# Sea Time Ledger, full text

> Log your trips on your phone, count creditable sea days by the small vessel day rule, see totals against the published OUPV and Master numbers, and print a vessel grid. Private, in your browser.

Sea Time Ledger is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the United States Coast Guard, the National Maritime Center or any other government body. Sea Time Ledger does not determine eligibility; the credentialing authority decides. Everything below is our own summary of the published regulations and guidance; the documents win if they differ. Site: https://seatimeledger.app/

# The day rule and the credential numbers, as checked

Last reviewed 27 September 2026.

## What counts as a day

- On a vessel of less than 100 gross register tons, a day counts when you were underway at least 4 hours (46 CFR 10.107, Day; 10.232(h)(3)).
- On a vessel of 100 GRT or more, a day is 8 hours of watchstanding or day working, not overtime (46 CFR 10.107, Day).
- A day under the minimum earns nothing: 3.9 hours on a small boat is not a day, and it is not part of a day.
- A long day on a small boat is still one day. The 12 hour day as one and a half days applies only on vessels authorized to run a two watch system (46 CFR 10.232(h)(2)).
- One calendar date counts once, however many vessels or trips it holds.
- A month is 30 days and a year is 360 days when service is counted (46 CFR 10.107).

## Service numbers

| Credential | Published number | Section |
| --- | --- | --- |
| OUPV (six pack), near coastal | 360 days, at least 90 of them near coastal or ocean | 46 CFR 11.467(c) |
| OUPV (six pack), Great Lakes and inland | 360 days, at least 90 of them Great Lakes, on Great Lakes or inland waters | 46 CFR 11.467(d) |
| OUPV (six pack), inland | 360 days | 46 CFR 11.467(e) |
| Master 25, 50 or 100 GRT, near coastal | 720 days, at least 360 of them near coastal or ocean, Great Lakes or inland days count for at most 360 | 46 CFR 11.428(a) |
| Master 25, 50 or 100 GRT, Great Lakes and inland | 360 days, at least 90 of them Great Lakes | 46 CFR 11.455(a) |
| Master 25, 50 or 100 GRT, inland | 360 days | 46 CFR 11.455(a) |

Recent service: 90 days of service within the 7 years before you apply (CG-MMC Policy Letter 02-25, which extends the 3 years in 46 CFR 11.201(c)(1)(i)).

- OUPV near coastal: The near coastal OUPV route is limited to 100 miles offshore (46 CFR 10.107, Near-coastal; 11.467(b)).
- OUPV near coastal: The NMC evaluation checklist (15 September 2025) lists ocean, near coastal or Great Lakes days for the 90 day part; the regulation text names ocean or near coastal, which is what is counted here.
- OUPV near coastal: 46 CFR 10.232(b)(2) credits inland service toward a near coastal endorsement for at most 50 percent of the required service; 10.232(c) and 11.467(c) are read here as allowing any waters day for day, so inland days are not capped in this total. Ask the evaluators which reading they apply if more than 180 of your days are inland.
- OUPV Great Lakes: The regulation text counts service on Great Lakes or inland waters, so near coastal and ocean days are not counted toward this total here. The NMC checklist words it as 360 days of service with 90 on the Great Lakes.
- OUPV inland: An inland OUPV covers all inland waters except the Great Lakes (46 CFR 11.467(b)).
- Master near coastal: 46 CFR 11.428(a) asks for deck service on a self-propelled vessel, so days on a sail vessel with no engine are not counted toward this total, its near coastal minimum, recency or tonnage (auxiliary sail days are); they still count toward the sail endorsement. 11.455(a), for the Great Lakes and inland Master, names sail vessels and counts them. This is the reading that credits fewer days; ask the evaluators if most of your service is under sail.
- Master near coastal: The NMC evaluation checklist (15 September 2025) credits Great Lakes days day for day and caps only inland days at 360; the regulation text caps Great Lakes and inland together, which is what is counted here.
- Master near coastal: Near coastal for a Master endorsement means up to 200 miles offshore (46 CFR 10.107, Near-coastal).

## Sources read

- [46 CFR 10.107, Definitions in subchapter B (Day, Month, Year, Near-coastal, Inland waters, Great Lakes)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-10/subpart-A/section-10.107), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026.
- [46 CFR 10.232, Sea service](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-10/subpart-B/section-10.232), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026.
- [46 CFR 11.201, General requirements for national and STCW officer endorsements](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-11/subpart-B/section-11.201), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026.
- [46 CFR 11.422, Tonnage limitations for Master or Mate of vessels of less than 200 GRT](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-11/subpart-D/section-11.422), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026.
- [46 CFR 11.428, Master of near-coastal self-propelled vessels of less than 100 GRT](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-11/subpart-D/section-11.428), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026.
- [46 CFR 11.455, Master of Great Lakes and inland self-propelled vessels of less than 100 GRT](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-11/subpart-D/section-11.455), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026.
- [46 CFR 11.467, Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels of less than 100 GRT](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-11/subpart-D/section-11.467), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026.
- [Sea Service (crediting sea service, what counts as a day, completing the small vessel sea service form)](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/NMC/pdfs/professional_qualifications/crediting_sea_service.pdf), National Maritime Center, dated 12 August 2024.
- [12 Hour Day / Time-and-a-Half Credit](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/NMC/pdfs/professional_qualifications/time_half_credit.pdf), National Maritime Center, dated 16 July 2025.
- [CG-MMC Policy Letter 02-25, Crediting Recent Service of Applicants for National Officer Endorsements](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO%20Documents/5p/5ps/MMC/CG-MMC-2%20Policies/CG-MMC%20Policy%20Letter%2002-25%20Recent%20Sea%20Service%20(Signed)%2020250912.pdf), Office of Merchant Mariner Credentialing, signed 12 September 2025, effective immediately.
- [Evaluation checklist MCP-FM-NMC5-31, National Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/NMC/pdfs/checklists/mcp_fm_nmc5_31_web.pdf), National Maritime Center, dated 15 September 2025.
- [Evaluation checklist MCP-FM-NMC5-15, National Master of vessels of less than 100 GRT upon near coastal waters](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/NMC/pdfs/checklists/mcp_fm_nmc5_15_web.pdf), National Maritime Center, dated 15 September 2025.
- [Evaluation checklist MCP-FM-NMC5-23, National Master of vessels of less than 100 GRT upon Great Lakes and inland waters](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/NMC/pdfs/checklists/mcp_fm_nmc5_23_web.pdf), National Maritime Center, dated 18 September 2025.
- [Small Vessel Sea Service Form (optional CG-719S), OMB 1625-0040](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/national_maritime_center/sea_service/), Department of Homeland Security, revision 12/25, OMB expiry 30 September 2028.

