Rainbow’s End Float Plan — Support

Answers to the questions that come up, in the order they usually come up. Anything else: support@RainbowsEndMarine.com.

Getting started

Where do I start?

Fill the sections top to bottom once — vessel, communication, safety gear, skipper, tow vehicle. Those sections belong to the boat and save together as you type, so from then on a trip is just the crew, the itinerary, your shore contacts, and a check-in deadline.

I have more than one boat.

So does the app. Under Your boats, tap + New boat to add another; her sections start blank while your voyage entries stay put. Tap any boat’s name to switch — the boat sections refill for her — and Forget this boat removes the one you’re on.

Do I have to fill in everything?

No. Empty fields and empty sections simply stay off the PDF. Even a short plan beats none: what the boat looks like, one contact, where you’re bound, and when to worry.

The plan

Who do I give it to?

Someone reliable ashore — family, a friend, a dockmate — never the Coast Guard. A float plan is not filed with any agency; it works because a person who knows you’re out there can raise the alarm with everything rescuers need in hand. Tell them if plans change underway, and when you’re home safe, close the plan by letting them know.

What is “Consider us overdue after”?

The single deadline that starts the calling. Pick a time comfortably after your last planned check-in — late enough that traffic or a slow beat home doesn’t trigger it, early enough to matter.

What does my contact do if I’m overdue?

The PDF’s first page carries a short boxed guide addressed to them: call the boat, then each contact in order, then the rescue authority — with your actual numbers filled in — and report only what they know. They never have to hunt through the form.

The PDF

How do I send it?

Tap Share PDF. The share sheet opens with the finished plan; pick Mail or Messages and it’s on its way. You can regenerate the PDF as often as you like — it’s built fresh from the form each time.

Plans changed underway?

Tell your plan holder — a text is fine for small changes. For a new route or an extra night, update the itinerary and send a fresh PDF; it takes a minute, since the boat is already filled in.

Your data

Where does my information live?

On your device, and nowhere else. There’s no account and no server; the plan leaves the device only when you share the PDF yourself. See the privacy policy for the plain-English details.

I use an iPhone and an iPad — do they share the draft?

Each device keeps its own draft. Fill the plan on the device you’ll have with you, or simply email yourself the PDF from either one.

What’s the difference between “New trip” and “Clear all”?

New trip clears the itinerary, dates, and trip notes but keeps the boat, gear, people, and contacts — the normal move between voyages. Clear all erases everything saved on the device, every boat included, and starts blank.

Housekeeping

I found a bug, or the form is missing something my plan needs.