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Disclaimer

Last updated: 28 July 2026

1. General information

FirstShiftSailing.com provides articles, commentary, analysis, personal experience and general information about yacht racing, offshore sailing and related subjects.

These subjects may include:

  • Race strategy and tactics

  • Navigation and passage planning

  • Weather and tidal analysis

  • Yacht design and rating systems

  • Equipment and technology

  • Seamanship and safety

  • Crew management

  • Training and coaching

  • Nutrition and preparation

  • Sailing history

  • Personal experiences and opinions

The information on this website is provided for general information, education, discussion and entertainment. It should not be treated as professional, vessel-specific or event-specific advice.

2. Responsibility of the skipper

The skipper remains responsible at all times for the safety of the vessel, crew and any decision made on board.

Nothing published by FirstShift replaces:

  • The judgement and experience of the skipper

  • Proper seamanship

  • A vessel-specific risk assessment

  • A current passage plan

  • Official charts and publications

  • Notices to Mariners

  • Current weather forecasts and warnings

  • Official tidal information

  • Manufacturer instructions

  • Qualified professional advice

  • Race documents and safety regulations

Anyone using information from FirstShift must make their own assessment of its relevance and suitability.

Conditions at sea can change rapidly. Weather, tides, sea state, visibility, traffic, equipment condition, crew competence and vessel performance may differ significantly from the circumstances described in an article.

3. Navigation, weather and routing

Any discussion of navigation, routing, tides, weather or passage planning is illustrative unless expressly agreed otherwise as part of a separate professional engagement.

Forecasts, routing models, tidal predictions and electronic navigation systems all have limitations. Information may become outdated quickly and may differ between providers.

You must verify navigational and meteorological information using appropriate current sources before relying on it.

FirstShift does not guarantee:

  • The accuracy of a forecast

  • The accuracy of a routing model

  • The accuracy of tidal information

  • The suitability of a suggested course

  • The safety of a proposed passage

  • The accuracy of third-party charts, software or data

  • That conditions will develop as predicted

No article should be used as the sole basis for making a navigational or safety decision.

4. Yacht racing information

Articles about yacht racing may refer to:

  • Racing Rules of Sailing

  • IRC, ORC or other rating systems

  • Notices of race

  • Sailing instructions

  • Class rules

  • Offshore Special Regulations

  • Race results

  • Entry lists

  • Weather forecasts

  • Tactical recommendations

These documents, regulations and circumstances may change.

Competitors must consult the official documents issued by the relevant race organiser, rating authority, class association or governing body.

Where there is any difference between FirstShift content and an official document, the official document takes precedence.

FirstShift is not responsible for penalties, disqualification, loss of position, rating consequences or any other racing outcome resulting from reliance on website content.

5. Technical and equipment information

FirstShift may discuss yachts, sails, ropes, rigging, electronics, batteries, safety equipment, software and other marine products.

This information is general and may not be appropriate for every vessel, installation or use.

Before purchasing, installing, modifying or relying on equipment, you should consult:

  • The manufacturer

  • An appropriately qualified marine professional

  • A surveyor

  • A naval architect

  • A rigger

  • A marine electrician

  • A sailmaker

  • Another relevant specialist

Structural, electrical, rigging and safety-critical work should only be undertaken by someone with the necessary competence.

Product specifications, prices, availability and manufacturer recommendations can change without notice.

FirstShift does not guarantee that a product or system discussed on the website will be suitable for your vessel or intended use.

6. Coaching and professional services

General information published on the website does not create a coaching, consulting or advisory relationship.

Any coaching, race preparation, navigation, weather-routing or consulting service must be agreed separately, including its scope, responsibilities and limitations.

Unless specifically agreed otherwise in writing, the skipper and owner retain responsibility for:

  • The vessel

  • The crew

  • Insurance

  • Compliance with regulations

  • Safety equipment

  • Operational decisions

  • Race decisions

  • Navigation

  • Weather assessment

7. Health, fitness and nutrition

Articles may discuss food, hydration, fatigue, seasickness, sleep, fitness or crew welfare.

