Oral Exam Prep
OOW (Yachts <3000 GT) — Oral Exam Preparation
- Modules
- 3
- Lessons
- 59
- Questions
- 295
Independent preparatory study aligned to the MCA OOW (Yachts <3000 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.
OOW-1 · Navigation
29 lessons
OOW-1.1 Plan and Conduct a Passage Including Position Determination
Practice in examiner ↗OOW-1.1.1Passage planning and use of navigational publicationsCovers the four-stage APEM passage planning framework, the navigational publications consulted at each stage, and the statutory basis under SOLAS V Reg 34 as applied to MCA-certificated vessels.LockedOOW-1.1.2IALA maritime buoyage systems A and BThis lesson covers the IALA maritime buoyage Systems A and B, including lateral, cardinal, isolated danger, safe water, special, and emergency wreck marking buoys, with emphasis on the key colour reversal between the two systems.LockedOOW-1.1.3Electronic navigation systems - limitations, errors and correctionThis lesson covers the limitations and error sources of electronic navigation systems including GNSS, radar, and echo sounder, and the methods an OOW uses to detect and correct those errors.LockedOOW-1.1.4Limitations of ECDIS and RCDS chart systemsThis lesson covers the operational and regulatory limitations of ECDIS and RCDS chart systems, including when paper charts remain mandatory, the significance of CATZOC, datum shifts, and overscaling.LockedOOW-1.1.5Radar and ARPA - use, modes, errors and parallel indexingThis lesson covers the use of radar and ARPA on watch — display modes, true and relative vectors, common radar errors, ARPA limitations, and the practical application of parallel indexing for track-keeping.LockedOOW-1.1.6Sextant - use and correction of errorsCovers the operating procedure, logical sequence of error identification and correction (error of perpendicularity, side error, index error), and the principles behind taking and recording a sextant altitude.LockedOOW-1.1.7Azimuth mirror, pelorus and bearing instrumentsThis lesson covers the purpose, correct use and limitations of the azimuth mirror, pelorus and hand bearing compass, including how each instrument is used to take and verify compass bearings at sea.LockedOOW-1.1.8Meteorological information and shipboard instrumentsThis lesson covers the sources of meteorological information available to the OOW and the correct use and interpretation of shipboard met instruments within the context of passage planning and watchkeeping.LockedOOW-1.1.9Interpreting weather forecasts and weather systemsThis lesson covers how an OOW interprets weather forecasts, synoptic charts, pressure tendency and frontal systems to make informed routing decisions at sea.LockedOOW-1.1.10Position monitoring and action when off trackThis lesson covers the principles and practice of continuous position monitoring during a passage, and the structured actions an OOW must take when the vessel is found to be off the planned track.LockedOOW-1.1.11Variation and deviation - true and compass conversionThis lesson covers the relationship between true, magnetic, and compass bearings, and the correct application of variation and deviation when converting between them in either direction.LockedOOW-1.1.12Fixing position by magnetic bearings and radar rangesThis lesson covers how to determine a vessel's position by converting compass bearings to true bearings for plotting, using radar ranges as circular lines of position, and combining both methods to achieve a reliable fix.LockedOOW-1.1.13Course to steer and ETAThis lesson teaches candidates how to correctly derive a compass course to steer that accounts for tidal stream and leeway, and how to calculate an accurate ETA based on speed over ground rather than speed through water.LockedOOW-1.1.14Correcting charts using Notices to MarinersThis lesson covers the purpose and practical application of Notices to Mariners for correcting paper charts, including the distinction between NtMs, navigational warnings, T&P notices, and electronic chart updates.LockedOOW-1.1.15Tidal heights for standard and secondary portsThis lesson distinguishes standard and secondary ports, explains how tidal height calculations are performed for each, and highlights the interpolation requirement for secondary port height differences.LockedOOW-1.1.16Tidal set and rate from chart and tidal stream atlasThis lesson covers how to extract tidal set and rate from Admiralty chart tidal stream diamonds and tidal stream atlases, including interpolation between spring and neap rates.Locked
OOW-1.2 Maintain a Safe Navigational Watch
Practice in examiner ↗OOW-1.2.1Principles of navigational watchkeepingThis lesson distinguishes the key principles governing navigational watchkeeping under MSN 1858, including the difference between keeping and maintaining a watch, lookout versus watchkeeping duties, standing orders versus night orders, and the OOW's duty to act versus the duty to call the master.LockedOOW-1.2.2Collision Regulations - content, application and intentThis lesson prepares candidates to explain the structure, content, and practical application of the COLREGs to pass-standard in the MCA OOW oral examination, with particular focus on rules most commonly probed by examiners.LockedOOW-1.2.3Bridge equipment - ROT indicator, course recorder, echo sounder, NAVTEXThis lesson covers the function, correct use, and watchkeeping significance of the ROT indicator, course recorder, echo sounder, and NAVTEX receiver as bridge equipment relevant to maintaining a safe navigational watch.LockedOOW-1.2.4Steering