yacht master 500

MCA Master (Yachts less than 500gt/3000gt) Certification & Requirements

Work towards your master (yachts <500gt/3000gt) certificate of competency.

To command vessels up to 500gt/3000gt commercially, you’ll need a Master (Yachts less than 500gt/3000gt) Certificate of Competency.

Proficiency for Persons in Charge of Medical Care on Board Ship

Celestial Navigation Refresher and Exam

• Human Element, Leadership and Management (Management Level)

• Stability (Master Yachts)

• Seamanship and Meteorology (Master Yachts)

• Business and Law (Master Yachts)

Navigation, Radar and ARPA Simulator (Master Yachts)

Orals Preparation Master (Yachts <500gt/3000gt)

Why master (yacht<500gt/3000gt), about the course.

Before you can obtain the Certificate of Competency, you will be required to complete a number of Master (Yacht) and MCA Ancillary courses before you can sit the Master (Yachts less than 500gt/3000gt) Certificate of Competency oral examination.

Required modules & certifications

Required certification course modules:.

• Navigation, ARPA and Radar Simulator (Master Yachts)

Required ancillary course modules:

• Proficiency for Persons in Charge of Medical Care on Board Ship (STCW A-VI/4-2)
• Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS)
• Celestial Navigation Exam (MCA Approved)

Recommended additional course modules:

• Orals Preparation Master (Yachts <500gt/3000gt)

To qualify for the Master (Yachts <500gt/3000gt) Certificate of Competency Oral examination you will be required to hold the pass certificates from the training courses above and also meet the following entry requirements.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for master (yachts <500gt) certificate of competency (coc) oral examination.

• Have a minimum of 12 months Onboard Yacht Service as a Deck Officer, including not less than 120 days Watchkeeping Service, in vessels of 15 metres or over in load line length whilst holding an accepted OOW STCW Reg. II/1 (Yachts <3000gt) CoC.
• Have fully met the education and training requirements for the issue of the MCA Chief Mate STCW Reg. II/2 (Yachts <3000gt) CoC.
• Hold all of the pass certificates for the training required to obtain the Master (Yachts <500gt) CoC (please find required training modules above).

Entry Requirements for Master (Yachts <3000gt) Certificate of Competency (CoC) Oral Examination

• Have a minimum of 24 months Onboard Yacht Service as a Deck Officer, including not less than 240 days Watchkeeping Service whilst holding an accepted OOW STCW Reg. II/1 (Yachts less than 3000gt) CoC. All of this service must be completed in vessels of 15 metres or over in load line length and include 12 months in vessel of 24 metres or over in load line length, or 6 months in vessels of 500gt or more.
• Hold a Certificate of Proficiency for Person in Charge of Medical Care on Board Ship (STCW A-VI/4-2)
• Hold either a MCA Master STCW Reg. II/2 (Yachts <500gt) or have passed all written examinations and short courses required for the issue of that certificate. Note : As training module pass certificates are valid for three years, candidates are advised to obtain the MCA Master (Yachts <500gt) CoC where circumstances may preclude them from attempting the Master (Yachts <3000gt) oral examination before the modules expire.
• Pass the Master (Yachts <3000gt) oral examination

Please Note: The above entry requirements are not required to attend the training courses for Master (Yachts <500gt/3000gt), However are required to apply for your Notice of Eligibility (NoE) and sit the final CoC Oral Examination. Full details can be found on the MCA Oral Examination Form  MSF 4343 .

For full Training and Certification Guidance of the UK requirements of Deck Officers on Large Yachts (over 24m) please refer to  MSN 1858 .

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• STCW Competency courses
• STCW Officer & Master 500gt

Officer of the watch and Master 500GT for Commercial Yachting

With a professional licence commercial yachting one is allowed to commercially sail with yachts up to 500 gt with a maximum of 12 paying passengers. NaviClass is recognized by the Belgian Maritime Administration to organize these courses ( according to Royal Decree 22/08/2020 amended april 2024).

Target group 

• Officer of the watch coastal (< 200 NM)
• Master coastal (< 200 NM)
• Officer of the watch Ocean  (unlimited)
• Master Ocean (unlimited)

Prior knowledge

To participate, you must have a STCW Master 200GT certificate or equivalent.

* OOW module (<200NM)

5 days – Price € 1.515,- incl VAT

• Navigation (part 1)
• Seamanship & Meteorology ( part 1)
• Ship construction and stability (part 1)
• Regulations and documents (part 1 and part 2)
• OOW written exam

Minimum 4 students.  

* OOW Final assessment

1 day – Price € 375,- incl VAT

• OOW practical exam

* RADAR/ARPA module (II/2 management level)

3 days – Price € 1.450,- incl VAT

• Radar/Arpa theory – 1 day
• Practical exercises in bridge simulation (Antwerp Maritime Academy) – 2 days
• Practical evaluation

Minimum 4 students.

4 days – Price € 1.360,-  incl VAT

• Ship construction and stability (part 2)
• Regulations and documents (part 2)
• Crisis Management and Human Behaviour
• Passenger Ship Crowd management training
• Master written exam

Minimum 4 students.

* OOW/Master Ocean Upgrade module 

5 days – Price € 1.550, – incl. VAT

• Celestial navigation (part 2)
• Seamanship & Meteorology (part 2)
• Great circle navigation (part 3)
• Ocean upgrade exam

* Ocean Final assessment

1 day – Price € 485, – incl. VAT

• Ocean upgrade practical exam

Additional requirements

To apply for the Belgian COC you need to fulfil to following requirements:

– NaviClass OOW & Master modules (II/1 & II/2)

– STCW Basic Safety (VI/1-1,1-2,1-3,1-4)

• Personal Survival Techniques (VI/1-1) (to be refreshed every 5 years)
• Fire Fighting and Prevention (VI/1-2) (to be refreshed every 5 years)
• Elementary first aid (VI/1-3)
• Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (VI/1-4)

– STCW Security Awareness (VI/4-1)

– STCW Medical First Aid (VI/4-1)

– STCW Medical Care (VI/4-2) ( only for unlimited)

– STCW Advanced Fire Fighting (VI/3)

– STCW Rescue boats other than fast rescue boats (VI/2-1)

– GMDSS GOC (to be revalidated every 5 years)

– STCW Medical Fitness (doctors approved by Belgian Maritime Administration)

– Proof of seatime ( 1 year for OOW500 + training book, 3 extra years as OOW500 for Master500) (to be recorded on Certificates of Service)

Application and admission

After registering via the login button, we need to check if you fulfill to the minimum requirements. For that you need to send an e-mail to [email protected] This mail should contain your contact information, your certificates (in PDF) and a nautical CV.

Since there are similar certificates in several IMO countries, the NaviClass evaluation committee will decide whether you can start this program and / or you can obtain an exemption for a specific training module.

Certification

For each course you’ve completed, you will get a NaviClass certificate. This certificate, along with your STCW safety certificates, GMDSS certificate, certificates of service and medical fitness certificate must be delivered to the Belgian Maritime Administration (for more details please contact [email protected] ). They will assess your file and provide the STCW certificate of competence for commercial yachting.

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Theory courses

• STCW OOW & Master Commercial Yachting 200GT/2,5 – 24m up to 30 NM
• STCW Estuary Shipping
• STCW Rating FPNW
• Practical Sail and Power
• STCW Basic safety training
• STCW (Refresher) Personal Survival Techniques
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Certification for Deck Officers on Commercial and Private yachts

Guidance for applying for a Deck CoC for Commercial and Private Yachts.

Applying for a Deck Commercial and Private Yachts CoC

To apply for a deck officer CoC specific to Yachts, please use form MSF 4343 .

Detailed information and guidance about yacht training and certification is available in MSN 1858 Amendment 1 .

Click here for the Yacht OOW less than 3000GT training record book . More information can be found in MSN 1858 Amendment 1 which details the sea service requirements for OOW Yachts that may grant an exemption from completing the TRB

Exam Syllabuses

Exam Syllabuses can be found on the MCA examination syllabuses page.

For Oral Exam Syllabuses please refer to UK seafarer careers: Training provision, information and examination syllabuses - Oral exam syllabuses

For written Exam Syllabuses please refer to UK seafarer careers: Training provision, information and examination syllabuses - written exam syllabuses .

New Sea Time Requirements

All seagoing service on board Yachts should be approved by either;

• Nautilus International (Nautilus)
• Professional Yachting Association (PYA)

Failure to do this can cause severe delays of around 160 days. Further information can be found in MIN 543

Conversions to a Yacht CoC

These conversions are subject to change, however your requirements will be listed on your NOE.

If you would like to obtain a Master yachts, less than 3,000 GT, II/2, Certificate of Competency, with the exception of ‘Celestial Navigation’, all IAMI written examinations must be passed prior to the issue of your Notice of Eligibility (NOE).

‘Celestial Navigation’ training module passes are valid for 1 year. All other yacht training module and examination certificates are valid for 3 years. The training module pass certificate must be in date at the time of the issue of the Certificate of Competency.

Seagoing service definitions for this conversion section can be found in MSN 1858 Amendment 1 .

The Ancillary Course Certificate Table on this page lists the ancillary and safety courses applicable to each yacht CoC .

All the references to a CoC or FSE pertain to those issued by the MCA unless otherwise started.

Conversions from a Fishing CoC

Conversion a.

If you hold a United Kingdom (UK) Class 1 (fishing vessel) CoC you must meet the following requirements to obtain a Master (code vessels less than 200 GT unlimited area) Officer of the Watch (yachts less than 500 GT) CoC :

• Hold the applicable ancillary technical and safety course certificates listed in Table A;
• Hold a valid ENG1 (Medical Fitness Certificate) or accepted equivalent.

