Where candidates go wrong
Two habits sink otherwise competent watchkeepers. The first is answering as a mate: "I would call the captain." At this grade you are the captain, and the examiner will let the silence hang until you notice. The second is booking early to "see what it's like". AMSA's own preparation page is blunt: do not treat the exam as a practice run. A fail costs a fee, a wait and, on a busy yacht, possibly the job you were promoted into.
What the oral is, in law
Marine Order 70 (Seafarer certification) 2014 defines the final assessment as an assessment by AMSA, part of which must be conducted by oral examination by an examiner, of whether you have operational knowledge and knowledge of Australian maritime legislation appropriate to the grade. Marine Order 74 (2015), Schedule 2, makes "passed a final assessment" the last eligibility item for Master <3000 GT (Yachts).
| Rule | Source |
|---|---|
| Final assessment must be passed within 5 years before issue or revalidation | MO 70, s 39(b) |
| After a fail, AMSA may bar reassessment for up to 6 months | MO 70, s 39(c) |
| "Master duties or functions" = STCW Code Table A-II/2, column 1 | MO 74, s 4 |
Eligibility, sea service and short courses are covered in AMSA Master <3000 GT (Yachts); this course assumes you have them.
What AMSA publishes about scope
AMSA's Appendix 12 syllabus is shared by Master <500 GT (Yachts) and Master <3000 GT (Yachts). AMSA states it does not publish a separate examiner checklist for this certificate, so the A/B/C topic ratings used for other grades are not available to you. The syllabus notes say the examiner may:
- ask anything within the twelve sections, focused on management responsibilities;
- ask for answers as diagrams or simple calculations;
- require radar plotting and chartwork;
- go back into lower-grade material where it affects safe operation;
- assess your English.
How this course maps the syllabus
| Module | Appendix 12 sections | STCW A-II/2 function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Navigation | 2, 3, 4 | Navigation, management level |
| 2 Collisions and ship handling | 6, 12 | Navigation, management level |
| 3 Stability, construction, surveys | 5, 9, 11 | Controlling the operation of the ship |
| 4 Emergencies and SAR | 8, 10, 11 | Navigation; controlling the operation |
| 5 Legislation and compliance | 1, 7 | Controlling the operation of the ship |
| 6 Command business | 1 | Controlling the operation (leadership) |
The STCW cargo function barely touches a yacht that carries no cargo, but loading, trim and stability questions still come from it.
Structuring an answer
AMSA's study sheet asks you to practise saying what you would do, why it matters and what you would check next. Add the authority: the SMS procedure, the Marine Order, the Navigation Act section. Keep a small stock of real examples from your own service; AMSA says examiners may ask how you applied knowledge at sea.
TIP — Speak in the first person singular "I would", "I have", "I'd expect my OOW to". Not "you'd probably".
Command-level obligation
The examiner is deciding whether AMSA can put your name on a certificate that lets you command a 2,999 GT yacht in any operating area. Every answer should show that you know where the decision rests, what the law expects of you, and that you would act on it without waiting for permission.