Oral Exam Prep

Master (Yachts <500 GT) — Oral Exam Preparation

M-Y<500

Modules
4
Lessons
53
Questions
265

Independent preparatory study aligned to the MCA Master (Yachts less than 500 GT) oral examination syllabus. 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 26 Jan 2023.

Rule notes (12)

  1. Recent change

    OneOcean harassment module for all UK CoC holders by 31 March 2027

    MGN 718 requires everyone holding a UK CoC or CoP, and anyone whose PSSR certificate is dated before 1 January 2026, to complete OneOcean module 0900 by 31 March 2027. It reverses MIN 729 (December 2025), which had said existing PSSR holders needed nothing more. The module is free, online, takes about one hour and gives a digital Verification of Training. Do it now: missing it may hold up your next revalidation.

    Sources

  2. Sources disagree

    PSC&RB and AFF refreshers for OOW (Yachts): the notices disagree

    MSN 1865 Amendment 1 Annex A lists only PST and FPFF refreshers for the OOW (Yachts) <3000 GT CoC. MSN 1858 Amendment 2 section 6 lists PSC&RB for that CoC with five-yearly updating, and MSN 1861 Amendment 1 lists PSC&RB and AFF refreshers for every revalidation. Updating PSC&RB also means updating PST, and AFF means FPFF. Until the MCA settles it, keep PSC&RB in date.

    Sources

  3. Not confirmed

    MIN 643 short-course rules expire on 30 September 2026

    MIN 643 sets which foreign short-course certificates the MCA accepts and which courses may be taught online. The December 2022 edition carries an expiry of 30 September 2026 and no replacement had been confirmed. Under it, PST, FPFF, PSC&RB and FRB refreshers cannot be done online or peripatetically. Check gov.uk for the successor before booking a course abroad.

    Sources

  4. Not confirmed

    Y-ticket conversions rest on MIN 642, which expired on 1 December 2025

    MIN 642 sets the routes from Y1–Y4 yacht engineer CoCs to Small Vessel CoCs. Its gov.uk note says it was extended to 1 December 2025; on 26 September 2026 it was still listed, not withdrawn and not replaced. It also cites the Chief Engineer <3000 kW oral as STCW III/2 where MSN 1904 says III/3. An MCA-approved college says Y-tickets can still be revalidated every five years, so conversion is optional for yacht work. Confirm the route with the MCA before paying for modules.

    Sources

  5. Recent change

    Old ML5 form accepted only until 31 December 2026

    The ML5 form MSF 4112 Rev 02/23 is accepted for new referrals only up to and including 31 December 2026; use Rev 01/26 after that. Certificates already issued on the old form stay valid until expiry. A commercial endorsement needs an ML5 or an ENG1.

    Sources

  6. Sources disagree

    GOC or ROC for Chief Mate and Master (Yachts)?

    As printed, the ancillary table in MSN 1858 Amendment 2 marks both GOC and ROC against the Chief Mate and Master (Yachts) columns. The ROC will not satisfy the OOW (Yachts) route. Hold a GOC for any yacht deck CoC until the MCA says otherwise.

    Sources

  7. Recent change

    Sport or Pleasure Vessel Code replaced MGN 280 on 12 December 2025

    The Sport or Pleasure Vessel Code applies from 12 December 2025 and replaces the Yellow, Blue and Red Codes, MGN 280 for sport or pleasure vessels and the Intended Pleasure Vessels code, with a transition for existing vessels. The Master (Code Vessels <200 GT) oral syllabus still names MGN 280 and LY3, so know both old and new references.

    Sources

  8. Recent change

    GMDSS certificates now issued by the MCA directly

    Since 12 May 2025 the MCA approves GMDSS courses and issues certificates itself, on form MSF 4354. Exams are run by the training centre with a separate trainer and assessor, and a failed candidate may be allowed one resit within 2 weeks. The fees in MIN 716 (£77 issue, £54 standalone revalidation) come from a notice that expired on 31 May 2026; check current fees.

