Cover: SWAY voyage-replay screen. Source: SWAY.
Recording a voyage and finding an equipment manual are different boat-ownership tasks. SWAY and YachtPass approach them from different directions: one turns onboard instrument data into a voyage you can revisit; the other brings documents, manuals and service information together. How do they work, and what are they useful for?
Both companies are due to attend Metstrade in Amsterdam on 17-19 November. A start-up interview published on 3 November by a Metstrade contributor provides the news context. This introduction draws on current manufacturer pages and support documents; SWAY’s announced V3 software appearance at the show is a separate forthcoming update. Source: show preview interview.
SWAY: letting the instruments build a voyage record
SWAY combines a Breeze device aboard the boat with a phone app. Breeze connects to NMEA 2000, a marine instrument data network, reads available data and connects wirelessly to a phone. Think of it as a bridge between instruments and mobile devices: the boat’s equipment supplies the data, while Breeze receives, records and transmits it. The manufacturer specifies a dry indoor installation. Source: device introduction.
The device logs independently once powered by the network, without keeping the app open throughout the trip. A connected phone can show live readings. Position, speed, wind and depth depend on the instruments and data available aboard. For someone reviewing a sail or preserving a weekend cruise, this adds instrument context to a position track. Source: sailing functions.
What happens after returning to the dock?
The documented workflow retrieves recordings over Breeze’s Wi-Fi, then uploads them when the phone has internet access. Synced trips show a map route, distance, duration and instrument readings over time. Owners can add photographs, text and crew to build a shareable trip story. Source: syncing and trips.
For example, a sailor could review recorded speed alongside the available wind data; someone keeping holiday memories could add photographs and notes. These are illustrative uses of the features. GPX track and CSV data exports also let recordings be used in other software or a spreadsheet. Source: export documentation.
YachtPass: making boat documents easier to find
YachtPass starts with documents rather than live instrument data. After creating a boat record, owners can add equipment manuals, certificates and invoices to its Digital Vault. ChatBoat lets users ask questions of the manuals and supplies page references, making it possible to open the original passage. Source: owner service.
Consider a handover requiring an equipment manual, or a search for the manufacturer’s explanation of a setting. The task is to find the document for the model aboard and read the relevant page. ChatBoat brings questioning and retrieval into one interface; equipment-operation information should still be checked against the correct model’s manual.
Documents also connect to after-sales support
YachtPass has a business platform for yards, dealers and brokers, describing document handover, maintenance support, and service and parts enquiries. Its scope therefore extends to communication between an owner and a service team, connecting boat records with delivery and after-sales follow-up. Source: business platform.
One records the trip; the other organises the boat’s information
The useful comparison is the work each tool handles. To preserve a voyage, look at how onboard data is collected and replayed. To improve document retrieval and handovers, look at how the repository fits the service workflow.
| Comparison | SWAY | YachtPass |
|---|---|---|
| Product setup | Breeze onboard device + phone app | Boat-document and service platform |
| Data source | Readings available on the instrument network | Manuals, documents and invoices added to the platform |
| Example uses | Replay a trip; add photos; export recordings | Find manuals; organise handovers; follow up support |
| Preparation | Suitable network and dry installation location | Correct boat/equipment documents and versions |
Digital records become useful when you return to them
SWAY preserves a trip for replay, sharing or export. YachtPass gathers documents around a common starting point for reference and service follow-up. One concentrates on records created while sailing; the other on paperwork retained throughout boat ownership.
That is the interest in these products: each connects a specific boat-ownership task into a more continuous workflow. Understanding the uses lets readers decide which deserves a closer look alongside their existing equipment or document-management habits. Metstrade provides the next opportunity to see their operation and forthcoming updates demonstrated.
