Keel as .sh is a single deployment script that converts the Linux system you already run into a marine instrument bridge. It asks what hardware is on board, then installs and configures only the dependencies that setup actually needs — CAN bus, NMEA 2000, J1939, NMEA 0183, and gauge dashboards.

Do I need to install a new operating system?

No. Keel as .sh is not a distribution — it is one script that runs on the OS you already have. It works with apt, dnf, or pacman based systems and pulls in only what your answers require.

What hardware does Keel as .sh support?

The script auto-configures eight options on Raspberry Pi 4 and 5: Waveshare RS485 CAN HAT (12 MHz and legacy 8 MHz), 2-CH CAN FD HAT Rev2.1+ (MCP2518FD), 2-CH CAN HAT+ (the Waveshare dual-CAN with documented Pi 5 support), the older 2-CH CAN HAT, PiCAN-M, USB SocketCAN (gs_usb) adapters, and a serial-only NMEA 0183 mode. Other single-board computers run with a warning; the installer is hardened for Pi 4/5.

When will Keel as .sh be released?

Maybe 2027. The target is January 1, 2027 UTC, subject to weather, tide, and maintainer motivation.

Keel as .sh — One-Script Marine Linux Setup | CAN Bus, NMEA 2000 & J1939 on Raspberry Pi

PGN 127488 Engine Params Rapid · RPM 2140 · boost 14.2 psi │ PGN 127489 Engine Dynamic · oil 48 psi · coolant 176 °F · volts 13.8 │ PGN 128267 Water Depth · 22.4 ft · offset −1.5 │ PGN 129026 COG/SOG Rapid · COG 087° T · SOG 18.3 kn │ PGN 127493 Transmission Params · gear FWD · oil 61 psi │ PGN 130316 Temperature Ext · exhaust 412 °F │ PGN 127505 Fluid Level · fuel #1 · 73 % │ PGN 130306 Wind Data · AWS 12 kn · AWA 034° │

PGN 61444 EEC1 · SA 0x00 · SPN 190 eng speed 1847 rpm · SPN 512 driver demand 62 % │ PGN 65262 ET1 · SPN 110 coolant 82 °C · SPN 175 oil temp 96 °C │ PGN 65263 EFL/P1 · SPN 100 oil press 331 kPa · SPN 94 fuel del press 448 kPa │ PGN 65266 LFE · SPN 183 fuel rate 28.4 L/h · SPN 184 inst econ 1.2 km/L │ PGN 65253 HOURS · SPN 247 total eng hours 4 812.5 h │ PGN 61443 EEC2 · SPN 91 accel pedal 58 % · SPN 92 load 71 % │ PGN 65270 IC1 · SPN 102 boost 168 kPa · SPN 105 intake manifold 46 °C │ PGN 65276 DD · SPN 96 fuel level 68 % │ PGN 65226 DM1 · no active DTCs · lamp status OFF │

MID 128 Engine #1 · PID 190 eng speed 1850 rpm · PID 92 load 70 % │ MID 128 PID 110 coolant 180 °F · PID 100 oil press 48 psi │ MID 128 PID 168 battery 13.7 V · PID 96 fuel level 68 % │ MID 130 Transmission · PID 177 trans oil temp 165 °F · gear FWD │ MID 128 PID 247 eng hours 4 812.5 h · PID 250 total fuel 18 240 gal │ MID 128 PID 105 intake air 115 °F · PID 102 boost 24.4 psi │ MID 136 Brakes · PID 65 service brake OFF │ MID 128 PID 194 diag · no fault codes │ BRIDGE J1708 9.6 kbit/s RS-485 → SocketCAN vcan2 │

One command. A few questions. Underway.

The script interrogates your boat, not your patience. Answer what's on board and it resolves, installs, and configures only what those answers require.

pi@helm: ~

$ curl -fsSL "https://keelas.sh/?dl=keel-pi45.sh&raw=1" | sudo bash

keel.sh v0.MAYBE — marine bridge deployment
Detected: Raspberry Pi 5 · aarch64 · apt · systemd

[1/5] Which CAN interface is physically installed?
      1) Waveshare RS485 CAN HAT (12 MHz)     5) Waveshare 2-CH CAN HAT (non-Plus)
      2) Waveshare RS485 CAN HAT (8 MHz)      6) PiCAN-M (MCP2515 + NMEA 0183)
      3) Waveshare 2-CH CAN FD HAT Rev2.1+    7) USB SocketCAN (gs_usb)
      4) Waveshare 2-CH CAN HAT+  ← Pi 5      8) None — NMEA 0183 serial only
> 4

[2/5] Engine bus protocol?  [N]MEA 2000 / [J]1939 / [B]oth
> B

[3/5] Legacy J1708/J1587 diesel to bridge?  [y/N]
> n

[4/5] NMEA 0183 serial devices?  [y/N]
> y   → found /dev/ttyUSB0 (gpsd/Signal K can use it)

[5/5] Boot into kiosk gauge dashboard?  [Y/n]
> Y

Resolving dependencies for YOUR answers only:
  + pkgs: can-utils iproute2 gpsd gpsd-clients jq chromium cage
  + npm:  signalk-server (global) + webapp on :3000
  + dtoverlay: spi1-3cs · mcp2515,spi1-1/spi1-2 (16 MHz, IRQ 22/13)
  + units: keelos-can keelos-j1939 keelos-dashboard keelos-kiosk
  - skipped: J1708 bridge, CAN FD stack (not requested)

Done in 94 s. Reboot to raise can0/can1. Re-run anytime — it's idempotent.

