Cookie Policy

Last updated: January 28, 2026

1. INTRODUCTION

This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are, what types of cookies the website https://boatconnect.com (the “Website”) and BoatConnect service (the “Service”) use, and how you can manage or disable them.

Website owner:

Efforwai Digital Transformation S.L.
Trading name: BoatConnect
Tax ID (CIF): B67549659
Address: Carrer de la Llotja s/n, 08500 Vic (Barcelona), Spain
Email: info@thenauticalstudio.com
Phone: +34 93 702 72 86

By using our Website, you accept the use of cookies in accordance with this Policy.

2. WHAT ARE COOKIES?

Cookies are small text files that websites store on your device (computer, tablet, smartphone) when you visit them. Cookies allow the website to “remember” your actions and preferences over a period of time, so you don’t have to re-enter them each time you return to the site or browse between pages.

Similar technologies:

Besides cookies, there are other similar technologies that serve similar functions:

Local Storage / Session Storage: Data storage in browser with greater capacity than cookies
Web beacons / Pixels: Small invisible images that allow tracking
SDKs (Software Development Kits): Third-party code integrated into applications
Device identifiers: Unique identifiers for mobile devices

In this Policy, we collectively refer to all these technologies as “cookies”.

Cookies are NOT viruses and cannot:

Access data on your hard drive
Execute programs on your computer
Install malware or spyware
Access personal information stored on your device (beyond what you voluntarily share with the website)

3. WHY WE USE COOKIES

We use cookies for several purposes:

A) Technical and functional:

Enable Website and Service to function properly
Remember your login (authentication)
Keep your session active
Remember your preferences (language, settings)
Protect against CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery) attacks

B) Analytical:

Understand how visitors use the Website
Identify most and least visited pages
Measure Website performance
Improve user experience based on usage data

C) Preferences:

Remember your interface preferences (light/dark mode, collapsed menu, etc.)
Personalize experience according to your settings

D) Security:

Detect suspicious or fraudulent activity
Protect against spam and abuse

4. TYPES OF COOKIES WE USE

4.1. Classification by purpose

A) TECHNICAL OR NECESSARY COOKIES ⚙️

What are they?
Essential cookies for basic Website and Service operation. Without these cookies, the Website cannot function properly.

Consent required?
NO - According to Spanish LSSI-CE Art. 22.2, these cookies do not require user consent because they are strictly necessary to provide the requested service.

Technical cookies we use:

Cookie name	Purpose	Duration	Provider
`bc_session`	Keep your session active in Service	Session (deleted when browser closed)	BoatConnect (1st party)
`bc_auth_token`	Encrypted authentication token to recognize registered user	30 days	BoatConnect (1st party)
`bc_csrf`	CSRF attack protection (security)	Session	BoatConnect (1st party)
`bc_cookies_consent`	Store your decision about cookie acceptance/rejection	1 year	BoatConnect (1st party)

⚠️ You cannot disable these cookies without seriously affecting Website and Service operation. If you disable them, you will not be able to use BoatConnect properly.

B) ANALYTICAL COOKIES 📊

What are they?
Cookies that allow us to measure and analyze how users use the Website to improve our service and better understand our visitors’ needs.

Consent required?
YES - Require your express consent under Spanish and European electronic privacy regulations.

Google Analytics 4:

We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland), a company belonging to Google LLC (1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States).

Google Analytics cookies:

Cookie name	Purpose	Duration	Provider
`_ga`	Distinguish unique users via anonymous ID	2 years	Google Analytics (3rd party)
`_ga_<container-id>`	Maintain session state in Google Analytics 4	2 years	Google Analytics (3rd party)
`_gid`	Distinguish unique users (alternative)	24 hours	Google Analytics (3rd party)
`_gat`	Limit request rate (throttling)	1 minute	Google Analytics (3rd party)

Information Google Analytics collects:

Pages visited and time spent
Visit origin (how you arrived at site)
Device and browser type
Operating system
Screen resolution
IP address (anonymized) - We enable anonymizeIP function which removes last octets of IP address before storage

Data processing: Data collected by Google Analytics is transmitted and stored on Google servers, which may be located in United States or other countries outside European Economic Area (EEA).

Safeguards for international transfers:

Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by European Commission
Supplementary measures: IP anonymization, data minimization, encryption
Data Processing Amendment signed with Google

More information about Google Analytics:

Disable Google Analytics: You can install Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on: Google Analytics Opt-out Add-on

[TO COMPLETE IF USING OTHER ANALYTICAL TOOLS:]

Hotjar (if applicable):

Provider: Hotjar Ltd., Malta
Purpose: Session recording (anonymous), heat maps, feedback surveys
Cookies: _hjSessionUser_*, _hjSession_*, _hjIncludedInPageviewSample, etc.
Duration: 365 days (user), 30 min (session)
More information: Hotjar Privacy Policy

C) PREFERENCE / FUNCTIONAL COOKIES 🎨

What are they?
Cookies that remember your preferences and personalize your Website experience.

