by the numbers

Those of you who know me, know that I am a numbers guy.  It should come as no surprise that I have several spreadsheets going as we make this voyage.  Below is a small glimpse of what we are tracking.  This is part of a larger spreadsheet that details all of the voyaging we have been doing and providing running totals on hours, miles and days (email me if you're interested in an actual copy of the spreadsheet, I'm not sure about posting the whole thing on here).

The purpose of this sheet goes beyond me geeking out over all of the numbers.  It also helps me track the hours and days towards getting a Coast Guard license. The most common license is the National Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessel of less than 100 GRT.  This is what was commonly referred to as a "six-pack" license.   It requires that the holder have 360 days of sea time with at least 90 of those within the last 3 years.  For those of us earning that time on our own boats, we are required to fill out Coast Guard Form 7195 which involves counting the days each month spent underway as well as the total number on the Great Lakes and shoreward and seaward of the "boundary line defined in 46 CFR Part 7".  

Anyone who can fill out this form without a spreadsheet like the one I am using is probably making some guesses.  Hopefully they aren't required to provide proof of the service they claim.  I will have a log book that backs up all of my claims.