Conversion B

If you hold a UK Class 1 (fishing vessel) CoC you must meet the following requirements to obtain a Master (yachts less than 500 GT) CoC :

• Business and Law (Master Yachts);
• Navigation, Radar and ARPA Simulator (Master Yachts);
• Pass the IAMI Celestial Navigation written examination;
• Hold a valid ENG1 (medical fitness certificate) or accepted equivalent;
• Pass the Master (yachts less than 500 GT) oral examination (to include command elements of Oral examination for Master Code Vessel less than 200 GT).

If you hold an Irish Deck Class 1 or Class 2 (fishing vessel) CoC you will be eligible to apply for the United Kingdom Fishing Class 1 (fishing vessel) CoC , provided that you meet the relevant sea time requirements. After you complete all of the requirements to obtain a UK Class 1 (fishing vessel) CoC , you will eligible to apply for conversions A and B.

Conversion C

If you hold a UK Class 2 (fishing vessel) or Second Hand Full (fishing vessel) CoC you must meet the following requirements to obtain a Master (Code vessels less than 200 GT not more than 150 miles from safe haven) Officer of the Watch (yachts less than 500 GT) CoC :

Conversions from an OOW II/1 CoC or FSE

Conversion d.

If you hold a UK OOW unlimited, regulation II/1 CoC you must meet the following requirements to obtain a Master (code vessels less than 200 GT unlimited area) CoC :

• 3 months’ seagoing service on vessels of between 15 metres and 24 metres or under 200 GT.
• Hold a valid ENG1 (Medical Fitness Certificate) or accepted equivalent;
• Pass MCA oral examination for the Master (Code vessels less than 200 GT) oral examination.

Seagoing service for the Master code less than 200GT CoC can be in the form of seagoing service testimonials or a company letter signed by the owner or operator. This cannot be self-certified.

Conversion E

If you hold an OOW unlimited, Regulation II/1 that is eligible to obtain an FSE you must meet the following requirements to obtain a UK Officer of the Watch (yachts less than 3000 GT) CoC :

• Hold the applicable ancillary technical and safety course certificates listed in Table A.
• Hold a valid ENG1 (Medical Fitness Certificate) or accepted equivalent
• Pass the OOW (yachts less than 3000 GT) oral examination.

Conversion F

If you hold a UK OOW unlimited, Regulation II/1 CoC you must meet the following requirements to obtain a Chief Mate (yachts less than 3000 GT) endorsement on your CoC :

Conversion G

If you hold a UK OOW unlimited, Regulation II/1 CoC you must meet the following requirements to obtain a Master (yachts less than 500 GT):

• 12 months’ seagoing service whilst holding an OOW Unlimited II/1 CoC ;
• Pass the Master (yachts less than 500 GT) oral examination.

Conversion H

If you hold a UK OOW unlimited, Regulation II/1 CoC you must meet the following requirements to obtain a Master (yachts less than 3000 GT) CoC :

• 24 months’ seagoing service whilst holding an OOW CoC ;
• Pass an MCA approved Celestial Navigation examination;
• Pass the Master (yachts less than 3000 GT) oral examination.

Conversion I

If you hold an OOW unlimited, regulation II/1 that is eligible to obtain an FSE you must meet the following requirements to obtain Master (yachts less than 500 GT) CoC :

• 12 months’ seagoing service whilst holding OOW II/1 CoC ;
• Seamanship and Meteorology (Master Yachts);
• Stability (Master Yachts);

Conversion J

If you hold an OOW unlimited, Regulation II/1 that is eligible to obtain an FSE you must meet the following requirements to obtain Master (yachts less than 3,000 GT):

• 24 months’ seagoing service whilst holding OOW II/1 CoC ;
• Pass the Master (yachts less than 3,000 GT) oral examination.

Conversions from a Chief Mate or Master CoC or FSE

Conversion k.

If you hold a Chief Mate unlimited, Regulation II/2, that is eligible to obtain an FSE you must meet the following requirements to obtain Master (yachts less than 3000 GT):

• 12 months’ sea going service whilst holding Chief Mate CoC ;

Conversion L

If you hold a Master unlimited, Regulation II/2, that is eligible to obtain an FSE to you must meet the following requirements to obtain a Master II/2 (yachts less than 3000 GT) CoC :

Conversion M

If you hold a Master less than 500 GT or 3000 GT unlimited area, Regulation II/2 that is eligible to obtain an FSE you must meet the following requirements to obtain a Master (yachts less than 3000 GT):

• 12 months’ seagoing service whilst holding a Master II/2 CoC ;

Conversions from a French, Italian or New Zealand Yacht CoC

Conversion n.

If you hold an OOW Yacht, less than 3000 GT, Unlimited area Regulation II/1, CoC issued by the French, Italian or New Zealand Maritime authority you must meet the following requirements to obtain Master II/2 (yachts less than 500 GT) CoC :

• 12 months’ onboard service and 120 days watchkeeping service whilst holding an OOW CoC ;
• Navigation and Radar ( OOW yachts);
• General Ship Knowledge ( OOW yachts);
• Business and Law (Master Yachts) ;
• Navigation, Radar and ARPA Simulator (Master Yachts)

Conversion O

If you hold an OOW Yacht restricted, less than 3000 GT, unlimited area regulation II/1, CoC issued by the French, Italian or New Zealand Maritime authority you must meet the following requirements to obtain Master II/2 (yachts less than 3,000 GT) CoC :

• 24 months’ onboard service and 240 days watchkeeping service whilst holding an OOW CoC ;

Conversion P

If you hold a Master Yacht restricted, less than 500 GT regulation II/2, CoC issued by the French, Italian or New Zealand Maritime authority you must meet the following requirements to obtain Master II/2 (yachts less than 3000 GT):

• 12 months’ onboard service and 120 days watchkeeping service whilst holding a Master Yacht II/2, Yacht CoC ;

Conversion Q

If you hold a Master Yacht restricted, less than 3,000 GT unlimited area, regulation II/2 CoC issued by the French, Italian or New Zealand Maritime authority you must meet the following requirements to obtain Master II/2 (yachts less than 3000 GT):

Ancillary Course Certificate Table

For the MCA’s acceptance of certificates from foreign Flag States for various certificates, please see Section 5 of MSN 1858 Amendment 1 or Section 4 of MIN 643

For the issue of a CoC :

A - For these Certificates the MCA will accept certificates issued under the authority of any IMO White List country.

B - For these Certificates the MCA will accept certificates issued under the authority of any EU/EEA Member State, and may accept those issued under the authority of Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.

C - For these Certificates the Certificates must be MCA-approved.

D - For these Certificates the MCA will accept certificates issued under the authority of any EU Member State and those listed on the approved list available from our website: www.gov.uk and search “GMDSS”.

Updating Training

You will be required to provide documentary evidence of either completing the training course or updating your training within the preceding 5 years for these certificates for all CoC applications. To satisfy Port State Control requirements you will need to hold evidence onboard your vessel of completing or updating your training within the last 5 years. For further information relating to STCW course certificates, including their validity, please refer to [MSN 1865 amendment 1]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/msn-1865-m-amendment-1-uk-requirements-for-emergency-occupational-safety-security-medical-care-and-survival-functions).

Proficiency Survival Craft and Rescue Boats (Other than fast rescue boats) - (Restricted)

Proficiency Survival Craft and Rescue Boats (Other than fast rescue boats) - (Restricted), previously Non-STCW Advanced Sea Survival, may be accepted in lieu of Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats for Yacht CoCs. Your CoC will be endorsed with the following limitation: “Not for use on ships equipped with davit launched lifeboats”

Non-STCW Advanced Sea Survival and Proficiency Survival Craft and Rescue Boats (Other than fast rescue boats) - (Restricted) must be updated every 5 years in line with Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats. The MCA would recommend that all seafarers hold an STCW Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats Certificate of Proficiency. This is due to potential problems of Port State Control Officers outside of the UK, not accepting non-STCW Advanced Sea Survival.

Any person operating any radio equipment must be appropriately qualified. The GMDSS course forms part of the education and training required to obtain a UK CoC . To obtain a UK CoC you must hold a valid GMDSS certificate issued by the UK or an administration recognised by the MCA. The certificate must have an STCW endorsement. For further information about the GMDSS and how to obtain an STCW endorsement, please refer to MSN 1864 amendment 1 or search our website www.gov.uk for “GMDSS”.

Medical Care

The Medical Care certificate is valid for a period of 5 years. This must be valid when you apply for your Certificate of Competency. If you serve on an EU-registered vessel as a Master or are the person in charge of medical care on a vessel operating in the unlimited area, you will need to have undertaken approved Medical Care training or a refresher course within the previous 5 years. This is the requirement of Article 4(1) (b) of Directive 92/29 EEC.

MCA Approved ECDIS Training is a mandatory requirement for OOW (yachts less than 3000GT), Chief Mate (yachts less than 3000 GT), Master (yachts less than 500 GT and 3000 GT).

If you are applying for a Master Code Vessel, less than 200 GT, CoC and do not complete an MCA-approved ECDIS course you will receive the following limitation:

“From the 1 January 2017 this certificate is not valid for service on ships fitted with ECDIS.”

Updates to this page

Clarified Conversions D, F, G, H are from UK CoCs only.

Update to reflect new M Notices.

Updated Sea Time requirements for French, Italian and New Zealand Yacht Licence holders.

MIN 520 replaced with MIN 535, Medical Care guidance added

New sea time requirements added

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ADRIATIC SAILING ACADEMY

Find out more      〉, sailing course, yachtmaster b 500 bt.

Yacht Master Category B (up to 500 GT) course duration:174 hours (lectures 88 h and exercises 86 h, practical navigation 46 h) Course Yacht Master Category B is conducted in accordance to the requirements of article 55. of the Regulations of boats and yachts.

