Question 1

What boats can use ARGUS?

Accepted Answer

ARGUS works with boats that have an NMEA 2000 network, which covers most pleasure and charter boats built since the mid-2000s, and it can read Victron power systems over Wi-Fi. NMEA 0183 has limited support. SeaTalk is not supported. If you are not sure what your boat has, we check with you before install.

Question 2

What hardware gets installed on my boat?

Accepted Answer

A compact, low-power onboard computer running ARGUS, and on an NMEA 2000 boat an Actisense W2K-1 gateway that connects passively to your existing backbone. Both fit in an electronics locker. No new sensors and no probes: ARGUS reads the data your boat already produces.

Question 3

Can ARGUS control anything on my boat?

Accepted Answer

No. ARGUS is read-only. It listens to the NMEA 2000 network through Signal K, has no code path that can transmit on the bus, and the CAN-bus software it would need to write is not installed on the device. You can ask ARGUS for status and advice. It cannot touch a throttle, bilge pump, light, or any other system aboard.

Question 4

What happens when I lose connectivity offshore?

Accepted Answer

Monitoring on board continues. The checks that matter most, such as engine temperature and battery voltage, run on the boat itself, and about three days of history are kept for upload. When Starlink, cellular or marina Wi-Fi comes back, that history uploads automatically and the AI features resume.

Question 5

What data leaves my boat, and who can see it?

Accepted Answer

Readings, your conversations with ARGUS, and any manuals you upload are stored in a database of their own for your boat, kept separate from every other boat's. We do not sell, share, or pool your data with third parties. Marinas, insurers, and outside services get nothing unless you authorize it.

Question 6

How does ARGUS know what is normal for my boat?

Accepted Answer

Alarm limits are set for your boat at install, and ARGUS also watches for slow changes against its own history. The captain can adjust any limit later.

Question 7

Can I add crew members, and what will they see?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The captain invites crew from the ARGUS app with a QR code and gives each person a role: captain with full access, or crew. Crew get briefings and alerts and can acknowledge them, but cannot change limits or boat settings. The captain can change or remove anyone's access at any time.

Question 8

How does ARGUS reach me if there is an emergency?

Accepted Answer

Critical alerts appear in the ARGUS app straight away. If nobody acknowledges one, ARGUS phones you, explains the situation and stays on the line, and if the first captain does not answer it moves on to the other captains on the account.

Question 9

Do I need Telegram?

Accepted Answer

No. The ARGUS app is all you need. Telegram is available as an optional extra channel.

Question 10

What happens if ARGUS is wrong about something?

Accepted Answer

ARGUS aims to show its source. Manual answers come with the page and the PDF attached, sensor answers refer to the live reading, and predictive alerts include the calculation behind them. ARGUS is instructed never to invent causes and to refuse to quote any sensor reading when the instrument network has gone silent. When something does come out wrong, the thumbs-down button in the app sends the details to a queue we review.

Question 11

How much does it cost?

Accepted Answer

Pricing is set per boat after a short call. Applying to be a Founding Captain commits you to nothing.

Question 12

Is there a free version?

Accepted Answer

Yes, for boats that run Signal K. ARGUS Lite is a free display that shows your instruments, power, tanks and engines on board, and never shows an old reading as live. It is a display only: it does not watch the boat, alert you or phone you. It is in private beta and is not yet available to install.