Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

You can use most of Lake Erie Pulse — including live conditions, forecasts, alerts, the trip planner, and live cams — without creating an account. We only collect personal information in the following cases:

Account Information: When you create an account, we collect your name, email address, and password. You may optionally provide a home port, watercraft details, favorite ports, and alert preferences to personalize the app.

Profile Photo: If you choose to set a profile picture, we store the photo you upload (or take) so it can be shown on your account.

Boat Inquiries: If you request information about a boat listed for sale, we collect the name, email, phone number, and message you provide so we can forward your inquiry to the dealer.

We do not collect your device location, we do not use advertising or third-party analytics SDKs, and we do not track you across other apps or websites.

2. How We Use Your Information

• To provide and maintain our services, including real-time conditions, forecasts, alerts, live cams, and trip planning
• To create and secure your account and authenticate you
• To send service-related communications such as account verification and password resets
• To send marketing communications (tips, seasonal updates) only if you have opted in — you can opt out at any time
• To improve our platform and develop new features

3. Notifications

If you enable alerts, the mobile app schedules local notifications on your device for marine and severe-weather advisories while the app is checking conditions. We do not collect or store push notification tokens, and notifications are not used to track you. You can turn notifications off at any time in the app or in your device settings.

4. Information Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only in these cases:

• Service Providers: We use Supabase for database hosting and authentication, Vercel for website hosting, and Resend to send account and (opt-in) marketing emails. These providers process data on our behalf under their own privacy and security terms.
• Boat Dealers: When you submit an inquiry about a boat listed for sale, the contact details and message you provide are shared with the dealer offering that boat so they can respond to you. Boat listings themselves are provided by the dealers.
• AI-Generated Summaries: To generate plain-language boating summaries, we send current marine conditions (weather, waves, wind) to Anthropic's API. This does not include your personal information.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law or to protect our rights and the safety of others.

5. Data Sources

Lake Erie Pulse aggregates publicly available data from government agencies, including:

• NOAA National Data Buoy Center (buoy data, water temperatures, waves)
• National Weather Service (marine forecasts, advisories, and alerts)
• USGS (water levels)
• Ohio DNR, NY DEC, and PA Fish & Boat Commission (referenced boating resources)

This public conditions data is not personal information about you.

6. Cookies & Tracking

The website uses essential cookies for authentication and session management, and privacy-respecting analytics to understand overall site usage. The mobile app does not use advertising identifiers, ad networks, or cross-app tracking.

7. Your Rights & Choices

• Access and update your account information at any time in your account settings
• Delete your account and associated data directly in the app (Profile → Delete Account) or on the website, or by emailing us at the address below
• Opt out of marketing communications at any time
• Request a copy of your data

8. Data Security

We use industry-standard security measures, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), secure authentication via Supabase Auth, encrypted at-rest storage of sensitive tokens on device, and row-level security on our database. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure.

9. Children's Privacy

Lake Erie Pulse is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by posting a notice on our website and updating the date above.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions about this privacy policy or want to exercise your rights, contact us at:

Email: privacy@lakeeriepulse.com