control systems and manual to auto changeoverThis lesson distinguishes hand steering, autopilot, and non-follow-up control modes, explains when each is appropriate under MCA requirements, and details the safe procedure for changeover between manual and automatic steering.LockedOOW-1.2.5ICS Bridge Procedures Guide and STCW Code A-VIIIThis lesson covers why STCW Code A-VIII and the ICS Bridge Procedures Guide exist, what mandatory watchkeeping standards they establish, and how those standards apply practically on a yacht under 3000 GT.LockedOOW-1.2.6AIS - principles, limitations and modes of operationThis lesson covers how AIS works, the difference between Class A and Class B operation, the three operating modes, and the critical limitations that every OOW must understand to avoid over-reliance on the system.LockedOOW-1.2.7Maintaining navigational recordsThis lesson covers the legal basis, required content, timing discipline, and professional responsibility associated with maintaining navigational records on a yacht under 3000 GT, as underpinned by MSN 1858.LockedOOW-1.2.8Handing over and relieving the navigational watchThis lesson covers the step-by-step procedure for handing over and relieving the navigational watch, explaining the reason behind each stage and the statutory obligations underpinned by MSN 1858.Locked
OOW-1.3 Manoeuvre the Ship
Practice in examiner ↗OOW-1.3.1Getting underway, berthing and securing to buoysA sequenced walkthrough of getting underway, coming alongside, and securing to a mooring buoy, emphasising the reasoning behind each operational step as required for the MCA OOW oral examination.LockedOOW-1.3.2Use and care of mooring lines and equipmentCovers the safe selection, inspection, handling, making fast, and ongoing care of mooring lines and associated deck equipment in the context of the OOW yachts oral examination.LockedOOW-1.3.3Ship handling - prop effects, wind, current, interaction and squatThis lesson covers the compounding forces of propeller transverse thrust, twin-screw handling, wind and current effects, vessel interaction, and squat — and the examiner scenarios that combine them.LockedOOW-1.3.4Action on failure of bridge control, telegraph or steering gearThis lesson covers the OOW's immediate and follow-up actions when bridge steering control, the telegraph, or the steering gear itself fails at sea, aligned to MSN 1858 and SOLAS requirements.LockedOOW-1.3.5Anchoring proceduresThis lesson covers the complete anchoring procedure for the OOW oral exam, from pre-anchor assessment and ground tackle preparation through letting go, confirming the anchor is holding, and maintaining an effective anchor watch.Locked
OOW-2 · Response to Navigational Emergencies
13 lessons
OOW-2.1 Response to Navigational Emergencies
Practice in examiner ↗OOW-2.1.1Initial action in navigational emergencies and damage controlThis lesson covers the correct prioritised sequence of initial actions an OOW must take in a navigational emergency and the immediate damage control measures required to limit flooding and protect stability.LockedOOW-2.1.2IAMSAR Manual, distress signals and search and rescueThis lesson covers the IAMSAR Manual structure, the full list of COLREGS Annex IV distress signals, and the OOW's obligations and actions when distress is detected or declared.Locked
OOW-2.2 Response to Other Emergencies
Practice in examiner ↗OOW-2.2.1Emergency parties and drillsCovers the purpose, organisation, and conduct of emergency parties and drills on yachts under 3000 GT, underpinned by MSN 1858 and the Large Yacht Code framework.LockedOOW-2.2.2Fire prevention, appliances and fire and safety plansThis lesson distinguishes fire classes, extinguishing agents, fixed versus portable firefighting appliances, and the content and placement requirements for fire and safety plans under MSN 1858.LockedOOW-2.2.3Classes and chemistry of fireThis lesson covers the fire triangle and tetrahedron, the European classification of fire by fuel type, and the chemical principles that determine why specific extinguishing agents work against each class.LockedOOW-2.2.4Lifesaving appliances - EPIRBs, SARTs, immersion suits and line-throwingCovers EPIRB and SART operation, testing, and key differences; immersion suit donning and inspection; and line-throwing appliance use, at the standard required for the MCA OOW (Yachts <3000 GT) oral examination.LockedOOW-2.2.5Survival craft markings and distress signalsThis lesson distinguishes survival craft markings from distress signals, teaching candidates the required markings on survival craft and how to select the correct distress signal type for given conditions.LockedOOW-2.2.6Launch and manage survival craft, recover rescue boatThis lesson covers the correct sequence and command responsibilities for launching inflatable survival craft, managing a liferaft after deployment, and safely recovering a rescue boat in a seaway, with emphasis on the management phase that candidates most commonly neglect.LockedOOW-2.2.7Protection and safety of passengers in emergenciesThis lesson covers the OOW's responsibilities for mustering, briefing, equipping and safely moving passengers during an onboard emergency, referenced to MSN 1858 and the Large Yacht Code framework.LockedOOW-2.2.8Basic principles of survivalThis lesson covers the basic principles of survival after maritime abandonment, explaining the physiological and situational reasoning behind protection, position-keeping, water and food management, signalling, and psychological resilience.LockedOOW-2.2.9Sources of medical informationThis lesson distinguishes the Ship Captain's Medical Guide, Radio Medical Advice via MRCC, and the TMAS framework, clarifying when each is used and how they relate to one another under MSN 1858.Locked
