MarineVerse Blog
Product Updates
New boats, new lessons, releases, and milestones from MarineVerse.
See also: MarineVerse Sailing Club updates history — full release notes and changelog.
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MarineVerse: 10 Years of Sailing in Virtual Reality
Ahoy, MarineVerse community and friends!
Ten years ago, I slid a smartphone into a Google Cardboard viewer and strapped it to my face. The graphics were basic. The ocean was silent. There was no hand tracking - I steered simply by looking, guiding the boat with my gaze. I looked ridiculous standing in my living room.
But for a split second, the walls disappeared. I was sailing.
The first VR sailing prototype
Today, that scrappy experiment has evolved into immersive environments, realistic boat physics, and the world’s largest virtual sailing club. The technology has changed, but the dream remains the same: enable more people to sail, anytime and anywhere.
From mastering the basics of sail trim to racing friends across the globe, we’ve helped turn sailing from a “someday” dream into an everyday practice for thousands of sailors around the world.
Why Did We Create MarineVerse?
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Happy Holidays from MarineVerse! 2025 Year in Review + Holiday Sailing Ideas
Ahoy MarineVerse Community!
As the year comes to a close, I want to say a huge thank you for being part of the MarineVerse sailing community.
Whether you race with us every week or only check in once a year, you’re a big part of why this project is still sailing forward.
This year we’ve added new boats, new ways to relax, new training tools, and more racing than ever - perfect reasons to put the headset on over the Xmas break and see what’s new.
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Setting Sail for Everyone: The Hansa 303 Joins MarineVerse Sailing Club
TL;DR: The world’s most accessible sailing boat, the Hansa 303, is now live in MarineVerse Sailing Club. With its VR-perfect joystick controls, it’s now our default training boat, making sailing truly accessible for all abilities.
There’s a moment every sailor chases—when the wind, the boat, and your hands work in perfect harmony. For too many, that feeling has remained out of reach. Today, that changes. We are incredibly proud to announce that the Hansa 303, a boat that has transformed thousands of lives, is now available in MarineVerse Sailing Club.
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Hansa 303 Sets Sail in MarineVerse, Making Virtual Reality Sailing Accessible to Everyone
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Melbourne, Australia – December 19, 2025 – MarineVerse, the pioneer in virtual reality (VR) sailing simulation, today announced the addition of the licensed Hansa 303 sailboat to its popular MarineVerse Sailing Club platform. This significant integration makes one of the world’s most inclusive and approachable training dinghies the primary training vessel in VR, reinforcing MarineVerse’s mission to make the joy of sailing accessible to people of all abilities.
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Melbourne to Wellington: The final 100 miles & new storytelling tools
If you’ve ever wanted to experience the rhythm of offshore sailing—the strategy, the watchkeeping, and the long game—MarineVerse Globe is built for you.
MarineVerse Globe is our persistent VR world where you sail in real-time weather conditions, crossing oceans just like in real life. Your boat keeps moving 24/7, even when you log off, making every passage a true journey.
Right now, the fleet is deep into the Melbourne to Wellington race. It has been a challenging crossing across the Tasman Sea, and as of today, the lead boat is just ~100 NM from the finish line in Wellington!
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Introducing MarineVerse Globe (Beta): Sail the Real World, in Real Time
Big picture: MarineVerse Globe lets you set a course on a 36-foot cruising yacht and cross oceans in real time with weather driven by actual forecasts. Sunrise, sunset, stars, squalls—the sim mirrors the world, day and night. Your boat keeps sailing while you’re offline, so a long passage really takes… a long passage. Weeks to cross the Pacific feels like weeks—by design.
Why we built it: because a lot of you told us you want to learn to cruise, practice for the real thing, retire into the Med, or just relax at sea when life (or geography) keeps you on land. Others want to chase records, run virtual Sydney–Hobart attempts, or sail famous routes with friends.
