Buoy Pilot Terms of Use

BuoyPilot is a product of Elk Ridge Systems, LLC. These terms provide a plain-language overview for using the BuoyPilot app, website, and related services.

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using BuoyPilot, you agree to these Terms of Use. If you do not agree, do not use the app or website.

2. What BuoyPilot Does

BuoyPilot is a community-based lake hazard awareness app that allows users to view, submit, and validate potential lake obstructions and related boating information. BuoyPilot may use user-submitted reports, photos, GPS data, compass/bearing data, sensor metadata, and AI-assisted analysis to estimate and display possible obstruction locations.

3. Important Safety Disclaimer

BuoyPilot is not an official navigation chart, marine safety device, depth finder, emergency service, or substitute for safe boating judgment. BuoyPilot does not guarantee that any lake, route, waterway, marina, ramp, weather condition, obstruction report, fishing recommendation, fish identification, or map feature is accurate, complete, current, or safe.

Obstruction reports may be incomplete, estimated, inaccurate, outdated, duplicated, missing, or affected by changing water levels, GPS error, compass error, user error, AI error, map error, or other factors.

You are solely responsible for operating your boat safely, maintaining a proper lookout, obeying all laws and local regulations, using appropriate navigation resources, verifying fishing rules, and making safe decisions on the water.

4. No Emergency Use

BuoyPilot is not an emergency service and should not be relied on for emergency assistance. In an emergency, contact local emergency services, law enforcement, park authorities, marina staff, or other appropriate emergency resources.

5. User Reports and Community Content

Users may submit obstruction reports, notes, votes, photos, collection sessions, confirmations, corrections, and other content. You are responsible for the content you submit. Do not submit false, misleading, illegal, harmful, offensive, private, or irrelevant content.

By submitting content to BuoyPilot, you grant Elk Ridge Systems, LLC permission to use, store, process, display, modify, analyze, moderate, and distribute that content as needed to operate, improve, and promote BuoyPilot and its lake hazard database.

6. Photos and AI-Assisted Analysis

When you use photo-based reporting or collection sessions, BuoyPilot may process photos, GPS location, compass/bearing information, timestamps, and related metadata to estimate obstruction locations. AI-assisted results are estimates and may be wrong.

Collection-session photos and raw AI-analysis photos are intended to remain internal/private and are not intended to be publicly displayed to other users. However, they may be reviewed or processed by Elk Ridge Systems, LLC or service providers for app operation, AI analysis, quality control, moderation, support, abuse prevention, safety, and improvement.

7. AI, Fishing Intelligence, and Fish Identification

BuoyPilot may provide AI-assisted obstruction analysis, Fishing Intelligence recommendations, fish identification, catch-log helpers, lake guidance, weather context, and related suggestions. These features are informational estimates only and may be incomplete, outdated, or wrong.

Fishing recommendations and fish identification are not professional guide, biological, legal, or regulatory advice. Always verify local fishing regulations, seasons, limits, bait rules, boating rules, and current conditions before acting on app information.

8. Catch Logs and Private User Content

BuoyPilot may allow users to save catch logs, catch photos, tackle notes, private catch locations, and related fishing information. Private catch content is intended for the user's account unless the user chooses to submit, share, or publish related information through another feature.

Private catch content may still be processed by Elk Ridge Systems, LLC or service providers as needed to operate, secure, troubleshoot, support, and improve BuoyPilot. Avoid saving or submitting sensitive personal information that is not needed for the feature.

9. Prohibited Uses

You agree not to misuse BuoyPilot, including by submitting fake reports, manipulating votes, uploading harmful or illegal content, attempting to access systems without permission, interfering with app operation, scraping data without permission, harassing other users, or using the app in a way that creates safety risks.

10. Moderation and Account Actions

Elk Ridge Systems, LLC may review, edit, hide, remove, or restrict content at its discretion. We may suspend or terminate access to BuoyPilot if we believe a user has violated these Terms, created safety risks, abused the community system, or misused the app.

11. Subscriptions and Paid Features

BuoyPilot may offer paid features, subscriptions, or a Pro version. Purchases made through the App Store or Google Play are handled by the app store and are subject to that store's payment, renewal, cancellation, and refund rules. Feature availability may change over time.

12. Affiliate Disclosure

BuoyPilot may include shopping links to Amazon or other retailers for fishing, boating, and outdoor gear. As an Amazon Associate, Elk Ridge Systems may earn from qualifying purchases. Shopping through these links helps support BuoyPilot at no extra cost to you.

13. Outbound Links

Third-party shopping links open external websites that are not controlled by Elk Ridge Systems. Product availability, pricing, shipping, returns, and retailer policies are handled by the retailer.

14. Third-Party Services and Data

BuoyPilot may use third-party services for maps, location services, marinas, weather/radar data, hosting, authentication, storage, analytics, crash reporting, payments, shopping links, and AI processing. Third-party services may have their own terms, privacy policies, limitations, and data practices.

15. Intellectual Property

BuoyPilot, the BuoyPilot name, logos, design, software, website, and related materials are owned by Elk Ridge Systems, LLC or its licensors. You may not copy, modify, sell, or distribute BuoyPilot materials except as allowed by these Terms or applicable law.

16. Disclaimer of Warranties

BuoyPilot is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind. We do not guarantee that the app will be accurate, complete, uninterrupted, secure, error-free, or suitable for any particular boating, navigation, fishing, or safety purpose.

17. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent allowed by law, Elk Ridge Systems, LLC will not be liable for damages, injuries, losses, accidents, property damage, data loss, lost profits, or other claims arising from or related to your use of BuoyPilot, reliance on app information, user-submitted content, AI-assisted estimates, fishing recommendations, fish identification, map data, weather data, shopping links, or third-party services.

18. Changes to the Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. If we make material changes, we may notify users through the app, website, or other reasonable means. Continued use of BuoyPilot after changes become effective means you accept the updated Terms.

19. Contact

For questions about these Terms, contact Elk Ridge Systems, LLC at support@buoypilot.com.