    Sources

  9. Recent change

    EPIRB and PLB registration is now mandatory on UK vessels

    MGN 665 Amendment 1 (24 March 2026) makes registration of EPIRBs and 406 MHz PLBs on UK ships and watercraft mandatory, and failing to register is an offence. Check the yacht's beacons and any crew PLBs are registered with the UK Beacon Registry and the details are current.

    Sources

  10. Not confirmed

    MSN 1858 Amendment 2 cites notice amendments not yet published

    MSN 1858 Amendment 2 refers to MSN 1865, MSN 1862 and MSN 1864 Amendment 2, but gov.uk showed only Amendment 1 of each when checked. xplor courses follow Amendment 1. If a later amendment appears, its requirements override what is taught here.

    Sources

  11. Recent change

    Accident reporting: new UK Regulations from 15 May 2026

    The Merchant Shipping (Accident Reporting and Investigation) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/430) came into force on 15 May 2026 and revoke the 2012 Regulations. Serious injury means incapacitation for more than 72 hours starting within seven days. Evidence, including VDR data, must be preserved, normally for 30 days after notification.

    Sources

  12. Recent change

    Mediterranean SOx ECA: 0.10% sulphur fuel since 1 May 2025

    The Mediterranean became a SOx Emission Control Area on 1 May 2025, with a fuel sulphur limit of 0.10% m/m. Engineers bunkering or changing over fuel for Mediterranean passages must plan to that limit.

    Sources

M500-1 · Navigation

16 lessons

M500-1.1 Plan and Conduct Safe Navigation

In preparation
M500-1.1.1Voyage planning in restricted watersThis lesson teaches candidates how to apply the four-stage voyage planning process specifically to restricted waters, addressing the common examination failure of giving generic rather than constraint-specific answers.PreviewM500-1.1.2Meteorology - synoptic charts, local forecasting and weather systemsDistinguishes synoptic from prognostic charts, teaches front identification and local forecasting techniques, and frames weather decision-making at command level.LockedM500-1.1.3Voyage planning for restricted visibilityCovers the Master's obligation to plan proactively for restricted visibility on a yacht, from identifying risk areas and decision points to the threshold decisions only the Master can make.LockedM500-1.1.4Ship reporting systemsDistinguishes mandatory ship reporting systems, vessel traffic services and voluntary reporting schemes (such as AMVER), covering legal basis, master's obligations and how each is identified and applied during passage planning.LockedM500-1.1.5Limitations of electronic chart systems - ECDIS and RCDSCovers the limitations of ECDIS and RCDS that a Master must understand and manage, including chart data quality, over-zooming, operator configuration errors, sensor dependency, and the restricted capability of RCDS compared with a fully compliant ECDIS.LockedM500-1.1.6Port radio information services - VTS, VTIS and ALRSCovers the distinction between VTS, VTIS and Port Operations Radio Service, the master's obligations under each, and use of ALRS as the primary reference for port radio information.LockedM500-1.1.7IALA maritime buoyage - regions A and BCovers the IALA A/B buoyage regions — the lateral mark colour and shape reversal between regions, the marks that remain identical in both, and the master's command responsibility when operating in an unfamiliar region.Locked

M500-1.2 Safe Watchkeeping Arrangements and Procedures

In preparation
M500-1.2.1Principles of navigational watchkeeping - sea, pilotage, anchor and portDistinguishes the principles and Master-level responsibilities governing sea, pilotage, anchor and port navigational watchkeeping, with emphasis on the command accountability that connects all four regimes.LockedM500-1.2.2Collision Regulations - content, application and intentThis lesson covers the structure, scope, application, and underlying intent of the COLREGS 1972, examined at command standard for the MCA Master (Yachts <500 GT) oral.LockedM500-1.2.3Establishing a safe engineering watch - sea, anchor and portThis lesson covers the master's responsibility for establishing safe engineering watch arrangements at sea, at anchor, and in port, including the role of the Safe Manning Document, UMS authorisation, and hours of rest obligations.Locked