CONTENT: I.  NAVIGATION II.  SHIP CONSTRUCTION AND STABILITY III.  SHIP MANEUVERING AND COLLISION AVOIDANCE IV.  SAFETY AT SEA V.  METEOROLOGY VI.  MARITIME LAW VII.  MARITIME ENGLISH LANGUAGE

COURSE TARGET: At the end of the course, the B Class Commander (yachts up to 500 BT) will be trained to command and command yachts up to 500 BT for all purposes and in all navigation areas. Breeding validity: 5 (five) years The license may be renewed after 5 years for the same period if the holder has at least twelve months of sailing as a Yacht Commander up to 500 BT and meets the prescribed health conditions, in particular visibility and hearing.

• Account icon Log in
• Basic Safety Training
• Refresher (Fire & PST)
• Elementary First Aid
• Fire Prevention & Fire-fighting
• Personal Survival Techniques
• Advanced Fire Fighting
• Advanced Fire Fighting Refresher
• Proficiency in Security Awareness
• Personal Safety & Social Responsibility
• Crowd Management / Crisis Management and Human Behaviour
• Powerboat Level 2
• PWC/Jet Ski License
• PWI/Jet Ski Instructor
• PWC + PWI Pack
• Pack PB2 & PWC
• Day Skipper
• Shorebased Yachtmaster Theory
• Yachtmaster Practical Preparation & Offshore Exam
• Yachtmaster Offshore Package
• Full Deckhand Pack
• Full Interior Pack
• Basic Deckhand Pack
• Basic Interior Pack
• Full Tender and Jet Ski Pack
• Tender Pack
• Jetski Pack
• Yacht Deckhand Training
• Yacht Steward/ess Training
• Basic Food & Beverage Services
• Basic Housekeeping & Laundry Services
• Basic Wine, Bartending & Mixology
• Food Safety Level 2
• ⚡Lithium-ion Battery Safety Awareness on Superyachts
• VHF Short Range Certificate
• RYA Professional Practice & Responsibilities
• RYA Essential Navigation and Seamanship
• RYA Online Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Theory
• RYA Online Day Skipper Theory
• STCW PDSD for Superyachts
• STCW PDSD for Cruise Ships
• STCW Proficiency as Ship Security Officer on Superyachts
• Useful Information
• Steward/ess

Yachtmaster Offshore: When, Why, and How

In a seafarer’s career, there comes the time when Yachtmaster ticket becomes either a necessity, or the next logical step in professional development. No matter what the reason for the course is, Yachtmaster Offshore requires a thorough preparation and planning as well as some prior knowledge and experience.

• When am I ready to take the course?

The candidate’s eligibility for Yachtmaster Offshore program is defined by a number of requirements. First and foremost, the logged sea time must show a minimum of 2500 nautical miles, about half of which should be in tidal waters. There is a huge debate as to what tidal waters are, and the RYA leaves it to the Yachtmaster candidate to decide whether the passage they undertook happened in a tidal area. The definition offered by the RYA is as follows:

An area is deemed tidal if published stream, current or tidal range data is available, the influence of which is significant enough to require the effects to be taken into account to plan and execute a safe and efficient passage .

But even if the decision to call experience tidal is the candidate’s, the RYA wisely warns that the final judgement will be made by the examiner and recommends to list only those miles that can be backed up with evidence. The qualifying sea time should be gained on motor vessels if the candidate applies for Yachtmaster Offshore Motor license. Sail miles do not count.

The RYA also sets a requirement as to the number of qualifying passages. As defined by the Association, ‘a passage is a non-stop voyage from a departure port / safe haven to a destination port / safe haven ’. For the Yachtmaster Offshore , there must be a minimum of 5 passages over 60 nm each; 2 of those passages should be overnight and 2 when the candidate acted as a skipper. The skipper, as understood by the RYA , is a person nominated and responsible for the planning and execution of a passage including vessel and watch management . It’s important that throughout the 60-mile passage there occurs no change of skippers; otherwise, the passage cannot be deemed as qualifying.

Proper understanding of the skipper’s role is vital for ticking the box of another requirement – 5 days on board acting as a skipper. A day in this case is a period of 8 consecutive hours, and the majority of them should be at sea . In every 24 hours, Yachtmaster candidate can have only one qualifying day onboard.

Last but not least, the RYA’s Yachtmaster Offshore exam pre-requisites put some restrictions as to the tonnage and length: days on board and miles should be gained on vessels up to 500 gt and less than 24 meters LOA.

• When is the best time to take the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore course?

The full program – RYA Yachtmaster Offshore theory and RYA Yachtmaster Practical – takes 10 days to complete; the exam is usually scheduled right after, and candidates need to allow 2 days for it. With the sea, winds, and weather being unpredictable, to the candidates coming from abroad we advise to add an extra day before taking flights back home. Thus, the course is quite a commitment, and most seafarers take it during low Med season. Our Yachtmaster Offshore course is scheduled every month from December throughout April to give options to potential candidates.

• Why take the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore?

Yachtmaster is not for beginners. Commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence entitles its holder to master a yacht of up to 200 gt, and that is a big responsibility. That said, one of the reasons to get Yachtmaster is to advance the qualifications from entry to higher level including MCA Officer of the Watch (OOW) or Chief Mate, for which Yachtmaster Offshore CoC is among the required documents. Yachtmaster Offshore Shore-based (theory) certificate is another pre-requisite to apply for the OOW, and it has to be sent along with STCW and other records as a part of the Notice of Eligibility.

 In a scheme of RYA training , Yachtmaster Offshore is preceded by RYA Day Skipper and Coastal Skipper, which allow to navigate 20 and 60 nautical miles offshore accordingly. With Yachtmaster Offshore qualifications, it is possible to skipper a cruising yacht up to 150 miles from harbour, so recreational boaters can have larger areas to explore and longer distances to cover.

• How to apply for Yachtmaster Offshore Program?

If you believe you are ready and meet the pre-requisites mentioned above and outlined on our website , your first step is to get in touch with us by email, phone, or through contact form . Once we receive your enquiry, we will email to you Sea Time Summary and Self-Evaluation forms to fill out, which we will then forward to our instructor to confirm your eligibility. If you are eligible for the course, we will proceed with course booking and securing your place on the training.

Some important things to remember: the candidates for the training should hold a valid Elementary First Aid certificate . For the STCW EFA , it should be issued within the last 5 years, for the RYA First Aid - within the last 3 years. VHF Marine Radio certificate can be offered as a part of Yachtmaster Offshore package , but if you already hold the certificate, we can offer a 100 euros reduction.

Our next Yachtmaster Offshore session starts on the 6 th of December. Click here for more dates.

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Master (Yachts) - Less than 500GT/3,000GT

Country: - all - Croatia  (1) Malta  (3)

The following 4 courses were found:

Chieftain Training

RYA & STCW Courses – Sail, Power, Super-Yacht & Workboat

Master 500 CoC Oral Exam Preparation

Master 500 oral exam preparation course  overview:.

The STCW Master 500 oral exam is conducted by the MCA. Candidates will hold the OOW 3000 Certificate of Competence and have completed the necessary sea time and additional modules (see below). This certificate is required to Captain yachts upto 500 tonnes

MASTER 500 PREP  COURSE DURATION:

The Master 500 Prep course is bespoke and usually 1:1. Most students initially buy 12 or 16 hours. Some then choose to top up. We find three or four 4-hour session works very well, however session can be shorter if required. 

MASTER 500 EXAM PRE REQUISITES:

Before the OOW 500 Exam you will require;

• STCW OOW 3000 Certificate of Competence
• MCA / RYA Yachtmaster Coastal or Offshore Certificate of Competence (sail or power) OR  IYT Master of Yachts Limited certificate
• RYA Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased Certificate * OR  IYT Master of Yachts Limited certificate
• MCA General Ship Knowledge (OOW yachts)
• MCA Navigation and Radar (OOW yachts)
• MCA Electronic Chart Display & Information System (ECDIS)
• STCW GMDSS General Operator’s Certificate (GOC)
• STCW Personal Safety & Social Responsibilities
• STCW Basic Fire Fighting & Fire Prevention
• STCW Personal Survival Techniques  
• STCW Proficiency in Security Awareness
• STCW Medical First Aid  
• STCW Medical Care
• STCW Advanced Fire Fighting
• STCW Proficiency in Survival Craft & Rescue Boats
• HELM (Human Element Leadership & Management) Management Level
• MCA Seamanship and Meteorology (Master Yachts)
• MCA Stability (Master Yachts)
• MCA Business and Law (Master Yachts)
• MCA Navigation, Radar and ARPA Simulator (Master Yachts)
• MCA Celestial Navigation
• ENG1 Medical
• While holding OOW3000 , have completed 12 months’ onboard yacht service as a deck officer, including at least 120 days watch keeping service, in vessels of 15 metres or over in load line length
• Notice of Eligibility from the MCA

MASTER 500  PREP COURSE CONTENT:

The course is a mix of teaching, revision and mock questions. The Instructor will focus on the areas you feel you require help.

Plan and conduct safe navigation

• restricted waters
• meteorological conditions through interpretation of synoptic charts, and to forecast local area weather, and the characteristics of various weather systems
• restricted visibility
• reporting in accordance with ship reporting systems
• limitations of electronic chart systems including ECDIS and RDS navigational chart systems
• port radio information services: knowledge of the type of service available to aid vessels entering ports, berthing, VTIS and VTS systems as indicated in the Admiralty List of Radio Signals – Vessel Traffic Services, Port Operations and Pilot Stations
• maritime buoyage systems – IALA region A and B

Establish and maintain safe watchkeeping arrangements and procedures

• A thorough knowledge of the principles of navigational watchkeeping at sea, including under pilotage, at anchor and in port
• A thorough knowledge of the content, application and intent of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (ColRegs)
• Knowledge of principles of establishing a safe engineering watch at sea, anchor and in port
• Compasses commonly fitted onboard the ship concerned – variation and deviation, causes and effects, siting of other equipment with reference to magnetic compasses
• Knowledge of the purpose of correctors/corrections

Ship Manoeuvring and Operation of Small Ship Power Plant

• Anchoring and working anchors and cables in all circumstances
• Proper procedures for berthing and unberthing
• Knowledge of factors affecting safe manoeuvring and handling
• Knowledge of the operation of small ship power plant and auxiliaries

Response to Emergencies

Response to navigational emergency.

