Lake racing
Ideal for short courses, tight starts, shifting winds, tactical decisions and fast situational awareness on small and mid-sized boats.
Built for performance sailors, racing crews and ambitious cruising sailors – from inland lakes to coastal waters
Start & Performance Cockpit
Start & Performance Cockpit
for Fast Sailing
velahelm turns your Android phone or tablet into an intelligent cockpit that does more than display instrument data. It validates, calculates and translates data into clear decisions for better starts, more boatspeed and better situational awareness – in lake racing, offshore racing and ambitious coastal cruising.
Android phone & tablet
NMEA via UDP / TCP
Polars, VMG, VMC, start tools
Ideal for rugged onboard tablets
Screenshots
See velahelm on board
Start, performance and navigation in one focused sailing cockpit.
Use cases
One cockpit for different waters and sailing scenarios
velahelm is built for fast, informed sailing – not just for one specific environment. It supports everything from race starts on inland lakes to performance sailing and navigation in coastal and offshore waters.
Offshore and sea racing
Supports performance sailing, wind awareness, VMC-oriented decisions and structured data display in more complex coastal and offshore environments.
Ambitious cruising
Useful beyond racing as well: clear data views, navigation, wind information and better decision support for longer legs and demanding conditions.
Why velahelm?
Less data overload. More clear decisions.
At the start, during wind shifts or on long beats, raw instrument data only helps so much. velahelm focuses on what truly matters on the water: course, timing, performance and actionable choices.
Start better
Supports sequence handling, distance and time to the line so you can sail aggressively without losing control.
Sail faster
Polars, VMG/VMC and performance indicators help you make course and trim decisions faster and with more confidence.
Get more from existing electronics
Uses available NMEA data sources and turns Android hardware into a flexible, rugged and comparatively cost-effective onboard cockpit.
Features
Built for performance – not just for displaying numbers
velahelm is not meant to be just another data monitor. It is a decision tool for sailors who want to sail faster and cleaner.
Live data & smart calculations
NMEA 0183 via UDP, TCP or TCP server
Fallback to device GPS and device time when needed
Derives key metrics even in incomplete data networks
Performance & routing
VMG, VMC, polar speed and performance percentages
Steering guidance, target angles and course support
Focus on trim- and sailing-relevant decisions instead of raw data
Racing tools
Start sequence and start-line support
Line, timing and approach information
Helps turn start stress into structured action
What is different?
velahelm is not a classic chartplotter and not just a start timer. It is a focused performance cockpit for fast sailing.
FocusStart, speed, wind, course, decision
HardwareAndroid phones and rugged onboard tablets
UsageIn the cockpit, on deck or as a remote display
PhilosophyReduce data to what actually helps
Typical use cases
Before the start: keep line, timing and approach under control.
Upwind: keep VMG, TWA and polar performance in view.
On the way to the mark: sail VMC-oriented instead of relying on gut feeling.
With crew: provide clear information fast on one central display.
On a budget: extend existing sensors with rugged consumer hardware.
Integration
Fits into your setup
velahelm is designed to work with real onboard setups across different sailing environments – from race boats on inland lakes to coastal waters and more advanced performance setups with additional sensors or remote displays.
Use existing onboard data
If NMEA data is already available onboard, velahelm can turn it into a focused, easy-to-read cockpit for performance sailing and racing.
Suitable for cockpit tablets and fixed Android displays
Also useful as a lean addition to existing marine electronics
Expandable instead of rigid
Depending on your setup, the app can be extended modularly – for example with additional wind sources, specific unlocks or distributed displays onboard.
Optional focus on NMEA integration
Prepared for additional sensor and display scenarios
Freemium model
Start free. Expand when needed.
A low barrier to entry with clear value and no overly complex pricing.
Affordable subscriptions for the features you actually need.
Base app: ideal for getting started, testing and simple setups.
NMEA unlock: for full integration of UDP/TCP data sources and extended onboard features.
Calypso integration: for compact setups with an ultrasonic wind sensor.
Expandable later: integration with velapace on Garmin watches is planned.
FAQ
Key questions at a glance
Who is velahelm for?
Primarily for sailors who actively want to improve performance – especially in racing and performance-oriented environments, but also for ambitious cruising sailors who value well-processed data.
Do I need special marine electronics?
Not necessarily. The biggest value comes from existing NMEA data or additional sensors, but velahelm is modular and can grow into different setups.
Why Android?
Because rugged and water-resistant Android devices can be used as comparatively affordable onboard displays. That is a key differentiator versus expensive dedicated hardware.
Is it a replacement for a chartplotter?
No. velahelm is positioned as a focused start and performance cockpit. That focus is also its strength: less complexity, more relevance for fast decisions.
Ready for the next step?
Turn your Android device into a performance cockpit.
Download velahelm on Google Play and use a focused cockpit for lake racing, offshore racing and ambitious cruising.
Contact: skipper@velahelm.com