M500-1.3 Compasses

In preparation
M500-1.3.1Shipboard compasses - variation, deviation and siting of equipmentCovers the physical causes of variation and deviation, the master's obligations regarding deviation cards and compass adjustment, and the principles governing the siting of magnetic and fluxgate compasses aboard yachts.LockedM500-1.3.2Compass correctors and correctionsThis lesson covers the causes of compass error, the physical correctors fitted to a magnetic compass binnacle, the deviation card, and the Master's responsibility to ensure corrections are applied and the compass remains fit for purpose.Locked

M500-1.4 Ship Manoeuvring and Operation of Small Ship Power Plant

In preparation
M500-1.4.1Anchoring and working anchors and cables in all circumstancesCovers anchor types, holding ground versus holding power, scope and catenary, letting go versus walking back, and multi-anchor configurations examined at command level.LockedM500-1.4.2Berthing and unberthing proceduresCovers the master's command decisions, pre-approach assessment, and controlled procedures for berthing and unberthing a large yacht in wind, including abort criteria and communication of the line-handling plan.LockedM500-1.4.3Factors affecting safe manoeuvring and handlingCovers the key hydrodynamic and environmental factors — transverse thrust, pivot point, turning circle parameters, wind versus current dominance, squat, and interaction effects — that a Master must understand and anticipate to manoeuvre a yacht safely.LockedM500-1.4.4Operation of small ship power plant and auxiliariesCovers command-level understanding of small ship power plant and auxiliary operation, focusing on pre-departure readiness, monitoring, emergency generator and steering gear obligations, and management decisions when plant fails.Locked

M500-2 · Response to Emergencies

16 lessons

M500-2.1 Response to Navigational Emergency

In preparation
M500-2.1.1Disabled and in distress - abandoning ship, survival and rocket apparatusThis lesson covers the master's decision-making, sequencing and reasoning when abandoning ship, surviving in a liferaft, and using rocket line-throwing apparatus.LockedM500-2.1.2Action following collision, grounding, heavy weather damage and water ingressTeaches the command-level response to collision, grounding, heavy weather damage and water ingress, covering immediate priorities, decision logic and legal obligations as required for the MCA Master (Yachts <500 GT) oral examination.LockedM500-2.1.3Towing and being towedThis lesson covers the command-level knowledge and decision-making required to safely manage towing and being towed operations, including legal considerations, line management, crew safety, and contingency planning.LockedM500-2.1.4Emergency steering systemsCovers the regulatory requirements, practical conduct, and command responsibilities for emergency steering drills under SOLAS V/26, distinguishing the pre-departure gear test from the quarterly emergency steering drill.LockedM500-2.1.5Search and rescue - assisting ships and aircraft in distressThis lesson covers the master's personal legal duty to render assistance to vessels or aircraft in distress, the obligations under SOLAS V/33, coordination with the RCC, use of IAMSAR Volume III, and the practical actions required when a yacht responds to a distress situation.LockedM500-2.1.6IAMSAR Volume III, distress and emergency signalsCovers IAMSAR Volume III carriage obligation, the three urgency levels and how to distinguish them, the recognised distress signals, and the master's legal duty to render assistance under SOLAS V/33.LockedM500-2.1.7Emergency communications under the GMDSS RegulationsThis lesson covers the step-by-step emergency communications procedure under GMDSS, explaining the purpose of each stage from distress classification through DSC alerting, voice MAYDAY, EPIRB activation, SART deployment, and maintenance of a communications log.Locked

