Privacy Policy

Last updated: November 2, 2026

This policy describes data handling implemented in this PassageBuoys deployment, operated by the individual publishing this website, an individual. It distinguishes app behavior from the practices of the browser, device, hosting provider, and external data services.

Route-reference requests

When you request a reference route, departure and destination coordinates and the offshore-distance setting are sent to the app server for calculation. If you use your current location as departure, that coordinate is included when you request the reference route. Station identifiers, forecast-product choices, and forecast-hour choices are sent when requesting those data views.

The application does not maintain a user-account database, saved-route database, or server-side GPS track. Requests and responses are processed in memory; browser, server, or hosting caches can retain data temporarily. Route coordinates in request URLs may be available to the services processing those requests. Avoid entering private notes or other unnecessary personal information into location fields.

Optional underway location

Your browser asks for location permission when you choose a location feature. Underway GPS fixes are held in the open page’s memory for the location display and reference-leg comparison. The app does not upload the ongoing fixes to its server or save a GPS track. Stopping underway mode ends the GPS watch; the last fix can remain in page memory until the page is closed or reloaded. Using a fix as a departure location for a route request sends that coordinate as described above.

You can deny or revoke browser location permission. Map-tile requests can reveal the approximate viewed area to the map provider, including when the map follows a vessel. Browser and device location services have their own data practices. This location display does not imply continuous monitoring or emergency assistance.

Browser storage, acknowledgment, and cookies

The app stores the selected feet/meters preference in local storage under passage-height-unit. It also stores the informational first-use acknowledgment under passagebuoys-safety-ack, containing the notice version and the browser-recorded acknowledgedAt time. This local notice record is not a user account, a server identity record, or a waiver of liability. It is separate from GPS permission.

You can remove these records through browser site-data settings. Clearing the acknowledgment may make the notice appear again. The current app has no user login, advertising or analytics SDK, and does not set advertising or analytics cookies. No advertising-profile, data-sale, or cross-site tracking feature is implemented. External services may process their requests under their own policies.

External services

• OpenStreetMap: map-tile requests reveal the requested area and normal connection information such as IP address and browser request metadata. See the OpenStreetMap Foundation privacy policy.
• Google Fonts: external font loading sends normal connection and request metadata to Google. See Google’s privacy policy.
• NOAA: data is generally requested by the app server. Forecast-image fallback can load NOAA images directly in your browser, sending normal request metadata to NOAA. See NOAA privacy information.
• Hosting: hosting providers process requests, network identifiers, and operational or security metadata to deliver and protect the service. The supplied AWS configuration disables CloudFront access logging and retains application Lambda logs for seven days; another deployment or changed hosting configuration may differ. Application error logs record API paths and errors rather than deliberately logging full route-coordinate query strings.

Purpose, retention, and communication

Information is used to deliver requested weather views, calculate reference geometry, remember display and acknowledgment preferences, and diagnose failures. Display-unit and acknowledgment records remain in local browser storage until cleared or replaced. Ongoing GPS fixes and other page state are held in memory while the page remains loaded. Data caches and network providers have their own lifetimes and processing requirements; this policy does not promise that infrastructure providers retain no request metadata.

If you contact the operator, your email address, message, and any information you choose to provide are handled through the operator’s email service to respond and address the matter. Email is separate from the app’s in-memory data handling. Do not include unnecessary precise locations, passwords, or authentication codes.

Your choices and requests

You can use non-location features without GPS permission, stop location display, clear browser site data, and close or reload the page. Applicable privacy rights and response requirements depend on the law and the operator’s circumstances. Contact the individual site operator at andrewcarlisle95@icloud.com for service or privacy questions. Do not send passwords, authentication codes, or unnecessary precise location data.

Updates

Changes to this policy are posted here with an updated date. Added analytics, accounts, server-side route storage, or materially different data uses would require a corresponding review and update.