Sea Time and Logbooks: Record It or Lose It
Your future certificates depend on documented sea service. How to log it correctly from your first day.
Why it matters
Every progression ticket — deck, engineering or master — requires verified sea service. Undocumented time is time you did not do.
What to record
- Vessel name, flag, gross tonnage and length
- Dates on and off
- Your rank
- Days actually on board, and days underway
- Captain's signature and vessel stamp
Tools
A Discharge Book issued by your flag state, plus a service record book or testimonial letters. Keep a personal spreadsheet as backup and photograph every signed page.
Get signatures before you leave
Chasing a former captain for a stamp six months later is a well-known misery. Sign off properly on your last day, every time.
Watchkeeping and passages
If you are working towards a deck ticket, record watch hours and passage details separately. Training Record Books have specific requirements — read them before the season, not after.
Store it safely
Cloud backup plus a physical folder ashore. Discharge books get lost, and replacements take months.