• Action to be taken when disabled and in distress, abandoning ship, survival procedures, use of rockets and rocket apparatus
• Measures to be taken following collision, grounding, heavy weather damage and ingress of water
• Towing and being towed
• Knowledge of emergency steering systems
• Knowledge of search and rescue procedures, assisting a ship or aircraft in distress  rescuing the passengers and crew of a disabled ship or ditched aircraft
• Use of the International Aeronautical and Marine Search and Rescue (IAMSAR)  Manual (Volume III), distress and emergency signals
• Emergency communications within the GMDSS Regulations

Response to Other Emergencies

• a)  Method of dealing with fire aboard a vessel; prevention of fire in port and at sea
• b)  Use and maintenance of firefighting equipment, fire dampers, doors and screens, anddetection equipment
• c)  Organisation and direction of fire-fighting drills and training
• d)  Launch and manage survival craft, recover rescue boats at sea
• e)  The organisation and direction of lifeboat and liferaft drills and training
• f)  Understand the fundamental actions to be taken in the event of partial loss of intactbuoyancy
• g)  Precautions for the protection and safety of passengers in emergencies
• h)  Appreciation of action to be taken when emergencies arise in port
• i)  Sources of medical information available

Onboard Ship Operation

Pollution prevention requirements.

• Precautions to be taken to prevent pollution of the marine environment as required by the MARPOL Conventions, including special areas
• Take appropriate action in response to pollution incidents onboard and found at sea
• Knowledge of the contents of the SOPEP manual, Garbage Management Plans and  anti-pollution equipment.
• Masters duties, obligations and liabilities, including the keeping of records

Seaworthiness of the Ship

• Precautions to be taken prior to the onset of heavy weather, management of small ships in heavy weather, and handling a disabled ship
• Understand the fundamentals of watertight integrity
• Preparation for dry-docking and undocking, with or without damage – general  procedure and precautions to be observed
• Working knowledge of stability and trim information

Legislative Requirements

Knowledge of the following legislative requirements:.

• Contents and use of Merchant Shipping Notices (MSNs), Marine Guidance Notes  (MGNs), Marine Information Notes (MINs) and Annual Summary of Admiralty Notices  to Mariners
• Knowledge of the application of current Merchant Shipping Health and Safety  legislation, including the Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seamen1, and  the main elements of risk assessment
• Knowledge of relevant IMO conventions concerning safety of life at sea and protection  of the marine environment
• Crew agreement, the official log book and laws relating to entries, inspection of living quarters and storerooms, and complaints procedures
• Reports required by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB)
• Load-line marks – entries and reports in respect of freeboard, draft and allowances
• The requirements of regulations concerning life-saving and fire fighting appliances
• Application of hours of work and rest legislation
• The law relating to the reporting of dangers to navigation
• A knowledge of the Master’s obligations with respect to pilotage
• Purpose and application of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code
• Purpose of Flag State and Port State Control
• Purpose and application of the International Ship and Port Security Code (ISPS)

WHAT’S INCLUDED IN OUR  MASTER 500 PREPARATION COURSE:

• 1:1 Tuition (can be face to face or remote (over zoom)
• Tea/coffee and on site parking (or zoom login)

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN OUR  MASTER 500  PREPARATION  COURSE:

• Your NOE and MCA oral exam

BOOKING THE  MCA  MASTER 500 PREPARATION COURSE:

Please discuss bespoke dates with us.

WHY CHOOSE CHIEFTAIN TRAINING FOR Y OUR  MASTER 500  PREPARATION COURSE ?

Our Lead Deck Officer Instructor is the MCA’s former Chief Examiner. This is the man who recruited and trained many of today’s MCA examiners as well as set the standards they should follow. If you book our classroom or zoom preparation course, he will be involved in the delivery of your training and will carry out your 1:1 mock exam. There is no one better to have on your team as we help prepare you for your MCA oral exam.

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MASTER OF YACHTS 500 GT / CHIEF MATE 3000 GT

Courses and certifications are approved and issued by Transport Malta. The course will give students the essential knowledge and training to be eligible to undergo examinations leading to a Certificate of Competency as Master of Yachts less than 500 GT and Chief Mate 3000 GT (STCW Regulation II/2). ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA -Have accumulated 12 months of approved seagoing service on vessels not less than 24 m in length or 80 GT whilst holding a certificate of competency as Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch on yachts less than 3000 GT. Modules you will be studying: -Maritime Law (Candidates who have successfully passed a Transport Malta (TM) Business and Law exam may be exempted.) -Oral Exam Preparation Submit documentary evidence of valid related mandatory underlying training: -Certificate of Competency as Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch on Yachts Less Than 3000 GT; -STCW Basic Safety Training -Advanced Fire Fighting -Medical First Aid -Medical Care on board Ships -Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats (other than Fast Rescue Boats) -RADAR / ARPA Management Level -Use of Leadership and Managerial Skills (HELM Management Level) -GMDSS General Operator’s Certificate. CAREER PATH If you hold the MoY 500 GT/ Chief Mate 3000 GT you are qualified to work as a captain on vessels up to 500 GT and as a Chief Mate on vessels up to 3000 GT. PRICE EUR 2000 (1750 for OOW students) *Without accommodation HOW MUCH YOU CAN EARN ON A SUPERYACHT? The salaries for these positions start from EUR 7,500 +

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Yacht Master Category B (Yacht up to 500 GT)

  Basic info

  schedule,   download, course code: ymas/b.

Scope (Target audience) :  The course is conducted in accordance to the requirements of article 55. of the Regulations of boats and yachts (National gazette NN #27/2005)

Objective :  After successful completion of the course, the trainees will be competent to handle and command a yacht from 100 GT up to 500 GT regardless of purpose and navigation area.

Course content : 

• Navigation (sailing) and voyage planning
• Ship construction and stability
• Manoeuvring and COLREG
• Safety at sea
• Meteorology
• Maritime law
• Maritime English

Duration:  214 hours

Prerequisite : 

• At least 20 years of age
• Identification card or passport
• 1 passport size colored photo
• Medical exam issued by Occupational health practice in Republic of Croatia

Approved by  :

• MINISTRY OF MARITIME AFFAIRS, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE OF REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
• CROATIAN REGISTER OF SHIPPING

Note to client :  After successful completion of the course and examination at the Harbour Office candidates will receive a Certificate of Competency for Yacht Master Category B (yacht up to 500 GT) issued by the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia.

Yacht training courses

Boat leader licence category B

Boat leader licence category C

Yacht Master Category A (Yacht up to 100 GT)

Officer in charge of navigational watch on a ship up to 500 GT – STCW II/3

Rating forming a part of a watch in a manned engine-room - STCW III/4

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Master <500GT / Chief Mate <3000GT STCW Reg II/2 Yachts - TM CoC

On successful completion of the necessary course module/s, Pass of oral examination, and presentation of required sea service, candidates will be able to work as a Master on Yachts less than 500GT / Chief Mate on Yachts <3000GT - STCW Reg II/2

Description

 Transport Malta Master on Yachts less than 500GT / Chief Mate on Yachts less than 3000GT CoC – STCW Reg II/2

Course Aim:

This course aims to give candidates the required training and knowledge as per the STCW, so as to be eligible to sit a TM Master (Yachts less than 500GT) Oral Examination.

On successful completion of the course, successfully pass of the oral examination, and present the required sea service, candidates will be able to work as a Master on Yachts less than 500GT / Chief Mate on Yachts less than 3000GT – Unlimited Area, as per STCW Reg II/2.

• Academic & Ancillary Study Units as required
• Daily Lunch

Price & Duration:

The published price includes:

• Maritime Law Module – 32hrs
• Oral Exam Preparation – 40hrs

Entry Requirements

To be eligible to attend this course, students must fulfil the following requirements:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Hold a valid seafarers medical fitness certificate (IMO/ILO)
• Hold an OOW-Yachts <3000GT CoC incl Ancillary Certificates
• Hold an OOW Unlimited incl Ancillary Certificates

Sea Time Requirements to be eligible for a certificate of competency as Master on Yachts less than 500GT / Chief Mate on Yachts less than 3000GT

12 months approved seagoing service whilst holding one of the below COCs:

• TM OOW-Yachts <3000GT CoC
• MCA OOW-Yachts < 3000GT CoC
• A valid STCW OOW CoC issued by an accepted administration.

All seatime must be obtained on vessels of 24 metres in length or 80GT and over while holding a certificate of competency as Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch on Yachts less than 3000GT 

Study Units

Courses: stcw & ancillary modules, academic units, similar courses.

For anyone looking to start their career within the interior department onboard a superyacht, then you would certainly be advised to start here. The Interior Hospitality Yacht Training | Level 1 course, based on the GUEST Introduction training, will give anyone a huge advantage to both finding the right employment as well bringing the relevant skills and value to a first onboard positon.

The STCW Basic Safety Training Refresher course is designed in accordance with the latest amendments to the STCW Convention regulation 1.14 and section A-1/14 of the STCW Code.

This entry level course aims to give candidates the required basic safety training and knowledge listed by the STCW Code A-VI/1. Seafarers wishing to work onboard a commercial vessel in ANY capacity must successfully complete this course before engaging in employment.

This course is based on the requirements of Regulation II/4 of Chapter II, Section A-II, Table A-II/4, STCW-78 as amended in 1995 as mandatory requirements for Rating Forming Parts of Navigational Watch, navigation functions at the support level.