# How to log sea time for a captain's license

URL: https://seatimeledger.app/guide/how-to-log-sea-time/
Last reviewed: 27 September 2026

Log every trip on the day you make it (date, vessel number and tons, waters, hours underway, role); on a boat under 100 gross tons a day counts once you are underway 4 hours.

Record the vessel's official or state number and gross tons, and the waters as inland, Great Lakes, near coastal or ocean. Each calendar day counts once. At application time the days are totalled per vessel, by year and month, onto a sea service form or letter that the owner or operator signs.

## Keep a sea time log in seven steps

These steps work with a paper logbook, a spreadsheet or [the sea time log on this site](https://seatimeledger.app/log/), which applies the day rule for you.

1. **Write down each vessel once.** Its name, the official number from the documentation or the state registration number, its gross tons if it has them, length, propulsion, and the body of water you use it on. The form needs all of this for every vessel, and a made up number gets the form rejected.
2. **Log the trip the same day.** Date, vessel, waters and the hours you were actually underway. Do not round up and do not guess later: the person who signs your form is certifying the numbers.
3. **Record what you served as.** Master, mate, operator or deckhand. The crediting guidance lists writing owner as the position as a common error, and crew alone does not name a position.
4. **Note the waters by the boundary line.** Inland is shoreward of the boundary line, near coastal and ocean are seaward of it, and the Great Lakes are their own category. Near coastal days are the scarce ones for most recreational boaters.
5. **Keep one date to one vessel.** If you were on two boats on one day, only one of them can claim that day. Pick the one you spent longer on.
6. **Total each vessel by year and month.** The small vessel sea service form has a block per month with the year and the number of days, plus totals for Great Lakes, shoreward and seaward days. One form covers one vessel and at most five years.
7. **Get the right person to sign.** On a vessel you own and that is under 200 GRT you may attest to your own service with proof of ownership. On anyone else's boat the owner, operator or master signs for you.

## What to record for every trip

Service is documented per vessel, so the log is really a list of vessels with dated days under each. The regulation on documenting sea service asks for the vessel's name and official number, its gross tonnage, its propulsion, what you did aboard, the dates of service and the routes, which is where the waters come in (46 CFR 10.232(a)(2)). Anything you do not write down now you will have to reconstruct later from memory, fuel receipts and photos, and the person signing may not agree with your reconstruction.

Table: The fields a sea time log needs

| Field | Why |
| --- | --- |
| Date | Each calendar day is counted once. |
| Vessel, number, gross tons | One form per vessel; tonnage sets the day length and your tonnage limit. |
| Waters | Near coastal, Great Lakes and inland days are totalled separately. |
| Hours underway | A day on a boat under 100 GRT needs 4 hours. |
| Role | The form's Served As box: master, mate, operator, deckhand. |
| Notes | Where you went and who was aboard, so the signer can check it. |

## How the days add up

A month is 30 days and a year is 360 days when service is counted (46 CFR 10.107). So the 12 months for an OUPV are 360 days and the two years for a near coastal Master are 720. Days do not expire: the crediting guide says sea service counts from age 16 and never expires. What does have a clock is recent service, 90 days within the years before you apply, which [the OUPV and Master guide](https://seatimeledger.app/guide/oupv-vs-master-sea-time/) explains.

## Worked example: what a log turns into

A boater logs 438 days over ten years on one 8 GRT boat, mostly inland, with 47 near coastal days in 2018 and 78 days in 2020. Counted by this site's engine as of 27 September 2026, the near coastal OUPV line reads: needs 43 more near coastal or ocean days; 12 recency days short.

The total is well past 360, but only 47 of the days are near coastal against the 90 the section asks for, and only 78 fall in the 7 years before the count date (0 in the last 3). A log that only kept a running total would never have shown either gap.

## Common mistakes

- Keeping one running total instead of days per vessel per month. The form wants the breakdown.
- Logging trips weeks later from memory, and rounding 3.5 hours up to a day.
- Claiming the same date on two vessels.
- Writing owner in the Served As box.
- Forgetting the official or state number, or inventing one from a hull number.
- Not noting which days were seaward of the boundary line.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can I use a spreadsheet instead of an app?**

Yes. The form only needs the totals per vessel per month and the backing detail if you are asked. A spreadsheet works if you keep one row per trip with the date, vessel, waters and hours, and you total it the same way this guide describes.

