Oral Exam Prep
Master (Yachts <3000 GT) — Oral Exam Preparation
- Modules
- 3
- Lessons
- 78
- Questions
- 390
Independent preparatory study aligned to the MCA Master (Yachts less than 3000 GT) examination syllabus (updated June 2026). Not an MCA-approved course and confers no credit toward a Certificate of Competency.
Aligned to the published MCA syllabus. Official syllabus (GOV.UK). MSN 1858 · syllabus 17 Jun 2026.
M3000-1 · Navigation
30 lessons
M3000-1.1 Plan and Conduct Safe Navigation
Practice in examiner ↗M3000-1.1.1Passage planning and navigational publications including ECDIS and RCDSPassage planning under SOLAS V/34 at command depth, maintenance of navigational publications, and the legal and operational distinction between ECDIS type approval, RCDS mode, and chart carriage equivalence.LockedM3000-1.1.2Ships' routeing and mandatory reporting systemsThis lesson covers IMO ships' routeing systems and mandatory ship reporting schemes, teaching the Master how to identify, apply, and document compliance obligations across the full route.LockedM3000-1.1.3IALA systems of maritime buoyageCovers the IALA buoyage system (Regions A and B), the five mark types plus emergency wreck marking buoys, their characteristics, and the command-level decisions they demand.LockedM3000-1.1.4Electronic navigation systems - limitations, errors and correctionThis lesson covers GPS failure modes and ECDIS error chains in a command context — how a Master identifies, responds to, and records electronic navigation system failures whilst maintaining an independently verified position.LockedM3000-1.1.5Radar and ARPA - use, modes, limitations, errors and parallel indexingCovers radar and ARPA use, stabilisation modes, parallel indexing as an active navigation tool, and the principal limitations and errors a Master must critically assess before trusting ARPA output.LockedM3000-1.1.6Meteorology - sources, instruments, weather systems, reporting and recordingCovers weather information sources, on-board instruments, pressure tendency, key weather systems including TRS, and the Master's duty to record forecasts and meteorological observations as part of sound command decision-making.Locked
M3000-1.2 Safe Navigational Watchkeeping Arrangements
Practice in examiner ↗M3000-1.2.1Principles of navigational watchkeeping - sea, pilotage, anchor and portThis lesson distinguishes the four navigational watch regimes — sea, pilotage, anchor, and port — examining the appropriate level of resource, attention, and Master's responsibility in each, and the standing/night order framework that governs when the OOW must call the Master.LockedM3000-1.2.2Collision Regulations - content, application and intentCovers the legal basis, geographic application, structural hierarchy, and command-level principles of the COLREGs, with particular focus on where candidates give shallow answers in oral examination.LockedM3000-1.2.3Conduct in and near Traffic Separation Schemes and VTS areasThis lesson covers a Master's command-level obligations when navigating in and near Traffic Separation Schemes and VTS areas, encompassing COLREGS Rule 10, passage planning responsibilities under SOLAS V/34, and the legal framework for VTS participation and compliance.LockedM3000-1.2.4Bridge equipment - course recorders, echo sounders and NAVTEXThis lesson covers the Master's command-level responsibilities for course recorders, echo sounders, and NAVTEX receivers: correct operation, record-keeping, managing deficiencies, and the evidential and safety significance of each system.LockedM3000-1.2.5Steering control systems, autopilot and manual/automatic changeoverThis lesson covers the Master's command responsibility for steering control systems on a yacht, including autopilot risk management, the hierarchy of steering modes, and the obligations governing testing, changeover drills and standing orders.LockedM3000-1.2.6The ICS Bridge Procedures Guide - knowledge and applicationThis lesson covers the ICS Bridge Procedures Guide — its authority, scope, and application as the command standard against which a yacht Master's bridge organisation, standing orders, and watchkeeping practices are assessed.LockedM3000-1.2.7Establishing a safe engineering watch - sea, anchor and portThis lesson distinguishes UMS, continuous machinery watch and engineer on call, and teaches the Master's command responsibility for setting and justifying the engineering watch arrangement at sea, at anchor and in port under MSN 1858.Locked
M3000-1.3 Compasses
Practice in examiner ↗M3000-1.4 Ship Manoeuvring