Radio communications certificate of operators – Specifications of minimum standard of knowledge, understanding and proficiency for RT (VHF only) Operators (S.L. 399.35)

Efficient Deckhand is a practical and theory-based course of which is designed to give students the necessary knowledge and skills to become a proficient seafarer onboard merchant ships.

The STCW Ship Security Awareness training for all Seafarers course is aimed at mariners who do not have a designated security duty.

Get this licence and you will be able to earn a living while doing something you love!

This course is based on the guidelines, suggestions, and requirements of TM Model Course 1.05

On successful completion of the necessary course module/s, Pass of oral examination, and presentation of required sea service, candidates will be able to work as a Master on Yachts less than 3000GT - STCW Reg II/2.

On successful completion of the course & oral examination, candidates will be able to work as a Deck Officer on YACHTS less than 3000GT - STCW Reg II/1.

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Diverso Impex

Maritime training and crewing center, yacht master category b (up to 500 gt).

Course Yacht Master Category B is conducted in accordance to the requirements of article 55. of the Regulations of boats and yachts.

I.  NAVIGATION

II.  SHIP CONSTRUCTION AND STABILITY

III.  SHIP MANEUVERING AND COLLISION AVOIDANCE

IV.  SAFETY AT SEA

V.  METEOROLOGY

VI.  MARITIME LAW

VII.  MARITIME ENGLISH LANGUAGE

COURSE OBJECTIVE:

After successful completion of the course Yacht Master Category B, the trainees will be more than competent to handle and command a yacht from up to 500 GT. Acquired license is unrestricted by the yacht purpose and navigation area.

COURSE DURATION:

Total of 174 hours

->Apart from Split , we organize this Yacht Master B course in Zagreb as well.<-

Privacy overview.

• [email protected]

+385 97 706 3186

• Boat Leader B

• Yachtmaster B – 500GT

STCW CERTIFIED

Yacht Master Category B ( up to 500 GT ) course duration: 174 hours ( lectures 88 h and exercises 86 h, practical navigation 46 h ) Course Yacht Master Category B is conducted in accordance to the requirements of article 55. of the Regulations of boats and yachts.

• SHIP CONSTRUCTION AND STABILITY
• SHIP MANEUVERING AND COLLISION AVOIDANCE
• SAFETY AT SEA
• METEOROLOGY
• MARITIME LAW
• MARITIME ENGLISH LANGUAGE

COURSE TARGET: At the end of the course, the B Class Commander (yachts up to 500 BT) will be trained to command and command yachts up to 500 BT for all purposes and in all navigation areas. Breeding validity: 5 (five) years The Brevet may be renewed after 5 years for the same period if the holder has at least twelve months of sailing as a Yacht Commander up to 500 BT and meets the prescribed health conditions, in particular visibility and hearing. Our Yacht Master Category B course is the next step up from the Category A course, designed for those looking to expand their sailing skills to operate larger vessels. The course duration is 120 hours, which includes 50 hours of lectures, 30 hours of exercises, and 40 hours of practical navigation. The course covers a wide range of advanced topics, including advanced navigation techniques, boat handling in various weather conditions, collision avoidance, and emergency procedures. You will also learn about international maritime regulations, marine pollution prevention, and safety management. Upon completion of the course, you will be qualified to command and operate yachts up to 500 gross tons for all purposes and in all areas of navigation. The certificate of the commander of a Category B yacht is valid for five years and can be renewed with a valid certificate of healthworthiness issued by an authorized physician. Our experienced instructors use a hands-on approach to learning, which includes simulator training and practical exercises. You will gain the skills and confidence you need to tackle any sailing challenge and achieve your sailing goals. Whether you’re an experienced sailor looking to take on new challenges or a novice sailor looking to build a strong foundation of knowledge, our Yacht Master Category B course is the perfect choice for sailors of all levels.

Download official manual

Book your class.

Ready to embark on your sailing journey? Book your class with Histria Sailing Academy today and start your adventure! Our sailing classes are designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to confidently navigate the waters. We offer a variety of classes tailored to different skill levels, from beginner to advanced. Booking your class with us is easy. Simply visit our website or give us a call to schedule your class at a time that works for you. Our expert instructors will work with you to create a personalized learning experience that suits your needs.

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Transform your love for sailing into a lifelong passion with Histria Sailing Academy.

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JPMA & Hoylake Sailing School

(john percival marine associates), what are the requirements for a master (yachts less than 500gt or 3000gt) coc.

If you hold an OOW (Yachts) <3000gt or Chief Mate (Yachts) <3000gt CoC, you can move on to the Master (Yachts) <500gt or Master (Yachts) <3000gt CoC.

If you hold a Master (code vessels <200gt), OOW (Yachts <500gt) CoC you will need to achieve the OOW (Yachts <3000gt) CoC before moving on to these two Master CoCs.

In order to gain a Master (Yachts) <500gt or <3000gt CoC, you will need to do some classroom training, some yacht and watch keeping service, and finally an oral exam.

Required Service:

The main difference between the Master (Yachts <500gt) and the Master (Yachts <3000gt) is Yacht Service and Watchkeeping Service.

For Master (Yachts <500gt) you must be able to prove the following service:

A minimum of 12 months Onboard Yacht Service as a Deck Officer, including at least 120 days Watchkeeping Service, in vessels of 15 metres or over in loadline length. (starting from the date your OOW CoC was issued)

For Master (Yachts <3000gt) you must be able to prove the following service:

A minimum of 24 months Onboard Yacht Service as a Deck Officer, including at least 240 days Watchkeeping Service. All of this service must be completed in vessels of 15 metres or over in loadline length and include 12 months in vessels of 24 metres or over in load line length, or six months in vessels of 500gt or more. (starting from the date your OOW CoC was issued)

Onboard Yacht Service is being signed onto a yacht, whether you are on passage or not, and does not include leave, or time when you are undertaking your courses.

Watchkeeping service is Actual Sea Service spent as a Watchkeeping Officer in full charge of a navigational watch for not less than 4 out of every 24 hours whilst the vessel is engaged on voyage.

Sea Service Verification Process – please click here to read about new regulations.

The course certificates that you must have for Master are:

(the first 3 only apply if you hold an OOW <3000gt CoC, and do not need to be re-submitted if you already hold a Chief Mate <3000gt CoC)

Advanced Fire Fighting Certificate Medical First Aid Aboard Ship Certificate RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Shorebased & Practical Certs ( commercially endorsed ) or IYT Master of Yachts 200 tonnes (Unlimited) Certificate

Master Seamanship & Meteorology Course Completion & Pass Certs Master Stability Course Completion & Pass Certs Master Business & Law Course Completion & Pass Certs Master Navigation, Radar and ARPA Simulator Course Completion & Pass Certs Proficiency in Medical Care Aboard Ship Certificate Human Element Leadership & Management (Management Level) certificate (if this wasn’t submitted with your Chief Mate CoC application) MCA Celestial Navigation Exam  Pass Certificate (after 1st January 2014 – NOTE : this is NOT the YM Ocean cert. This certificate expires after 1 year) ECDIS certificate (after 1st January 2014, and if this wasn’t submitted with your OOW or Chief Mate CoC application)

Master <500gt : if you are yet to receive any of these certificates but have enough service, you can still apply for the Master <500gt NoE, but you will need to submit the certificates to the MCA before the CoC can be issued.

Master <3000gt : when applying for this you must either have the Master <500gt CoC already, or all of the above certificates before you can apply for the NoE, as stated in MSN 1802. If you hold the Master <500gt CoC and wish to upgrade to Master <3000gt, you do not need to resubmit any of the above certificates, unless they have been added to the requirements since your Master <500 CoC was issued.

Candidates who were issued an NoE for Master <3000gt prior to 31st December 2013, who do not hold a Master <500gt CoC already, MUST have completed all of the modules etc before attending the oral examination, otherwise they will receive an automatic fail. Read more here

NOTE: Updating Training for CoC applications – anyone serving on board ship, who holds any of the following certificates must, as of 1st January 2017, have documentary evidence of either completing the training course or updating training within the last 5 years:

• Personal Survival Techniques
• Proficiency in Survival Craft & Rescue Boats (CPSC & RB)
• Proficiency in Fast Rescue Boats (PFRB)
• Basic Fire Fighting
• Advanced Fire Fighting

Applying for an NoE:

To do the final oral exam for Master Yachts <500/3000gt, you will need a Notice of Eligibility. This document is issued once the MCA have assessed your eligibility, and an oral exam cannot be booked until the NoE is issued.

Your service needs to be proved with 2 forms of evidence for each vessel on which you are claiming service time. Usually a Testimonial and a Certificate of Discharge. If you have a discharge book, this can be used with a testimonial for each vessel, or if you are a member of the PYA they will attest your PYA logbook.

You must send a form of ID with your application. You can send a copy of your passport, signed by your Captain and with their CoC number noted, but you can also send any form of National ID – birth certificate or Discharge Book are usually easier to cope without!

It should be noted that written exam pass certificates have a validity of only three years. If your module pass certificates are more than 3 years old when you apply for an NoE you will have to submit new pass certificates to the MCA before they will issue an NoE.

Click here to view MSN 1858 (the testimonials and certificate of discharge can be found as annexes of the M Notice on pages 33-37)

Update to Electronic NoE application process & online oral exams

You will need to download the application form . You must complete the form and send all of your original certificates and testimonials to the MCA. The NoE will be processed in about 28 days. Once the NoE is issued you are deemed eligible to take the oral exam.

JPMA offers oral preparation courses for the Master oral exams. Click here for details.

• Professional qualifications

Working as an RYA Yachtmaster

Your qualification must be appropriate to the vessel and area of operation. For commercial use, all certificates must be commercially endorsed .

Working with an RYA Yachtmaster® Coastal certificate

A commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence will enable you to skipper vessels up to 24 metres in length, operating in category 3,4,5, and 6 waters - up to 20 miles from a safe haven.