**How far back can I claim sea time?**

The crediting guidance says sea service counts from the day you turn 16 and does not expire. You do need some recent service as well, and you need records good enough for someone to sign for.

**Does this site decide whether I qualify?**

No. It counts your logged days against the published numbers and cites the section. Sea Time Ledger does not determine eligibility; the credentialing authority decides.

## Sources

- [46 CFR 10.232, Sea service](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-10/subpart-B/section-10.232), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: What service documentation must show, owner attestation, the day definition.
- [46 CFR 10.107, Definitions in subchapter B (Day, Month, Year, Near-coastal, Inland waters, Great Lakes)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-10/subpart-A/section-10.107), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Month and year as 30 and 360 days.
- [Sea Service (crediting sea service, what counts as a day, completing the small vessel sea service form)](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/NMC/pdfs/professional_qualifications/crediting_sea_service.pdf), National Maritime Center, dated 12 August 2024, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Sea service from age 16 never expires; common errors on the small vessel form.

# What counts as a sea day for a captain's license

URL: https://seatimeledger.app/guide/what-counts-as-a-sea-day/
Last reviewed: 27 September 2026

On a vessel of less than 100 gross register tons, one day of sea service is a calendar day on which you were underway for at least 4 hours. Under 4 hours earns nothing at all, not a part day. On larger vessels a day is 8 hours.

A long day earns no extra credit on a small boat: 8, 10 or 12 hours is still one day, and one date counts only once however many boats you were on.

## Where the rule comes from

The definitions section of the credentialing rules defines a day as 8 hours of watchstanding or day work, not counting overtime. For vessels under 100 GRT it adds that a day is considered 8 hours unless the vessel's operating schedule makes that inappropriate, and never less than 4 hours (46 CFR 10.107, and the same wording in 10.232(h)(3)). The crediting guidance from the National Maritime Center says it more plainly: only on vessels under 100 GRT, a full day is credited for 4 hours or more, and no credit is ever given for a day of less than 4 hours.

The small vessel sea service form asks for your average hours underway per day, and the same guidance says that average can be no less than 4 hours for credit to be given.

## Why 12 hours is still one day

The rules do allow a 12 hour day to count as a day and a half, but only on vessels authorized to run a two watch system under the manning law (46 CFR 10.232(h)(2)). The NMC's time and a half guidance, dated July 2025, says that a letter or small vessel form claiming 12 hour days on a recreational vessel under 100 GRT is not credited at time and a half. Most vessels under 100 GRT have no certificate of inspection authorizing two watches. So on your own boat, a long passage day is one day.

Claiming extra credit you are not entitled to is worse than useless: the person who signs, and you, are certifying the numbers.

## One date, one day

- Two trips on the same boat on the same day can be added: a morning and an evening sail of 2 hours each make a 4 hour day.
- Hours on two different boats on one day are separate. Each boat's form stands alone, and the guidance warns against claiming the same days on forms for different vessels.
- An overnight passage is split at midnight into the hours on each date.

## Worked example: one week on a 6 GRT skiff

Table: A week of trips, counted by this site's engine

| Day | Logged | Result |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monday | 3.5 hours on the skiff | Does not count: under 4 hours |
| Tuesday | 4 hours on the skiff | Counts: exactly 4 hours |
| Wednesday | 2 hours in the morning and 2.5 in the evening on the skiff | Counts: 4.5 hours on one boat in one day |
| Thursday | 12 hours on the skiff | Counts as one day, not one and a half |
| Friday | 5 hours on the skiff and 7 on a friend's trawler | Counts once, on the trawler (more hours) |

7 trips and 36 hours underway make 4 sea days. The 12 hour Thursday did not make up for the short Monday, and Friday counts once. You can check any week of your own the same way in [the sea time log](https://seatimeledger.app/log/).

## Common mistakes

- Rounding 3.5 hours up to a day. Under 4 hours is zero.
- Claiming a day and a half for a 12 hour day on a recreational boat.
- Adding hours from two different boats on the same date.
- Counting time at the dock or at anchor with the engine off as underway.
- Treating the 4 hour rule as applying to every vessel. At 100 GRT or more a day is 8 hours.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is 4 hours exactly enough?**

Yes. The rule is at least 4 hours on a vessel under 100 GRT, so 4.0 hours counts and 3.9 does not.

**Can I claim 1.5 days for a 12 hour day on my boat?**

Almost certainly not. The day and a half credit applies only on vessels authorized to run a two watch system, and the guidance says 12 hour days on recreational vessels under 100 GRT are not credited at time and a half.

**What about a vessel with no gross tons on its paperwork?**

Many small boats have no admeasured tonnage. The form asks for length, width and depth so tonnage can be worked out. This site treats a boat with no tons entered as under 100 GRT for the day rule.

## Sources

- [46 CFR 10.107, Definitions in subchapter B (Day, Month, Year, Near-coastal, Inland waters, Great Lakes)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-10/subpart-A/section-10.107), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The definition of a day, month and year.
- [46 CFR 10.232, Sea service](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-10/subpart-B/section-10.232), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The day on vessels under 100 GRT and the two watch day and a half, paragraph (h).
- [Sea Service (crediting sea service, what counts as a day, completing the small vessel sea service form)](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/NMC/pdfs/professional_qualifications/crediting_sea_service.pdf), National Maritime Center, dated 12 August 2024, read 27 September 2026. Used for: A full day for 4 hours or more only under 100 GRT; average hours on the form.
- [12 Hour Day / Time-and-a-Half Credit](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/NMC/pdfs/professional_qualifications/time_half_credit.pdf), National Maritime Center, dated 16 July 2025, read 27 September 2026. Used for: No time and a half for 12 hour days on recreational vessels under 100 GRT.

