Safety and liability

01Not for navigation

Use it to get a picture of the day and to learn from other boaters. Check every decision against official sources and what you can see from the helm.

02Emergencies

In an emergency, use VHF channel 16 or call your local emergency number. Nothing in Breaking Wind reaches a rescue service. Fleet messages, including the "Need a hand" quick reply, can be delayed or never arrive, and the people you send them to may not see them. Our support address isn't watched for emergencies.

03What stays with the skipper

You are responsible for the safety of your vessel and everyone aboard, and for following the rules of the road and all other applicable law. That includes:

• keeping a proper lookout, and not letting a screen distract you from it;
• carrying and using official charts, a depth sounder, VHF and required safety equipment;
• checking official forecasts, notices to mariners and local knowledge before and during a trip;
• deciding whether a place, passage or anchorage is safe and legal for your boat.

04Data can be wrong

Tides, currents, forecasts, wave readings, depths and chart symbols come from public services. They can be late, wrong, incomplete, far from where you are, or unavailable.

• Depths come from NOAA's elevation model. That isn't a chart or a depth sounder. It doesn't include the tide and is least reliable in shallow water, where it matters most.
• Conditions may come from a station or forecast point a long way off. The app states the source and distance so you can judge.
• Old data: when a service is down, the app may show older data and say how old it is.
• Position depends on your device. Wi-Fi iPads have no GPS chip, and any GPS can be wrong.
• Connection: most of the app needs a data connection, and service on the water is patchy.

05Alerts and reminders have limits

The app can sound alerts for some charted obstacles, land and water shallower than your minimum depth, and can remind you to change heading. Never rely on them to keep your boat safe.

• They don't detect other boats, logs, debris or anything uncharted.
• They may miss charted hazards, and may sound when there's no hazard.
• They need a data connection and a usable position. They can fail silently if either one drops, or if your device is muted, asleep, out of battery or restricted by its operating system.
• Depths may not account for the tide. Charted hazard data is limited or missing outside US waters.
• They haven't been proven on the water to any standard, and they aren't certified for any use.

06Planned routes and anchor math are estimates

A planned route comes from NOAA's elevation model and charted hazards, not an official chart. It can cross hazards or shallow water, and it can miss small islands and narrow passages. It doesn't consider tide, current, weather, traffic or your boat's handling. Check every leg against an official chart before you go.

Arrival times assume a steady speed. Anchor math estimates chain and swing room from depths, tides and details you enter, and it doesn't know your bottom, your anchor or the weather that actually arrives. You decide how to anchor, and you check that it's holding.

07Marks are other boaters' opinions

Marks and comments are written by other users. They aren't charted, verified or checked by us, and conditions may have changed since they were written. A mark about a place doesn't mean it's safe, legal or suitable for your boat.

08Fleet positions and numbers

Fleet positions, speeds and directions can be wrong or out of date, and a boat that has stopped reporting may no longer be where it's drawn. Don't use them to judge your distance from another vessel or to avoid one.

09Your risk and our liability

Boating is risky, and you use Breaking Wind at your own risk. The terms of service are the binding agreement. In particular:

• We provide Breaking Wind "as is" and "as available", without warranties, including accuracy, reliability, fitness for navigation or fitness for a particular purpose (section 14).
• To the extent the law allows, we aren't liable for indirect or consequential damages, or for injury, loss of life, or damage to or loss of a vessel or property, arising from your use of or reliance on Breaking Wind. Our total liability for any claim is limited to the greater of $100 or what you paid us in the 12 months before the claim (section 15).
• If someone brings a claim against us because you relied on the app in operating a vessel, you agree to cover our reasonable costs from that claim, to the extent the law allows (section 16).

Some places don't allow these limits, so they may not all apply to you. If this page and the terms differ, the terms apply.

10No endorsement

Breaking Wind isn't made, endorsed or checked by NOAA, the National Weather Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Coast Guard or any government. Questions? Write to support@breakingwind.app.