M500-2.2 Response to Other Emergencies

In preparation
M500-2.2.1Dealing with fire aboard - prevention in port and at seaCovers the command-level knowledge and decision-making required to prevent fire aboard a yacht both in port and at sea, including flash point limits, hot-work permit authority, fuel operations, machinery space discipline, and watchkeeping culture.LockedM500-2.2.2Firefighting equipment, dampers, doors, screens and detection - use and maintenanceThis lesson covers the command-level knowledge required to operate, maintain and integrate portable extinguishers, fixed suppression systems, fire detection, ventilation dampers, fire doors and structural divisions in the context of the MCA Master (Yachts <500 GT) oral examination.LockedM500-2.2.3Organising and directing firefighting drills and trainingCovers the Master's obligations to organise, direct and record fire drills under REG YC/SOLAS III, including drill frequency triggers, content requirements, and the distinction between the Master's command role and the executing team.LockedM500-2.2.4Launch and manage survival craft, recover rescue boats at seaThis lesson covers the Master's command-level decisions and responsibilities for launching and managing survival craft, and for safely recovering a rescue boat at sea.LockedM500-2.2.5Organising and directing lifeboat and liferaft drills and trainingThis lesson covers the Master's legal duty and command responsibility to organise, direct, and record abandon ship and liferaft drills on a yacht under 500 GT, from the regulatory trigger points to what a compliant drill must achieve.LockedM500-2.2.6Actions on partial loss of intact buoyancyThis lesson covers the Master's command-level response to partial loss of intact buoyancy on a yacht, from initial assessment of flooding through damage control actions to the decision to fight the flooding or abandon.LockedM500-2.2.7Protection and safety of passengers in emergenciesThis lesson distinguishes the master's specific duties for the protection and safety of passengers — as opposed to crew — during emergencies, covering mustering, pre-departure briefing, lifejacket provision, crowd control, and PRM planning.LockedM500-2.2.8Emergencies arising in portThis lesson teaches candidates to manage emergencies arising in port at command level, covering immediate hazard control, concurrent statutory notifications, crew and public safety, and the preservation of evidence.LockedM500-2.2.9Sources of medical informationThis lesson identifies the full hierarchy of medical information sources available to a master — from onboard publications through TMAS radio medical advice to diversion — and establishes where command responsibility lies throughout.Locked

M500-3 · Onboard Ship Operation

8 lessons

M500-3.1 Pollution Prevention Requirements

In preparation
M500-3.1.1MARPOL pollution prevention including Special AreasThis lesson distinguishes MARPOL's six Annexes, identifies which vessels carry which instruments, clarifies Special Area designations by Annex, and draws out the tonnage and certification thresholds most likely to be tested in the oral examination.LockedM500-3.1.2Responding to pollution incidents onboard and found at seaThis lesson covers the Master's decisions, obligations, and reporting requirements when managing an onboard oil pollution incident and when encountering pollution found at sea, with particular reference to MARPOL Special Area restrictions and coastal state notification.LockedM500-3.1.3SOPEP, Garbage Management Plans and anti-pollution equipmentThis lesson covers the purpose, content and carriage requirements of SOPEP and the Garbage Management Plan, together with the anti-pollution equipment the Master must know and manage on a yacht under command.LockedM500-3.1.4The Master's pollution duties, obligations, liabilities and recordsThis lesson covers the Master's personal pollution duties under MARPOL Annex I, the applicable discharge standards and record-keeping requirements for yachts below and above key GT thresholds, reporting obligations following a discharge, and the criminal and professional liabilities the Master carries.Locked

M500-3.2 Seaworthiness of the Ship

In preparation
M500-3.2.1Heavy weather - preparation, managing small ships and handling a disabled shipThis lesson covers command-level preparation for heavy weather, handling a small vessel in severe conditions, and the decision-making and practical options available when propulsion or steering is lost.LockedM500-3.2.2Fundamentals of watertight integrityThis lesson covers the principle of watertight integrity as a command responsibility, from the underlying theory of reserve buoyancy to the practical checks and judgements a Master must make before departure and throughout a voyage.LockedM500-3.2.3Dry-docking and undocking - procedure and precautions, with or without damageCovers the Master's responsibilities and decision-making for dry-docking and undocking, with particular focus on the additional precautions required when entering dock with hull damage.LockedM500-3.2.4Working knowledge of stability and trim informationThis lesson covers what an MCA oral examiner expects a Master candidate to know and demonstrate about onboard stability and trim information — from the content and authority of approved documents to real command decisions about loading, free surface, trim management, and recognition of deteriorating stability.Locked

