Form CG-719S: Small Vessel Sea Service

How to Properly Record Your Sea Service on CG-719S

Click below to download the boating experience form 👇 

Small Vessel Sea Service Form (CG-719S) 

What form do you use to record sea service time for the USCG?  

To document your experience on the water, use the Small Vessel Sea Service Form (CG-719S) and record, to the best of your recollection, the number of days that you were on the water in any given month and year.  

The Coast Guard is not looking for law books or official records to certify this time. If you have these documents and records, great! You can use them to reconstruct the time you've spent on the water. If you don't have them, don't worry. 

How do I complete this form?

To complete the form, use an Adobe PDF application. Alternatively, you can print the form, manually fill it out, scan it back into a PDF format, and save the file with the appropriate name. 

Once completed, save the document to your desktop using the following file name format: LAST NAME_FIRST NAME_MARINER REFERENCE NUMBER (Note: Original applicants will not have a Mariner Reference Number yet). 

🎥 Watch this video for more information on documenting your boating experience. 

How many CG-719S forms do I need to complete?  

You must complete a separate Small Vessel Sea Service Form (CG-719S) for each vessel you are claiming experience on. Each form covers a single vessel for up to a 5-year period. If you have experience on multiple vessels, you will need to complete a form for each one. Similarly, if you are documenting time on one vessel over a span exceeding 5 years, you will need to fill out additional forms - for example, two CG-719S forms for a 10-year period. 

What information do I need to include on CG-719S?

The documentary evidence you submit must include details about the amount and nature of your experience, the vessel name, gross tonnage, official numbers, the routes where the experience was acquired, and the approximate dates of service. It is essential to carefully read and complete all sections of the form as required. Incomplete submissions or missing information will result in the rejection of the form and the associated sea service credit. 

Section I: Applicant Information

What do I fill out for Section I: Application Information?

Section 1: Application Information on CG-719S is where mariners document personal details, vessel information, and a description of the waters on which their experience was obtained. 

Below are key guidelines and common mistakes to avoid:

1. One Vessel per Form

   • Each CG-719S form must correspond to a single vessel; multiple vessels on one form will not be accepted
   • This form is only for vessels 200 GRT or less; for vessels greater than 200 GRT, use an approved alternate method

2. Vessel Name

   • Provide the vessel's documented name. If undocumented, include a name and have the form attested by a third party (not the applicant).
   • If no documented name exists, the vessel name field may be left blank

3. Official or State Registration Number

   • Provide the correct official number or state registration number; fabricating or misidentifying a number will result in rejection.
4. Gross Tonnage (GT)
   • For endorsements over 25 GRT, include the vessel's GRT or provide width, length, and depth for calculation.
   • A general formula you can follow is (Length x Width x Depth x 0.67) ÷ 100

5. Served As

   • If you were working professionally, indicate the service department (deck, steward, or engine)
   • If multiple departments are listed, service time will be divided equally unless broken down specifically
   • Avoid listing "owner" as a position; this is not an acceptable role; an alternative can be operator 

6. Bodies of Water

   • Describe the waters (e.g. “Chesapeake Bay”) where the vessel operated
     • Be more specific than stating the Atlantic Ocean; mention buoys, landmarks, or other descriptive features 
   • Inland waters include lakes, bays, sounds, rivers, and inter-coastal waterways

7. Propulsion Type

   • For auxiliary sail endorsements, specify the vessel's propulsion type.

Common Errors to Avoid

• Leaving fields blank, especially required fields
• Claiming "owner" as a position served
• Listing engineer service on a vessel without an engine room
• Omitting required vessel measurements (length, width, depth)
• Claiming service on vessels over 200 GRT using this form
• Mislabeling waters (e.g., claiming Great Lakes or near coastal waters without matching descriptions)
• Including information for someone other than the applicant
• Providing invalid or missing vessel registry numbers

Ensure all details are accurate and complete to avoid rejection of your application.

Section II: Record of Underway Services

What do I fill out for Section II: Record of Underway Service?  

Section II: Record of Underway Service is where you count your days of experience; treat it like a calendar. Based on your best recollection, list the number of days that you were underway for each month of each year. 

Once you complete the blocks assigning days to the appropriate months and years, you will move down to the bottom of the page.

• Total number of days severed on this vessel: Add up all the days above for a grand total in this box
• Average hours underway (per day): Most CG Regional Exam Centers (RECs) accept 4 hours as one day for licenses such as OUPV/Six-Pack or 25/50/100 Ton Master. No credit will be given for periods less than 4 hours.
• Average distance offshore: If you spend time out in the ocean, you will put your average distance offshore
• Number of days served on Great Lakes: Add up any days in your above calendar and put the days served on any of the 5 Great Lakes (Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and/or Ontario)
• Number of days served on waters shoreward of the boundary line as defined in 46 CFR Part 7: Add up any days in your above calendar and put the days served on inland waterways
• Number of days served on waters seaward of the boundary line as defined in 46 CFR Part 7: Add up any days in your above calendar and put the days served outside the boundary line

💡 TIP! Ensure the right column boxes for the number of days served on the Great Lakes, shoreward, and seaward match the left box total for the number of days served on this vessel. 

