The Raspberry Pi has become one of the most versatile platforms for embedded development, and when combined with the PiCAN-M CAN Bus HAT, it becomes a powerful interface for marine electronics, CAN-based systems, and data acquisition applications.

The PiCAN-M board connects a Raspberry Pi directly to NMEA 2000 (CAN bus) and NMEA 0183 networks, enabling developers to build navigation systems, data loggers, and sensor gateways with open-source software.

Below is a curated overview of real projects, software platforms, and websites where the PiCAN-M board is used in practical Raspberry Pi systems.

Marine Navigation Systems

1. Signal K marine data server

A Raspberry Pi with PiCAN-M can run Signal K, an open marine data platform that collects and distributes vessel data.

https://signalk.org

Typical data sources include:

• GPS position
• wind instruments
• depth sounders
• engine telemetry

Signal K then publishes the information to dashboards, navigation software, or mobile devices.

2. SeaBits – Signal K + Grafana dashboards

https://seabits.com/set-up-signal-k-and-grafana-on-raspberry-pi-with-pican-m-nmea-2000-board/

This project shows how a Raspberry Pi with PiCAN-M can power a complete marine data monitoring system with:

• Signal K server
• InfluxDB time-series database
• Grafana dashboards

3. OpenPlotter navigation platform

https://openplotter.readthedocs.io

OpenPlotter is a Raspberry Pi operating system designed for boats.

Using the PiCAN-M board it can:

• read NMEA 2000 networks
• integrate GPS receivers
• display navigation charts
• monitor vessel systems

4. Raymarine display integration

https://theprojectboat.com/2021/11/06/raymarine-axiom-integration-part-three/

A Raspberry Pi with PiCAN-M can serve as a Signal K data hub feeding Raymarine displays with navigation and sensor data.

5. Bareboat Necessities marine OS

https://bareboat-necessities.github.io

A full marine software distribution based on Raspberry Pi that supports Signal K and NMEA2000 interfaces such as PiCAN-M.

Marine Data Logging and Monitoring

6. Raspberry Pi marine data logger

https://copperhilltech.com/blog/building-a-marine-data-logger-with-raspberry-pi-and-picanm-a-stepbystep-guide/

This setup logs NMEA 2000 and NMEA 0183 data for:

• engine monitoring
• environmental sensors
• fuel consumption analysis
• long-term performance tracking

7. NMEA 2000 powered Raspberry Pi

https://seabits.com/nmea-2000-powered-raspberry-pi/

This project demonstrates powering the Raspberry Pi directly from the NMEA 2000 network using the PiCAN-M board.

8. Open Boat Projects – PiCAN-M system

https://open-boat-projects.org/en/pican-m-mit-signalk-und-openplotter/

A complete boat electronics integration project using:

• Raspberry Pi
• PiCAN-M interface
• Signal K
• OpenPlotter

9. Electronics-Lab marine CAN interface project

https://www.electronics-lab.com/pican-m-nmea-2000-on-the-raspberry-pi-for-marine-applications-made-possible/

Explains how PiCAN-M enables CAN-based marine instrumentation for Raspberry Pi systems.

CAN Bus Development Platforms

10. SocketCAN Linux development

https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/networking/can.html

PiCAN-M interfaces appear as SocketCAN devices in Linux, enabling direct CAN bus communication.

11. CANBoat NMEA2000 decoding tools

https://github.com/canboat/canboat

CANBoat is widely used with Raspberry Pi CAN interfaces such as PiCAN-M to decode NMEA2000 messages.

12. NMEA2000 SocketCAN project

https://github.com/thomasonw/NMEA2000_socketCAN

Example code demonstrating CAN communication using SocketCAN interfaces.

13. Python CAN development

https://python-can.readthedocs.io

Developers often use python-can with PiCAN-M to create CAN bus monitoring or control applications.

Raspberry Pi Marine Software Ecosystem

14. Signal K server project

https://github.com/SignalK/signalk-server

Many Raspberry Pi installations use PiCAN-M as the NMEA2000 interface for Signal K systems.

15. Signal K → NMEA2000 plugin

https://github.com/SignalK/signalk-to-nmea2000

Enables sending and receiving PGNs on the NMEA2000 network.

16. Signal K Home Assistant integration

https://github.com/The-Greg-O/signalk-ha-bridge

Connects boat sensor data to Home Assistant automation systems.

17. OpenCPN chart plotter

https://opencpn.org

Navigation software frequently used together with Signal K and PiCAN-M setups.

Community Projects and User Builds

18. Ericson Yachts forum project

https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/threads/happy-pi-day-raspberry-pi-project.18525/

Example boat build using multiple Raspberry Pi systems with PiCAN-M boards.

19. OpenMarine forum

https://forum.openmarine.net

Community discussions and builds involving OpenPlotter and PiCAN-M.

20. MAIANA AIS integration discussions

https://github.com/peterantypas/maiana/discussions

AIS projects integrating with Raspberry Pi navigation systems.

21. Sailing blog DIY navigation computers

Various sailing blogs document building Raspberry Pi navigation computers using CAN interfaces like PiCAN-M.

22. LinuxGizmos hardware overview

https://linuxgizmos.com/raspberry-pi-hat-offer-nmea-2000-link-for-marine-applications/

Coverage of the PiCAN-M board and its marine electronics capabilities.

23. Projects-Raspberry hardware analysis

https://projects-raspberry.com/pican-m-nmea-2000-on-the-raspberry-pi-for-marine-applications-made-possible/

Technical overview of the board and its applications.

24. DIY marine automation systems

Numerous hobbyists use PiCAN-M to build boat automation and monitoring systems.

25. CAN-based sensor networks

The board can also be used outside marine environments for:

• vehicle telemetry
• industrial CAN networks
• robotics control systems
• distributed sensor networks

Why the PiCAN-M Is Popular for Raspberry Pi Projects

The PiCAN-M board combines several important capabilities:

• NMEA 2000 CAN bus interface
• NMEA 0183 RS-422 serial interface
• onboard power supply for marine systems
• Linux SocketCAN compatibility
• seamless integration with Raspberry Pi software

This makes it one of the most versatile Raspberry Pi interfaces for marine electronics development and CAN bus experimentation.