OOW-2.3 Communications
Practice in examiner ↗OOW-2.3.1Distress and emergency signals, Code of Signals and IMO SMCPThis lesson covers the internationally recognised distress, urgency and safety signals under COLREGS Annex IV, the practical use of the International Code of Signals, and the role of IMO SMCP in standardising emergency communications.LockedOOW-2.3.2GMDSS emergency communicationsThis lesson covers the logical sequence and rationale of GMDSS emergency communications, from DSC alert through voice Mayday, EPIRB activation and SART deployment, referenced to MSN 1858.Locked
OOW-3 · Onboard Ship Operations
17 lessons
OOW-3.1 Pollution Prevention Requirements
Practice in examiner ↗OOW-3.1.1MARPOL pollution prevention, Special Areas and pollutant disposalThis lesson covers the MARPOL convention structure, its six annexes, the concept and practical significance of Special Areas and ECAs, and the OOW's responsibilities for lawful pollutant disposal on a yacht under 3000 GT.LockedOOW-3.1.2SOPEP, Garbage Management Plan and anti-pollution equipmentCovers the content, regulatory basis and operational use of the SOPEP and Garbage Management Plan, plus the anti-pollution equipment a watchkeeper must be able to locate and deploy.Locked
OOW-3.2 Seaworthiness of the Ship
Practice in examiner ↗OOW-3.2.1Watertight integrity and closing of openingsThis lesson covers the principle of watertight integrity and the OOW's duty to manage and verify the closing of openings on a yacht, set against the MSN 1858 framework.LockedOOW-3.2.2Preparations for heavy weatherThis lesson covers the systematic, anticipatory preparations an OOW must make before and during heavy weather, distinguishing structural securing actions from operational and safety measures, and clarifying the weathertight/watertight distinction examiners commonly test.LockedOOW-3.2.3Stability effects - weight shifts, freeboard and slack tanksThis lesson explains how transverse and vertical weight shifts, reduced freeboard, and free surfaces in slack tanks each degrade a vessel's stability, and why each effect arises.Locked
OOW-3.3 Legislative Requirements
Practice in examiner ↗OOW-3.3.1MSNs, MGNs, MINs and Notices to MarinersCovers the legal status, issuing authority and practical purpose of MSNs, MGNs, MINs and Notices to Mariners, with emphasis on the distinctions an MCA oral examiner will test.LockedOOW-3.3.2Health and safety legislation and Code of Safe Working PracticesCovers the legal basis for crew health and safety aboard commercial yachts, the role of COSWP as the practical compliance tool, and the OOW's personal duty as a supervisor under health and safety legislation.LockedOOW-3.3.3Relevant IMO conventions - SOLAS and marine environment protectionThis lesson covers how SOLAS and MARPOL apply to commercial yachts under 3,000 GT, their key chapters and annexes, and how they are implemented through UK instruments such as MSN 1858 and the Large Yacht Code.LockedOOW-3.3.4International Safety Management (ISM) CodeThis lesson explains the purpose, structure and certificate framework of the ISM Code, and the OOW's responsibilities within a vessel's Safety Management System.LockedOOW-3.3.5Flag and Port State ControlThis lesson covers the purpose, legal basis, and practical procedures of Flag State and Port State Control, with particular reference to how a PSC inspection unfolds and the OOW's responsibilities within it.LockedOOW-3.3.6International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) CodeThis lesson covers the ISPS Code's purpose, scope, three security levels, key duty-holders, the Ship Security Plan, the ISSC, and Declarations of Security as required for the MCA OOW oral examination.Locked
OOW-3.4 Business and Law
Practice in examiner ↗OOW-3.4.1Small Vessels Code and Large Commercial Yacht Code (LY3)This lesson establishes why purpose-built codes supplement SOLAS for smaller commercial vessels, distinguishes the scope of the Small Vessels Code from LY3, and maps where LY3 obligations directly affect an OOW's duties on a superyacht under 3000 GT.LockedOOW-3.4.2Musters and drills - fire, emergency and abandon shipThis lesson covers the regulatory requirements under MSN 1858 for fire, emergency and abandon ship drills aboard yachts, including correct frequencies, what each drill must comprise, muster list obligations, and accurate log-keeping.LockedOOW-3.4.3Legal obligation to ensure a seaworthy vesselThis lesson covers the statutory legal obligation on the owner and master to ensure a vessel is seaworthy, the scope of that duty, and the consequences of breach, as examined under the MCA OOW oral.LockedOOW-3.4.4Basic law of salvageThis lesson covers the legal definition and elements of salvage, the distinction from towage, Lloyd's Open Form, and the master's authority to enter a salvage agreement, aligned to MSN 1858 and the 1989 Salvage Convention.LockedOOW-3.4.5Safe manning, hours of work and watchkeepingThis lesson covers the MCA's safe manning requirements and the MSN 1858 hours-of-rest framework — minimum rest periods, record-keeping obligations, exceptions, and how to demonstrate competent situational judgement in the oral exam.LockedOOW-3.4.6Crew agreement requirementsCovers the legal requirement for, content of, and practical management of Crew Agreements on UK-flagged yachts under MSN 1858.Locked