Install Orca Core in minutes

Installing electronics in your boat can be challenging. You do not know exactly what type of equipment you have on board or how to connect new devices to it.

With Orca Core, this is different. Installing a Core can be done in 5 minutes. The reason for this is that Orca Core is purpose-built to work with the systems already on your boat, making installation surprisingly simple for most vessels.

If you are looking for an introduction to Orca, and how to install the Core, then Chris from Flight Level Zero gives an excellent introduction in the video below:

You probably already have everything you need

Orca Core connects to your other systems via a boat network. These come in a few different flavors.

If your boat has NMEA 2000, then installing the Orca Core is as simple as connecting a cable. Other popular networks such as SeaTalkNG and SimNet just require an adapter cable. Once connected, Orca Core automatically discovers devices on your boat network, including autopilots, AIS transponders, wind instruments, depth sounders, and is ready to use.

The Orca Core connects via a single cable to your boat network. The second cable connects to radars.

If you do not know which boat network you have or how Orca connects to your boat's devices, then Orca's Product Guide can help you find out. You can also take photos of your chartplotter and instruments and share them with Orca's chatbot, and it will help you figure out precisely what you have onboard.

Finding a suitable installation location

Orca Core can be installed almost anywhere on board.

It is waterproof, works both indoors and outdoors, and can be mounted horizontally or vertically. For the best performance of its internal sensors, place it horizontally, away from magnetic interference, and covered by up to 1 cm of glassfiber or wood.

For sailboats and other slow-moving boats, you can fasten the core with a 3M bonding pad that is delivered with the Core. For planing boats, the recommended installation is with the drill-through mounting bracket. A complete installation guide can be found in the Product Guide.

The Orca Core is easy to install.

Upgrade your boat in minutes

Connect Orca Core to your boat and unlock autopilot control, AIS, radar integration, and instruments on your phone and tablet.

Orca Core delivers advanced built-in sensors and connects Orca to your onboard systems.

All Orca Core units include free express shipping and a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.

Customer Reviews

4.5 (162 reviews)

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The Tesla of chart plotters.

27/05/26

Orca CoreDenmark +3 moreSailboat35-45 feet (10.5-13.5 meters)Living aboard +2 more10 connected devices

More stable than I expected and new features every year without buying new devices. Initially considered upgrading my old Raymarine plotter to Axiom, but got frustrated paying around 2000EUR for a product that was essentially 5 years old. Decided to try Orca after trying the free app for a few weeks, and the Core 2 did not cost more than I was willing to loose if It did not live up to expectations. on third season with Orca now, and have not looked back. Using it with iPad Pro (1000 nits = quite usable in sunlight) & Iphone, as the Display 2 is simply too old to justify its price.

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Orca review

03/03/26

Orca CoreBaltic Sea +3 moreSailboat35-45 feet (10.5-13.5 meters)Long trips +1 more12 connected devices

Superfornøyd med Orca

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Great to getting an overview, not so great for navigation

27/02/26

Orca CoreDenmarkSailboat35-45 feet (10.5-13.5 meters)

It's very nice and simple to use. It's great that you can have all your n2k data on you tablet/phone But for navigation I wouldn't use it. It simply doesn't have the needed settings to display all information. In my instance I'm sailing in an area where there is a DW route, it comes up clearly on my Garmin active captain app. Overall is fell like it's way to limited in the settings for your display of the chart When working on an transas ecdis you as an example have the option to hide spot soundings at a certain depth. Eg your boat draft is 5 meters, and spot sounds of more then 12 meters is not needed in the chart

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Promising product held back by atrocious customer support

26/02/26

Orca CoreUnited StatesSailboat35-45 feet (10.5-13.5 meters)Long trips13 connected devices

Clearly entered the market half-baked and relied on user feedback to identify bugs. The marketing is decades ahead of the actual user experience. Written promises to bring Garmin radar support unfulfilled. If you need customer service, you're better off jumping off a bridge. What a shame, the product holds such promise.

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ASTRA II

24/02/26

Orca CoreOrca DisplayMediterraneanSailboat45-55 feet (13.5-16.5 meters)Living aboard13 connected devices

Orca has been my guide to show me the path on the ocean.

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