Here is exactly what happens from the moment you create a trip to the moment the captain slides to start. The compliance record builds itself along the way.
Setup takes about 15 minutes, once. Every trip after that is under a minute of your time.
Each step produces a component of the compliance record. By the time the captain confirms departure, the record is complete.
Configuration is front-loaded deliberately. You spend 15 minutes now, and every trip after this is automatic.
Vessel name and registration, hailing port, documented length, passenger capacity, propulsion, and operating area. Multi-vessel fleets add each boat once; trips reference them by name.
The waiver your insurer reviewed and your attorney approved. Paste it in. We capture it exactly. We do not rewrite it, interpret it, or attest to its enforceability. A starter template is available if you do not yet have one.
PFD location, fire extinguisher, man-overboard procedure, emergency contacts — entered as individual cards. Guests acknowledge each one separately with its own timestamp. This is the structural alignment with 46 CFR §185.506.
Operating jurisdiction, retention window (default: five-year minimum), and electronic-signature consent language. The defaults are conservative. Most operators never change these after initial setup.
The operator is mostly a reviewer, not a doer. Everything between sending the link and reviewing the manifest runs without you.
Date, vessel, expected guest count, captain. Optional: booker contact, departure slip, trip notes. A cryptographically signed URL is generated immediately — scoped to this trip only.
One message to the booker. They share it with their party the same way they would share a restaurant reservation. You do not collect guest phone numbers. You do not chase anyone.
Guests register in real time. Your dashboard shows who is signed, who is outstanding, and the trip status. If everyone completes early, you know before you arrive at the dock.
No app to download. No account to create. No password to remember. The guest opens a browser link and completes everything in about three minutes.
Works in any browser on any phone. English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, or Arabic. Auto-detected from device settings.
No app downloadName, email, phone, date of birth where required. A one-time code confirms the identity. The signature is linked to a verified person, not an anonymous browser.
OTP verifiedThe full waiver text, in the guest's language. Drawn or typed signature. Timestamp, IP, user agent, and SHA-256 hash captured together. This is the ESIGN and UETA compliant record.
SHA-256 hashedOne card per safety item. PFD location, fire extinguisher, man-overboard, and any items you configured. Each acknowledged individually with its own timestamp and attribution.
Per-card recordConfirmation sent with trip details and a copy of what the guest signed. The operator manifest updates instantly. The captain snapshot updates instantly.
Record updatedThree minutes of their time. They can complete it from home, from the car on the way to the marina, or at the dock. Most complete it the evening before the trip.
One link. No login. The captain arrives at the slip, opens the snapshot, reviews the manifest, and confirms departure. Under a minute.
Every step above produces a component of this record. When the captain slides to start, the components are combined, sealed, and retained. This is what you have when someone asks.
SHA-256 hashed at signing. Exact text, signature, timestamp, and IP bound together. Modification is detectable.
Per-card acknowledgment. Each item separately timestamped and attributed to the individual guest.
USCG-format PDF. Names, count, emergency contacts. Downloadable before and after the trip.
Every state change logged: creation, signing, departure, completion. Append-only. Sealed at trip end.
Departure confirmed and timestamped. The captain's name and credential are part of the sealed record.
Default minimum retention. Operator-configurable. Exportable as a complete PDF at any time.
Time estimates from conversations with working charter captains. Six-guest half-day trip, before and after Boatcheckin.
| Task | Before Boatcheckin | With Boatcheckin |
|---|---|---|
| Chasing waivers | 15–30 min Texts, emails, clipboard morning-of. | 0 Booker shares link. Guests self-register. |
| Safety briefing at dock | 10–15 min Repeated verbally for every group. | 2 min Guests pre-briefed. Captain reinforces key points only. |
| Building the manifest | 5–10 min Paper list. Asking names at the slip. | 0 Auto-populated as guests register. |
| Filing after the trip | 10 min Scanning, labeling, physical storage. | 0 Sealed and stored automatically. |
| Per trip | 40–65 min of operator and captain time | Under 2 min of oversight |
Free for solo captains and charter operators with up to three boats.