Vortex Marine
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The sea doesn’t stand still.

Your technology shouldn’t either.

The sea is constantly changing. Vortex brings navigation, vessel data, weather, satellite imagery and more into one connected system, so your technology can keep up with the world around your boat.

See the reality.

Not just the charts.

Much of the seabed around the world has not been surveyed using modern technology. Some areas still rely on surveys carried out more than 100 years ago. That means the picture on your chart doesn’t always tell the whole story. Vortex combines traditional navigation data with satellite imagery and other sources of information to give you a much clearer picture of what is actually around your boat.

of marine incidents involve vessels operating closest to land - where legacy charts are the slowest to update.
80%

See more of what’s around you.

Marine navigation still relies heavily on traditional charts and outdated data. Other industries have moved to real-time information and continuous updates. We think it’s time marine technology caught up.

Charts that keep up.

Much of the seabed still relies on decades-old survey data, so charts don’t always show the full picture. Vortex combines navigation data with satellite imagery to give you a clearer view of what’s around your boat.

One boat. One view.

Today, information about your boat is spread across different systems and screens. Charts in one place. Weather somewhere else. Boat systems somewhere else again. Vortex brings that information together, so you can see what matters without having to piece it all together yourself.

Know before something goes wrong.

Problems on a boat rarely appear out of nowhere. Changes in engine performance, electrical systems, temperatures or other vessel data can build over time before something eventually fails. Vortex is designed to bring those changes into view, helping you understand what is happening on your boat before a small problem becomes a big one.

One device. One screen. One clear picture. 

Built for the way we actually use boats.

Hardware and software designed together.

Vortex isn’t a collection of products that happen to work together. We’re building the hardware, software and cloud services as one system, so your boat, your data and your devices can work together seamlessly.

Built to keep improving.

Technology shouldn’t stand still for years at a time. Vortex is built to evolve as new data, new ideas and new technology become available. That means the system can keep getting better without requiring you to replace everything every few years.

The Crew.

Built by sailors, for sailors - because there's no substitute for experience. Our crew is made up of passionate mariners building the tools we personally rely on.

  • Tony Sparks

    Tony Sparks

    Founder and CEO

    A live-aboard skipper with over 50 years of sailing experience, from dinghies to his current 50-foot sailboat, which serves as a real-world R&D platform across the South Pacific. Tony combines lifelong maritime expertise with more than 35 years of building, scaling, and successfully exiting technology companies worldwide. He brings deep, hands-on knowledge of marine electronics and satellite data systems, bridging practical seamanship with advanced technical innovation.

    Vessel: SV Wainani

    Blue water miles: 8,000

  • Peter Batcheler

    Peter Batcheler

    Director

    A keen yachtsman and Chartered Fellow of the NZ Institute of Directors with over 25 years of governance leadership across high-growth technology and engineering sectors. He brings a strong operational background, having led the build of superyacht spars and America’s Cup–winning yachts as New Zealand CEO of Southern Spars, and co-founded Global IT telematics pioneer EROAD, scaling the company from inception to a successful dual listing on the NZX and ASX.

    Vessel: SV Esprit, Royal NZ Navy (as Watchkeeper, Navigator & Commanding Officer)

    Blue water miles: 50,000

  • Myles Henaghan

    Myles Henaghan

    Chief Technology Officer

    A qualified Yachtmaster with over 20 years’ experience scaling high-performance engineering teams across NZ, AU, the US, Europe, and Asia. Raised on Ireland’s coast and seasoned by an offshore New Zealand-to-Ireland passage, he brings a sailor’s understanding of why mission-critical systems cannot fail at sea. Co-founder of Wires Uncrossed and creator of the Hierarchy of Engineering Needs (HoEN), he previously served as GM of Engineering at Xero and CTO of Accordo. He now leads the integration of high-reliability software with purpose-built maritime hardware at Vortex.

    Vessel: SV Ashling

    Blue water miles: 23,000