Working with an RYA Yachtmaster® Offshore certificate

A commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence will enable you to work as a Master of commercial vessels of up to 200gt in category 1 to 6 waters - that is up to 150 miles from a safe haven.

This Certificate of Competence can used commercially in its own right, or as a pre-requisite for the MCA's Officer of the Watch qualification, which enables you to work worldwide on vessels of up to 3000gt.

Working with an RYA Yachtmaster® Ocean certificate

A commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence will enable you to work worldwide as a Master of commercial vessels of up to 200gt.

This Certificate of Competence can be used commercially in its own right. It is also a pre-requisite for the MCA's Chief Mate, Master 500 and Master 3000 qualifications.

For more information about working with RYA qualifications, the categorisation of waters and required certification click here . 

By SuperyachtNews 23 Nov 2017

The Belgian 500gt yacht ticket

Why has this coc been growing in popularity with superyacht crew.

Increasingly frustrated with current superyacht licensing pathways, deck crew are seeking more flexible routes to fit in with the demands of their careers. A relatively new STCW Officer of the Watch and Master 500gt ticket, issued by the Belgian Federal Administration for Mobility and Transport, is becoming a more viable option for yacht crew looking to progress from Master 200gt. The Belgian 500gt Commercial Yachting Certificate of Competency (CoC), a European 500gt commercial ticket endorsed by STCW specifically for the yachting industry, is increasingly popular with senior crew seeking alternatives to the traditional training routes. Once endorsed, the ticket allows all captains and officers to commercially sail yachts up to 500gt with a maximum of 12 passengers.

The Belgian Maritime Administration has so far recognised and audited only two organisations to deliver the courses: the Antwerp Maritime Academy and NaviClass Nautical Training Centre. While the CoC is not endorsed by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA), which means it cannot be used on board UK-flagged commercial yachts, some familiar flag states within the yachting sector do endorse it and these include the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Maritime and Corporate Registries.

“The RMI will accept certificate holders from major maritime nations whose educational systems and examinations are found acceptable,” explains Patrick Bachofner, business development director of International Registries, in affiliation with the RMI. “As of today, we recognise the Belgian Maritime Administration, who are signatory to STCW as an equivalent in terms of endorsements. As such, we are obligated to accept any STCW-compliant certificate that they may issue.”

The Belgian CoC may still be relatively unknown outside of Belgium, but word is spreading in the global yachting community and NaviClass has reported a significant increase in the number of foreign students taking its courses. The main appeal for yacht crew is certainly the fewer resources the route demands compared to the more traditional training routes. While it is difficult to directly compare the Belgian system to the MCA system, as they are derived from different national legislation, the time and money required to achieve the Belgian CoC is significantly less.

This is for a couple of reasons. Firstly, a 3,000gt yacht ticket does not exist in the Belgian system as it does in the MCA system. Therefore, whereas candidates taking the MCA route would have to undertake their MCA OOW (Yachts less than 3,000gt) before progressing to the MCA Master (Yachts less than 500gt), this is not necessary in the Belgian system. While the obvious drawback here is that the Belgian CoC limits candidates to yachts under 500gt, it means that one phase of training is not necessary.

Secondly, the modules at both Belgian organisations are considerably shorter and less expensive than the equivalent MCA course. At NaviClass, for example, the Master module, combined with the Master Ocean Upgrade module, can be completed in less than two weeks and currently costs €2,100. There is also no oral examination included in the process, although written and/or practical examinations apply after each module.

There are, however, some who are cynical of the Belgian CoC and they mainly question the ticket’s seemingly less rigorous training process and suggest the assessment is not sufficient. Its supporters, however, reinforce the fact that candidates are required to hold a STCW Master 200gt (Yachts), or equivalent that is subject to an evaluation committee, to be eligible to start the training for the Belgian CoC. This should, therefore, ensure there is a certain recognised standard from which the students must start.

One such advocate is Captain Peter Carron, instructor at NaviClass, who is quick to reject any insinuation that the Belgian CoC is not adequate in today’s industry. “The time may be shorter than the MCA route but it is still a very professional CoC,” he explains. “The students who come to us always have much more sea time and experience than is required due to the need to hold the STCW Master 200gt ticket beforehand. Furthermore, the training is done by experienced merchant captains and maritime pilots, with use of modern radar and navigation simulators and continuous updates in line with changing legislation.”

Another assumption often made about the Belgian CoC is that its candidates are looking for an easier route to progress to the next level. However, Captain Carron says that the students he encounters are not looking for a shortcut, but are instead serious and professional candidates seeking other options that fit their career ambitions. “When NaviClass first started running these courses, we only had Belgian students. Now we have foreign students coming from all over,” he adds. “It shows that some people feel that there is a monopoly in the training sector, are fed up with the expense of other licences and are, therefore, looking for alternatives.”

While the Belgian route may not open as many doors as the traditional MCA route for crew, not just because of its 500gt glass ceiling but also in terms of its versatility and recognition, it does provide a welcome option. Captain Carron believes the Belgian CoC is more than just an alternative and while it may not satisfy the career ambitions of those crew looking to work on larger yachts, for others it might be the perfect fit.

This article will appear in full in issue 183 of The Superyacht Report - out soon. If you are a yacht owner, manager, senior crewmember, broker, designer, shipyard representative, owner’s representative, or  family office, you can apply for your VIP subscription to the magazine here .

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Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

How to pass your Yachtmaster exam

• Chris Beeson
• September 16, 2015

The global standard of sailing qualifications is achievable for any experienced, competent skipper. Tom Cunliffe explains how to pass your Yachtmaster exam

The only certificates accepted by the authorities are those issued after an at-sea examination. To become a fully-fledged Yachtmaster, the practical test is the only one that counts Credit: Graham Snook/YM

Tom Cunliffe is an RYA Yachtmaster examiner. He has passed and failed hundreds of Yachtmaster candidates over the years

We in the UK are exceedingly fortunate. Just as the English language is the best bet for a world traveller, our very own RYA/MCA Yachtmaster qualification happens to be the global standard for sailing. It’s required for anyone planning to become a professional and, thanks to the continuing efforts of the RYA, Brits who sail for leisure still don’t have to carry any proof of competence in home waters. Despite this blessed lack of regulation, the Yachtmaster certificate remains the logical target of many a self-motivated sailor. It also represents the icing on the cake for those looking for the reassurance of an external assessment.

Courses and exams

Yachtmaster training can take place on a boat or in a classroom. A shore-based course, either at desks in a school or via the increasingly popular Internet distance learning programmes, ends with a Yachtmaster theory exam. Success in this will help a student in subsequent qualification upgrades, but it is not officially recognised. The only certificates accepted by the authorities are those issued after an at-sea examination – the Yachtmaster Practical . To become a fully-fledged Yachtmaster, this practical test is the one that really counts.

Yachtmaster Prep

Meteorology matters: a favourite with examiners is to produce a weather map and invite you to analyse it. Be ready and know your subject

This is a non-RYA course and, as such, has no official status or syllabus. However, it is run successfully by many RYA sailing schools to prepare candidates for an examination which generally follows on at the end. Up to four students spend several days together on the boat in which they will be examined. The benefits are that they get to know one another and their yacht under the guidance of a highly qualified Yachtmaster Instructor. The general feeling is that these tutors can’t teach you much you don’t already know in a week, but that they are very good at coaching the best out of those skills you already have. Prep courses are great for brushing up on how to jump through the various hoops an examiner may set up. What they can’t do is make someone who doesn’t have suitably constructive mileage into the confident skipper examiners are looking for.

Coastal or Offshore – what’s my level?

Recently, the old Coastal Skipper ticket has been superseded by the new ‘Yachtmaster Coastal’ certificate. The qualifying mileage for this MCA-recognised qualification is 800, with passage and night-hour requirements being relaxed in comparison with ‘Yachtmaster Offshore’, which keeps its 2,500-mile entry level. Either is a proper Yachtmaster qualification and can be described as such. Only the often-dropped suffix distinguishes the two. The syllabi are identical, the variant is the rigour of the examination. Apply for ‘coastal’ and the examiner, recognising that you have less sea-time, will be more inclined to cut you a bit of slack.

The RYA has noted that most candidates are really only making ‘coastal-status’ passages. In real terms, this includes an annual trip across the Irish Sea, the North Sea or the Channel in a calculated weather window, which is very different from setting off from Ramsgate towards Norway with five days and potentially serious conditions ahead of you. The implications should be clear: unless you need the Offshore ticket for professional reasons, if in doubt, go for Coastal.

Preparing yourself and the boat

A relaxed candidate with a mug of tea makes a better impression than a harassed-looking one

If you’ve signed on with a sailing school, you’ll be stuck with the boat you’re given. You can be confident that this yacht ticks all the official boxes by being coded for commercial use, but while some are very up-together, others are not. If the boat is generally sloppy and scruffy, you can at least make an effort to stow the mainsheet in a seamanlike manner while you are nominally skipper.

Neatly coiled lines reflect well on the skipper

You can also ensure that fenders are hung at the same level, sharpen up the guardrails and see that things generally look as though somebody knows the difference and cares. Then the examiner won’t hold the ratty lifebuoys and the smelly bilge against you.

Mind that your dress and demeanour don’t make a bad first impression

Try to be ready in good time so that you aren’t involved in a last-minute kerfuffle. If you’re relaxing in the cockpit with a mug of tea when the examiner arrives, he or she will be more impressed than if you’re frantically working out tidal heights and scuffling through the chart table. Wear sensible kit. Don’t worry if it’s not this season’s fashion. My examiner turned up in an old duffel coat back in 1978 and I think I was wearing a canvas smock and a flat cap, but the smock was freshly laundered and the cap was right way round…

The main thing is that you can sail, but an examiner is always pleased to be freed of any hassle with the paperwork. Most of us are no better with admin than you are, so make our lives easy by producing an up-to-date first aid ticket and all the rest, plus a cheque made out to the RYA – not the examiner, perish the thought!