# OUPV vs Master 25, 50 or 100 ton: sea time requirements

URL: https://seatimeledger.app/guide/oupv-vs-master-sea-time/
Last reviewed: 27 September 2026

An OUPV, often called a six pack license, needs 360 days of experience operating vessels, at least 90 of them near coastal or ocean for the near coastal route (46 CFR 11.467(c)).

A near coastal Master of vessels under 100 GRT needs 720 days of deck service, at least 360 of them on ocean or near coastal waters, with Great Lakes and inland days counting for at most 360 (46 CFR 11.428(a)). Both need 90 days of recent service. Whether a Master reads 25, 50 or 100 tons depends on the size of the vessels your days were on.

## The published numbers side by side

Table: Service numbers as checked on the progress page, reviewed 27 September 2026

| Credential | Days | Section |
| --- | --- | --- |
| OUPV (six pack), near coastal | 360 days, at least 90 of them near coastal or ocean | 46 CFR 11.467(c) |
| OUPV (six pack), Great Lakes and inland | 360 days, at least 90 of them Great Lakes, on Great Lakes or inland waters | 46 CFR 11.467(d) |
| OUPV (six pack), inland | 360 days | 46 CFR 11.467(e) |
| Master 25, 50 or 100 GRT, near coastal | 720 days, at least 360 of them near coastal or ocean, Great Lakes or inland days count for at most 360 | 46 CFR 11.428(a) |
| Master 25, 50 or 100 GRT, Great Lakes and inland | 360 days, at least 90 of them Great Lakes | 46 CFR 11.455(a) |
| Master 25, 50 or 100 GRT, inland | 360 days | 46 CFR 11.455(a) |

The OUPV carries up to six passengers for hire on uninspected vessels under 100 GRT. A Master endorsement lets you command inspected vessels within its tonnage and route. The near coastal OUPV route stops at 100 miles offshore, where the Master's near coastal route runs to 200 (46 CFR 10.107). Check [what counts as a sea day](https://seatimeledger.app/guide/what-counts-as-a-sea-day/) before you count, because a short day is worth nothing toward either.

## Recent service: 3 years in the rule, 7 under current policy

The regulation asks for at least 3 months (90 days) of service within the 3 years before you apply (46 CFR 11.201(c)(1)(i)). CG-MMC Policy Letter 02-25, signed 12 September 2025, now treats 90 days within the 7 years before the application as meeting that requirement for every national officer endorsement, and the evaluation checklists dated September 2025 list the 7 year figure. The progress page shows both windows and uses the 7 year one for the gap.

## How the 25, 50 or 100 ton limit is set

A Master endorsement under 200 GRT is issued at 25, 50, 100 or 200 tons. The limit is the highest tonnage on which you logged at least a quarter of the required days, or one and a half times the highest tonnage on which you logged at least half of them, whichever is higher, rounded up to the next level. If more than three quarters of your days were on vessels of 5 GRT or less, the limit is 25 (46 CFR 11.422(a)). Tonnage counts vessels that size or larger, so days on a 60 GRT boat also count toward the 34 GRT test.

## Worked example: four boaters, 360 days each

Table: Tonnage limits for a Great Lakes and inland Master, computed by this site's engine

| Days logged | Tonnage the days point to |
| --- | --- |
| 260 days on your own 4 GRT center console and 100 days crewing on a 34 GRT charter boat | 50 GRT |
| 180 days on a 20 GRT trawler and 180 on a 6 GRT runabout | 50 GRT |
| 90 days on a 55 GRT head boat and 270 on your own 8 GRT boat | 100 GRT |
| 300 days on a 3 GRT skiff and 60 days on a 40 GRT boat | 25 GRT |

The first boater has 100 days on a 34 GRT boat, more than a quarter of 360, so 34 rounds up to 50. The third has 90 days, exactly a quarter, on a 55 GRT boat, which rounds up to 100. The last has more than three quarters of the days on a 3 GRT skiff, which caps the limit at 25 whatever else is logged.

## Common mistakes

- Counting 360 days for a near coastal Master. It needs 720.
- Assuming Great Lakes days fill the near coastal part of an OUPV. The regulation names ocean or near coastal waters.
- Forgetting that inland days top out at 360 toward a near coastal Master.
- Expecting 100 tons from days on a small boat. The limit follows the vessels you served on.
- Letting recent service lapse while the total is already there.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is a six pack license the same as an OUPV?**

Yes. OUPV stands for Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels, and it is commonly called a six pack license because it allows up to six passengers for hire.

**Can OUPV days count toward a Master later?**

Yes. Sea service does not expire and can be reused for a new endorsement, so days you logged for an OUPV also count toward a Master, subject to that credential's own waters and tonnage rules.

**Do I need 90 days in the last 3 years or the last 7?**

The regulation says 3 years. CG-MMC Policy Letter 02-25 of September 2025 accepts 90 days within 7 years for all national officer endorsements. This site shows both counts.

