From the bridge
RSSPractical maritime compliance.
Plain-English writing for commercial operators — USCG rules, Sub M, STCW, cyber, and the free tools we built along the way. No regulatory fog. No SEO filler.
Pilot Dispatch Software: What Modern Pilots Associations Actually Need
Most pilots associations still coordinate dispatch over VHF and paper boards. Here's what a purpose-built dispatch board does differently — area AIS, ETA to the boarding point, collision alerts, and a transit log that feeds billing.
CPA and TCPA Explained: The Collision-Avoidance Math Behind Vessel Traffic
Closest Point of Approach and Time to Closest Point of Approach are the two numbers every ARPA radar and collision-alert system computes. Here's what they mean, how the vector math works, and how dispatch software uses them.
Compulsory Pilotage Under 46 USC 8501: What the Law Actually Requires
46 USC 8501 puts pilotage on state-licensed pilots for most foreign and registered vessels in U.S. waters. Here's how the federal statute, state pilotage law, and the coastwise exemption fit together — and who is actually required to take a pilot.
Celestial Navigation USCG Exam: Tips From Someone Who Passed
Celestial navigation is the hardest module on the USCG Master 200-ton and higher exams. Here's exactly how the sight reduction procedure works and how to stop making the errors that fail candidates.
Chart Plotting USCG Exam: How to Pass Every Problem
Chart plotting is the only hands-on module on the USCG license exam. Nine problems, real paper charts, plotting tools. Here's the problem types, the mechanics, and how to avoid the errors that sink candidates.
USCG Navigation General Study Guide: Master Every Topic
Navigation General is the broadest module on any USCG license exam. This study guide covers compass correction, current sailing, tides, celestial basics, and electronic nav — in the right order.
COLREGS Rules of the Road Practice Test: What to Know Before Exam Day
The Rules of the Road module fails more USCG exam candidates than any other. Here's how to study COLREGS correctly — and what the practice test questions actually test.
Master 200-Ton Exam Prep: What's Actually Tested
The Master 200 GRT exam is a serious credential with real celestial navigation, advanced stability, and deep Rules of the Road. Here's how to prepare correctly.
USCG 100-Ton Captain License Exam: What to Expect
A practical breakdown of the USCG Master 100 GRT exam — module structure, question counts, passing score, and the prep sequence that actually works.
USCG 6-Pack License Exam: The Complete OUPV Study Guide
Exactly what's on the USCG OUPV (6-pack) exam, how many questions, the passing score, and the fastest path to passing — from someone who's been through it.
Helm CONNECT Is Built for 200-Vessel Fleets. What Do Small Operators Use Instead?
Helm CONNECT's per-vessel pricing compounds fast. Here's an honest breakdown of what small US-flagged operators actually pay, what they miss, and what to look for in a USCG compliance platform built for 2–15 vessels.
We Left a Demo Backdoor Open in Production for 30 Days. Here's the Seven-Layer Fix.
On 2026-04-16 we shipped a demo login to production with a hard-coded test/test credential. We caught it on 2026-05-16. Anyone who guessed the URL had full admin access for thirty days. This is the timeline, the root cause, and the seven-layer fix — written for the engineers who'll inherit this codebase, not the lawyers.