Consent required?
YES (in most cases) - Although they improve experience, they are not strictly necessary for basic operation.

Preference cookies we use:

Cookie name	Purpose	Duration	Provider
`bc_language`	Remember selected language (EN/ES/DE/FR/IT)	1 year	BoatConnect (1st party)
`bc_theme`	Remember theme preference (light/dark mode)	1 year	BoatConnect (1st party)
`bc_sidebar_state`	Remember sidebar state (expanded/collapsed)	1 year	BoatConnect (1st party)
`bc_dashboard_layout`	Remember custom dashboard configuration	1 year	BoatConnect (1st party)

Effect of disabling: If you disable these cookies, you will lose your custom preferences and have to reconfigure them each time you visit the Website.

D) ADVERTISING AND MARKETING COOKIES 📢

What are they?
Cookies used to display relevant advertising or measure advertising campaign effectiveness.

Consent required?
YES - Require express consent.

Current status:

BoatConnect DOES NOT currently use advertising or marketing cookies.

We do not perform tracking for advertising purposes nor use:

Google Ads / Google Remarketing
Facebook Pixel
LinkedIn Insight Tag
Twitter Conversion Tracking
Other advertising platforms

Future: If we implement advertising cookies in the future, we will update this Policy and request your explicit consent through our cookie banner.

4.2. Classification by origin

FIRST-PARTY COOKIES

What are they?
Cookies set directly by BoatConnect from domain boatconnect.com.

First-party cookies we use:

All technical cookies (bc_*)
All preference cookies (bc_*)

Full control: We have full control over these cookies and data they collect.

THIRD-PARTY COOKIES

What are they?
Cookies set by external services (domains different from boatconnect.com) when you use our Website.

Characteristics:

Specific to third party’s domain
Data may be viewed and managed by third party
We have limited control over these cookies

Third-party cookies we use:

Google Analytics:

Domain: .google-analytics.com
Cookies: _ga, _ga_*, _gid, _gat
More information: See section 4.1.B

[TO COMPLETE IF USING OTHER THIRD-PARTY SERVICES:]

Support services (if applicable):

Intercom / Drift / Crisp (if using live chat)
Zendesk / Freshdesk (if using ticket system)

Payment processors:

Stripe / PayPal (session cookies during payment process)
Only active during payment flow, do not persist after transaction completion

⚠️ BoatConnect recommendation:
Do not accept third-party cookies that have not been validated by our company. All third-party cookies listed in this Policy have been reviewed and approved by BoatConnect.

4.3. Classification by duration

SESSION COOKIES

What are they?
Temporary cookies automatically deleted when you close browser.

Examples at BoatConnect:

bc_session - Active session
bc_csrf - CSRF security token

Typical use: Keep your session active while browsing, temporary authentication.

PERSISTENT COOKIES

What are they?
Cookies that remain on your device for specific period (even after closing browser) until they expire or you manually delete them.

Examples at BoatConnect:

bc_auth_token - 30 days (remember login)
bc_language - 1 year (remember language)
_ga - 2 years (Google Analytics)

Expiration: Each cookie has its own expiration period (indicated in tables above).

5.1. Legal basis

User consent (GDPR Art. 6.1.a and Spanish LSSI-CE Art. 22.2)

Processing data through cookies (except technical cookies) requires your free, specific, informed, and unambiguous consent.

Cookie banner:

When you access our Website for first time, a cookie banner is displayed informing you about cookie use and allowing you to:

✅ Accept all cookies (technical + analytical + preferences)
❌ Reject non-essential cookies (only technical cookies)
⚙️ Configure cookies (customize by categories)

Banner features:

Clear information about cookie types
Granular options: Accept/reject by categories
Links: To this complete Cookie Policy
Non-intrusive: Does not block access to informational site content
Renewable: You can change your decision anytime

Our consent system complies with EDPB Guidelines 05/2020 on consent:

✅ Freely given: Can reject without consequences (except necessary technical cookies)
✅ Specific: Separated by cookie categories (analytical, preferences, etc.)
✅ Informed: This Policy provides detailed information about each cookie
✅ Unambiguous: Requires clear affirmative action (click “Accept” button)
✅ Revocable: Can change your decision anytime easily

Continued browsing does NOT equal consent:
If you continue browsing without interacting with banner, we will only use strictly necessary technical cookies. We do not interpret silence or inactivity as consent.

