Management level · Deck · Yacht

Chief Mate Yachts Unlimited

Chief Mate Yacht Unlimited Orals Preparation

Management-level oral preparation for Chief Mate (Yachts Unlimited) under STCW Code II/2 — navigation, cargo and stability, emergency response and the readiness to assume the Master's responsibility.

Chief Mate Yachts Unlimited (STCW II/2) oral preparation. Four weeks, monthly intakes, live online by Zoom or in the Glasgow classroom. Course fee £1,675.

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Next monthly start: ( batch)

Chief Mate Yacht Unlimited Orals Preparation

Rank / pathway

Chief Mate (Yachts Unlimited) — Deck pathway

Duration

4 weeks core preparation

Delivery

Zoom / live online or classroom in Glasgow

Intake

Monthly intakes

Fee

£1,675

Course dates

Choose the batch you want to book.

Batches start on the first Monday falling within the month. Two exceptions: the December 2026 batch starts Wednesday 25 November 2026 and the December 2027 batch starts Wednesday 24 November 2027.

Ask about this batch

Answer first

What this preparation is for

The Chief Mate Yachts Unlimited oral is examined at management level. The examiner is checking that you can plan and monitor a passage strategically, run the deck department, and step into the Master's responsibility at any time.

Preparation teaches each competence area first, then rehearses it in oral format: a scenario, your reasoning out loud, then the detail that supports the answer.

This is preparation for the MCA oral examination. The MCA conducts the examination, sets eligibility and makes the certificate decision.

Syllabus-led preparation

What we teach for this MCA oral

Preparation is structured around the published MCA oral examination syllabus for Chief Mate Yachts Unlimited (STCW Code II/2). The examiner can draw from any part of the relevant syllabus, so teaching and oral practice extend well beyond a short list of sample questions.

01

Voyage planning at management level

  • Planning for restricted waters, weather, ice and restricted visibility
  • TSS, VTS areas, ship routeing and mandatory reporting systems
  • ENCs/RNCs and nautical publications used in ECDIS planning
  • Strategic risk assessment and adjusting the plan as circumstances change
02

Position fixing, compasses & meteorology

  • Celestial, terrestrial and electronic position fixing and accepted accuracy
  • Determining and allowing for magnetic and gyro compass errors
  • Errors, limitations and misrepresentation in electronic navigation aids
  • Weather systems, forecasts and their effect on the intended passage
03

Safe navigation, COLREGs, radar/ARPA & ECDIS

  • Maintaining safe navigation with radar, ARPA and ECDIS
  • COLREGs applied to close-quarters and restricted-visibility situations
  • Bridge resource management, watch handover and pilotage
  • Equipment errors, safety settings, backup and malfunction response
04

Manoeuvring, SAR & navigational emergencies

  • Ship handling in restricted waters, interaction, squat and shallow water
  • Anchoring, mooring, tug assistance and heavy-weather handling
  • Coordinating search and rescue in accordance with IAMSAR
  • Response to grounding, collision, steering failure and distress
05

Cargo, trim, stability & damage control

  • Stores, tender and cargo handling appropriate to large yachts
  • Control of trim, stability and stress using loading information
  • Ship construction, watertight integrity and structural considerations
  • Assessment of damage control and flooding countermeasures
06

Safety, security, law & deck management

  • Fire prevention, firefighting and life-saving appliance readiness
  • Emergency and damage control plans, drills and musters
  • Pollution prevention, statutory certificates and legal requirements
  • Leadership, crew management and organising the deck department

View published MCA syllabus

How the preparation works

Taught, questioned, then rehearsed

A sequence built for oral examinations rather than written ones.

01

Live instructor teaching

Each subject area is taught first by experienced maritime instructors, live online or in the classroom, so the foundation is solid before you are questioned on it.

02

Question and scenario practice

Topics are then rehearsed the way an examiner asks them: a scenario, your reasoning out loud, and follow-up questions that test whether the answer holds.

03

Directed study and discussion

Guided study between sessions, plus group discussion and peer questioning, so gaps surface in the classroom and not in the exam room.

04

Feedback-driven focus

Preparation is shaped by published candidate feedback on what is currently being asked, keeping your revision pointed at the right places.

05

Mock oral rehearsal

A live mock session runs the full oral format end to end, with structured feedback on both content and delivery.

06

Final readiness

The closing stage concentrates on the weak areas that remain, so you go in knowing what you know. No one can promise you a pass — the MCA decides that.

Built around real oral preparation

Support that sits behind the teaching

Experienced maritime instructors, feedback-driven preparation and digital learning support available alongside your course.

MCA Orals GPT & live mock

MCA Orals GPT & live mock

Oral-style question practice supported by MCA Orals GPT, with a live mock session to rehearse the real format.

Learn more
eSailor learning access

eSailor learning access

Digital maritime learning support available to candidates preparing with World Yacht.

Visit eSailor

Secure your place

Pay online and confirm your place

Card payment is handled securely at checkout. After payment we contact you to confirm your start date, delivery format and joining details.

Chief Mate Yacht Unlimited preparation

£1,675

Batch: — starts

The fee covers the World Yacht preparation course only. The MCA oral examination is booked, conducted and charged for separately by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Prefer to speak to us first? Use Book / Enquire or WhatsApp above.

Preparing for an MCA oral, not replacing it

This is oral examination preparation delivered by World Yacht. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency conducts the oral examination itself, sets eligibility, and makes the Certificate of Competency decision. We do not book, conduct or guarantee the outcome of your examination, and no preparation course can promise a pass. Confirm your eligibility and notice of eligibility requirements directly with the MCA before booking.

Questions candidates ask

Chief Mate Yachts Unlimited preparation FAQs

Related preparation

Other routes in this pathway

Next step

Book your Chief Mate Yachts Unlimited preparation

Tell us your ticket and your exam timeline and we will confirm the next start date, the format that suits you and what to prepare beforehand.

Or email enquiries@theworldyacht.com · Call +44 141 370 0848

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