapter or powered hub	Bidirectional gateway-managed path available only in Host a Vessel; no BoatKit physical test is currently documented
USB CAN (iCAN++)	Supported M-series iPad with iPadOS 26 or newer	Separately installed iCAN++, compatible SLCAN adapter, and a powered hub as needed	Bidirectional evaluation path; the recorded M5 iPad and CANable 2.0 test confirmed receiving data only

The YDWG-02 route avoids a tablet USB CAN driver and works across both tablet platforms. It is the least-uncertain public starting point, but it is not presented as a fully BoatKit-tested permanent installation kit.

Choose and buy the hardware

For every app-hosted vessel

Plan for:

• Your existing iPad or Android tablet and a protective mount that does not block cooling or place strain on its cables
• Continuous charging sized for the tablet and its attached accessories
• A USB-C, Lightning, or Micro-USB adapter appropriate to the exact tablet when USB accessories are required
• A powered USB hub with USB Power Delivery pass-through and enough data ports when charging and USB accessories must remain connected together
• Either a supported network gateway or one of the platform-specific USB paths in the table above
• Manufacturer-approved NMEA 2000 drop cable and connector parts for the selected gateway or adapter
• A connection to the vessel LAN or Wi-Fi when local viewers, BoatKit Cloud, or both are needed
• An optional class-compliant USB Ethernet adapter for a supported chartplotter network

No exact generic hub, charger, mount, cable, Ethernet adapter, Android tablet, or direct-USB NMEA 2000 harness has completed a BoatKit compatibility and electrical matrix. Choose these parts by capability rather than treating an unlisted model as BoatKit-tested.

Review permanent vessel wiring

Have a qualified marine electronics installer review the NMEA 2000 backbone, power, fusing, isolation, grounding, termination, connector pinout, strain relief, and any permanent vessel wiring. Follow the instructions supplied by each equipment manufacturer. Do not substitute this page for the manufacturer's installation manual.

Yacht Devices Wi-Fi gateway

The Yacht Devices YDWG-02 attaches to and is powered by the NMEA 2000 backbone. BoatKit reaches it over Wi-Fi or the vessel LAN, so no USB data cable is required between the gateway and tablet.

Buy the connector version appropriate to your vessel network and follow the Yacht Devices instructions for its physical installation. The gateway can create its own Wi-Fi network or join an existing one. Have it join the vessel LAN when the tablet also needs internet access for BoatKit Cloud. Connecting the tablet only to a gateway-created isolated access point does not by itself provide internet access.

Android USB CAN using SLCAN

You need:

• An Android 10-or-newer tablet with USB host support
• An OTG adapter or powered USB hub appropriate to the tablet
• A compatible USB CAN adapter running SLCAN firmware
• A reviewed cable or harness between the adapter and NMEA 2000 network

BoatKit requests Android USB permission and selects the NMEA 2000 rate of 250 kbit/s. The current Android direct-USB path supports SLCAN, not candleLight/gs_usb firmware.

Both the original Micro-USB CANable, commonly called CANable v1, and compatible CANable 2.0 hardware can use this path when running SLCAN firmware. Consult the CANable firmware guidance and CANable 2.0 updater when checking or changing firmware.

These adapters remain evaluation hardware until their vessel wiring, electrical isolation, protection, grounding, and termination have been reviewed for the intended installation.

Android USB using an Actisense NGT-1

BoatKit supports an Android-connected Actisense NGT-1-USB reporting USB VID/PID 0403:d9aa. Use the manufacturer's NGT-1 manual for its NMEA 2000 connection, USB power, isolation, mounting, network installation, and status LEDs.

BoatKit probes the common 115200 and 230400 serial rates, receives NMEA 2000 parameter group numbers (PGNs), and can transmit PGNs through the gateway. The NGT-1 owns its NMEA 2000 address; BoatKit adopts the address claimed by the gateway instead of making a competing address claim. BoatKit enables required transmit PGNs for the current gateway session without committing those changes to the NGT-1's permanent EEPROM settings.

This option is available in Host a Vessel, not the isolated Research / Explore profile. BoatKit has not documented a physical NGT-1-USB test on Android, so confirm the tablet, USB accessories, and gateway together before relying on the combination.

iPad USB CAN using iCAN++

This path requires an M-series iPad running iPadOS 26 or newer. It does not apply to an iPhone or non-M-series iPad, even if that device has USB-C, and it does not support the original CANable v1.

