Cookie Policy

Last updated: 28 July 2026

1. About this policy

This Cookie Policy explains how FirstShiftSailing.com uses cookies and similar technologies.

It should be read together with the FirstShift Privacy Policy.

For the purposes of this policy, “FirstShift”, “we”, “us” and “our” refer to FirstShift and its operator, Stuart Greenfield.

2. What cookies are

Cookies are small text files or pieces of data that a website stores on your browser or device.

Cookies can perform a variety of functions, including:

Enabling a website to operate correctly
Maintaining security
Remembering settings and preferences
Recording cookie-consent choices
Measuring website performance
Understanding how visitors use a website
Supporting embedded or third-party services

Similar technologies may include pixels, tags, local storage, software-development kits and device identifiers.

References to cookies in this policy include these similar technologies where applicable.

3. Who places cookies

Cookies on FirstShiftSailing.com may be placed by:

First-party services

These are cookies associated directly with the FirstShift website or its Wix hosting environment.

Third-party services

These are cookies or similar technologies placed by an external provider whose service is used on or linked from the website.

Third-party providers may include Wix, analytics providers, embedded-content providers, social-media services and other website applications.

When you leave FirstShiftSailing.com and visit Substack, Substack’s own cookie and privacy arrangements apply.

4. Types of cookies we may use

Essential cookies

Essential cookies are required for the website to operate securely and correctly.

They may be used to:

Maintain website security
Detect fraud or misuse
Balance website traffic
enable basic navigation
Remember cookie-consent choices
Provide forms or other services specifically requested by you

Because these cookies are necessary to provide the website or a service you have requested, they may not require consent and cannot always be disabled through the website’s consent controls.

You may still be able to block them through your browser, although doing so may prevent parts of the website from working.

Functional cookies

Functional cookies allow the website to remember choices and provide enhanced functionality.

They may be used to:

Remember preferences
Support embedded features
Retain display or accessibility settings
Provide enhanced website functionality

Where legally required, functional cookies will only be placed after you consent.

Analytics and performance cookies

Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors use the website.

They may collect information such as:

The pages visited
How long visitors spend on the site
How visitors arrived at the site
Approximate geographic region
Browser and device type
Links or buttons selected
Technical errors or performance information

This information helps us assess and improve the website.

Where legally required, analytics cookies will only be placed after you consent.

Marketing cookies

Marketing cookies may be used to measure campaigns, understand visitor interests or support advertising and social-media services.

FirstShift does not intend to use intrusive behavioural advertising as a central part of the website. However, third-party applications, embedded content or social-media features may use marketing technologies.

Where legally required, marketing cookies will only be placed after you consent.

5. Wix cookies

FirstShiftSailing.com is hosted using Wix.

Wix may use cookies for purposes including:

Security
Fraud prevention
Website hosting
Network management
Remembering user preferences
Monitoring performance
Maintaining sessions
Recording consent choices
Providing Wix applications and services

The precise cookies used can vary according to the Wix features, applications, integrations and consent settings active on the website.

The website’s cookie banner or preference centre should provide more current information about the categories of cookies detected on the site.

6. Substack

FirstShift articles, free subscriptions and paid subscriptions are provided through Substack.

When you follow a link from FirstShiftSailing.com to Substack, you leave this website. Cookies used on Substack are governed by Substack’s own cookie, privacy and consent arrangements.

FirstShift does not directly control the technologies Substack places on its website or application.

7. Embedded content and external services

The website may contain links to or embedded material from services such as:

Substack
YouTube
Instagram
Facebook
LinkedIn
X
Mapping or weather services
Sailing organisations
Other media or content providers

Embedded content may behave as though you had visited the third party’s website directly. Those providers may collect technical information, use cookies or track your interaction with their content.

Where possible and legally required, non-essential embedded technologies will be controlled through the website’s cookie-consent system.

8. Consent

When you first visit the website, you may be shown a cookie banner or consent-management panel.

You can use this to:

Accept all cookies
Reject non-essential cookies
Select particular categories
Review additional information

Non-essential cookies should not be placed before you have made a choice where consent is legally required.

Your consent must be voluntary, specific and informed. You can withdraw or change it at any time.

9. Changing your preferences

You can change your cookie choices through the cookie-settings or privacy-preferences link displayed on the website.

You can also control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:

View stored cookies
Delete cookies
Block all or selected cookies
Block third-party cookies
Clear cookies when the browser closes
Receive a warning before cookies are stored

Browser controls vary. Consult the help section of your browser or device for detailed instructions.

Blocking or deleting cookies may affect website functionality and may cause the consent banner to reappear.

10. How long cookies remain

Cookies may be:

Session cookies

These normally expire when you close your browser.

Persistent cookies

These remain on your device for a specified period or until you delete them.

The duration of individual cookies varies according to their function and the provider that places them.

The website’s cookie-preference centre, where available, should identify individual cookies and their intended duration.

11. Updates to this policy

The cookies used by the website may change when Wix, an application, an integration or another website feature is added, removed or updated.

We may therefore update this Cookie Policy periodically. The current version will appear on this page with its last-updated date.

12. Contact

Questions about the use of cookies on FirstShiftSailing.com should be sent to:

Stuart Greenfield
FirstShift — Yacht Racing Intelligence
Email: [CONTACT EMAIL]