To remain consistent across multiple forms, if serving on multiple vessels in the same month, ensure the total number of days recorded across all forms does not exceed the actual number of days in that month. 

Common Errors to Avoid

• Using shorthand: Avoid lines, arrows, or repetitive shorthand. Individually record each month and year
• Overestimating days: Do not claim more days than a month contains (e.g., 31 days in February)
• Overlapping service on multiple vessels: For example, do not claim 25 days for "Vessel A" and another 25 days for "Vessel B" during March if only 31 days exist
• Unrealistic patterns: Repeating identical days for long periods (e.g., claiming 30 days every month for 5 years) may result in an Awaiting Information Letter from the National Maritime Center

Section III: Signature and Verification

What do I fill out for Section III: Signature and Verification?

Section III: Signature and Verification is where the applicant documents their sea service experience by attesting to the accuracy of the information provided. This section must be signed by both the applicant and the vessel owner, operator, or master. If the applicant is the vessel owner, proof of ownership, such as state registration, vessel documentation, proof of insurance, or a bill of sale, must be included.

The applicant will always sign and date this section. If the applicant owns the vessel, proof of ownership should clearly indicate the applicant's name and the vessel's official or state registration number. If the vessel is owned by a company, proof of ownership of the company, such as articles of incorporation, must be provided.

If the applicant is not the vessel owner, the owner, operator, or master must sign, date, and provide their address and phone number. If the applicant is the master of the vessel but not the owner, they cannot attest to their own service. In this case, the vessel owner must complete the days underway section and sign this part of the form, providing their contact details as required.

Common Errors to Avoid

• Not signing and dating each form submitted 
• Printing the applicant's name instead of signing as the applicant 
• The applicant signing as a person attesting to experience 
• Not providing legible required contact information for the person attesting 
• Not providing an address and/or phone contact for the person attesting 
• The applicant failing to sign after obtaining the signature of someone to attest to their service 

Where can I see the boundary lines for my area?

The country's boundary lines can be viewed here. If you are located in the Gulf of Mexico, check out this article for more specific details. 

How can I calculate my tonnage of my vessel?

Look over this guideline document on calculating the tonnage of a vessel you are claiming time on.  

How do I document my military sea service time?  

Military sea service may be counted towards the sea service required to become a mariner. This military sea service is only part of the evaluation process. Documentation is key and must be submitted with the MMC application package to the National Maritime Center. 

The following military service is evaluated in accordance with 46 Code of Federal Regulations 10.232 and Marine Safety Manual Vol III, Part A, Chapter II: 

• Vessel name 
• GRT or displacement tonnage 
• Propulsion power 
• Dates assigned to the vessel 
• Position served (BMC, SK1, LT, etc.) 

Per 46 CFR 10.232(d), as interpreted in Marine Safety Manual Chapter 2, military evaluations require the applicant to provide a Transcript of Sea Service (TOSS), History of Assignments, or acceptable military tracking software printout documenting all information required by 46 CFR 10.232(a). 

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. 

• A DD-214 form will not be accepted to document sea service because it does not include all the required information 
• Shipboard- or Unit-generated letters may only be used to document service for the currently assigned vessel or unit, provided it is signed by the commanding officer. It cannot provide past sea service and vessel information.  

Sea service MAY be creditable for up to approximately 70 percent (60 percent plus 25 percent of time assigned to a vessel other than while underway) of time served onboard vessels, provided your service started prior to March 24, 2014. If service is after March 24, 2014, it will be credited at 60 percent. 

Individuals who have the qualifying service as indicated above are eligible for this consideration regardless of present status. Therefore, active-duty members, reservists, retirees, recently separated personnel, and civilian mariners with qualifying service on uniformed service vessels are eligible to be considered under these provisions. 

 📑 You can read more on this here.

How can I calculate the sea service needed for renewal?

The Merchant Mariner Sea Service Renewal Calculator is designed to help you determine if you meet the sea service requirements for renewing your Master and OUPV credentials. For vessels under 200 GRT, vessel owners can attest to their own service and must provide proof of ownership. For more details on other acceptable service documentation, please refer to 46 CFR 10.232.

Keep in mind that the sea service time entered must have been completed within the past five years to count toward the 360-day requirement. Actual credit for sea service is based on the date of your application.