I’m new to the yachting industry, but have 2.5+ years experience as an Alaskan commercial fisherman. What with all the relevant experience I have from those jobs, I would like to parlay that into my new seatime logbook. However, I can’t make sense of how to translate my fishing seatime into these yacht-based seatime forms.
Does anyone have experience with this? Thank you!
[QUOTE=Thomas Longbottom;122524]I’m new to the yachting industry, but have 2.5+ years experience as an Alaskan commercial fisherman. What with all the relevant experience I have from those jobs, I would like to parlay that into my new seatime logbook. However, I can’t make sense of how to translate my fishing seatime into these yacht-based seatime forms.
Does anyone have experience with this? Thank you![/QUOTE]
Are you from the U.K.? What is a “seatime logbook”? This forum is mostly peopled by U.S. merchant mariners. In the U.S. there is no distinction between time earned on yachts and commercial ships. There is no separate governing body for yachting licenses, there is only the Coast Guard.
The U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center has online information regarding the sea service forms required to get a license. There is a “small vessel sea service form” which can be filled out for any vessel under a certain size. ( I think it’s 200 GRT) You either need one of these Coast Guard sea service forms signed by the master of the vessels you served on, or the company you worked for has to give you a sea service letter with all of the proper information. You cannot self-report your sea service.
If you’re in the British Commonwealth, your questions may be better answered by the Royal Yachting Association.
You can “self-report” time on a small vessel sea service form as long as you can document it, either by a logbook or proof of ownership, etc…
[QUOTE=Azimuth;122555]You can “self-report” time on a small vessel sea service form as long as you can document it, either by a logbook or proof of ownership, etc…[/QUOTE]
That’s clearly not the case here. I meant his sea time.
[QUOTE=MariaW;122576]That’s clearly not the case here. I meant his sea time.[/QUOTE]
so did I, unless something has changed at NMC in the last several years. Maybe I should rephrase…I was able to get sea time credit for time spent on a private vessel under 100tons on a Small Vessel Sea Service Form, and if properly documented I would think anyone else could too.
[QUOTE=“Azimuth;122589”]
so did I, unless something has changed at NMC in the last several years. Maybe I should rephrase…I was able to get sea time credit for time spent on a private vessel under 100tons on a Small Vessel Sea Service Form, and if properly documented I would think anyone else could too.[/QUOTE]
She mentioned the small vessel sea service form earlier but that is only “self reporting” if you are the owner. If you aren’t you need to get it signed by the owner or master.
It didn’t sound like Mr. Longbottom was the owner of the vessels he served on.
Yeah but on small vessels the form is applicable with the owners validation, rather than getting a normal sea-time letter.
[QUOTE=z-drive;122603]Yeah but on small vessels the form is applicable with the owners validation, rather than getting a normal sea-time letter.[/QUOTE]
Yes, like I said previously, the small vessels form is one of two options. We don’t know what size vessel Mr. Longbottom served on, so we don’t know if the small vessel sea service form applies. If it applies he still has to get it signed by the Master, Operator, or Owner. He was probably not the owner, and so can’t self report his sea time.
Thanks everybody. The vessels I’ve worked on are all under 60 feet.
I’ve learned since the original post that it all depends on who is reviewing your sea time. To be best prepared, document your sea time while working on your vessel, and complete the USCG small vessel form as well as the UK version of this form. In some instances, an official testimonial letter from the owner of the vessel is sufficient. In others, a properly stamped log book, completed sea service forms, and discharge papers are necessary. When in doubt, over-document.
For anyone else trying to figure out the sea time documentation, here are links to the referenced USCG and UK sea time forms:
http://www.uscg.mil/forms/cg/cg_719s.pdf
From personal experience, it is a large pain in the arse to try and collect this information after the fact. Do your homework!