UK MCA Deck Yacht Officers Written Exams - OOW Yachts and Master Yachts

MCA Officer of the Watch (OOW Yachts) and Master Yachts IAMI Written Examinations and Syllabus

MCA OOW Yachts and Master Yachts examinations are for seafarers to achieve Officer of the Watch Yachts and Master yachts certificate of competency (CoC) by International Association of Maritime Institutions (IAMI) exam.

IAMI undertakes examination services on behalf of the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to assist them to monitor the academic standards of candidates applying for their Yachts certificates of competency. These exams conducted at frequent intervals throughout the year.

There are two written exams for OOW Yachts - General Ship Knowledge and Navigation & Radar. For Master Yachts, following written exams are conducted - Navigation and ARPA Simulation (NARAS); Business & Law; Celestial Navigation; Seamanship & Meteorology; and Ship Stability.

Please check below the exam schemes, passing marks and syllabus details for Officer of Watch (OOW) & Master IAMI examinations.

• OOW Yachts Navigation & Radar Exam
• OOW Yachts General Ship Knowledge Exam
• Master Yachts Navigation and ARPA Simulation Exam
• Master Yachts Celestial Navigation Exam
• Master Yachts Business and Law Exam
• Master Yachts Stability Exam
• Master Yachts Seamanship & Meteorology Exam

OOW Yachts Navigation & Radar Written Examination

• Exam Scheme & Passing Marks: The written examination will consist of a 2.5 hour theory paper in two parts. Part 1 will consist of 3 questions - 1 each on chartwork, tides and radar plotting. Part 2 will consist of 3 questions to test “under pinning knowledge”. Candidates must achieve a minimum of 70% in part A and 50% in part B and an overall mark of 60%.
• OOW Yachts Nav & Radar Exam Prep Online: This is a prep course and do not substitute the regular Navigation & Radar course. This course helps you pass the OOW Yacht Nav & Radar written exam.

OOW Yachts Navigation & Radar Exam Syllabus

Section 1: COMPASS WORK

1. Basic magnetism
2. Deviation and variation
3. Magnetic compass error
4. Gyro compass error

Section 2: CHART WORK

5. Information on Admiralty Charts
6. Chart projections; (Gnomonic, Mercator.)
7. Position line, circle of position and transferred position lines
8. Ground and water track
9. Fix position by land and sea features
10. Voyage planning
11. Sources of information

Section 3: CHART CORRECTING AND NOTICES TO MARINERS

12. Chart correction and use of N to M

Section 4: TIDES AND TIDAL CALCULATIONS.

13. Causes of tides
14. Standard and secondary port tidal calculations.

Section 5: KEEPING A SAFE Navigational WATCH

15. The principles to be observed in keeping a safe navigational watch

Section 6: BUOYAGE SYSTEM

16. IALA system A & B

Section 7: NAVIGATION AIDS

17. Satellite Navigation Systems (GNSS)
18. Terrestrial Navigation Systems
19. Echo Sounders
20. Speed Logs
21. Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS)

Section 8: RADAR

22. Principles of Radar
23. Operation of Radar
24. Radar Plotting

Section 9: ARPA

25. IMO Performance Standards for ARPA
26. Factors affecting system performance and accuracy
27. Tracking capabilities and limitations
28. Processing delays
29. Operational warnings
30. Presentation of Vectors, target information and danger areas
31. Information on past positions of targets being tracked
32. Application of the International Regulations for Preventing Collision at Sea

Section 10: AIS

33. Awareness of AIS and its uses
34. Understands the elements of AIS data
35. AIS ship installations.
36. Use of AIS at Sea

OOW Yachts General Ship Knowledge Examination

Exam Scheme & Passing Marks: Assessment will be by a written 2.5 hour examination of seven questions. The pass mark will be 60%.

OOW Yachts General Ship Knowledge Exam Syllabus

Section 1: SHIP CONSTRUCTION

1. Ship construction terminology.
2. Longitudinal, transverse and local stresses due to static and dynamic loading
3. Methods of yacht construction
4. Plans normally carried on board
5. The cause and prevention of corrosion
6. The functions of Classification Societies
7. Load lines, reserve buoyancy and methods of damage control
8. Bilge-pumping systems

Section 2: STABILITY

9. Basic Principles of Hydrostatics and Related Terms
10. Initial stability

Section 3: METEOROLOGY

11. Global wind distribution
12. The causes of local winds
13. The effects of water vapour in the atmosphere
14. The practical use and care of common meteorological instruments
15. Frontal depressions
16. The sources of weather information available to ships

Section 4: SEAMANSHIP

17. The responsibilities of the officer of the watch in relation to boarding a pilot
18. The precautions to be taken in preparing a vessel for sea
19. SOLAS and MARPOL
20. The Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seafarers. (CoSWP)

Master Yachts Navigation and ARPA Simulation (NARAS) Examination

Exam Scheme & Passing Marks: Assessment will be by a written 2.5 hour examination. A candidate must achieve an overall pass mark of at least 60% to pass the written examination.

