---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 7311"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "7311"
heading: "Able seamen—sail"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/7311"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen"
  - "Part E — Merchant Seamen Licenses, Certificates, and Documents"
  - "Chapter 73 — Merchant Mariners’ Documents"
---

# §7311. Able seamen—sail


For service on a [sailing school vessel](/usc/46/2101.md?p=42) on any waters, an individual may be rated as able [seaman](/usc/46/10101.md?p=3)—sail if the individual has at least 6 months’ service on deck on [sailing school vessels](/usc/46/2101.md?p=42), [oceanographic research vessels](/usc/46/2101.md?p=26) powered primarily by sail, or equivalent sailing vessels operating on the oceans or [navigable waters of the United States](/usc/46/2101.md?p=25) (including the [Great Lakes](/usc/46/9301.md?p=2)).


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 543.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |
| --- | --- |
| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
| 7311 | 46:672(b)(4) |

Section 7311 establishes the minimum service requirements for an individual to qualify as able seamen—sail on board sailing vessels.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Apr. 15, 1984, see section 2(g)(1) of Pub. L. 98–89, set out as a note under section 3101 of this title.