You need:

• An M-series iPad running iPadOS 26 or newer
• The separately installed and approved iCAN++ app and driver
• A powered USB hub with pass-through charging when the adapter and charger must remain connected together
• A compatible SLCAN adapter using USB vendor ID 0x16D0
• A reviewed cable or harness between the adapter and NMEA 2000 network

BoatKit's recorded physical test used an M5 iPad and this CANable 2.0-compatible unit, reporting USB VID 0x16D0 and PID 0x117E, with SLCAN firmware. BoatKit displayed Connected at 250 kbit/s and received live NMEA 2000 traffic.

That result proves receiving data for that combination. It does not approve a permanent vessel installation or establish a complete address-claim, transmit, bus-off recovery, reconnect, or lifecycle test. The generic adapter also lacks a recorded BoatKit electrical review covering galvanic isolation, NMEA 2000 power and ground, protection, harness pinout, and termination. The original Openlight Labs CANable 2.0 is sold by its manufacturer, but that exact vendor unit was not the physical unit used in the recorded test.

Use a network gateway for the least-uncertain public path until BoatKit documents an approved isolated direct-USB kit.

Optional chartplotter Ethernet

A class-compliant USB Ethernet adapter can provide a distinct wired connection to a supported vendor marine Ethernet network. The tablet can keep its ordinary vessel LAN and internet connection on Wi-Fi while the USB Ethernet port remains dedicated to the marine network.

Chartplotter networks do not all use the same discovery, addressing, or transmit behavior. Configure the adapter as required by the relevant vendor integration, and do not use the tablet or adapter to bridge the chartplotter network to the ordinary vessel LAN or internet. Check Peripherals and integrations for the vendor guides currently available before buying an adapter or marine-network cable.

Create the app-hosted vessel

1. Sign in to the BoatKit app and return to the boat list.
2. Select Host a Vessel.
3. Enter the vessel name and choose Set up app-hosted vessel.
4. Complete the vessel registration, notification, and map-data setup shown by the app.
5. Keep the app-hosted vessel open and the tablet connected to continuous power.

The app-hosted vessel has its own configuration and history. Research / Explore remains a separate private workspace on the same tablet.

Add the NMEA 2000 input

For any of the four input plans:

1. Open Settings > Integrations.
2. Select Add integration.
3. Choose NMEA Networking, then add NMEA 2000 Network.
4. If an appropriate NMEA 2000 Network integration already exists, open it instead of adding another.
5. Follow the connection steps for your selected input plan below.

Connect through a YDWG-02

Begin with a read-only RAW TCP connection so BoatKit can receive NMEA 2000 traffic without the gateway accepting writes from BoatKit.

1. Install and connect the YDWG-02 according to the manufacturer instructions.
2. Configure the gateway to join the ordinary vessel Wi-Fi network, then record the hostname or IP address assigned to it.
3. In the gateway web interface, create an NMEA server using:
   • RAW as the data protocol
   • TCP as the network protocol
   • Transmit Only as the gateway direction
4. Use TCP port 1457 unless the installer deliberately selected another unused port. The gateway's factory server on 1456 is NMEA 0183 rather than the RAW NMEA 2000 stream BoatKit requires.
5. In the BoatKit integration, set Connection type to RAW TCP.
6. Enter the gateway hostname or IP address in Gateway Host without http://, https://, or a port number.
7. Enter 1457, or the deliberately selected matching port, in Gateway Port.
8. Enable the integration.

In Yacht Devices terminology, Transmit Only means the gateway transmits data to BoatKit while refusing traffic in the opposite direction. This is the preferred first setup, not a claim that the YDWG-02 factory configuration works without changes.

Connect Android USB CAN using SLCAN

1. Confirm that the adapter is running SLCAN firmware. Do not use candleLight/gs_usb firmware for this path.
2. Connect the charger and powered hub or OTG adapter as directed by their manufacturers, then attach the USB CAN adapter.
3. In the BoatKit integration, set Connection type to USB CAN (SLCAN).
4. Select the attached adapter under CAN adapter.
5. Choose an Address Claim mode:
   • None (Passive) listens without BoatKit claiming an NMEA 2000 address.
   • Automatic negotiates an address and permits normal transmission after the claim succeeds.
   • Manual starts with the selected address and permits normal transmission after the claim succeeds.
6. Treat Transmit Alerts/Warnings as a separate choice. Enable it only when you deliberately want BoatKit to send those messages and the installation has been reviewed for transmission.
7. Enable the integration and approve the Android USB permission request.

The SLCAN transport is bidirectional. Selecting None (Passive) makes BoatKit listen-only by configuration; it does not make the physical transport receive-only.

