Ask → fix path
Natural-language problem in; troubleshooting tree out — what to check, in what order, and when to stop and call a pro.
Time and reliability for real cruisers
Less head-scratching. More problem solving and fixes.
Fast, accurate troubleshooting for real cruising boats — illustrated steps, short videos, and a growing knowledge base — so you spend less time guessing and more time fixing, maintaining, and underway.
Guided troubleshooting and repair solutions
Specialist cruiser agent
Searchable case library
What members get
Symptom to clear next steps — without thrashing the forums
Describe the problem. Get a guided troubleshooting and repair solution matched to your boat: ordered troubleshooting, illustrated steps, and short video where it helps. A specialist cruiser agent plus searchable case library that learns from what actually worked.
Illustrated how-tos
Step-by-step with images and diagrams for non-trades owners, plus short curated or AI-produced clips with the right moment called out.
Boat profile memory
Make, systems, voltage and frequency, past fixes — remembered across asks so you do not re-explain the boat every time.
Searchable case library
SQLite case library of problems, steps, parts, sources, and outcomes. Postgres on VPS is the production target for 24/7 web and app access (coming).
Outcome learning
Report what worked; the case is saved so the next similar ask is sharper for you and for other members.
Safety gates
The agent flags high-risk work and says when to call a pro — experience-based guidance with clear stop lines.
Preventive checklists
Keep systems reliable between failures — not only break/fix fire drills.
Lived cruising context
Eastern Caribbean and Grenada practical notes when relevant to parts, shore power, and local realities.
Companion app
Portal to the site and knowledge base — Apple App Store first, then Google Play. Coming soon; join the waitlist with membership.
Membership tiers
Clear plans for guided asks, library depth, and priority help.
Free readers get teasers and the public blog. Paid members unlock the specialist agent, searchable case library, and deeper support.
See full pricingDeckhand
$0
Public teasers, launch emails, and the public blog.
Dockside Lifetime
Permanent seat
Agent access, case library, companion app when shipped, founding cohort badge. Caps at 50.
Dockside
Guided asks
Ongoing member access to guided troubleshooting and repair solutions, boat memory, and the Dockside case archive.
Harbor Pilot
Full depth
Full library depth, structured troubleshooting requests, and office hours.
Ocean Watch
Priority path
Priority queue, system-review follow-up, and higher-urgency support.
Contributor credits
Share a fix. Earn credits other members can use.
Upload photos plus a clear solution story. After a quality gate, the case enters the shared library and you earn credits redeemable for tier months, upgrades, or extra guided asks — not cash.
Submit
What failed, steps that worked, parts used, photos, and outcome.
Quality gate
Agent and rules check before it enters the library and before credits post — no credit for junk.
Redeem
Harbor Pilot or Ocean Watch months, a temporary tier bump, or extra asks. Monthly earn caps apply.
Field notes
Blog content for search and credibility
Starter articles so the build is more than a thin brochure site.
Alternator Output Under Load, What to Check Before You Buy Parts
A practical dockside sequence for sorting wiring loss, regulator settings, belt slip, and heat before you replace an alternator that may be fine.
Read the noteBattery Bank Balancing for AGM, Flooded, and Lithium Cruisers
How to read a drifting bank, isolate weak strings, and stop one tired battery from dragging down the whole house system.
Read the noteGround Faults at Sea, The Fastest Way to Narrow the Culprit
A calm troubleshooting flow for nuisance trips, wet lockers, inverter backfeed, and corroded terminations.
Read the noteStarlink and Iridium Redundancy, Build a Communications Plan That Survives Bad Days
A layered communications setup for weather, emergency messaging, and passage updates when your primary link degrades.
Read the note
About Brian
Not anonymous advice, not recycled forum guesses.
Brian Downing is a licensed Professional Electrical Engineer with decades of industrial power and controls experience, plus hands-on cruising and passagemaking experience aboard a Beneteau 49 in the Caribbean.
The result is a site that brings engineering discipline and cruising experience to practical guidance for real skippers, crews, and liveaboards.
Read the full backgroundFrequently asked
Questions people ask before they join
What am I actually buying?
Access to a specialist cruiser agent and a searchable case library that grows from real outcomes — plus guided troubleshooting and repair solutions (illustrated steps and short video).
Is the $99 LTD a recurring subscription?
No. The launch Lifetime Dockside offer is a one-time $99 payment for a permanent Dockside-level seat: agent access, case library, companion app when shipped, and founding cohort badge. Caps at the first 50 members. No recurring bill.
Where does the knowledge live?
In a searchable SQLite / Postgres case library on the VPS (coming), with agent memory for judgment and the database for hard facts.
Will there be a mobile app?
Yes. A companion app will portal into the site and knowledge base — Apple App Store first, then Google Play. Members get waitlist / early access when iOS ships.