We record your cookie decision via technical cookie bc_cookies_consent which stores:

Which cookie categories you accepted/rejected
Date and time of your decision
Version of Cookie Policy accepted

This record allows us to demonstrate regulatory compliance to AEPD.

6. HOW TO MANAGE AND CONTROL COOKIES

You have full control over cookies. You can accept, reject, or delete them anytime.

You can change your cookie preferences anytime:

🔗 Access settings panel:

Clicking “Cookie Settings” in our Website footer
Visiting: https://boatconnect.com/cookie-settings

From panel you can:

View all cookies we use
Enable/disable cookies by categories
Save your preferences
Reset to default settings

Changes apply immediately upon saving.

6.2. Browser configuration

All modern browsers allow cookie management. You can configure your browser to:

✅ Block all cookies
✅ Accept only first-party cookies (block third parties)
✅ Delete cookies when closing browser
✅ Receive notification before accepting cookie
✅ Manually delete specific cookies

Instructions by browser:

Google Chrome:

Menu (⋮) → Settings
Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data
Select your preferred option
Direct link: chrome://settings/cookies
Chrome Help on cookies

Mozilla Firefox:

Menu (☰) → Settings
Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
Configure according to preferences
Firefox Help on cookies

Apple Safari (Mac):

Safari Menu → Preferences
Privacy
Manage website data and cookies
Safari Help on cookies

Safari (iOS - iPhone/iPad):

Settings → Safari
Privacy & Security
Block All Cookies
Safari iOS Help

Microsoft Edge:

Menu (⋯) → Settings
Cookies and site permissions → Cookies and site data
Configure your preferences
Edge Help on cookies

⚠️ Consequences of blocking technical cookies:

If you block all cookies (including technical/necessary):

You will not be able to log into BoatConnect
You will not be able to use the Service
Some Website features will not work properly
You will lose your preferences on each visit

Recommendation: Accept at least necessary technical cookies and configure only analytical/preference cookies according to your preference.

6.3. Third-party specific tools

Disable Google Analytics

Option 1 - Opt-out add-on (recommended):

Google provides free browser add-on preventing Google Analytics from collecting information about your visits:

🔗 Google Analytics Opt-out Add-on

Compatible with: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Internet Explorer 11

Option 2 - Cookie settings:

Reject analytical cookies from our cookie settings panel.

Behavioral advertising (if applicable in future)

Your Online Choices:
European platform to manage advertising cookies from multiple companies:
🔗 www.youronlinechoices.com

Network Advertising Initiative (NAI):
For US advertising companies:
🔗 www.networkadvertising.org/choices/

6.4. Private / Incognito browsing mode

All browsers offer private browsing modes:

Chrome: Incognito mode (Ctrl+Shift+N)
Firefox: Private window (Ctrl+Shift+P)
Safari: Private browsing (Cmd+Shift+N)
Edge: InPrivate window (Ctrl+Shift+N)

In private mode:

Cookies automatically deleted when closing window
No browsing history saved
No forms or passwords saved

Limitation: Still must accept/reject cookies in each private session.

7. COOKIES AND MOBILE DEVICES

7.1. Mobile applications (future)

When we launch our native mobile application for iOS and Android (planned Q4 2026):

We will not use traditional cookies (apps don’t use HTTP cookies)
We will use device identifiers and local storage for similar functions
We will update this Policy to include information about mobile technologies
We will request your consent through app permissions

7.2. Mobile website

If you access https://boatconnect.com from mobile browser (smartphone, tablet):

Same Cookie Policy applies
Cookie banner adapts to small screens
You can manage cookies from your mobile browser settings

8. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS

Some of our cookie providers (especially Google Analytics) transfer data outside European Economic Area (EEA), primarily to United States.

Applied safeguards:

According to GDPR Chapter V and CJEU Schrems II judgment (C-311/18), we ensure these transfers comply with:

✅ Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs):
Contracts approved by European Commission (Decision 2021/914) guaranteeing adequate data protection

✅ Supplementary technical measures:

IP address anonymization (Google Analytics)
Data encryption in transit (TLS 1.3)
Minimization of collected data
Limited retention period

✅ Transfer Impact Assessment (TIA):
We have assessed risks of transferring data to third countries according to EDPB Recommendations 01/2020

You may request more information about specific safeguards for international transfers by contacting DPO: info@thenauticalstudio.com

9. DURATION AND DATA RETENTION FROM COOKIES

Data retention duration collected by cookies varies by type:

Cookie type	Maximum duration	Data retention
Session	Until browser closed	Deleted immediately upon closing
Persistent	As specified in tables (max 2 years)	Until expiration date or manual deletion
Google Analytics	2 years (cookies) 26 months (data on Google servers)	Configured according to AEPD recommendations

Good practices followed:

We do not use cookies with excessive durations
We renew consent periodically (every 12 months)
We delete analytical data after reasonable period

10. MINORS

BoatConnect is aimed at businesses and professionals over 18.

