For more complicated boat networks, where existing NMEA0183, NMEA2000, Seatalk, wifi, USB, and bluetooth devices all live together, SignalK is meant to help bridge the interfaces with a common server.
Info about the SignalK project: http://signalk.org/
In addition to the server, the SignalK project also maintains a framework for ESP-based sensors to communicate with it. It is well thought out, with a dashboard in the default access-point mode for configuring wifi and (optional) connection to the server, and an asynchronous event-based architecture from ReactESP.
GitHub for the SensESP firmware framework: https://github.com/SignalK/SensESP
ReactESP: https://github.com/mairas/ReactESP
Because the rest of SenseESP is quite similar to this project (PlatformIO, Arduino/C++, an ESP32, and ESP Async Webserver), I believe that porting to their codebase will not be difficult, and is the easiest way to gain some important functionality.
For my own part, I need SignalK for my connection to SeaTalk to be useful, as my ultimate goal is to provide the GPS, and course for "track" mode through SignalK. As well, I look forward to finally getting wind and autopilot data into SignalK, so it can be shown in Freeboard (a locally hosted web-based chartplotter) and OpenCPN combined with the AIS data.
I have been trying to do this for several years, and already had a non-functional prototype. I was able to get your firmware on it, but I still have some hardware issues to work out that prevent me from contributing already.