Connect an Actisense NGT-1 on Android

1. Connect the NGT-1-USB according to the Actisense manual and attach its USB connection to the tablet's OTG adapter or powered hub.
2. In the BoatKit integration, set Connection type to Actisense NGT-1.
3. Select the attached NGT-1 under CAN adapter.
4. Enable the integration and approve the Android USB permission request.
5. Confirm that BoatKit reports the gateway-managed address before expecting transmissions.
6. Enable Transmit Alerts/Warnings only when you deliberately want BoatKit to send those messages through the NGT-1.

The NGT-1 manages its own address claim, so BoatKit does not offer a competing Automatic or Manual claim for this connection.

Connect iPad USB CAN using iCAN++

1. Confirm that the adapter is running SLCAN firmware.
2. Install and approve iCAN++, following the driver's instructions.
3. Connect the charger and powered hub as directed by their manufacturers, then attach the USB CAN adapter.
4. In the BoatKit integration, set Connection type to USB CAN (iCAN++).
5. Select USB CAN adapter 0 under CAN adapter.
6. Choose None (Passive), Automatic, or Manual under Address Claim using the same behavior described for Android SLCAN.
7. Enable Transmit Alerts/Warnings only as a separate, deliberate transmit choice.
8. Enable the integration.

The iCAN++ path is bidirectional even though the recorded physical test established receiving data only.

Confirm it is working

Confirm the connection before changing preferred data sources or relying on remote monitoring:

• The NMEA 2000 integration advances from Disabled or Connecting to an active status.
• Received NMEA 2000 devices or traffic begin to appear in the integration.
• For SLCAN or iCAN++, BoatKit reports a claimed address when Automatic or Manual is selected before normal transmission begins.
• For an NGT-1, BoatKit reports the address owned by the gateway before transmitting through it.
• Available GPS, depth, heading, engine, tank, or sensor values are believable and continue to update.
• The recorded M5 iPad and CANable 2.0 combination specifically displays Connected at 250 kbit/s.

An attached adapter or active viewer connection does not by itself prove that NMEA 2000 data is arriving. Confirm received devices or traffic and compare displayed values with another trusted instrument.

Normal operation and offline behavior

Keep the tablet powered and leave the app-hosted vessel open. BoatKit disables idle screen sleep while vessel mode is open, but mobile operating-system limits, low-power modes, thermal conditions, background policies, force quitting or stopping the app, disconnected cables, and network changes can delay or stop monitoring and BoatKit Cloud delivery.

Local BoatKit use can continue without internet while the host and viewer can still reach each other on the vessel network. Remote viewing, cloud notifications, and relay through BoatKit Cloud require a working vessel internet connection.

Treat an app-hosted vessel as a powered, monitored operator station rather than an appliance-grade unattended host.

Troubleshooting

If no NMEA 2000 data appears:

1. Confirm that the intended app-hosted vessel is open. An attached USB adapter belongs to the local host, not another vessel being viewed.
2. Check that the NMEA 2000 Network integration is enabled and that the expected Connection type, gateway, or CAN adapter is selected.
3. Check the integration status and whether its received device or traffic information is changing.
4. For a YDWG-02, confirm that the tablet can reach the gateway, the server uses RAW, TCP, and Transmit Only, and BoatKit uses the same port. Do not use the factory NMEA 0183 server on 1456 for this connection.
5. For Android SLCAN, confirm that the adapter is running SLCAN rather than candleLight/gs_usb firmware. If USB permission was denied, unplug and reconnect the selected adapter before trying again; BoatKit avoids repeatedly prompting while the denied device remains attached.
6. For an Android NGT-1, confirm that the device identifies as 0403:d9aa, Android permission was granted, and the NGT-1 status LEDs match the conditions described in its manual. Also confirm that you are using Host a Vessel, not Research / Explore.
7. For iPad USB, confirm that the iPad is an M-series model running iPadOS 26 or newer, iCAN++ is installed and approved, and USB CAN adapter 0 is selected. Check the iCAN++ connection and receive-drop information in BoatKit.
8. Check the powered hub, charger, adapters, and cables for inadequate power, strain, or an intermittent connection.
9. If the integration is connected but values are missing, confirm that the expected source equipment is powered and transmitting by comparing it with another trusted display.
10. Capture BoatKit diagnostics before restarting the app or changing the physical network.

Do not reset a gateway, alter backbone termination, disconnect critical navigation equipment, or change live electrical wiring as a routine troubleshooting step. Follow the equipment manufacturer's procedure, understand what the action will interrupt, and involve a qualified marine electronics installer when appropriate.

Return to Choose how to use BoatKit to compare this installation with a dedicated BoatKit device.