In the marine world, “installation included” admits very different readings. For some it consists of fixing a mount and running a cable. For others it is a project with a pre-installation survey, specified materials, aesthetic integration resolved, acceptance testing and signed documentation.

The distance between the two is not apparent on handover day. It becomes apparent in the second season, or when the time comes to sell the boat. What follows is a breakdown of what a professional Starlink Maritime installation should contain, so you can read a quote and recognise which of the two you are being offered.

Stage one: the pre-installation survey

Everything else depends on this stage, and it is exactly what is omitted by anyone offering a fixed price over the telephone.

A serious survey examines five questions:

Candidate positions. Locating a flat surface is not enough. Sky visibility must be verified from around 25° above the horizon across the whole arc the satellites travel, identifying what obstructs it: mast and boom on a sailing yacht, radar arch on a motor vessel, superstructure on a larger yacht. Under sail, that shadow must additionally be assessed at typical trim angles, not solely with the boat alongside.

Cable route. From the antenna to the router location. This is where surprises emerge: linings to be removed, structural members that cannot be drilled, tanks in the way. An integrator who has not opened a couple of access panels before quoting is estimating blind.

Existing routes. Before drilling, a competent professional checks whether an existing penetration from other electronics, or a technical conduit provided for during construction, can be used. It does not always exist, but where it does it avoids a new penetration.

Electrical capacity. The Flat High Performance terminal draws between 40 and 75 W in normal operation, with peaks above 100 W. The battery bank, the alternator and the need for a converter must all be examined.

Electronic coexistence. Radar, VHF, AIS and, where fitted, SSB. Physical separations must be defined and it must be confirmed that the antenna does not sit within the radar sweep arc.

This stage should produce a quote with a defined position, a defined route and listed materials. If the document does not state where the antenna will go, the survey has not been carried out.

Stage two: the materials

This is the line item that gets cut when someone intends to be the cheapest in the marina. The Starlink equipment costs what it costs; the installation materials admit cheapening, and that is where durability is compromised.

MaterialFunction
Marinised mountThe kit’s is domestic. On deck, A4 stainless or marine aluminium that distributes loads is required
Marine-grade glandSized to the cable diameter. It is the water entry point if you skimp
Polyurethane or polysulphide sealantNever silicone. It does not adhere reliably on deck and compromises any later repair
A4 stainless fastenersA2 pits in a salt environment
Interior backing plateEssential on sandwich decks: spreads load and prevents core crushing
Cable fixings every 30 cmWithout them the cable chafes and eventually fails on passage
Aesthetic integration elementsComposite cover, matched paint or trim, depending on the agreed solution

If a quote contains a single line reading “installation” and a figure, request the breakdown. It is not distrust: without a breakdown it is not possible to compare two offers.

Stage three: execution

Order matters, and an integrator with the trade observes it invariably:

  1. Setting out and marking the final position and every drilling point, before the drill is used. Preferably with the owner or captain present.

  2. Drilling and fitting the glands, bedded in sealant with an interior backing plate where appropriate.

  3. Fixing the mount, with stainless fasteners and sealing at every penetration.

  4. Running and securing the cable, fixed at maximum 30 cm intervals, avoiding tight bends at the connector and at the entry points.

  5. Electrical connection of the router with its protection, sited in a dry, ventilated space. Never on deck; never in a sealed locker without air circulation.

  6. Aesthetic resolution, per the solution agreed at survey.

  7. First boot and satellite acquisition, requiring between 5 and 15 minutes.

Stage four: acceptance testing

This is where a professional installation distinguishes itself from a fitting job. Before the work is signed off, the following must be verified:

Speed test, download and upload, with the result recorded. It constitutes your baseline: if performance declines within six months, you will have a reference to compare against.

Obstruction check. The Starlink application maps the obstructions the antenna perceives. The result should be clean or, where residual obstruction exists, identified and justified. It takes a few minutes and is the verification most often omitted.

Watertightness. A hose over every penetration and a check from inside. Elementary, and precisely what prevents the most costly problem.

Electromagnetic coexistence. With radar running and VHF transmitting, it must be confirmed that Starlink holds its performance. And conversely: that VHF and AIS remain operational with Starlink active.

WiFi coverage, verified in the spaces where it will genuinely be used: cabins, saloon, flybridge. Not beside the router.

Stage five: documentation

What should be in your possession when the integrator leaves:

  • Photographs of every deck penetration before sealing. They constitute the only evidence of how what is now concealed was executed.
  • Dated speed test result.
  • Screenshot of the obstruction check.
  • Diagram of the cable route and the electrical connection point. In three years, when intervention is needed, you will be grateful to have it.
  • Signed handover record, with the scope and term of the workmanship guarantee.

Without this documentation, in the event of any incident the conversation reduces to your word against the installer’s. We develop this point in our article on warranty and support.

What is habitually excluded

For the sake of transparency, it helps to know what is usually excluded and must be agreed separately:

  • Integration with the chartplotter or NMEA 2000 network
  • Segmentation into separate owner, guest and crew networks
  • Additional WiFi repeaters, necessary on larger vessels or those with substantial metal bulkheading
  • Structural reinforcement, if the chosen position requires it
  • Increasing electrical capacity, if the existing installation cannot support the draw

None constitutes an unreasonable extra: they are different jobs. What is unacceptable is for them to appear as a surprise halfway through the day.

Our approach

At MaritLink we coordinate the installation with a certified naval communications integrator. Our specific contribution consists in ensuring the quote arrives with all of the above itemised before anyone steps aboard, and that acceptance testing and documentation appear in the scope from the outset rather than as something that has to be demanded.

The advice is not billed and the final price is identical to going direct.

Do you have an installation quote and want to know whether it is complete? Send it to us. We will tell you what is missing and what to ask before signing it — whether or not you go through us.