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I recently launched a side project called Ship Companion — an app for guests on traditional sailing ships navigating the IJsselmeer in the Netherlands. This wasn't just about building another app; it was a personal journey driven by a specific constraint: no servers.

Around the same time, I noticed that many ships, despite offering amazing experiences, struggle to connect with new guests. Once guests are onboard, skippers patiently explain the same harbour details trip after trip. There wasn't really a dedicated app for any of these ships yet.

Providing guests with easy access to information about the ship, the trip, and the locations visited could reduce uncertainty and enhance their experience — and an offline map, accessible even when wandering around a harbour without the skipper, seemed like the obvious core feature.