Passage planning

Your passage plan should be realistic. Keep it simple and be ready to adapt and update as things develop

You may be given the opportunity to produce a passage plan before the examiner arrives. If so, make it realistic. Don’t plot every course to the last degree. After all, you don’t know what speed you’ll make or what the wind will really do. Check tidal gates, distances, viable alternatives and the weather. Look at any hazards, sort out a time to leave and have a plan for updating as things develop. That’s about what you’d do if there were no exam, and that’s what I, at least, want to see.

Examination on your own boat

A nicely level line of fenders sends a good signal to the examiner

You don’t have to go to a sailing school to be a Yachtmaster. I love it when a candidate asks to be examined without training on his own boat. Don’t worry if she isn’t coded. There’s no legal requirement that she should be. Most of mine haven’t been either, and I couldn’t care less.

As an examiner, I want to see that your priorities are sound and that you’re thinking clearly and for yourself. On the day, the yacht must be clean, tidy and seamanlike. Waterline crisp, sail covers Bristol fashion, not looking like some poor bird with a broken wing, ropes carefully stowed, a comprehensive chart kit for the waters to be sailed, the makings of a meal plus snacks and, of course, everything that counts should be working.

What the examiner is looking for

Feeling relaxed in close quarters

Competent, confident boathandling counts well in your favour

If there’s one thing that will upset an examiner, it isn’t that you forgot to put on your lifejacket, it’s that he feels insecure when you begin manoeuvring in a marina. Take it from me, there’s nothing worse than sitting at the backstay wondering what you’re going to hit. If the boat slides sweetly out of her berth with everyone knowing what’s required and no shouting, then moves away easily with the examiner confident you’re in charge, that you’ve checked the next alleyway for collision risk, that your choice of speed is sensible and efficient and that it never enters his head to feel anxious, you’re well on the way to a pass after five minutes. No course can teach you this. It can only tick the box confirming you’ve managed it once or twice. The rest is up to you and your sea time.

Wind awareness

You should always be aware of the true wind direction and how it will influence any manoeuvres

Here’s another subject you can’t learn on a prep course. Knowing where the wind is and how it relates your position to any impending manoeuvres is critical. I often ask a candidate where the wind is coming from when he’s approaching a situation we both know will involve some sort of gyration under sail. If he looks instinctively at the masthead or, worse still, an instrument set to apparent wind, he’s dropped a bagful of points. At this stage, his mind should be setting up where the boat will best be placed to make her critical turns. Apparent wind isn’t going to help him much. What he should be doing is glancing at the water and noting the tiny ripples to assess what the true wind is actually doing. I’m often amazed at how many folk have never been shown how to do this. Racing sailors can handle it in their sleep, because they need to predict windshifts, but cruisers tend to get lazy, so make sure you can read the wind.

Good sailing

No need for incessant, race-style tweaking, but pay due attention to sail trim while the yacht is under way. If there’s a mainsheet traveller, use it

Ensure that the genoa sheet leads are properly positioned for the point of sail you’re on

Lovely: both mainsail and genoa set up with the right amounts of tension and twist

All examiners hate to see a yacht sloppily sailed on passage. Make sure that your crew are using the traveller, that genoa fairleads are properly positioned, that the main is well set up with kicker and mainsheet tension for twist. Above all, do not sail over-sheeted. It’s a dead giveaway that you just haven’t been out there enough yet.

Too much staring at the plotter screen betrays nervousness

In the days before GPS set navigators free, people used to fail exams by what we called ‘sailing the chart table’ rather than skippering the yacht. Assuming the test to be all about some sort of imagined ‘correct navigational practice’, candidates nailed themselves to the navigatorium when they should have been up on deck directing operations and watching out for the ship coming up astern that was suddenly looking bigger every moment. Well, guess what? Nothing has changed. This remains a big problem with neophyte Yachtmasters.

Sail the boat, not the chart table

The secret is to plan well, then nip below every so often on passage to keep an eye on what’s going on in the chart department and whizz back on deck pronto to carry on skippering the boat. I’ll lay a pound to a penny it’s what you do when there’s no examiner on board, so have the confidence to back your own usual practices. This is particularly important at night in crowded waters. An unsuccessful candidate often fails himself by allowing disorientation to creep in, simply by not keeping the true perspective on events, which can only be found on deck.

The use of electronic nav-aids such as GPS is not ‘cheating’ – it’s an integral part of navigation

All examiners have their own take on use of electronics. Personally, I want to know my candidate is making modern aids to navigation, including a chart plotter if there one, an integral part of his navigational policy. The idea, as one candidate suggested, that use of GPS is somehow ‘cheating’ is incomprehensible to me. I will almost certainly ask at some stage that the yacht be navigated classically, to see how easy my man is with what, for most people, are now backup skills. If I’m unconvinced by his performance, off he goes to think again.

Your chartwork should be fluid and accurate

Skilled chartwork comes with use, and no amount of last-minute swotting can make up for weeks of doing it as a matter of course. Plotting traditional fixes is a good giveaway these days. With GPS all around us, we only do this for real when electronics fail. I’ve seen a person take 15 minutes to select three objects from a background studded with lights, then plot the results. The yacht had moved over two miles in the meantime…

It’s absolutely vital that you maintain a decent logbook during the exam

It’s absolutely vital, whether navigating with a giant chart plotter or a Walker log, that you maintain a decent log book. Without this, if GPS fails for any reason at all, you’re lost, Mate, so is your exam, and quite right too!

Take command

One of the most important questions on most examiners’ private lists is how good the candidate is at taking charge. If he’s managing well, we probably won’t even notice that he’s in command, that his crew all know what’s expected of them and that their skipper is quietly checking that they’re doing it. Good leadership is seldom about barking orders, and never about ignoring all on board, yet leadership is what being a Yachtmaster is all about. First, you must be sufficiently comfortable with your own skill levels not to have to worry about little things like picking up a mooring. Only then can you consider what may go wrong for the poor soul on the foredeck in a gale at midnight.

The classic skills

These are what most people imagine success in an exam is based upon. Actually, these basic skills merely help an examiner build up an overall picture of the candidate. It’s generally not a hanging matter if one manoeuvre goes a bit haywire. Even a grounding is often more interesting for what the candidate does about it than for the fact that it has happened. After all, nobody is perfect, especially under the stress of an exam.

Man overboard

An effective, confidently executed man overboard drill speaks volumes about a candidate’s boat-handling ability but it’s not necessarily curtains if the manoeuvre goes a bit haywire

Errors in principle are not popular with examiners. Mistakes under pressure may sometimes be forgiven, and man overboard is a case in point. If the boat sails past the dummy with her mainsail full and the examiner asks, ‘What went wrong?’ It won’t get you much of a score if you reply, ‘I was going too fast.’

‘Candidate’s speciality, stating the bleeding obvious,’ the examiner will note on his pad, and move on, downhearted.

However, if you say, ‘I’m kicking myself because I was too far upwind and couldn’t de-power the main. I tried to get onto a close reach but I misjudged my approach,’ he’s more likely to take a lenient view – especially if you’ve opted for ‘Coastal’.

Securing the yacht alongside

When I was examining instructors regularly, I’d often sail up to Poole Quay (a tidal wall) shortly before closing time. I’d hop off the boat as soon as she touched the piling, saying, ‘You sort her out, skipper, I’m off for a quick pint.’ I’d then do just that. When I returned 10 minutes later, if the yacht was neatly snugged down with four lines ashore, ends on the dock, a fender board in place, sails neatly stowed and all hands below cooking and relaxing, the guy was in good shape for a pass. If I found discussions on deck about whether to ‘hand the end back for a spring’, and people blundering about in the dark, things didn’t look so bright for our hero. Have a system and know how to execute it.

… and don’t forget

Mooring and anchoring

Mooring and anchoring under sail should present no challenge to the aspiring Yachtmaster. When in doubt, drop the mainsail

These are Day Skipper skills that should pose no threat to a Yachtmaster candidate. Under sail, just remember first to assess whether the wind is with or against the tide. If you get lucky and it’s against, drop the main and arrive stemming the stream, spilling under headsail or creeping along under bare poles. If wind and tide are at all ambiguous, never forget the old adage – when in doubt, drop the mainsail.

Meteorology

As forecasting has become more comprehensive and accessible, I’ve noticed a reduction in candidates’ capacity to understand what’s going on and to read a bulletin creatively. Anyone who can’t describe the typical cloud sequence on a North Atlantic depression gets nil points from me, and failure to understand the basics of air masses is going to run up a black mark too. A favourite with examiners is to produce a weather map and invite their Yachtmaster to analyse it. Be ready, and know your subject.

Tom sees no reason not to have a chart in the cockpit, but some examiners disapprove of it. Be ready to justify your choice

Many candidates produce excellent pilotage plans for entering a strange harbour. I’m happy with that, and most examiners love it. Personally, I prefer to sketch a few notes on the actual chart and have it in the cockpit held down with a winch handle, yet I’ve met examiners who’d be horrified to see a chart on deck at all. So there you have it. Do what suits you best, then be ready to justify your choice. Actually, this advice is good across the board. The examiner wants to see what you really do, not some fantasy you’ve cooked up because you think he might like it. That is a weak candidate’s policy and it often backfires.

No shortcuts here, you just need to know your stuff – and finding the time to learn isn’t difficult

So far as the MCA is concerned, this is the crunch. Examiners are encouraged to demand high standards in this subject, and there’s no reason for a candidate, knowing full well he is to be put on the griddle, not to have the regulations burned into his heart. The best way to be exam-proof is to invest in A Seaman’s Guide to the Rule of the Road, available for modest money from all good chandlers or Bookharbour.com. Place it prominently in the heads some months before the exam and devote five minutes of the shining hour each day to digesting its wondrous contents. The book makes it easy and there’s no excuse for disappointing the Board of Trade!

