Notice to Mariners - How long kept aboard?

**Jolly Tar** · April 7th, 2008, 05:05 PM

I've recently switched boats. On last boat we kept a running year's worth of NTMs aboard. New one would come in (NTM 14/08), I'd remove last year's (NTM 14/07) from the binder. On new boat, there is a stash of NTMs going back to 2006. What is the guidance and where can I find it so it can be cited? Thanks, John sends

**Capt. Lee** · April 8th, 2008, 03:48 AM

Jolly Tar- I contacted the Navigation Center this morning and they are researching it. That's what I was told. I called three times. I am close to 100% sure it is only necessary to carry 6 months worth of NTM, but now I want to know where to find it. I have been looking but have been unable to see it in black and white. Notice to Mariners 33 CFR 66.05-30 also Local Notice to Mariners 33 CFR 72.01-5 and 72.01-10. Neither one clearly said how long they should be carried onboard. This is their web site. I also e-mailed them so hopefully I will get a response shortly. <A href="http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/lnm/]http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/lnm/</A> Also Look at 33CFR 164.70 under currently corrected and 33 CFR 164.33 Charts and publications. The number I called was 703-313-5900 That is the Navigation Information Service. If I find out anything I will let you know.

**Kingfysh** · April 8th, 2008, 07:16 AM

You keep your NTM's until a summary is published. Once you recieve the summary you can throw away all the NTM's that it covers. Also, if you make a mistake you can download them off the internet, you can even sign up to have them emailed to you. Which I did on one ship and then just saved them all in one folder.

**Capt. Lee** · April 8th, 2008, 08:20 AM

Kingfysh-We are looking for guidance not he said or that is how we always did it. Where is the guidance for Local Notice to Mariners?

**Jolly Tar** · April 8th, 2008, 09:40 AM

To clarify, I am looking for specific references to just what the requirements are. ISM audits are frequent here. Here comes the inspector and he asks "How come you only have 6 mos of NTM issues?" I say "Because CFR yadda yadda states: xyz, that's why." And then he wants to go to the galley cuz' we dazzled him with details he was even interested in... Anyhoo, ALL input is welcome. John sends

**Capt. Lee** · April 8th, 2008, 10:07 AM

Also, Look at 46 CFR, 97.05-Notice to Mariners and Aids to Navigation, but it does not specifically say a time frame.

**Jeffrox** · April 8th, 2008, 10:34 AM

What Kingfysh writes is exactly correct and is also the "Guidance" you seek. I don't have a NTM or a summary of same handy, but I believe the instructions are in the front of the summaries. If you hold the summary, (for a specific region), and all the subsequent NTM's, how could any inspector question the fact that you hold ALL the corrections for ANY chart in the region you sail in? If you were sailing on on a vessel the sailed worldwide you would carry all the summaries and, (5 I think), and the subsequent NTM's.
I also think Local NTMs also have such instructions/guidance written into them. The only time that carrying only 6 months of NTMs will be the "right answer" during an inspection is if all the charts on board are less than six month old in edition date, or a similar scenario.

**Jeffrox** · April 8th, 2008, 01:54 PM

Here's the guidance from chapters 3 and 4 of the Bible, Bowditch- Publication 9, printed and distributed by the U.S. <A class=l onmousedown="return clk(this.href,'','','res','1','')" href="http://www.nga.mil/]National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency</A>, the same folks that produce and/or distribute charts, publications and the NTM. 
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