Practice in examiner ↗M3000-1.4.1Conning the ship - wind, current, under-keel clearance, interaction and squatThis lesson covers the command-level application of wind, current, under-keel clearance, squat, and interaction when conning a yacht, with emphasis on anticipation, cause-and-effect reasoning, and the Master's decision-making framework.LockedM3000-1.4.2Berthing and unberthing - jetties, quays and buoys, with and without tugs, tide and windCovers the command-level decision-making, environmental assessment, and technique required when berthing and unberthing at quays, jetties and buoys in varying conditions of wind, tide and tug availability.LockedM3000-1.4.3Manoeuvres in restricted and open watersTeaches the forces governing ship manoeuvring in restricted and open water — pivot point, transverse thrust, interaction, squat and current effects — and the command-level decision-making a Master (Yachts <3000 GT) candidate must demonstrate in the oral examination.LockedM3000-1.4.4Embarking and disembarking pilotsCovers the Master's personal legal duty under SOLAS V/23 for safe pilot transfer arrangements, the IMO performance standards that define what 'safe' means, and the command responsibility that persists throughout the pilot's presence on board.LockedM3000-1.4.5Limitations of remote control of power plant and auxiliary machineryThis lesson covers the practical limitations of remotely controlling main engines and auxiliary machinery from the bridge, how those limitations differ from ECR and local control, and the Master's obligations when remote systems are degraded.LockedM3000-1.4.6.1Anchor types - advantages and disadvantagesThis lesson covers the principal anchor types carried aboard yachts and larger vessels, their holding mechanisms, the seabed conditions each suits, their failure modes, and how a Master selects and deploys them at command standard.LockedM3000-1.4.6.2Preparation for anchoringThis lesson covers the command-level decisions and actions required when preparing a vessel to anchor, distinguishing anchorage selection from execution, and clarifying key concepts including scope, cable laid out, anchor party coordination, and the letting-go versus bringing-up sequence.LockedM3000-1.4.6.3Anchoring in a tideway and in confined watersCommand-level decision-making for anchoring in a tideway and in confined waters, covering approach technique, scope, moor selection, swinging circle assessment and anchor watch.LockedM3000-1.4.6.4Anchoring with a single anchor and use of a second anchorThis lesson distinguishes single-anchor best practice from the four principal uses of a second anchor, and clarifies the kedge/bower distinction at command depth.LockedM3000-1.4.6.5Dragging anchor - detection and actionCovers the detection of a dragging anchor by visual bearings, radar, GPS alarm and physical signs, and the command-level decision sequence for preventing grounding or collision.LockedM3000-1.4.6.6Clearing a fouled anchor and hawseThis lesson covers the Master's understanding and command approach to clearing a fouled anchor and a fouled hawse, including identification, clearing options, crew safety, and the decision to slip.LockedM3000-1.4.6.7Hanging off an anchorThis lesson covers the principle and command application of hanging off an anchor as a controlled manoeuvring technique to check speed and regulate swing in confined or tidal waters.LockedM3000-1.4.6.8Breaking and slipping cablesDistinguishes breaking the cable (anchor and cable let go with or without a buoy, potential recovery) from slipping (cable parted at the ship, gear abandoned), with command-level criteria for choosing between them and post-slip obligations.LockedM3000-1.4.6.9Getting under way from anchorThis lesson covers the Master's decision-making process and command responsibilities when getting under way from anchor, from pre-weighing checks through the moment the anchor is aweigh to securing the anchor for sea.LockedM3000-1.4.7Navigation near ice - ice reporting and ice accretionCovers the Master's legal duty to report dangerous ice under SOLAS V/31, the content of an ice report, and the management of ice accretion as an acute stability threat requiring active command decisions.LockedM3000-1.4.8Manoeuvres to launch and recover rescue boats and survival craftCovers the seamanship principles and command decisions governing vessel manoeuvring to support safe launch and recovery of rescue boats and survival craft, from creating a lee through to recovery abort criteria.Locked
M3000-2 · Response to Emergencies
16 lessons
M3000-2.1 Response to Navigational Emergencies