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Master Yachts <500GT STCW Reg II/2 / Chief Mate Yachts <3000GT - Transport Malta CoC

€2,500  EUR

• Course Aim:

This course aims to give candidates the required training and knowledge as per the STCW, so as to be eligible to sit a TM Master (Yachts less than 500GT) Oral Examination.

On successful completion of the course and oral examination, Candidates will be able to work as a Master on Yachts less than 500GT -Unlimited Area, holding a Transport Malta Flag Authority issued Certificate of Competence.

Academic & Ancillary Study Units as required Daily Lunch

Price & Duration:

This will depend on the amount of study units you need to cover. There are also the exam fees as set by Transport Malta - €200 per session.

Intakes are held every February and November

Academic Units

• Maritime Law
• Oral Exam Preparation - various sessions will be organised in class with Master Mariners and Pilots to best prepare you for this Oral Exam!

STCW Ancillary Certificates Courses as required, can be completed at MaritimeMT as part of the course, at an additional cost per course.

• As per required for OOW-Yachts
• RADAR/ARPA - Management
• Use of Leadership and Managerial Skills - Management
• Medical Care

Entry Requirements

Entry Requirements: Be 18 years or older Hold a valid seafarers medical fitness certificate (IMO/ILO) Sea Time Requirements: 12 months approved seagoing service while holding one of the below CoCs: - OOW-Yachts <3000GT issued by Transport Malta - OOW-Yachts <3000GT issued by MCA - A valid STCW OOW CoC issued by an accepted administration All seatime must be obtained on vessels of 24 metres in length or <80GT

This course is available on the following days: (please check the availability with the training school)

• 1st November 2024 ★ (8 places)
• 1st February 2025 ★ (8 places)

★ Provisional dates

MaritimeMT, HHF041A Ħal Far Industrial Estate, Birżebbuġa BBG 3000 Malta

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Master less than 500 gross tonnage (yachts)

This certificate is issued under Marine Order 70 (Seafarer certification) 2014 and Marine Order 71 (Masters and deck officers) 2023 , made under the Navigation Act 2012 .

What will this certificate allow me to do?

This certificate allows you to perform the duties or functions of one of the following:

• Master less than 500 gross tonnage on yachts in any operating area
• Watchkeeper deck officer on yachts of less than 3000 gross tonnage in any operating area.

Yacht means a vessel that:

• is less than 3000 gross tonnage
• is commercial use for sport or pleasure
• does not carry cargo
• does not carry more than 12 passengers.

A yacht does not need to be designed to carry sail and may be a training vessel, a sail training vessel or a short ranger yacht provided they are not designed to carry cargo.

Am I eligible?

To get a Master less than 500 gross tonnage (yachts) certificate of competency you must meet medical, sea service and course requirements. The requirements depend on whether you are getting a certificate for the first time or revalidating an existing certificate. Each requirement and how to prove that you meet them is explained in these instructions.

Important disclaimer

These instructions are summary information only. We make decisions about seafarer certificates under Marine Order 70 (Seafarer certification) 2014 , Marine Order 71 (Master and deck officers) 2023 , Marine Order 72 (Engineer officers) 2014 , Marine Order 73 (Ratings) 2014 and Marine Order 74 (Master and deck officers – yachts) 2015 . Please refer to these marine orders for full details of eligibility and other requirements for certificate applications.

What type of qualification do you need?

Replace a lost or damaged certificate

Get an endorsement for your certificate

New certificate

What do i need to do.

To get this certificate, you need to:

Prior to the initial issue of a certificate of competency and certificate of recognition you must obtain a  Certificate of medical fitness  in Australia. As per Marine Order 76 (Health—medical fitness) 2017   you can only perform the duties of a seafarer on a relevant vessel if you are medically fit to perform those duties.

The medical examination can be organised by contacting Sonic HealthPlus . We strongly recommend that you complete the medical examination before you commence training to ensure that you are medically fit for a seagoing career.

To book a medical examination, you can:

• Call toll free: 1300 763 822

Email: [email protected]

Read more about medical fitness .

You will need to complete these courses:

• Master less than 500 gross tonnage (yachts) certificate of competency
• Basic safety training, including security awareness training
• Advanced firefighting
• Proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats other than fast rescue boats
• Medical care on board ships
• Navigational watch rating
• ECDIS and hold an AMSA issued endorsement.

These courses must be completed with an  approved training organisation .

All of the certificates and training you complete and provide evidence of must comply with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).

You will need to have completed at least 12 months sea service as an officer in charge of a navigation watch on vessels greater than or equal to 12 metres, while holding one of these certificates:

• Watchkeeper deck <3000GT (Yachts) Certificate of Competency
• Navigational watch rating.

You will need to provide evidence that you have completed the following:

• At least 4 months served on vessels greater than or equal to 20 metres
• At least 4 months served on voyages of at least 24 hours duration.

All sea service must be documented qualifying sea service.

Read more about sea service .

You will need to complete this sea service and then submit a Seafarer form 419 to us so we can assess your sea service and issue you with an AMSA assessment letter. This letter is the evidence you need to prove that you have met the sea service requirements for your qualification. This letter will also instruct you to complete your oral examination.

Once you have been assessed and issued with an assessment letter you will need to book and successfully pass an oral examination. Read more about booking an oral examination .

You will need to hold, or have held, one of these certificates:

• Watchkeeper less than 3000 gross tonnage (yachts) certificate of competency
• Any certificate AMSA considers equivalent to the above.

You will need to hold one of the following valid certificates:

• GMDSS Radio operators certificate
• GMDSS Certificate of recognition

You will need to lodge a formal application using the Seafarer form 419 to be assessed towards the requirements for a Master less than 500 gross tonnage (yachts) certificate of competency.

Lodge from within Australia

You will need to fill out the Seafarer form 419 , attach all required supporting documents and lodge it at a participating Australia Post retail outlet .

You will need to pay the fees for your application at the post office at the time of lodgement.

Lodge from overseas

You will need to fill out the Seafarer form 419 , attach all required supporting documents including a colour passport-style photograph and send the paperwork to us by email to [email protected] . When we receive your email, we will let you know how to pay the fee for your application via AMSA online portal.

Revalidate certificate

To revalidate your certificate, you need to:

You will need to provide evidence that you are medically fit to perform duties in the capacity of a Master less than 500 gross tonnage (yachts). As per Marine Order 76 (Health—medical fitness) 2017   you can only perform the duties of a seafarer on a relevant vessel if you are medically fit to perform the duties.

To revalidate your current certificate you will need an AMSA medical completed on form 303 . If this form is completed outside Australia it must be completed in a country that holds an agreement with us.

You can organise a medical examination by contacting Sonic HealthPlus .

Obtain a Certificate of medical fitness from overseas

We will accept a Certificate of medical fitness completed in a country we have an agreement with for revalidation purposes.

You will need to print the relevant medical paperwork and make an appointment with a medical examiner. The medical examiner must be approved by the administration of the country which has an agreement with us.

You will need to provide evidence that you have completed sea service performing functions for your current certificate for either:

• At least 12 months in total during the preceding 5 years before application
• 3 months in total during the preceding 6 months prior to revalidating.

All submitted sea service must be documented qualifying sea service. Read more about sea service .

All certificates and training must comply with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) and be with an organisation we have approved.

If you are revalidating your certificate and you are an overseas permanent resident, some STCW short courses may be completed in a country we have an agreement with.

With required sea service

If you already have the required sea service, you will need to:

• sea service
• your participation in the mandatory abandon ship and fire drills required by SOLAS
• your participation in scheduled drills required by the on board Safety Management System (see sample template letter).
• Keep the original of this letter and send us a copy with your application.
• Complete continued competence refresher training for the STCW short courses in Advanced firefighting and Proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats other than fast rescue boats.

These continued competence training courses are valid for up to 5 years.

It is a requirement of the STCW Code that seafarers, every five years, provide evidence of having maintained the required standards of competence in firefighting and sea survival at the appropriate level, as well as fast rescue boats. Currently AMSA considers this requirement as one of the criteria for issue or revalidation of an Australian seafarer certificate issued under the Navigation Act, as specified in the Marine Order 70 series. In the case of revalidation, this is considered every five years. An Australian seafarer certificate will not lapse or expire if, during the five-year period of the certificate’s validity, STCW training has not been maintained by the seafarer. 

However, AMSA nonetheless strongly recommends seafarers maintain the currency of their STCW Code training over the life of their Australian seafarer certificate, as this is often enforced by foreign Administrations and companies operating foreign flagged vessels.This simply means that seafarers need to be conscious of the period that has elapsed since they last completed STCW Code training requirements and ensure they renew their training five years from this date, even if the five year period does not coincide with the renewal date of their Australian seafarer certificate. 

Without required sea service

If you do not have the required sea service, you will need to complete the full STCW short courses in:

• Advanced firefighting
• Proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats other than fast rescue boats.

You will also need to complete one of the following options:

• Complete an approved revalidation course for your certificate within 5 years before applying to revalidate your certificate.
• Complete an oral examination.
• Perform duties and functions that we consider at least equivalent to sea service.

Read more about  approved training organisations and revalidating your current certificate.

If you are serving on an ECDIS equipped ship, you will also need to hold an ECDIS endorsement.

You will need to fill out the Seafarer form 419 , attach all required supporting documents including a colour passport-style photograph and send the paperwork to us by email to [email protected] . When we receive your email we will let you know how to pay the fee for your application via AMSA online portal.

• Surveyor of domestic vessels
• Vessel owner and operator
• Commercial fisher
• Domestic seafarer or crew
• International crew
• Coastal pilot
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