OOW Yachts <3000 GT
The first officer's ticket on the yacht ladder. These are the requirements as set out in MSN 1858 Amendment 2, which replaced Amendment 1 on 18 May 2026, and what the oral syllabus covers.
It is an STCW Regulation II/1 Certificate of Competency as Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch, restricted to yachts and sail training vessels of less than 3000 GT, with no area limit. It covers navigation, controlling the operation of the ship and care for persons on board, and radiocommunications, all at operational level. A CoC is valid for 5 years.
Under MSN 1858 Amendment 2 you must: be at least 19; hold an accepted yachting certificate (see below); have the required yacht sea service; hold an Efficient Deck Hand (EDH) certificate; hold the ancillary course certificates for this CoC; pass the MCA-approved 'Navigation and Radar (OOW yachts)' and 'General Ship Knowledge (OOW yachts)' modules and their MCA exams; complete an MCA Yacht Training Record Book; hold a valid ENG1 or accepted equivalent; and pass the oral.
Any one of: an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore certificate with a shore-based Yachtmaster Offshore course completion certificate (the course isn't needed for a Yachtmaster Offshore issued before 31 July 2003); an IYT Master of Yachts Limited; an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal CoC with an RYA Coastal Skipper practical course completion certificate; or an IYT Master of Yachts Coastal/Mate less than 200 GT.
At least 18 months before your Certificate of Competency is issued. EDH must come from an MCA-approved training provider.
The four STCW basic safety courses (Personal Survival Techniques, Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting, Elementary First Aid, Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities), plus the ancillary courses MSN 1858 section 6 lists for this CoC — among them Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats, ECDIS, EDH, GMDSS (GOC) and HELM (Operational). Check the table in section 6 for the full list against your own certificates.
Yacht officers may hold the restricted Survival Craft and Rescue Boats course (other than fast rescue boats) instead of the full one; the CoC is then endorsed 'Not for use on ships equipped with davit launched lifeboats'.
At least 36 months' onboard yacht service since the age of 16. Within that, at least 365 days' seagoing service on vessels of 15 metres or more in load line length, made up of a minimum of 250 days' seagoing service plus 115 days of any combination of seagoing, stand-by and yard service.
Stand-by service counts at most 14 consecutive days at a time and never more than the previous voyage. Yard service counts up to 90 days, continuous or in separate periods.
Yes, an MCA Yacht Training Record Book — unless you can show 36 months' actual seagoing service on vessels of at least 24 metres load line length. If you do complete one, you must be able to produce it to the MCA on request before the oral.
Yes. At least 6 months of your qualifying seagoing service must fall within the 5 years before the MCA receives your application, and again within the 5 years before your CoC is issued.
No. It is a single online oral with an MCA examiner on Microsoft Teams. Part A applies only to the OOW Unlimited and Master (Code <200 GT) / OOW (yachts <500 GT) exams.
The published syllabus has three parts. Navigation: passage planning and position fixing, keeping a safe navigational watch, and manoeuvring the ship. Response to emergencies: navigational emergencies, other emergencies such as fire and abandoning ship, and communications. Onboard ship operations: pollution prevention, seaworthiness, legislative requirements, and business and law.
Under watchkeeping it asks for 'a thorough knowledge of the contents, application and intent' of the COLREGs — expect them to run through the whole exam.
Yes, if you meet every OOW <3000 GT requirement plus the Chief Mate ones: an RYA Yachtmaster Ocean with the shore-based Ocean course, or an IYT Master of Yachts Unlimited; the Chief Mate ancillary certificates; and a valid ENG1. Applying for both at once means completing both HELM Operational and HELM Management.
The notices change. Always check the current version on GOV.UK before you apply or book.
Study and Logbook are both live on the App Store. Open either to get started.
