The MCA developed the Master (Code Vessels) <200gt, OOW (Yachts) <500gt CoC for those who hold a Yachtmaster Offshore or Yachtmaster Ocean, and would like to hold an MCA Master CoC.
There are 2 variants of the Master <200gt: ‘Limited to 150 miles from safe haven’ & ‘Unlimited area’.
If you hold the Yachtmaster Offshore CoC, you will get the limited Master <200gt CoC, if you hold the Yachtmaster Ocean CoC, you will get the unlimited Master <200gt CoC.
If your final aim is to achieve the Master <500gt or Master <3000gt CoC, you will need to have the OOW <3000gt CoC before you can move on to the Master CoCs.
In order to gain a Master <200gt CoC, you will need to do some classroom training, some sea service, and finally an oral exam.
The courses you must undertake for Master <200gt are:
STCW Basic Safety Week certificates (PST or RYA Basic Sea Survival/PSSR/Elementary First Aid/Basic Fire Fighting)
RYA or IYT Yachtmaster Offshore or Yachtmaster Ocean Shorebased & Practical certs (either sail or power). These need to be Commercially Endorsed
NOTE: you don’t need to have a shorebased Yachtmaster certificate if your Yachtmaster CoC was issued before 31st July 2003
GMDSS ROC (if YM Offshore is used) or GMDSS GOC (if YM Ocean is used) certificate
ENG1 Medical certificate
Human Element Leadership & Management (Operational) certificate
NOTE: Updating Training for CoC applications– anyone serving on board ship, who holds any of the following certificates must have documentary evidence of either completing the training course or updating training within the last 5 years:
- Personal Survival Techniques
- Proficiency in Survival Craft & Rescue Boats (CPSC & RB)
- Proficiency in Fast Rescue Boats (PFRB)
- Basic Fire Fighting
- Advanced Fire Fighting
Required Service:
You need to have 6 months of actual sea service on vessels of any size, whilst holding an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore or IYT Master of Yachts Limited certificate.
Calculating Sea Service
Service should be in the deck department and will be reckoned from the date of engagement to the date of discharge.
A month is defined as a calendar month or 30 days if made up of periods less than 1 month.
At least 6 months of the qualifying seagoing service must have been performed within the 5 years immediately preceding the date that the MCA receive your application.
Service may be performed on vessels of any flag.
Candidates who are serving in a dual engine and deck capacity will have their service counted at the rate of 50%.
Sea Service Verification Process – any service gained on Yachts must have been verified by Nautilus/PYA. Please click here to read about the regulations.
Service Definitions:
Actual Sea Service is the time spent at sea, which may include time at anchor or river and canal transits associated with a passage. If the time at anchor, on a buoy or mooring is part of a passage (i.e. short period at anchor whilst waiting for a berth or to transit a canal or lock) then it may be counted as actual seagoing service but on no occasion may a period of seagoing service at anchor, on a buoy or mooring, exceed that of the previous voyage. If the period at anchor, on a buoy or mooring is at the conclusion of a passage (i.e. the vessel goes to anchor rather than to a berth) then time will be counted as stand-by service.
Standby service is the time immediately following a voyage while the vessel is under preparation for a subsequent voyage. A maximum of 14 consecutive days may be counted at one time, but on no occasion may a period of standby service exceed that of the previous voyage. Therefore, under no circumstances can your total standby service exceed your actual seagoing service.
Yard service is the time when standing by a build, refit or repair.
Applying for an NoE:
To do the final oral exam for Master <200gt, you will need a Notice of Eligibility. This document is issued once the MCA have assessed your eligibility, and an oral exam cannot be booked until the NoE is issued.
Your service needs to be proved with 2 forms of evidence for each vessel on which you are claiming service time. Usually a Testimonial and a Certificate of Discharge/Discharge Book, or if you are a member of the PYA/Nautilus they will attest your SRB.
You must send a form of ID with your application. You can send a copy of your passport, signed by your Captain and with their CoC number noted, but you can also send any form of National ID – birth certificate or Discharge Book are usually easier to cope without!
Click here to view MSN 1858 (the testimonials and certificate of discharge can be found as annexes of the M Notice – note that there are different testimonials for service gained by Deckhands and Officers)
You will need to download the application form. You must complete the form and send all of your original certificates to the MCA.
The NoE will be processed in about 28 days. Once the NoE is issued you are deemed eligible to take the oral exam.
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JPMA offers oral preparation courses for the Master <200gt oral exam. Click here for details, along with info on the online NoE application process and online oral exams.
NEW 2-PART ORAL EXAM SYSTEM FOR MASTER <200 – the new oral exam system for Master <200 candidates is made up of two parts:
Part A – this is an online ‘written’ exam. It consists of 15 questions, each containing four test points which must be completed within 40 minutes. We recommend undertaking the 8 day prep course prior to attempting Part A, as you will need to revise the whole syllabus in order to prepare. We strongly advise that you take Part A immediately after completing the prep course. Students who have a dyslexia diagnosis are allowed extra time for this exam. In order to claim the extra time, candidates must provide evidence supporting this to exams@mcga.gov.uk in advance of sitting Part A.
Part B – on passing Part A, you will receive a booking for Part B, which is an online oral exam. This will usually take place a few weeks after your Part A. We recommend undertaking 1-2 days of refresher oral prep with one of our instructors, immediately prior to sitting Part B. This can be done online.
More information on this new exam system can be found here