Windsurf Tracker

A real-time GPS telemetry system built for windsurfers. Track speed, distance, wind runs, and session statistics — all hands-free with voice control. Built by engineers who actually windsurf.

System Components

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Tracker App

Android app running on waterproof phones (Galaxy S24 Ultra). High-frequency GPS sampling, MQTT telemetry streaming, and hands-free voice commands — no screen interaction needed on the water.

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Server Dashboard

Real-time web dashboard built with FastAPI, HTMX, and Jinja2. Displays live tracker status, message throughput, session history, and speed analytics. Runs on any Linux server.

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MQTT Telemetry

All data flows through MQTT — the same industrial IoT protocol used in our maritime systems. Lightweight, reliable, and works over spotty mobile connections.

Key Features

  • Hands-Free Voice Control — Constant microphone listening with keyword triggers. "Speed", "distance", "max speed" — spoken feedback through the phone speaker, no screen needed.
  • Live Speed & Distance — Real-time GPS-derived speed in knots with running distance totals. High-frequency sampling for accurate gust and planing detection.
  • Session Recording — Complete GPS track recording with timestamps. Post-session analysis of speed profiles, wind runs, and jibes.
  • Waterproof Operation — Designed for Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra IP68 rating. Works in spray, rain, and brief submersion.
  • Ambient Noise Rejection — Voice recognition tuned for wind noise. Ignores ambient sound, responds only to clear command triggers.

Technical Architecture

Tracker Android native app with background GPS service, MQTT publisher, and speech recognition engine
Transport MQTT over TLS — same Mosquitto infrastructure as our maritime data pipeline
Dashboard Python (FastAPI + HTMX), server-side rendered, live WebSocket updates
Storage Time-series data in PostgreSQL/TimescaleDB for long-term session analytics

Why We Built This

The same MQTT-based telemetry stack that powers our maritime vessel tracking also works brilliantly for tracking humans on the water. The Windsurf Tracker is a proving ground for our IoT infrastructure — if it can handle a windsurfer at 35 knots in 30-knot gusts with spotty 4G, it can handle anything.

Interested?

The Windsurf Tracker is currently in active development. Contact us for early access.

Get In Touch