sea-time for licence

[LyssaB]

Hi everyone ... I just joined because I am seeking some advise and it seems that you may be able to provide some guidance. I have spent a lot of time around boats - everything from 20 ft personal / pleasure boats to 100 ft party boats. I recently decided that I want to get my captains licence. I work full-time, so it is something I'll need to do in my "spare-time". Anyway - my problem is that I have never actually operated a boat, don't own a boat and I just moved away from the people who I know with boats. Can anyone suggest ways that I can obtain my "sea-time".

[Deep C]

Get a copy of the sea time log page from an application and make up a zillion copies. When you get some time on a boat log it. Go back to the ones you can remember and that will remember you and log time from them. Build up a pile. Years back we needed to have all kinds of notary stuff and it was more difficult than now but I walked into that office with an inch of sea service forms properly done. It wasn't pretty but it got the job done. Good luck.

[KEY-LIME-PIE]

FIRST OFF WELCOME ABOARD WE LOVE TO SEE NEW PEOPLE HERE. I BELIVE YOU'LL STAY FOR A WHILE. 2ND, YOU NEED 360 DAYS OF SEA SERVICE TIME IN THE LAST THREE YEARS TO OBTAIN YOUR CAPTAINS LICENSE. HOWEVER YOU HAVE HAD BOATS IN THE PAST. YOU CAN GET A COPY OF THE REGISTRATIONS ON ALL THE BOATS THAT YOU HAVE OWNED FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES. ADD UP THE DAYS YOU THINK YOU SPENT ON THE WATER AND GO FROM THERE. ITS NOT EASY ESPECIALLY THE PAPER WORK FOR THE COAST GUARD. BUT WE ARE HERE TO HELP, SEVERAL OF HAVE JUST GONE THROUGH THAT PROCESS INCLUDING MYSELF...ITS WORTH IT. ALSO GET TO KNOW SOME OF THE PEOPLE AROUND THIS SITE. WE'LL BE GLAD TO HAVE YOU COME OUT BOATING /FISHING WITH US. TOM...KEY-LIME-PIE

[Chilli]

Welcome... Glad to have you aboard.

In reguards to you time records you will have to construct a history for the coast guard to review. In order to do this you will have to have the names of the boats you worked on, the time served, the capacity you served in and a signature from the owner/master of the vessel. You will also need some specific physical information for each vessel. Since your history goes back quite a ways, this will probably mean some substantial leg work and a lot of self address stamped envolopes....

This is the form that the CG requires you to submit.

http://www.uscg.mil/STCW/download-docs/cg719s.pdf

You will need to fill out this form for each and every boat that you served time on...

Hope this helps point you in the right direction...

Check this USCG webpage out... Lots of info on licensing here.

http://www.uscg.mil/STCW/

Good luck and be sure to let us know how you are making out.

[LyssaB]

Hey guys ... thank you for the advise / guidance, but it isn't exactly what I was looking for. I'll clarify: I have spent a lot of time on/around boats as a passenger, I never actually worked on or operated a boat. (basically - my ex-bf has his 100 Ton, we dated for over 5 years, before that, I spent a lot of time with someone who owned a 48ft boat) So, I need to find a way to obtain my sea-time ... some willing to "show me the ropes". I was advised by one person to call up local charter boat owners, but I don't know how receptive they would be. Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas? Thanks!

[Double D]

Sounds to me like you will either need to buy/borrow a boat and start logging some time, or take a job on a charter/headboat. The intent of the sea time is that you gain experience in operating a vessel, which is easiest done on your own boat if you are not in a position to work on the water. If you can find a charter captain that would be willing to give you some "wheel time", that would probably work as well.

The captains license test is not hard, but it is just a piece of paper if you don't have the skill and experience to safely take paying customers out...

[Chilli]

Believe it or not your time that you've spent aboard those boats is usefull in obtaining your licence. In the eyes of the coast guard, "Time Served" can be read as "Time Aboard". If you where aboard that vessel and the owner/operator/master will sign off on it, it will count twards your sea time. Its not a bad practice to get into filling out the form frequently whenever you've "served some time".

I understand your perdicament about actually gaining "useful" time. There a large difference between a passive boat ride and actually developing boating skills. Not knowing your local or access to boats its hard to suggest a productive avenue for you. Perhaps you could supply us with a bit more knowledge about your location and other pertinant information. It would make suggesting oportunites much easier.

As far as approaching local charter captains, it can't hurt to try. Just be sure to market yourself approriately and you may find success.

Some other avenues you may want to look into are Boat delivery company's, Tour boats, water taxi's, sight seeing tours, etc. All of these require a crew. As a crew member you will be in a position to gain some useful knowledge that would certainly further your cause.

[Deep C]

Just obtain the sea service forms, fill them out and go back to the boat owners to have them sign off. That time I do not belive has to be compensated/ paid time. I could be wrong but I believe it counts. To maintain the ticket you need 360 in five years. The original ticket I don't think requires that time frame...
To get more time: Me, I took summer jobs on party boats as a kid and used that for much of my base time... Good experience in learning to deal with tangles and hot tempers too. Post partyboat work was easy after that.

[LyssaB]

Thank you! I didn't know that time as a passenger could be counted! That will at least shave off some of the time I need. Do I need to be specific regarding dates/times - or can I simply estimate the number of days? I can probably mail the form to my ex and get him to sign off on the time.

I am from Central Jersey - I work in Monmouth County (just north of the Shark River Inlet) and just moved to Southern Ocean County (Tuckerton/Little Egg Harbor). I pretty much work 9-5, so I would be available evenings and weekends.

Thank you for your suggestions and feel free to keep 'em coming! I actually know of a water taxi in the area.

[Fish Tale Charters]

LyssaB, take a look at the form that Chilli has in his first post click on that. It will ask for number of days within a month and and the year it was served. So for July you may have something like this. 2003/10, 2004/20, 2005/15 Look at the form it will make some sence. Also you will need to have the owner of any vessel you served time on sign for the hours. That needs to be taken to a public Notery and stamped.

Any time that you served on a vessel that you can show owner ship of you can document that on the service form and you just need to show your documentation or registration.

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