The Coast Guard requires that you have at least 360 days on the water since you were 16 years old. 90 of those days need to be in the last three years, this is referred to as recency. One day counts as a minimum of 4 hours on the water. You cannot have more than one day within a 24-hour time period.

A day of sea service is any day that a mariner served upon a vessel in an assigned position in either the deck or engineering department of a vessel (not a passenger). The position may include duties such as: handling lines, being a lookout, steering the boat, and other navigational or propulsion functions.

(OUPV) OPERATOR OF UNINSPECTED PASSENGER VESSELS: Commonly called a 6-pack. (Restricted to 6 passengers or less) You must be at least 18 years old. At least 90 days of the 360 days needs to be in Ocean or Near Coastal waters or credential will be limited to inland waters only. Limited to vessels of less than 100TN.

You must have at least 720 days of sea time with 360 days out on the ocean for Near Coastal. If you have at least 720 days on the water with 360 days on the ocean or near coastal waters and 90 of those days are in the last 3 years you can qualify for a 100 ton master near coastal.

For each vessel, the letter must provide: • vessel name • official number • vessel type • propulsion type • tonnage • engine horsepower (when applicable) • the beginning date of service • the end date of service • number of underway days.

• Sea service documentation must contain vessel information such as the name of each vessel or its official number, the period of time the mariner was assigned to each vessel, horsepower, tonnage, area of operation, rating for enlisted or rank for officers, and position held while assigned to a vessel.