If you are under 14 (minimum age in Spain under LOPDGDD) or under 16 (GDPR default age):

You should not use our Website without adult supervision
You should not provide personal data without parental/guardian consent

If we detect we have collected minor data without valid consent, we will delete such data immediately.

Parents/guardians: If you believe your child has provided data, contact info@thenauticalstudio.com.

11. UPDATES AND MODIFICATIONS TO THIS POLICY

We may update this Cookie Policy to reflect:

Changes in cookies we use
New third-party services
Legislative changes
Data protection authority recommendations
Service improvements

Last update date: Always indicated at beginning of this Policy

Change notification:

Substantial changes: Updated banner on Website + Email to registered users
Minor changes: Publication on our website

Your acceptance after changes: If you continue using Website after update, you will be deemed to accept revised Policy. If you disagree, you may:

Configure your cookie preferences
Stop using Website
Contact us to resolve doubts

Recommendation: Review this Policy periodically.

12. MORE INFORMATION ABOUT COOKIES

12.1. Educational resources

Want to learn more about cookies?

📚 Official guides:

Guide on cookie use - AEPD (Spanish)
Guidelines 05/2020 on consent - EDPB

🌐 General information:

All About Cookies - Complete cookie guide
Wikipedia - HTTP cookie

12.2. Data protection authorities

Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD)
🌐 www.aepd.es
📞 Phone: 901 100 099 / +34 91 266 35 17
📧 Email: Contact form on website

European Data Protection Board (EDPB)
🌐 www.edpb.europa.eu

13. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

❓ Are cookies mandatory?
Technical/necessary cookies are essential for Website function. Other cookies (analytical, preferences) are optional and you can reject them.

❓ Can I use BoatConnect without accepting cookies?
Yes, you can use BoatConnect accepting only necessary technical cookies and rejecting analytical and preference cookies. Service will work properly, though you’ll lose some personalizations.

❓ Why am I shown cookie banner again?
This may happen if:

You deleted browser cookies (including bc_cookies_consent)
You use incognito/private mode
You access from different device or browser
We substantially updated Cookie Policy

❓ Does BoatConnect sell data collected by cookies?
NO. BoatConnect DOES NOT sell, rent, or share cookie data with third parties for their own commercial or advertising purposes.

❓ What are third-party cookies and why use them?
Third-party cookies are set by external services (like Google Analytics) that help us measure Website performance. We only use trusted third-party services with privacy safeguards.

❓ Can I delete cookies already on my computer?
Yes, you can delete all cookies anytime from your browser settings. See section 6.2 for instructions.

❓ Do cookies affect my computer performance?
No. Cookies are very small files (typically few kilobytes) and do not affect device performance.

❓ Does BoatConnect use cookies to identify me personally?
Technical and preference cookies may be associated with your registered user account. Analytical cookies (Google Analytics) use anonymous identifiers that do not allow us to identify you personally.

14. CONTACT

For any questions about this Cookie Policy, cookies we use, or how to exercise your privacy options:

Efforwai Digital Transformation S.L. (BoatConnect)

General email: info@thenauticalstudio.com
Data Protection Officer (DPO): info@thenauticalstudio.com
Phone: +34 93 702 72 86
Postal address: Carrer de la Llotja s/n, 08500 Vic (Barcelona), Spain

Business hours:
Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM CET

You may also:

Consult our complete Privacy Policy
Lodge complaint with AEPD if you consider your rights violated

Last updated: January 28, 2026
Version: 1.0

COMPLIANCE STATEMENT:

This Cookie Policy has been prepared in compliance with:

Spanish Law 34/2002 on Information Society Services and Electronic Commerce (LSSI-CE)
Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and Council (GDPR)
Directive 2002/58/EC of the European Parliament and Council (ePrivacy Directive)
Spanish Organic Law 3/2018 on Personal Data Protection (LOPDGDD)
Guidelines 05/2020 of European Data Protection Board (EDPB) on consent under Regulation 2016/679
Guides and recommendations from Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD)

BoatConnect (Efforwai Digital Transformation S.L.) commits to keeping this Policy updated and respecting your cookie decisions and privacy at all times.

✅ I accept cookies | ⚙️ Configure cookies | ❌ Reject non-essential cookies