Which titles need the module yacht

Where candidates go wrong

Most people arrive on a module yacht (yacht module) course thinking it is a licence. It is not. Article 2 of the arrêté of 20 Aug 2015 is blunt: neither the diplôme de capitaine 200 nor the module yacht is a titre de formation professionnelle maritime (maritime professional title), and neither lets you exercise the privileges of the brevet. The module is an attestation that you then combine with a deck diploma or brevet, sea service and STCW certificates to apply for the yacht brevet. Get that distinction wrong in the oral and the examiner will notice.

The second error is assuming the module expires. It does not: article 7 says its validity "n'est pas limitée". Your brevet is valid for five years and is revalidated under the arrêté of 24 Jul 2013; the module stays on file.

Which titles are built on the module

Two shortcuts matter for the exam room:

• Holders of the capitaine 3000 are deemed to hold the base part (arrêté of 18 Apr 2016, art. 4). They sit only the specific-part paper, and their oral covers only the specific part (annexe III).
• Holders of a valid yacht brevet (old or new style) are deemed to hold the module without it being issued (art. 9). So are those who passed the "Passenger ships" option of the initial OOW/capitaine 3000 course (arrêté of 5 Jul 2017).

Who may start the course

Article 5 sets two conditions. You must meet the seafarer medical fitness standard, and you must either be following or have followed the capitaine 200 modules, hold the diplôme de capitaine 200 or a recognised diploma, or hold a title listed in tableau 1 of annexe I. That table includes any brevet allowing master or OOW functions on ships of 200 GT or more, commercial or pleasure.

The course is delivered only by prestataires agréés (approved providers) holding an approval under the arrêté of 12 May 2011 (art. 14). The module can also be obtained by validation des acquis de l'expérience (VAE, recognition of prior experience) under the arrêté of 13 Jul 2016 (art. 8).

CAUTION — The brevet has its own conditions Passing the module does not waive age or sea service. The C200 yacht needs age 20 and 12 months' sea service. The CDQ 500 yacht needs age 18 and 12 months on deck, 6 of them as master or certificated officer. The C500 yacht needs age 20 and 12 months as master or officer after the CDQ 500, 6 of them as master.

Where the module fits in the hours

For the C200 yacht route, annexe II gives 342 h for the capitaine 200 modules, 79 h for the module yacht (assessment included), 421 h in total, or 556 h if you also need EM II, the GOC and the passenger-ship courses.

What the examiner wants to see

• You can say what the module is (an attestation), what it is not (a title) and that it never expires.
• You can place each yacht brevet on the ladder with its tonnage, distance and function limits.
• You know the C3000 concession and why it exists: the base part repeats competences a C3000 already holds.

Vocabulaire de l'examen