## Sources

- [46 CFR 11.467, Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels of less than 100 GRT](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-11/subpart-D/section-11.467), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: OUPV service by route.
- [46 CFR 11.428, Master of near-coastal self-propelled vessels of less than 100 GRT](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-11/subpart-D/section-11.428), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Master near coastal under 100 GRT.
- [46 CFR 11.455, Master of Great Lakes and inland self-propelled vessels of less than 100 GRT](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-11/subpart-D/section-11.455), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Master Great Lakes and inland under 100 GRT.
- [46 CFR 11.422, Tonnage limitations for Master or Mate of vessels of less than 200 GRT](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-11/subpart-D/section-11.422), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The 25, 50, 100 ton formula.
- [46 CFR 11.201, General requirements for national and STCW officer endorsements](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-11/subpart-B/section-11.201), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Recent service, 3 years in the rule text.
- [CG-MMC Policy Letter 02-25, Crediting Recent Service of Applicants for National Officer Endorsements](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO%20Documents/5p/5ps/MMC/CG-MMC-2%20Policies/CG-MMC%20Policy%20Letter%2002-25%20Recent%20Sea%20Service%20(Signed)%2020250912.pdf), Office of Merchant Mariner Credentialing, signed 12 September 2025, effective immediately, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Recent service within 7 years for national officer endorsements.
- [Evaluation checklist MCP-FM-NMC5-31, National Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/NMC/pdfs/checklists/mcp_fm_nmc5_31_web.pdf), National Maritime Center, dated 15 September 2025, read 27 September 2026. Used for: How evaluators list the OUPV numbers.
- [Evaluation checklist MCP-FM-NMC5-15, National Master of vessels of less than 100 GRT upon near coastal waters](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/NMC/pdfs/checklists/mcp_fm_nmc5_15_web.pdf), National Maritime Center, dated 15 September 2025, read 27 September 2026. Used for: How evaluators list the near coastal Master numbers and tonnage days.

# Documenting sea time on your own boat

URL: https://seatimeledger.app/guide/sea-time-on-your-own-boat/
Last reviewed: 27 September 2026

Yes, time on your own boat counts, and you can sign for it yourself. For vessels under 200 gross register tons, owners may attest to their own service and provide proof of ownership (46 CFR 10.232(a)(4)). You fill in one small vessel sea service form or letter per boat, sign it, and attach proof such as the title, the state registration, the certificate of documentation, insurance that identifies the vessel, or a bill of sale.

## What proof of ownership looks like

The NMC's crediting guidance lists acceptable proof of ownership: a title, a state registration, a certificate of documentation, proof of insurance that clearly identifies the vessel, or bills of sale. Photos of the boat are not accepted. If a company owns the boat and you sign as its owner, the guidance asks for proof that you own the company as well.

Proof covers the years you claim. If you sold one boat and bought another, each boat gets its own form and its own proof for the period you owned it.

## Where owner attestation stops

- It is for vessels under 200 GRT. Service on larger vessels is documented by letters or discharges signed by someone else.
- It is for boats you own. On a friend's boat, a charter or a club boat, the owner, operator or master signs, even if you were at the helm.
- It does not change the day rule. You still claim only days of at least 4 hours underway on a boat under 100 GRT.

The next guide, [who signs your sea service](https://seatimeledger.app/guide/who-signs-your-sea-service/), covers the other cases.

Owner attestation puts the whole weight of the record on you. Nobody else has checked the dates, so keep the log you signed from, with the trips, the hours and notes of where you went, together with fuel receipts, marina records or float plans that back it up. If the evaluator asks a question about a month, that log is your answer.

## What to write as your position

On your own boat you were running it, so the position is master or operator. The crediting guidance lists writing owner as the position as a common error. This site prints owner operators as Operator on the grid and in the form fill for that reason.

## Worked example: one owner, one boat, one summer

An owner logs seven trips on an 8 GRT boat in 2025. The engine counts 7 days: 2 in May, 4 in June and 1 in July, 4 of them seaward and 3 shoreward of the boundary line, with an average of 6.2 hours underway. One 3 hour trip is left out.

Those numbers go on one form for that boat. The owner signs as the applicant, attaches the state registration, and the attestation block for a third party stays empty. The [progress page](https://seatimeledger.app/progress/) builds the same grid and a letter draft that says the owner is attesting under 10.232(a)(4).

## Common mistakes

- Signing for your own service on a boat you do not own, even as its master.
- Sending photos of the boat as proof of ownership.
- Writing owner in the Served As box.
- Putting two boats on one form.
- Claiming days from before you bought the boat.

## Frequently asked questions

**Do I need a second signature if I own the boat?**

Not for a vessel under 200 GRT that you own: you may attest to your own service and attach proof of ownership. The form's attestation block is for someone else signing on your behalf.

**My boat is jointly owned with my spouse. Is that ownership?**

Proof such as a title or registration showing you as an owner is what the guidance asks for. If your name is not on the document, have the named owner attest to your service instead.

**Does time on my own boat count toward a Master?**

Yes, if it meets the day rule and the waters and tonnage the Master endorsement needs. Small boat days often cap the tonnage at 25 GRT.

