Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Stern Anchor LLC d/b/a Yachtly ("Yachtly," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share information when you use our website, mobile applications, and related vessel management tools (collectively, the "Services").

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

When you create an account or use the Services, you may provide us with:

• Account information: name, email address, username, and password
• Profile information: display name, profile photo, and preferences (including whether you use Yachtly as an Owner, Crew member, or Vendor)
• Vessel information: boat name, make, model, specifications, documents, logs, maintenance records, and other data you enter about your Vessel
• Vendor information: if you use Yachtly as a Vendor (a contractor providing yacht services such as maintenance, repairs, modifications, training, or inspections), business name, service categories, service areas, credentials, quotes, invoices, service reports, and related records you submit through the Services
• Collaborator information: names and email addresses of Crew or Vendors you invite, and of Owners who invite you
• Payment information (if applicable): processed securely through third-party payment providers — we do not store full payment card details
• Communications: messages you send to our support team

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you use the Services, we automatically collect:

• Device information (IP address, browser type, operating system)
• Usage data (pages visited, features used, timestamps)
• Approximate location derived from IP address
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 3)

2.3 Information from Third Parties

If you sign in using a third-party identity provider (such as Apple or Google), we receive the basic profile information you authorize that provider to share with us.

3. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Keep you signed in
• Remember your preferences (including light/dark theme)
• Analyze aggregate site traffic and usage
• Protect the Services from abuse

You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling them may limit certain features.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve the Services
• Authenticate you and secure your account
• Store and display your Vessel data to you and to the Crew and Vendors you authorize
• Enable Vendors to deliver requested services — including sharing Vessel information, maintenance history, documents, and scheduling data with a Vendor an Owner has engaged, and enabling Vendors to submit service reports, quotes, and invoices back to Owners
• Send transactional communications (account confirmations, security alerts, receipts, service updates)
• Respond to your support requests
• Detect, prevent, and respond to fraud, abuse, and security incidents
• Comply with legal obligations

We do not use your personal information or email address for marketing purposes unless you explicitly opt in.

5. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell or rent your personal information, and we do not share it with third parties for their own marketing purposes. We share information only in the following limited circumstances:

5.1 Service Providers

We rely on trusted service providers to operate the Services, including:

• Hosting and infrastructure providers that store and serve the application and its data
• Email delivery providers that send transactional email on our behalf
• Payment processors for any paid features
• Analytics and error monitoring providers that help us improve reliability and performance

These providers process data only on our behalf and are contractually prohibited from using your information for any other purpose.

5.2 Collaborators You Authorize

If you invite Crew members to a Vessel, they will be able to see Vessel information you have shared with them. If you engage a Vendor through the Services, that Vendor will be able to see the Vessel information reasonably necessary to deliver the services you have requested — for example, vessel specifications, maintenance history, documents, and scheduling data. Vendors may in turn submit service reports, quotes, and invoices back to you. You control who is invited or engaged and what they can see.

If you use Yachtly as a Vendor, the Owner who engages you will see the service reports, quotes, invoices, and other Content you submit in connection with the work you perform for them, and we may share limited profile and business information (such as your Vendor display name, service categories, and service area) with Owners who are considering engaging you.

5.3 Legal Compliance and Safety

We may disclose your information if required by law, subpoena, or court order, or where we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others, or to investigate fraud or abuse.

5.4 Business Transfers

If Stern Anchor LLC is involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to the protections of this Policy.

6. Data Security

We use industry-standard security measures to protect your data, including:

• Encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS)
• Secure password hashing
• Access controls and monitoring
• Encrypted database connections

While we take reasonable precautions, no system is completely secure. Please use a strong, unique password and report any suspicious activity immediately.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information only as long as necessary to provide the Services and fulfill the purposes described in this Policy:

• Active accounts: Data is retained while your account is active.
• Deleted accounts: Personal information is removed from active systems promptly after account deletion, subject to backup rotation.
• Financial and tax records (if applicable): Retained for up to seven (7) years for legal and tax compliance.

8. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:

• Access your personal data
• Correct inaccurate data through your account settings
• Delete your account and associated data (see Section 9)
• Export your data in a machine-readable format
• Object to or restrict certain processing activities

To exercise these rights, contact us at contact@yachtly.app or visit our contact page.

9. Account Deletion

You can delete your account at any time from your account settings. When you delete your account:

• Your profile and Vessel data will be permanently removed from active systems
• Some data may be retained for legal, security, or auditing purposes
• Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone

10. Children's Privacy

Yachtly is not intended for children under 18. We do not knowingly collect information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can remove it.

11. International Users

Yachtly is operated from the United States. If you access the Services from outside the U.S., your information may be transferred to and processed in the U.S., where data protection laws may differ from those of your jurisdiction.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated Policy on this page and update the effective date above. Your continued use of the Services after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact us at contact@yachtly.app or visit our contact page.