Master Yachts Navigation and ARPA Simulation (NARAS) Exam Syllabus

Section 1: PASSAGE PLANNING

1. Appraisal, planning, execution and monitoring
2. Atlantic and European tides
3. Pacific Tides

Section 2: RADAR, ARPA and ECDIS

4. Use of Radar, ARPA and ECDIS in Navigation
5. Practical radar plotting

Section 3: SEARCH & RESCUE

16. Principles of search and rescue
17. Practical search and rescue operations
18. Electronic Position Fixing and Information Systems
19. Terrestrial electronic navigation systems
20. Is aware of the uses and limitations of AIS
21. Ocean Navigation
22. Navigation of a vessel in ice
23. Ocean Sailing
24. Ocean Routing

Master Yachts Celestial Navigation Examination

Exam Scheme & Passing Marks: Assessment will be by a written 2.5 hour examination of 4 questions. The pass mark will be 65% overall but the candidate must achieve at least 65% in question 1.

Master Yachts Celestial Navigation Exam Syllabus

1. Determining the Compass Error by Celestial Means
2. Using Celestial Bodies to Fix Position
3. Determine Latitude by Celestial Observation

Master Yachts Business and Law Examination

Exam Scheme & Passing Marks: Assessment will be by a written 2.5 hour examination of five questions. The pass mark will be 60%.

Master Yachts Business and Law Exam Syllabus

Section 1: LEGAL FRAMEWORK

1. Legal Framework
2. Arrival and departure
3. International Law

Section 2: SAFETY MANAGEMENT

4. Safety certificate and documentation
5. Prevention of marine pollution
6. Statutory safety duties
7. Seaworthiness and safe manning
8. Security

Section 3: CONTRACTS AND Marine Insurance

9. Contracts of Salvage
10. Contracts of employment
11. Yacht Charter agreements
12. Marine insurance

Master Yachts Stability Examination

Exam Scheme & Passing Marks: Assessment will be by written 2.5 hour examination candidates must achieve an overall pass mark of 60%.The Exam will consist of two (2) parts. A minimum mark of 40% must be achieved in each part.

Master Yachts Stability Exam Syllabus

Section 1: BASIC PRINCIPLES

1. Basic principles of hydrostatics and related terms
2. Fineness of hull form and resistance to forward motion
3. Statical Stability
4. Initial stability
5. Loading, discharging and shifting weights

Section 2: LIST AND RELATED PROBLEMS

6. List
7. The inclining experiment
8. The effect of slack tanks on the centre of gravity

Section 3: CURVES OF STATICAL STABILITY

9. Curves of statical stability
10. Stability data supplied to yachts

Section 4: Loll, Dry Docking and Longitudinal Stability

11. Angle of Loll
12. Dry-docking
13. Longitudinal Stability

Master Yachts Seamanship & Meteorology Examination

Exam Scheme & Passing Marks: Assessment will be by written 2.5 hour examination of five questions with one question being taken from each of the sections below. The pass mark will be 60%.

Master Yachts Seamanship & Meteorology Exam Syllabus

Section 1: SEAMANSHIP

1. Dangers and precautions necessary during heavy weather
2. Precautionary measures for maintaining buoyancy
3. Procedures when towing or being towed
4. Ship handling
5. Procedures for bringing a vessel to anchor
6. Navigational dangers
7. Action in emergencies
8. Response in emergencies
9. Action in the event of the loss of essential systems

Section 2: NAVIGATION AND PASSAGE PLANNING

10. Watch keeping
11. Navigation in Ice

Section 2: METEOROLOGY

12. General Meteorology
13. Tropical Revolving Storms
14. Weather Forecasting

Section 4: SOLAS and MARPOL

15. International requirements for the safety of life at sea
16. International requirements for the prevention of pollution at sea

Section 5: SAFETY MANAGEMENT AND THE CODE OF SAFE WORKING PRACTICES FOR MERCHANT SEAMEN

17. Personal hygiene and safety
18. Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seamen
19. Safety organisation and role and responsibility of the Safety Officer
20. Reporting of unsafe practices and incidents
21. Principles of planning work activities, setting objectives and priorities to ensure requirements are met

Disclaimer: For general information purpose only. Please check with UK MCA for the accurate and latest information and detailed syllabus.

LAST UPDATED ON Aug 12, 2021