## Sources

- [46 CFR 10.232, Sea service](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-10/subpart-B/section-10.232), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Owners of vessels under 200 GRT may attest to their own service, paragraph (a)(4).
- [Sea Service (crediting sea service, what counts as a day, completing the small vessel sea service form)](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/NMC/pdfs/professional_qualifications/crediting_sea_service.pdf), National Maritime Center, dated 12 August 2024, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Acceptable proof of ownership, the owner position error, one form per vessel.
- [Small Vessel Sea Service Form (optional CG-719S), OMB 1625-0040](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/national_maritime_center/sea_service/), Department of Homeland Security, revision 12/25, OMB expiry 30 September 2028, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Section III signature and attestation blocks.

# Near coastal vs inland vs Great Lakes sea time

URL: https://seatimeledger.app/guide/near-coastal-vs-inland-vs-great-lakes/
Last reviewed: 27 September 2026

Inland days are shoreward of the 46 CFR Part 7 boundary lines, near coastal days are seaward of them out to 200 miles (100 for an OUPV), and Great Lakes days are on the Great Lakes and their connecting waters.

The route on your credential depends on these counts: 90 near coastal days for a near coastal OUPV, 360 for a near coastal Master, 90 Great Lakes days for a Great Lakes route.

## The three kinds of water

Table: How each kind of water is defined (46 CFR 10.107)

| Waters | What it covers | Box on the form |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Inland | Navigable waters shoreward of the boundary lines, excluding the Great Lakes | Shoreward of the boundary line |
| Near coastal | Ocean waters within 200 miles offshore; 100 miles for an OUPV | Seaward of the boundary line |
| Ocean | Waters seaward of the boundary lines, beyond near coastal | Seaward of the boundary line |
| Great Lakes | The Great Lakes and their connecting and tributary waters | Great Lakes |

The boundary lines are published in 46 CFR Part 7 and usually run across the mouths of bays and harbors. A day on a large bay inside the line is an inland day, even if the water is wide and rough. The guidance also says any description of waters that does not qualify as Great Lakes or near coastal is treated as inland, so describe the waters in words on the form.

## Which days count toward which route

- OUPV near coastal: 360 days on any waters, at least 90 of them on ocean or near coastal waters (46 CFR 11.467(c)).
- OUPV Great Lakes and inland: 360 days on Great Lakes or inland waters, at least 90 on the Great Lakes (46 CFR 11.467(d)).
- Master near coastal under 100 GRT: 720 days, at least 360 on ocean or near coastal waters; Great Lakes and inland days count for up to 360 (46 CFR 11.428(a)).
- Master Great Lakes and inland under 100 GRT: 360 days, 90 on the Great Lakes for the Great Lakes route (46 CFR 11.455(a)).

One reading to know about for the near coastal OUPV: 46 CFR 10.232(b)(2) says inland service may be credited toward a near coastal endorsement for at most 50 percent of the required service, while 10.232(c) and 11.467(c) read as counting service on any waters day for day. This site follows the second reading and does not cap inland days in the 360 day total. If more than 180 of your days are inland, ask the evaluators which reading they apply before you count on them.

The NMC's evaluation checklist for the near coastal Master credits Great Lakes days day for day and caps only inland days. This site follows the regulation text and caps Great Lakes and inland together, so its count is never higher than the rule allows.

## Worked example: 750 days, three kinds of water

A boater has 380 inland days, 120 Great Lakes days and 250 near coastal days, all recent. Counted by this site's engine:

- Near coastal OUPV: 750 days count, and every published number is met.
- Great Lakes and inland OUPV: 500 days count, since near coastal days are not Great Lakes or inland; every number is met.
- Near coastal Master: only 610 of 750 days count, because Great Lakes and inland days stop at 360. The line reads: needs 110 more near coastal or ocean days.

## Common mistakes

- Logging a big bay as near coastal when it is inside the boundary line.
- Expecting all inland days to count toward a near coastal Master.
- Leaving the body of water description off the form.
- Mixing up the 100 mile OUPV limit with the 200 mile Master limit.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is the Intracoastal Waterway near coastal?**

Usually not. Most of the Intracoastal Waterway runs behind barrier islands, shoreward of the boundary lines, which makes those days inland. Check the boundary line for your stretch in 46 CFR Part 7 before you log it.

**Do Great Lakes days count toward a near coastal OUPV?**

They count toward the 360 day total. For the 90 day near coastal part the regulation names ocean or near coastal waters; the evaluation checklist also lists Great Lakes days, so ask the evaluators if you rely on them.

**What if one trip crossed the boundary line?**

Log the hours on each side. This site gives the day to the water with the most hours, and to the lower credit water on a tie.

## Sources

- [46 CFR 10.107, Definitions in subchapter B (Day, Month, Year, Near-coastal, Inland waters, Great Lakes)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-10/subpart-A/section-10.107), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Definitions of near coastal, inland, oceans and Great Lakes.
- [46 CFR 10.232, Sea service](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-10/subpart-B/section-10.232), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: How Great Lakes and inland service is credited toward near coastal endorsements, paragraph (b), including the 50 percent cap in (b)(2), and paragraph (c).
- [46 CFR 11.467, Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels of less than 100 GRT](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-11/subpart-D/section-11.467), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: OUPV routes.
- [46 CFR 11.428, Master of near-coastal self-propelled vessels of less than 100 GRT](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-11/subpart-D/section-11.428), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Near coastal Master waters.
- [46 CFR 11.455, Master of Great Lakes and inland self-propelled vessels of less than 100 GRT](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-11/subpart-D/section-11.455), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Great Lakes and inland Master waters.
- [Sea Service (crediting sea service, what counts as a day, completing the small vessel sea service form)](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/NMC/pdfs/professional_qualifications/crediting_sea_service.pdf), National Maritime Center, dated 12 August 2024, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Waters not qualifying as Great Lakes or near coastal are inland.
- [Evaluation checklist MCP-FM-NMC5-15, National Master of vessels of less than 100 GRT upon near coastal waters](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/NMC/pdfs/checklists/mcp_fm_nmc5_15_web.pdf), National Maritime Center, dated 15 September 2025, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Great Lakes credited day for day on the near coastal Master checklist.

