Where candidates go wrong
Eligibility is decided on paper before you sit anything, and the file is where most candidates lose months. The usual faults: service claimed on a tender or a 13 m chase boat, leave counted as sea time, a Training Record Book (TRB) started late and half-signed, and nothing that proves six months on the bridge rather than on deck.
The conditions in S.L.234.17
The OOW (Yachts) <3000 GT is a Regulation II/1 certificate. First Schedule paragraph 2A.2 requires every candidate to:
| Condition | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Age | 18 or over |
| Service with approved training | 12 months on vessels ≥15 m or 80 GT, documented in an approved record book |
| Service without it | 36 months in any acceptable deck capacity on the same size of vessel |
| Bridge watchkeeping | 6 months under supervision of the master or a qualified officer, within the above |
| Radio | Chapter IV requirements (the TM framework lists GMDSS) |
| Training and competence | Approved education and training to STCW Code A-II/1, plus A-VI/1-2, A-VI/2 1–4, A-VI/3 1–4, A-VI/4 1–3 |
The TM Framework and Syllabus (2020 edition) adds an entry prerequisite: an RYA/IYT/TM 200 GT Offshore/Coastal/150 nm certificate.
Reckoning sea service — worked example
Paragraph 1.8 of the First Schedule: count complete calendar months from the start date (a given day to the day before the same date next month, both inclusive), then count the odd days, add all odd days together and reckon them at 30 days to the month. Leave is excluded. Data below are illustrative.
| Contract | Dates | Complete months | Odd days |
|---|---|---|---|
| M/Y A (48 m, 460 GT) | 14 Mar 2025 – 2 Jan 2026 | 9 (to 13 Dec) | 20 (14 Dec – 2 Jan) |
| M/Y B (38 m, 290 GT) | 10 Feb 2026 – 21 May 2026 | 3 (to 9 May) | 12 (10 – 21 May) |
| Total | 12 | 32 |
32 odd days = 1 month 2 days, so gross service is 13 months 2 days. If 20 days' leave fell inside the first contract, take it off the odd days (32 − 20 = 12): net service is 12 months 12 days. That clears the 12-month line only if a TRB covers it.
CAUTION — vessel size is not consistent between grades OOW (Yachts) service counts on vessels ≥15 m or 80 GT; Master (Yachts) <500 GT service counts on ≥24 m or 80 GT. Service on a 20 m yacht may qualify you for one and not the next.
The evidence TM will look for
- Verification (1.7): crew agreement entries, the Maltese Seaman's Record Book (digital only since MS Notice 118 Rev.2, 23 Sep 2026) or certificates of discharge.
- Testimonials (1.9): signed by the master, covering character, sobriety, ability and conduct for at least 12 months before application.
- TRB (1.10): candidates on an approved programme produce a completed book; others should still obtain one and record their work, with entries verified by the master or officers.
- Timing (1.6): you may pass exams before the service is complete, but the certificate is not issued until it is.
What the examiner wants to see
A file that reconciles: dates that match the discharges, a vessel size stated for every contract, bridge watchkeeping identified separately from deck work, and signatures from someone who actually saw you keep a watch. If your numbers need explaining, they are not ready.