Practice in examiner ↗M3000-2.1.1Accidental damage - collision, grounding, flooding, mechanical damage and beachingThis lesson teaches command-level decision-making and legal obligations for collision, grounding, flooding, mechanical damage and beaching, addressing the common failure of candidates who recite checklists rather than demonstrating Master-level judgement.LockedM3000-2.1.2Trim and stability effects of compartment flooding and subsequent actionsThis lesson covers how compartment flooding affects trim and transverse stability on a yacht, the physics of free surface effect and lost buoyancy, and the ordered actions a Master must take to assess, contain and respond to the emergency.LockedM3000-2.1.3Preparations and precautions for towing and being towedThis lesson covers the command-level preparations and precautions a Master must take before, during, and after establishing a towing or being-towed evolution, including structural, crew, communications, and legal considerations.LockedM3000-2.1.4IAMSAR Volume III, distress signals and SAR - UK and worldwideCovers the Master's legal duty to render assistance under SOLAS V/33, the carriage and operational use of IAMSAR Volume III, distress signals under COLREGs Annex IV, and the SAR coordination framework including on-scene coordinator responsibilities.LockedM3000-2.1.5Emergency steering systemsThis lesson covers the Master's obligations under SOLAS V/26 for testing and drilling emergency steering systems, the components that constitute emergency steering, and the command response when primary steering fails.Locked
M3000-2.2 Response to Other Emergencies
Practice in examiner ↗M3000-2.2.1Organising and directing fire-fighting and abandon ship partiesCovers the Master's command role in organising and directing fire-fighting and abandon ship parties, distinguishing between directing the response and performing it, and identifying the key decision points that must reflect command-level thinking.LockedM3000-2.2.2Dealing with fire onboard - prevention at sea and in portThis lesson covers the Master's command-level approach to fire prevention at sea and in port, including fuel flash point requirements, hot-work permit controls, bunkering precautions, and routine machinery and domestic risk management.LockedM3000-2.2.3Preventing the spread of fireCovers the Master-level knowledge and command decisions required to prevent the spread of fire through structural barriers, systems management, and active tactical measures.LockedM3000-2.2.4Fire-fighting equipment, doors, dampers, screens and detection - operation, maintenance and testingThis lesson covers the operation, maintenance and testing of fixed and portable fire-fighting systems, fire detection and alarm systems, fire doors, dampers and screens, from the perspective of the Master's command responsibilities and the logged SMS regime required to demonstrate compliance.LockedM3000-2.2.5Watertight doors, side scuttles and scuppers - operation, maintenance and testingThis lesson distinguishes watertight doors, side scuttles, and scuppers — their operational status requirements, testing regimes, and the Master's command responsibility for maintaining the vessel's watertight integrity.LockedM3000-2.2.6Survival craft - launch, manage, survive, recover at sea, beach or landThis lesson prepares candidates to answer command-level examination questions on the full survival craft cycle — decision, preparation, launch, waterborne management, and recovery or beaching — reflecting the Master's legal authority and tactical responsibility throughout.LockedM3000-2.2.7Lifesaving appliances - operation, maintenance and testingThis lesson covers the Master's command-level responsibility for ensuring all lifesaving appliances aboard a yacht are operable, correctly maintained, within service dates, and that crew are drilled in their use — and the go/no-go decision when deficiencies are found.LockedM3000-2.2.8Contents of the SOLAS training manualThis lesson covers the mandatory content of the SOLAS training manual, the reason behind each content area, and the Master's responsibility to ensure it is used as a genuine training tool.LockedM3000-2.2.9Action when disabled and in distressCovers the Master's command decisions when a yacht is disabled and in distress: assessing and declaring distress, immediate seamanship to stabilise the vessel, GMDSS communications sequence, managing crew and passengers, coordinating with the assisting vessel, and maintaining the log throughout.LockedM3000-2.2.10Assisting ships and aircraft in distress - rescuing passengers and crewThis lesson covers the Master's legal duty under SOLAS V/33 to render assistance, and the practical step-by-step procedure for responding to a vessel or aircraft in distress and recovering survivors safely.LockedM3000-2.2.11Safety during helicopter operationsThis lesson covers the Master's command responsibilities and practical safety measures during shipboard helicopter operations, distinguishing winching from deck-landing scenarios and focusing on the critical actions — static discharge, deck preparation, firefighting standby and communications — that the MCA oral examiner tests.Locked
M3000-3 · Onboard Ship Operation
32 lessons
M3000-3.1 Compliance with Pollution Requirements