# Who signs your sea service form or letter

URL: https://seatimeledger.app/guide/who-signs-your-sea-service/
Last reviewed: 27 September 2026

If you do not own the vessel, the owner, the operator or the master signs for your sea service, on the small vessel sea service form or on a letter with the same details. You cannot attest to your own service on a boat you do not own, even if you were its master. If you do own a vessel under 200 GRT, you may attest to your own service and attach proof of ownership (46 CFR 10.232(a)(4)).

## Who can sign, case by case

Table: Who attests, from 46 CFR 10.232 and the NMC crediting guidance

| Your situation | Who signs |
| --- | --- |
| You own the boat, under 200 GRT | You, with proof of ownership attached |
| Friend's or family boat | The owner, or the credentialed operator or master |
| Charter, ferry or tour boat job | The owner, operator or master, usually on company letterhead |
| You were master on someone else's boat | The owner or operator; not you |
| Company owned boat you own through the company | You as owner, with proof you own the company |

## What the signer is certifying

On the form, the person attesting certifies that you served on the vessel as stated, and gives their name, address and phone number. The form warns that a false statement can bring a fine or imprisonment. A careful signer will want to check your log against their own memory and records, which is why a dated, trip by trip log with notes of who was aboard makes the conversation easy.

A letter works instead of the form if it carries the same details: the vessel's name, number, type, propulsion and tonnage, the dates, the number of underway days, and, for an officer endorsement, how many of those days fell within 3 years of the letter's date. It must also say whether the days were 8 or 12 hour days.

Ask early. An owner who watched you run their boat last summer will sign a clear log in a few minutes; the same owner five years later, after selling the boat, may not remember or may be hard to find. Many boaters ask for a signature at the end of each season, one form or letter per boat, and keep the signed copies with their log.

## Worked example: a week split across two boats

In the week on [what counts as a sea day](https://seatimeledger.app/guide/what-counts-as-a-sea-day/), 4 days count. Three are on the boater's own skiff, and the boater signs that form. Friday counts on a friend's trawler because more hours were spent aboard it, so that one day goes on a separate form for the trawler, signed by its owner. The skiff form must not claim Friday as well.

The [progress page](https://seatimeledger.app/progress/) builds each vessel's grid separately and never puts a date on two grids, and its letter draft switches to a third party signature when you do not own the vessel.

## Common mistakes

- Signing as both the applicant and the person attesting.
- Printing your name where the signature goes.
- Leaving off the signer's address and phone number.
- Asking a friend who was only a passenger to sign.
- Waiting years to ask for a signature from an owner who has since sold the boat.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can a friend who holds a captain's license sign for time on my boat?**

If you own the boat and it is under 200 GRT you sign yourself with proof of ownership. On a boat you do not own, a credentialed operator or master of that vessel may sign, as may its owner.

**The owner has died or cannot be found. What now?**

Contact the National Maritime Center before you apply and ask what other evidence they will consider. The rules require the Coast Guard to be satisfied that the evidence is authentic.

**Does the signer need a credential themselves?**

An owner does not. For non owners, the rule speaks of letters or other evidence from credentialed personnel or the owners of the vessels.

## Sources

- [46 CFR 10.232, Sea service](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-10/subpart-B/section-10.232), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Who may document sea service; owners and non owners, paragraph (a).
- [Sea Service (crediting sea service, what counts as a day, completing the small vessel sea service form)](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/NMC/pdfs/professional_qualifications/crediting_sea_service.pdf), National Maritime Center, dated 12 August 2024, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Section III signature rules, common errors, and what a service letter must contain.
- [Small Vessel Sea Service Form (optional CG-719S), OMB 1625-0040](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/national_maritime_center/sea_service/), Department of Homeland Security, revision 12/25, OMB expiry 30 September 2028, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The attestation statement and the signer's details.

# The small vessel sea service form, box by box

URL: https://seatimeledger.app/guide/sea-service-form-box-by-box/
Last reviewed: 27 September 2026

The small vessel sea service form, CG-719S, is one form per vessel under 200 GRT covering at most five years.

Section I is you and the vessel: number, name, gross tons or measurements, propulsion, what you served as and the waters in words. Section II is a block per month where you write the year and the days served, then totals for all days, Great Lakes, shoreward and seaward of the boundary line, and your average hours per day. Section III is the signatures.

## Fill in the form in eight steps

This follows the 12/25 revision of the form (OMB 1625-0040) and the NMC's instructions for it. Our own grid on [the progress page](https://seatimeledger.app/progress/) lays out the same fields for each vessel.

