The Captain's Ledger Blog

Guides and answers on sea time, USCG captain's licenses, licensing forms, maritime training, and life on the water.

Sea Time Logbook: 12 Details to Record After Every Trip

Build a sea time logbook you can actually use later. Record these 12 trip details to organize your boating history and prepare for USCG paperwork.

A simple overview of the path from recreational boater to licensed captain — broken into eight clear steps.

Lifetime sea time isn't the whole story — why recent sea service matters and how the moving three-year window can catch applicants off guard.

Weekend fishing trips may be building qualifying sea service — what matters, what to record, and how anglers accumulate real experience.

You can't simply pick the biggest number — how vessel experience shapes the tonnage of the Master credential you may qualify for.

The biggest variable is your existing sea service — how starting experience, documentation and training shape the timeline to an OUPV license.

Qualifying recreational boating on your own vessel may count toward a USCG captain's license. Here's how owner-operated sea service works.

Compare the OUPV 6-Pack and USCG Master captain's licenses — passenger limits, tonnage, sea service, and which credential fits your goals.

What the USCG CG-719S Small Vessel Sea Service Form is, what information you'll need, who signs it, and how to prepare your sea-time records.

The sea-service numbers behind the OUPV 6-Pack license — 360 days total, 90 recent — and how to start documenting your boating experience.

What actually counts as sea service for a USCG captain's license — including recreational boating, the 4-hour rule, and how to document your days.