Practice in examiner ↗M3000-3.1.1Preventing pollution in port and at seaCovers the Master's command responsibility for preventing sea and port pollution under MARPOL Annex I, V, and VI, including fuel sulphur compliance, oily water discharge conditions, garbage management, and the documentary requirements underpinning each regime.LockedM3000-3.1.2Responding to pollution incidents onboard and found at seaThis lesson covers the Master's legal and practical responsibilities when responding to an onboard pollution incident and when pollution is observed at sea, including source control, MARPOL reporting obligations, Oil Record Book requirements, and the limits of delegated authority.LockedM3000-3.1.3SOPEP Manual, Garbage Management Plan and anti-pollution equipmentCovers the SOPEP and Garbage Management Plan — their legal basis, content, carriage thresholds, and the Master's command-level responsibilities — together with the anti-pollution equipment that underpins both.LockedM3000-3.1.4Practical requirements of the MARPOL ConventionThis lesson covers the practical, documentary and command-level obligations under MARPOL Annexes I, V and VI — record books, certificates, retention periods, discharge conditions, bunkering documentation and Special Area requirements — as examined at Master standard.LockedM3000-3.1.5Responsibilities, duties, obligations and liabilities in respect of pollutionCovers the Master's personal legal position, criminal and regulatory liability, and practical obligations arising from MARPOL Annex I discharge rules as they apply to a sub-400 GT yacht operating in and around Special Areas.Locked
M3000-3.2 Seaworthiness of the Ship
Practice in examiner ↗M3000-3.2.1Preparations for sea - watertight integrity and heavy weather precautionsCovers the Master's personal legal duty of seaworthiness, systematic verification of watertight integrity before departure, and the command decisions required when preparing a yacht for heavy weather.LockedM3000-3.2.2Load line items affecting seaworthinessThis lesson covers the load line items that constitute conditions of assignment, why defects in those items invalidate the Load Line Certificate, and the Master's legal duty not to proceed to sea when those conditions are not met.LockedM3000-3.2.3Action on ingress of water into the hullThis lesson covers the Master's command response to water ingress — from initial assessment and communication through damage control measures to the decision to abandon — emphasising command depth over engineering procedure.LockedM3000-3.2.4Dry-docking and undocking with and without damageThis lesson covers the Master's command responsibilities and stability considerations when dry-docking and undocking a yacht, distinguishing normal from damage docking and identifying the critical stability phase and disclosure obligations.LockedM3000-3.2.5Use and care of deck machineryThis lesson covers the Master's command responsibility for deck machinery — distinguishing machinery, lifting appliances and mooring equipment, and ensuring pre-departure checks, planned maintenance and defect management are systematically applied under the SMS.Locked
M3000-3.3 Crew Management
Practice in examiner ↗M3000-3.3.1Personnel management, organisation, training and disciplinary proceduresThis lesson covers the Master's legal authority in crew management, the distinction between statutory manning, safe manning and crew organisation, familiarisation and training obligations, and the correct handling of discipline and misconduct aboard.LockedM3000-3.3.2Application of hours of work legislationThis lesson covers the Master's obligations under UK hours of rest legislation: the minimum rest thresholds, record-keeping and display requirements, and the power to suspend rest with the duty to provide compensatory rest thereafter.Locked
M3000-3.4 Safety of Ship's Crew and Passengers
Practice in examiner ↗M3000-3.4.1Stowaways and prevention of smuggling - the Master's responsibilityThis lesson covers the Master's legal responsibility for preventing stowaways and smuggling, the pre-departure search obligation, and the command decisions required when a stowaway is discovered at sea.LockedM3000-3.4.2Precautions against terrorism, piracy and robberyThis lesson covers the Master's command-level responsibilities for assessing and mitigating threats from piracy, terrorism, and robbery, including risk assessment, hardening measures, and reporting obligations.Locked
M3000-3.5 Legislative Requirements