1. **Download and save the current form.** Get it from the National Maritime Center's forms page, save it, and open it in Adobe Acrobat Reader. The form's page says not to complete it in a web browser.
2. **Use one form per vessel.** A single form claiming several vessels is not accepted, and periods longer than five years need another form.
3. **Enter the vessel's number exactly.** The official number or state registration number from the document. Never build a number from other markings.
4. **Give gross tons or all three measurements.** Gross tons are needed for credit toward endorsements over 25 GRT. If you do not know them, give length, width and depth so tonnage can be worked out.
5. **Say what you served as and on which waters.** Master, mate, operator or deckhand, never owner. Describe the waters in words; any description that is not Great Lakes or near coastal is treated as inland.
6. **Write each month's days in its block.** For each month you served, write the year and the number of days. Write every block individually, with no lines or arrows, and never more days than the month has.
7. **Fill in the totals.** Total days on the vessel, then Great Lakes, shoreward and seaward days, which must add up to the total, and your average hours underway per day, which cannot be under 4 for credit.
8. **Sign, and have the right person attest.** Sign and date as the applicant. If you own the vessel attach proof of ownership; if not, the owner, operator or master signs the attestation with their address and phone.

## The boxes this site never fills

The form asks for your name, a mariner reference number and a Social Security number. The form's privacy statement says providing them is voluntary, Social Security number included, but that not providing the information may mean the credential is not issued. This site never asks for or stores a Social Security number. Its form fill writes the vessel boxes, the grid and the totals into a copy of the form you downloaded yourself, and leaves the identity boxes, signatures and dates for you to complete in your PDF reader.

## Worked example: one boat, one summer

An owner logs seven trips on an 8 GRT boat in 2025, computed by this site's engine:

Table: What goes in Section II

| Box | Entry |
| --- | --- |
| May | 2025, 2 days |
| June | 2025, 4 days |
| July | 2025, 1 day |
| Total days on this vessel | 7 |
| Great Lakes | 0 |
| Shoreward of the boundary line | 3 |
| Seaward of the boundary line | 4 |
| Average hours underway per day | 6.2 |

The 1 short trip under 4 hours is not on the form at all, and the three waters boxes add up to the total, as the instructions require.

## Common mistakes

- Leaving required boxes blank, or not giving all three measurements when tons are unknown.
- Claiming more days in a month than it has, or the same days on two vessels' forms.
- Covering more than five years on one form.
- Claiming near coastal or Great Lakes days without describing those waters.
- Filling the form in a web browser, where some fields do not save.

## Frequently asked questions

**Where do I get the form?**

From the National Maritime Center's forms page. This site does not host or bundle the form; its form fill works on a copy you downloaded yourself.

**Can I send a letter instead of the form?**

Yes, for vessels under 200 GRT a letter with the same information as the form is accepted.

**Is the form changing?**

The information collection behind it was renewed with changes in 2025 and 2026; the revision read for this guide is 12/25. Always download the current version before you fill it in.

## Sources

- [Small Vessel Sea Service Form (optional CG-719S), OMB 1625-0040](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/national_maritime_center/sea_service/), Department of Homeland Security, revision 12/25, OMB expiry 30 September 2028, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The fields, sections and privacy statement of the 12/25 revision.
- [Sea Service (crediting sea service, what counts as a day, completing the small vessel sea service form)](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/NMC/pdfs/professional_qualifications/crediting_sea_service.pdf), National Maritime Center, dated 12 August 2024, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Instructions and common errors for Sections I, II and III.
- [46 CFR 10.232, Sea service](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-46/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-10/subpart-B/section-10.232), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of 24 September 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Owner attestation and proof of ownership.

# Questions about Sea Time Ledger

URL: https://seatimeledger.app/faq/

## Answers

**Does Sea Time Ledger tell me whether I qualify for a license?**

No. Sea Time Ledger does not determine eligibility; the credentialing authority decides. It counts your logged days by the published day rule and shows them against the published service numbers, with the section cited, so you can see what is missing.

**Is this site part of the Coast Guard or the National Maritime Center?**

No. Sea Time Ledger is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the United States Coast Guard, the National Maritime Center or any other government body. It names them only to say whose rules and forms it describes.

**Where are my trips stored?**

Only in this browser, on this device. There is no account and nothing you log is uploaded. Export a backup file from the log page now and then, because clearing your browser's site data deletes the log.

**Do you ask for my Social Security number?**

Never. There is no field for it anywhere on the site, and the form fill leaves the name, reference number and Social Security number boxes for you to complete in your PDF reader.

**How does the site decide whether a day counts?**

On a vessel under 100 gross tons a day needs at least 4 hours underway, and on larger vessels 8 hours. Trips on one boat on one date are added together, a long day is never worth more than one day, and each calendar date counts once across all your vessels.

**What if my boat has no gross tons on its paperwork?**

Leave the box empty. The boat is then counted under the small vessel day rule, and its days add nothing above 25 tons toward a Master tonnage limit. The form asks for length, width and depth in that case, which you can enter on the vessel.

**Is the printed grid the official form?**

No. It is our own layout with the same fields, for copying into the form or attaching to a letter. You can also drop your own downloaded copy of the form onto the progress page and have the vessel boxes, the grid and the totals filled in, in your browser (Premium).

**Why does the recent service line show two numbers?**

The regulation asks for 90 days within 3 years of the application. A policy letter from September 2025 accepts 90 days within 7 years for national officer endorsements. The progress page shows both and uses the 7 year window for the gap.

**Can I import trips from a spreadsheet?**

Yes (Premium), from a CSV file with headings for the date, the vessel, the hours and the waters. Every row that cannot be read is listed with the reason, and vessels the log does not know are added. A row that matches a trip already in the log is skipped, so importing the same file twice adds nothing.

**Does the site give navigation or safety advice?**

No. It keeps records and does arithmetic. It says nothing about how to operate a vessel or which waters are safe.