This information is general and is not medical, nutritional or healthcare advice.

Individual requirements vary considerably. Anyone with a medical condition, allergy, dietary restriction or concern about medication should seek advice from an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

FirstShift is not responsible for any health consequence arising from reliance on general information published on the website.

8. Accuracy and completeness

FirstShift aims to produce well-researched, useful and accurate material. However, no guarantee is made that all information is:

  • Complete

  • Accurate

  • Current

  • Error-free

  • Suitable for a particular purpose

  • Applicable to a particular yacht, race or crew

Articles may reflect the author’s personal experience, judgement and opinion.

Reasonable efforts may be made to check information using official sources, specialist publications, online research tools and artificial intelligence where appropriate. These processes do not eliminate the possibility of mistakes, omissions or outdated information.

Readers should independently verify any information that may affect safety, regulatory compliance, financial expenditure or race performance.

9. Artificial intelligence and research tools

FirstShift may use artificial intelligence and other digital tools to assist with:

  • Research

  • Fact-checking

  • Editing

  • Data organisation

  • Illustrations

  • Diagrams

  • Drafting

  • Presentation

Final editorial responsibility remains with FirstShift.

Artificial intelligence can produce inaccurate, incomplete or misleading information. The use of such tools does not constitute a guarantee that all content is correct.

10. External links

FirstShiftSailing.com may contain links to Substack, sailing organisations, race organisers, manufacturers, retailers, social-media platforms and other external websites.

These links are provided for information and convenience.

FirstShift does not control and is not responsible for:

  • The content of external websites

  • The availability of those websites

  • Their privacy or cookie practices

  • Their products or services

  • Their accuracy or security

  • Any loss arising from their use

A link does not necessarily represent an endorsement, recommendation, commercial relationship or approval.

You should carry out your own checks before purchasing a product, entering an event or relying on information provided by a third party.

11. Commercial relationships

From time to time, FirstShift may mention products, services, events or organisations.

Unless expressly stated, such references should not be assumed to be paid endorsements.

Where FirstShift receives payment, commission, free products or another material benefit connected with published content, reasonable efforts will be made to disclose that relationship clearly.

Any opinions expressed remain those of the author unless otherwise stated.

12. Limitation of liability

Nothing in this disclaimer excludes or limits liability where doing so would be unlawful, including liability for fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, or death or personal injury caused by negligence where such liability cannot legally be excluded.

Subject to that qualification, FirstShift and its operator will not be responsible for loss or damage arising from:

  • Reliance on website content

  • Sailing, racing or navigational decisions

  • Weather or tidal information

  • Equipment selection, installation or failure

  • Inaccurate or outdated information

  • Use of external websites or services

  • Loss of race position or performance

  • Damage to a vessel or equipment

  • Loss of data, income, profit, opportunity or business

  • Website interruption, viruses or technical failure

  • Any indirect or consequential loss

This disclaimer does not affect any statutory rights that cannot lawfully be restricted or excluded.

13. Copyright and reuse

Unless otherwise stated, original text, graphics, photographs, illustrations, diagrams, video, audio and branding published by FirstShift are protected by copyright.

You may share a normal link to a publicly accessible page and may quote a limited extract for genuine review, commentary or discussion, provided that FirstShift and the original source are clearly credited.

You may not reproduce substantial parts of an article, graphic or other original material without prior permission.

14. Changes to this disclaimer

FirstShift may update this disclaimer when the website, services, technology or applicable law changes.

The current version will be published on this page with the date of its latest revision.

15. Contact

Questions, corrections or concerns relating to this disclaimer or any content published on FirstShiftSailing.com should be sent to:

Stuart Greenfield
FirstShift — Yacht Racing Intelligence
Website: FirstShiftSailing.com
Email: stuart@greenfield.co.uk

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