[Capt. Debbie]

As they said, it's self documenting on your own boat.

With someone else's boat, they sign off on an affidavit of the seadays in that month and year and on what size boat you were on and where run.

Size of boat matters as it is key to Master's tonnage ratings you are ultimatley elligible for.

The USCG forms looks at # of sea days in that month/year you did it. Not exact date and time. Download the form you will see. And on another's boat the same stuff, boat description, where boat runs to classigy you in the ratings.

OUPV has no tonnage ratings and is in my opinion the harder exam. In addition to NJ and NY Boater Safety Certif course I also do USCG test tutoring there for that same reason. It's a tough exam. Especially the navigation part. I had advantage as an engineer back in the day with knowledge of vectors. Otherwise it very very tough.

My OUPV was self taught( no internet then- just floppy disks) with Houston Marine and the final OUPV exam was at USCG in Battery Park. My Masters USCG upgrade was with a NJ Fishing.Com Sponsor's on line course.

Any questions, feel free to ask.