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Step Aboard S/V Uma — Iconic Cruising Yacht Lands in MarineVerse Sailing Club VR
TL;DR: You can now sail Sailing Uma’s legendary 36-footer inside MarineVerse Sailing Club on Meta Quest 3 or SteamVR. Update the app and jump aboard today.
This faithful digital replica of S/V Uma—developed with Dan & Kika—lets you learn cruising skills and embark on global adventures in our new MarineVerse Globe beta.
“Uma isn’t just a hull and sails—she’s a symbol of learning by doing.”
— Kika Mevs, co-skipper, Sailing Uma -
Learn to Sail in VR in 2025: Your Ultimate Guide to Getting Started (Meta Quest 3 + MarineVerse)
Ahoy there!
TL;DR: Pick up a Meta Quest 3 and download the MarineVerse Sailing Club app.
Prefer audio? Listen to the podcast version:
Learning to sail is a lifelong dream for many—whether you picture peaceful cruises or adrenaline-filled races. But that first step can feel daunting: access to boats, unpredictable weather, and finding the time all get in the way.
What if you could step onto a sailboat right now from your living room?
With Virtual Reality (VR), you can. Inspired by the common question “Learning to sail in VR—what’s the best platform to start?”, this guide shows how VR can kick-start your sailing journey before you ever set foot on real water.
What Is VR Sailing?
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MarineVerse Cup is Now MarineVerse Sailing Club!
Ahoy, MarineVerse Community!
Since launching MarineVerse Cup in February 2022, our journey has been one of growth, evolution, and reimagining what virtual sailing can be. While the app initially focused on sailboat racing, our vision was always much broader. We aimed to create a place where everyone—whether you’re a seasoned sailor or a curious beginner—can experience the magic of sailing from home. Whether you want to race, learn, practice, or simply relax, MarineVerse is here for you.
Today, we’re proud to announce that MarineVerse Cup is now MarineVerse Sailing Club!
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MarineVerse 2023 Review
Time flies!
Next month marks an incredible 8-year journey for MarineVerse. We are immensely thankful for your continuous support, which has been pivotal in making this project possible.
Together, we are building the largest virtual sailing club in the world. As this year draws to a close, we’d like to pause and reflect on the exciting journey of 2023.
Join us as we share some of the standout moments and achievements.
Check out this video for a quick overview:
As you can see, 2023 was a big year for MarineVerse.
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MarineVerse Kayaking Now Available on App Lab
Dive into a New Virtual Reality Experience with MarineVerse Kayaking:
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of MarineVerse Kayaking on Meta Quest.
Available now in Early Access via App Lab, this immersive VR experience lets you paddle through breathtaking virtual landscapes at your own pace.
Whether you’re seeking tranquility, a physical challenge, or a bit of friendly competition, MarineVerse Kayaking caters to every adventurer’s taste.
🛶 Download it here: https://www.meta.com/en-gb/experiences/6511868632241917/
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MarineVerse 2022 Review
As we near the end of the year, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on 2022 and share some behind-the-scenes updates with you.
Check out this video for a quick overview:
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MarineVerse Cup Catamaran
What comes to mind when you hear “catamaran” ?
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Is it the leisurely time of summer cruises?
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Is it the childhood memories of first time sailing and some epic capsizing?
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Is it the thrill of catamarans foiling, going crazy fast on a beam reach?
Unleash your inner sailor with a ride on our new Catamaran:
Download: https://www.oculus.com/experiences/quest/2465388190184288
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MarineVerse Cup Opti
First major update for ultimate VR sailing experience MarineVerse Cup available now.
Download: https://www.oculus.com/experiences/quest/2465388190184288
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MarineVerse Cup 1.0 sails onto Meta Quest 2 today!
Download: https://www.oculus.com/experiences/quest/2465388190184288
Set sail in ultimate VR sailing experience MarineVerse Cup, out now on Quest 2.
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MarineVerse Cup sails onto Meta Quest 2 on February 24th
Wishlist: https://www.oculus.com/experiences/quest/2465388190184288
VR title blends accurate simulation, beginner-friendly features, relaxing gameplay and competitive multiplayer challenges.
