How does BoatCast rate Good, Fair, or Poor?

Good / Fair / Poor combines weather, wind, visibility, waves or swell, and wave period rules for recreational boaters. Details are on the How BoatCast works page.

Is BoatCast free on the website and in the apps?

Yes. The map, search, today’s Morning–Overnight outlook, and the next few hourly cards are free on the web, iPhone, and Android. BoatCast Pro unlocks the full 3-day forecast, favorites, boat-size ratings, and monitoring.

What’s the difference between lake and coastal forecasts?

Coastal pins use marine wave and swell data. Inland lakes fall back to wind-based chop and satellite or shore-air water temperature. Swell rows may show as unavailable in lake mode.

How do I get the iPhone or Android app?

BoatCast is on the App Store and Google Play. The website also has a free map and forecast. iOS and Android listings match the same Good / Fair / Poor product as the web app.

How do I cancel BoatCast Pro?

On the web, open Account → Manage billing for the Stripe portal. On iPhone or Android, use Account → Manage billing for App Store or Google Play subscription settings. Restore purchases finds store subscriptions without a BoatCast account.

How do I delete my BoatCast account?

Sign in → Account → Delete account. The account is kept for 90 days in case of accidental deletion. After that the user record and favorites are permanently removed. Store subscriptions must be cancelled in Apple or Google settings.

Is BoatCast a substitute for official marine forecasts?

No. BoatCast ratings are estimates for recreational planning. Always check official NWS marine forecasts, Coast Guard notices, and your own judgment before you go on the water.

BoatCast

Help Center

Short answers to common BoatCast questions. Last updated August 25, 2026.

How ratings are calculated

Good / Fair / Poor combines weather, wind, visibility, waves/swell, and wave period rules. Full detail: How BoatCast works.

Why marine data may be unavailable

Open-Meteo Marine does not return usable wave/swell everywhere. Inland lakes and some nearshore spots fall back to lake mode (wind-based chop and estimated water temperature). Swell rows may show “—” in lake mode.

Difference between marine and lake forecasts

Ocean source uses Marine API waves/swell. Lake source estimates chop from wind and uses satellite or shore-air methods for water temperature. Thresholds for typical wave height also differ by region / lake norms.

How to select the correct location

Search for a marina, ramp, or open-water spot, or tap the map near where you will boat. Ratings use an ~10-mile weather zone around that pin — move the pin if you need a different stretch of water. The website map is free, same as the iPhone and Android apps; you do not need to sign in to check today's conditions.

Why conditions changed since the last visit

Models update, radar can override the current hour, and BoatCast refreshes zone forecasts about every 45 minutes. Check the “Forecast updated …” line on the day card and any official alert banner.

How favorites work

Favorites are a Pro feature (up to 25). On iOS and Android, store Pro can save places on this phone without a BoatCast account. Sign in with Apple, Google, or email to sync those places — the same three buttons on every device. Prefer signing in first, then subscribing with Apple on iPhone, Google Play on Android, or Stripe on the website. Hide My Email still uses Sign in with Apple on every device — we store Apple’s private relay address, but you never type it. Signing out and registering a new email creates a different account and will not carry those favorites. Free users still see Save / Monitor; tapping them opens the Pro upgrade prompt.

Boat-size ratings

Boat-size ratings are a Pro feature. Open Account → Boat Size (or the Boat Size control on the day rating card) and choose Small (6–16 ft), Medium (16–26 ft), Large (26+ ft), or No Selection. On iOS/Android that preference can stay on this phone without an account; it syncs when you sign in. That preference adjusts wind, wave, and chop thresholds; thunderstorms, heavy weather, visibility, and official alerts still use the same rules as the free plan. See How BoatCast works.

Location Weather Monitoring

Location Weather Monitoring is a Pro feature on web and mobile. It needs a BoatCast sign-in so we can email you or send a push. On web, use Monitor on the selected place card (fixed pin). On mobile, tap Monitor My Location in the header (Always / background location) or Monitor This Location on the selected place card. You can watch either your live GPS (mobile) or one fixed pin — not both at once. Choose an alert window: the rest of the current morning / afternoon / evening / night, the rest of the day, or until a time you pick.

While monitoring is active, BoatCast checks for changes to Today’s or Tonight’s Good / Fair / Poor rating and for newly issued NWS alerts at that spot. Web sends an email to your BoatCast account address; mobile sends a push notification when enabled. Monitor My Location uses Always / background GPS only while that session is on — not for ads, and not as a location history. Monitor This Location (a fixed pin) does not need background location. Stop anytime from the same controls, or wait for the window to end. Details and pricing: BoatCast Pro.

Manage or cancel Pro

On the web, open Account → Manage billing for the Stripe Customer Portal (cancel, update card, invoices). On iOS / Android, use Account → Manage billing for App Store / Play subscription settings. If you reinstalled or switched devices, use Restore purchases (also on the Subscribe sheet). On iOS and Android this restores the App Store / Google Play subscription for this Apple ID or Google account — you do not need a BoatCast account to purchase or restore. If you already have Pro on a BoatCast account, sign in to use it on this device. Restore only finds App Store / Play purchases. Sign in later if you want the same Pro and favorites on other devices. Use the same button you used when you subscribed — Apple, Google, or email. A new email is a different BoatCast account. Pricing: BoatCast Pro. Policy: Subscriptions & refunds.

How to delete an account

Sign in → Account → Delete account. Your account is kept for 90 days in case of accidental deletion (and for billing records). Sign in again during that window to restore it. After 90 days the BoatCast user record and favorites are permanently removed. If you have a Stripe Pro subscription, BoatCast sets it to cancel at period end when deletion starts (we do not automatically refund the current period). App Store / Play subscriptions continue until you cancel renewal in store settings. You can also cancel Pro without deleting your account via Account → Manage billing. Full steps and an email request link: /delete-account. Questions: boatcastapp@gmail.com.

Sign in and Pro sync

Sign in with Apple — if you subscribed in the App Store. That Apple ID is your BoatCast account on every device.
Sign in with Google — if you subscribed on Google Play. Use the same Google account everywhere.
Sign in with email — if you subscribed on the website. Use the Stripe checkout email and the password you created after checkout.

Hide My Email: Apple can give BoatCast a private relay address (@privaterelay.appleid.com). We store that as your account email, but you should not type it. Later Sign in with Apple grants often omit the address. We match your Apple ID (appleSub) so the same button on the website or Android opens the same account. Hide My Email usually cannot receive BoatCast mail or password resets.

App Store / Play Pro still works on this phone without a BoatCast account. Sign in only when you want the same Pro, favorites, and monitoring on other devices. Signing out and registering a new email creates a different user and will not carry those favorites.

Send feedback

In the app, open Account → Send feedback. On the web, use the same control in Account or email us from Contact. You can also start a prefilled message: boatcastapp@gmail.com.

How to report an incorrect forecast

Use Report this forecast on the day card. It opens an email to boatcastapp@gmail.com with location, coordinates, rating, and fetch time prefilled. Add what looked wrong.

BoatCast safety limitations

BoatCast is provided for general informational and planning purposes only. It is not a substitute for official weather and marine forecasts, observations, alerts, watches, warnings, advisories, notices, or instructions from NOAA, the National Weather Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, emergency authorities, or other official sources. Always review current official information and actual local conditions before and during any boating activity.

Forecast & Safety Disclaimer

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