Practice in examiner ↗M3000-3.5.1Health and safety legislation, COSWP and risk assessmentThis lesson covers the statutory basis for health and safety on UK-flagged yachts, the Master's personal accountability under the 1997 Regulations and MSN 1858, COSWP's legal status, and the command-level application of risk assessment and permit-to-work systems.LockedM3000-3.5.2Improvement and prohibition noticesThis lesson covers the legal distinction between MCA improvement and prohibition notices, the conditions for their issue, their effect on the vessel's ability to sail, appeal rights, and the Master's specific command obligations on receipt.LockedM3000-3.5.3Safe manning, crew agreements, employment conditions and the Official Log BookThis lesson covers the Master's legal obligations in relation to the Safe Manning Document, crew agreements under UK flag State requirements, seafarer employment conditions under MLC 2006, and the proper maintenance and legal status of the Official Log Book.LockedM3000-3.5.4Load line marks - freeboard, draft entries, reports and allowancesCovers load line certificates, zone and seasonal marks, the Master's duty to record drafts and freeboard before departure, zone-to-zone loading allowances, and reporting obligations.LockedM3000-3.5.5Inspection of living quarters, storerooms and complaints proceduresThis lesson covers the Master's personal obligations under MLC for regular inspection of crew accommodation and storerooms, the correct inspection sequence and record-keeping, and the requirements for a shipboard complaints procedure including seafarer protection.LockedM3000-3.5.6Required records including the Oil Record BookThis lesson distinguishes the key onboard records required under MARPOL Annexes I, V and VI — Oil Record Book, Garbage Record Book, BDN, and fuel sample — clarifying applicable thresholds, who signs, how long records are kept, and the Master's accountability for their integrity.LockedM3000-3.5.7Requirements for drills and trainingCovers the legal requirements for drills and training under SOLAS Chapter III as implemented by the REG Yacht Code, including routine monthly drills, trigger-based drill obligations, and the Master's command accountability for drill quality and records.LockedM3000-3.5.8Regulations concerning fire-fighting appliancesThis lesson distinguishes the regulatory instruments governing fire-fighting appliances on large yachts — SOLAS II-2, REG YC, and MSN 1858 — and contrasts fixed systems, portable equipment, and the Master's operational obligations beyond mere carriage.LockedM3000-3.5.9Regulations concerning life-saving equipmentCovers the regulatory framework governing life-saving appliances on commercial yachts, including the hierarchy of SOLAS Chapter III, the Red Ensign Group Yacht Code, and the Master's command-level accountability for carriage, maintenance, drills, and records.LockedM3000-3.5.10International conventions, certificates and onboard documentationDistinguishes international conventions, the statutory certificates they generate, and the operational documents a Master maintains, with particular focus on the differences examiners probe most — SMC versus DOC, IOPP versus ORB, and BDN versus bunker sample.LockedM3000-3.5.11Statutory and classification surveysThis lesson distinguishes statutory surveys (flag state/convention mandated, legally binding certificates) from classification surveys (private society standards underpinning insurance and commercial fitness), clarifying the command implications of each and where they overlap under the REG Yacht Code framework.LockedM3000-3.5.12Reports required by the MAIBThis lesson covers the Master's legal duty to report marine accidents and incidents to the MAIB, the classification of reportable events, timescales, and the steps to take immediately after an occurrence on a yacht under command.LockedM3000-3.5.13Obligations with respect to pilotageThis lesson distinguishes compulsory from voluntary pilotage, explains Pilotage Exemption Certificates, and establishes the Master's undiminished command responsibility whenever a pilot is embarked.LockedM3000-3.5.14Towage and salvage agreementsThis lesson covers the legal distinction between towage and salvage, the structure and implications of Lloyd's Open Form, the Master's authority to sign, and the command responsibilities that flow from engaging either agreement.LockedM3000-3.5.15Flag State and Port State ControlCovers the legal distinction between Flag State and Port State authority, how PSC operates through regional MoUs, and the Master's specific obligations and rights during inspection and detention.LockedM3000-3.5.16The ISM Code - purpose and applicationCovers the purpose, legal basis, key requirements, and command-level application of the ISM Code, including the Master's overriding authority and the distinction between the DOC and SMC.LockedM3000-3.5.17The ISPS Code - purpose and applicationThis lesson covers the purpose, structure and command-level application of the ISPS Code, including Security Levels, the Ship Security Plan, the ISSC, and the Master's overriding authority under SOLAS XI-2.LockedM3000-3.5.18Documentation required for a vessel under 3000 GTThis lesson covers the statutory certificates, records and plans required on board a vessel under 3000 GT, with emphasis on the tonnage and trading thresholds that trigger each requirement and the Master's personal responsibility for their accuracy and currency.Locked