Installs what you need. Nothing you don't.

No golden image to flash, no fork of your OS to trust. Your system stays yours — the script just rigs it.

Runs on what you've got

Raspberry Pi OS, Armbian, Ubuntu Server, whatever's already on the card. Detects apt, dnf, or pacman and speaks the local dialect. No reflash, no repartition.

Hardware Q&A wizard

Asks which HAT, which buses, which serial gear — and probes SPI/USB to pre-answer what it can. Ships --answers file.yml for unattended fleet installs.

Dependency resolution per answer

Pick NMEA 2000 only? You don't get a J1939 stack. Skip the dashboard? No GUI packages land. Every install is the minimal set your answers require.

Waveshare HATs auto-configured

Device-tree overlays for the RS485/CAN HAT and 2-CH CAN FD HAT (MCP2515 / MCP2518FD) — SPI bus, oscillator frequency, and interrupts written for you, verified on reboot.

Idempotent & reversible

Re-run to add hardware later — it converges instead of clobbering. keel.sh --uninstall removes everything it added and nothing it didn't.

Legacy engine friendly

Answer yes to J1708/J1587 and it configures the RS-485 bridge onto vcan2 — because the boats that need monitoring most were built before the bus existed.

Get the BetaBeta

The Pi 4/5-hardened build is live for testing. Under active development — dry-run it first, keep backups, and don't make it the only instrumentation between you and the water.

⇩ Download keel-pi45.sh

v0.MAYBE-pi45 · 35.4 KB · updated 2026-08-09 UTC
SHA-256 ad04609d13d08beb4b25868db5fd46d77e0ea638a30f822fee850b59a40cd4c0

curl curl -fsSL "https://keelas.sh/?dl=keel-pi45.sh&raw=1" -o keel.sh && chmod +x keel.sh && sudo ./keel.sh --dry-run

verify echo "ad04609d13d08beb4b25868db5fd46d77e0ea638a30f822fee850b59a40cd4c0 keel.sh" | sha256sum -c

Beta means Beta: the script asks before touching anything, records every change to a manifest, and --uninstall reverses it. Start with --dry-run, verify the checksum, read the script — it's one file on purpose.

Hardware support

This table is generated from what keel-pi45.sh actually configures — same options, same numbering, same caveats as its built-in --hat-guide. Hardened for Raspberry Pi 4/5; anything else runs with a warning.

#	CAN interface	What the script configures	Status
1	Waveshare RS485 CAN HAT (12 MHz)	MCP2515 · SPI0 · GPIO25 · can0 + UART	Auto-config
2	Waveshare RS485 CAN HAT (legacy 8 MHz)	MCP2515 · 8 MHz osc · can0 + UART	Auto-config
3	Waveshare 2-CH CAN FD HAT Rev2.1+	MCP2518FD ×2 · Mode A · can0 + can1	Auto-config Pi 5: best-effort — not on Waveshare's list
4	Waveshare 2-CH CAN HAT+ ← Pi 5 pick	MCP2515 ×2 · 16 MHz · SPI1 CS1/CS2 · can0 + can1	Auto-config
5	Waveshare 2-CH CAN HAT (non-Plus)	MCP2515 ×2 · 16 MHz · can0 + can1	Auto-config Documented through Pi 4B only
6	PiCAN-M	MCP2515 · 16 MHz · can0 · pulls in the 0183 stack	Auto-config
7	USB SocketCAN adapter	gs_usb / candleLight · no overlay needed · can0	Auto-config
8	No CAN hardware	NMEA 0183 serial only · gpsd + gpsd-clients	Auto-config
—	J1708/J1587 legacy bridge	Needs the external keelos-j1708d helper; skipped cleanly if absent	Helper req'd
—	Pi Zero 2 W, Orange Pi, other SBCs	Script runs but warns: hardened for Pi 4/5 only	Warns

Status legend: AUTO-CONFIG = the wizard writes overlays, network config, and services end-to-end · HELPER REQ'D = enabled only when its daemon is installed · WARNS = proceeds at your own risk. Tip from the script itself: read the exact PCB name, chip marking (MCP2515 vs MCP2518FD), and oscillator before choosing — not the connector shape.