M500-4 · Legislative Requirements

13 lessons

M500-4.1 Legislative Requirements

In preparation
M500-4.1.1MSNs, MGNs, MINs and the Annual Summary of Notices to MarinersThis lesson covers the legal character and operational significance of MSNs, MGNs, and MINs within the UK maritime regulatory hierarchy, the role of the Annual Summary of Notices to Mariners in maintaining chart and publication currency, and how a candidate should articulate these at command standard in the oral exam.LockedM500-4.1.2Health and safety legislation, COSWP and risk assessmentThis lesson distinguishes the 1997 Health and Safety Regulations, COSWP and MSN 1858, explains their hierarchy and interaction, and sets out the master's command-level obligations for risk assessment and permit-to-work systems.LockedM500-4.1.3Relevant IMO conventions - safety of life at sea and marine environmentThis lesson covers the purpose, structure and command-level application of SOLAS and MARPOL as the primary IMO conventions governing safety of life at sea and the marine environment on commercially operated yachts under 500 GT.LockedM500-4.1.4Crew agreement, Official Log Book, inspections and complaints proceduresThis lesson covers the Master's obligations in relation to the crew agreement, maintenance of the Official Log Book, facilitating flag and port state inspections, and operating a compliant on-board complaints procedure under MLC 2006 and UK law.LockedM500-4.1.5Reports required by the MAIBThis lesson covers the master's statutory obligations to report marine casualties and incidents to the MAIB, distinguishing category definitions, timescales, and the separation of the MAIB's investigative role from MCA enforcement.LockedM500-4.1.6Load line marks - freeboard, draft entries, reports and allowancesThis lesson covers the master's legal duties regarding load line marks, including freeboard compliance, draft record-keeping, fresh and dock water allowances, seasonal zone considerations, and certificate validity.LockedM500-4.1.7Regulations concerning life-saving and fire-fighting appliancesThis lesson distinguishes SOLAS, MSN 1858, and the REG YC as the three-layer regulatory framework governing life-saving and fire-fighting appliances on UK yachts under 500 GT, clarifying which instrument applies when and why.LockedM500-4.1.8Hours of work and rest legislationThis lesson covers the UK hours-of-rest legislative requirements under MSN 1877 Amd 2, including minimum thresholds, record-keeping obligations, and the master's authority to suspend requirements during emergencies with compensatory rest.LockedM500-4.1.9Reporting dangers to navigationCovers the Master's mandatory duty under SOLAS V/31 and MSN 1858 to report dangers to navigation: what triggers the obligation, the correct reporting sequence, required message content, and the log entry.LockedM500-4.1.10The Master's obligations with respect to pilotageThis lesson covers the Master's legal position, responsibilities and practical obligations when operating in pilotage waters, including compulsory pilotage, the Master–pilot relationship, the MPEX briefing, and Pilotage Exemption Certificates.LockedM500-4.1.11The ISM Code - purpose and applicationCovers the purpose, legal basis, and two-certificate structure of the ISM Code, together with the roles of the DPA and the Master's overriding authority, at the standard required for a command-level oral examination.LockedM500-4.1.12Flag State and Port State ControlThis lesson explains the principle and authority behind flag state and port state control, and the standard of documentary and operational readiness a master must maintain.LockedM500-4.1.13The ISPS Code - purpose and applicationThis lesson covers the purpose, structure, scope and operational application of the ISPS Code, including security levels and the Master's overriding authority.Locked