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MarineVerse Cup is coming to Meta Quest 2
This year, MarineVerse Cup will graduate from the App Lab and will ship on the official store!
As MarineVerse, we want to promote sailing, and releasing on the main Quest store will enable us to reach more people than ever!
The exact date is still to be decided, follow us on social media, join Discord or our mailing list to be the first to know.
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MarineVerse Cup on the Oculus Quest App Lab store
Learn, race & try sailing with your Oculus Quest!
DOWNLOAD Press release as PDF.
Store link: https://www.oculus.com/experiences/quest/2465388190184288/
Practice sailing during winter!
MarineVerse team has just released their latest sailing project - MarineVerse Cup on the new Oculus Quest App Lab store.
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The world's largest sailing club
MarineVerse democratizes sailing.
We’re building the world’s largest sailing club, using virtual reality to inspire, train, and connect sailors from all the seven seas.
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10,000 Pancake Sailors!
Today we have reached a milestone of 10,000 Pancake Sailors!
As of now, over 10k users became sailors, while at home, to relax & explore Akalana Islands.
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MarineVerse 2019 highlights
We have created MarineVerse to inspire, train and connect sailors. In 2019 Over 10,000 new people have experienced sailing in virtual reality with MarineVerse. Let’s have a look at some highlights from the last 12 months!
Quest to democratize sailing
In July we have started accepting Oculus Quest users to participate in Big Breezy Boat and MarineVerse Cup “betas” while we develop the apps.
We believe that standalone VR devices like Oculus Quest can be a great tool for sailing clubs and sailors interested in practicing aspects of sailing in a safe and interactive learning environment.
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VR Regatta takes home an Award
DOWNLOAD Press release as PDF.
David with the award at GDC 2019.Ahoy!
Happy to share that VR Regatta - The Sailing Game has just received another award!
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VR Regatta nominated for Viveport Developer Award 2019!
Happy to share that VR Regatta - The Sailing Game has been nominated for Viveport Developer Award in the education category.
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Big Breezy Boat ships
Go sailing in cross-platform multiplayer
Wednesday 24 October 2018 - Melbourne, Australia — Inspired by a desire to easily share sailing with friends and family, Big Breezy Boat ships today on Steam and Oculus Store.
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Improved VR Regatta ships to the Oculus Home
Never sailed before? Discover sailing in virtual reality
Thursday 14 September 2018 - Melbourne, Australia - After more than 6 months of continuous iteration and improvement since it’s release on Steam, VR Regatta: The Sailing Game has been officially released today on the Oculus Store.
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Get out onto the water today with VR Regatta, full version out now!
Great news, virtual sailing fans!
After more than a year in early access, VR Regatta: The Sailing Game officially launches today. Get that champagne bottle ready to smash on the bow* because this baby is seaworthy!
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VR Regatta official v1.0 release coming in just two weeks!
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Funding boost powers up VR Regatta
Good news!
Funding boost powers up VR Regatta! We’ve received Film Victoria’s Assigned Production Investment grant - expect some good upgrades in the coming months! :-)
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Thank you for setting sail in Virtual Reality with us in 2016
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New yacht and beautiful water in VR Regatta
We’ve just shipped a new version of our HTC Vive sailing game VR Regatta - 0.5.
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VR Regatta 0.4
VR Regatta 0.4 has shipped :-)
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Shipping on Steam
Celebrating VR Regatta launch on Steam next week, we’ve created a series of short tweets showcasing some of the gameplay:
VR Regatta experiments: This is our ship #indiegame #VirtualReality #screenshotsaturday #indiedev pic.twitter.com/lSdNEqpjcU
— MarineVerse (@MarineVerseVR) May 28, 2016 -
VR Regatta comes to Steam on 1st of June
Room scale virtual reality sailing comes to Vive on 1st of June! What a time to be alive :-)
