Where candidates go wrong
Many candidates walk in believing this is simply "the <3000 GT ticket with the limit removed". It is not. The MCA states in MSN 1858 Amendment 2, section 4.1, that holders must be demonstrably qualified to the STCW standard for Chief Mate or Master Unlimited, with the exception of cargo-specific competencies. The examiner will test you against Table A-II/2 of the STCW Code, not against yacht custom. The second common error is not knowing your own route: if you cannot explain how you became eligible, you have started badly.
What the notice created
| Item | Chief Mate (Yachts) Unlimited | Master (Yachts) Unlimited |
|---|---|---|
| STCW regulation | II/2 | II/2 |
| Area | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Tonnage limit | None stated | None stated |
| MSN paragraph | 4.3 | 4.4 |
The MCA calls the route an interim solution (4.1). Expect it to be revised; check the current notice before you apply.
Entry to Chief Mate (Yachts) Unlimited (4.3)
You must hold either:
- a Master Yachts <3000 GT CoC (the notice prints "II/1" here, which looks like a slip for II/2 - check with the MCA); or
- an OOW Unlimited CoC plus 12 months' onboard yacht service as OOW, of which at least 6 months seagoing, all on yachts of at least 500 GT, and NAEST (M).
Then: the section 6 ancillary certificates, the nine academic modules, the MCA Assessments in Chief Mate Navigation and Stability (Yacht Unlimited), a valid ENG1, and the oral.
The nine academic modules
- Applied Marine Meteorology
- Management Level Passage Planning
- Management of Bridge Operations
- Management of Yacht Operations (tailored)
- Marine Engineering Systems
- Marine Vessels - Structures and Maintenance
- Ship Stability: Theory and Practical Application (tailored)
- Shipboard Management
- Shipmaster's Law and Business
Only colleges approved under Annex G of MSN 1856 for management-level unlimited CoCs may deliver them (4.2). Colleges may partner with yacht schools in the UK or overseas under an MCA-approved oversight procedure. Holders of an MCA-approved management-level qualification (HND, foundation degree and similar, footnote 8) do not repeat the modules.
Entry to Master (Yachts) Unlimited (4.4)
Hold or meet the requirements for Chief Mate (Yachts) Unlimited, then one of:
| Holding | Service required | Vessel |
|---|---|---|
| CM Yachts Unlimited or CM Unlimited | 12 months as Chief Mate, 6 seagoing | Yachts 500 GT+ |
| Master Yachts <3000 GT II/2 | 6 months as Master, 3 seagoing | Vessels 500 GT+ |
| OOW Unlimited | 36 months as OOW, 15 seagoing | 15 m+; seagoing on 500 GT+ |
Plus ancillaries, ENG1 and the Master Unlimited GT Yacht oral.
TIP - Know your exemption Footnote 10: holders of Master (Yachts) <3000 GT II/2 or Chief Mate Unlimited (merchant or yacht) are exempt from the Chief Mate Yacht Unlimited oral but must pass the Master oral. Many of you will therefore sit one oral, not two.
Service rules that still apply
Section 5 applies across the yacht route: 4 hours' work in 24 counts as a day; stand-by service is capped at 14 consecutive days and never exceeds the previous voyage; at least 6 months of seagoing service must fall within the 5 years before application and before issue (5.1, 12.1). Testimonials for service as Master are signed by the owner or a responsible person in the management company (5.4).
CAUTION - Drafting inconsistencies Section 4.2's heading cites MSN 1856 Amendment 1, its text Amendment 2; gov.uk currently lists Amendment 1. Do not quote either with confidence in the oral - say "Annex G of MSN 1856 as amended".
Command-level obligation
You are the person who decides whether an officer is fit to hold a watch or a department. Know the route well enough to advise your own chief mate and OOWs, sign testimonials accurately, and never certify service you cannot verify - section 13 warns that fraudulent service can be referred to the MCA Enforcement Branch.