Propulsion plant operation
- Operation of main propulsion machinery in service
- Performance monitoring and interpreting indicator data
- Recognising and diagnosing irregular running
- Operational limits and when to reduce or stop
Management level · Engineering
Second Engineer UnlimitedMCA Class 2 / Second Engineer Orals Preparation
Preparation for the Class 2 (Second Engineer, Unlimited) oral — the transition from operating the plant to managing it.
MCA Class 2 Second Engineer Unlimited oral preparation. Two weeks, £1,675, live online by Zoom or classroom, starting the first Monday of each month.
Rank / pathway
Second Engineer (Unlimited) — Engineering pathway
Duration
2 weeks intensive preparation
Delivery
Zoom / live online or classroom in Glasgow
Intake
Starts the first Monday of each month
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.
Answer first
What this preparation is for
At Class 2 the examiner wants evidence that you have moved past watchkeeping answers. You should be able to operate and maintain the machinery, but also recognise when something is running irregularly and explain what the monitoring information means.
This course rehearses that transition: operation, maintenance and management of marine machinery, questioned in the way a Second Engineer is expected to answer it.
It prepares you for the MCA oral examination, which the MCA conducts separately.
Syllabus-led preparation
What we teach for this MCA oral
Preparation is structured around the published MCA oral syllabus for Second Engineer (Class 2, Unlimited), built on the operational watchkeeping foundation below it. The examiner can draw from any part of the relevant syllabus.
Auxiliaries, boilers & fluid systems
- Generators, boilers, compressors and refrigeration
- Fuel, lubricating oil and cooling water systems
- Pumping, bilge, ballast and oily water separation
- Environmental plant and its correct operation
Electrical, electronic & control engineering
- Generation, distribution and switchboard operation
- Motors, starters and electrical protection
- Automation, alarms and control systems
- Electrical fault finding at management level
Maintenance, surveys & safe working
- Planned and corrective maintenance planning
- Class and statutory surveys and verification
- Permits to work, safe isolation and lock-off
- Enclosed-space entry and hot work precautions
Stability, construction & pollution
- Stability, stress and watertight integrity
- Ship and machinery-space construction
- MARPOL and pollution prevention compliance
- Records, oil record book and environmental documentation
Emergencies, safety management & leadership
- Machinery-space fire, flooding and blackout response
- Loss of propulsion and essential services
- Team leadership, supervision and delegation
- Legal responsibilities and readiness to assume Chief Engineer duties
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
Oral-style question practice supported by MCA Orals GPT, with a live mock session to rehearse the real format.
Learn more
eSailor learning access
Digital maritime learning support available to candidates preparing with World Yacht.
Visit eSailorSecure 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.
Selected
Class 2 Engineering Orals 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
Class 2 / Second Engineer Unlimited preparation FAQs
Yes — this page covers MCA Class 2 Second Engineer (Unlimited) oral preparation.
Two weeks of intensive preparation at £1,675.
Courses start on the first Monday of each month. Contact us to confirm your place.
Both — live online by Zoom or in the Glasgow classroom.
EOOW is the operational watchkeeping certificate; Class 2 is the management-level step above it. Pick the certificate you are actually sitting.
No. The MCA runs and charges for the oral examination separately.
Related preparation
Other routes in this pathway
Next step
Book your Class 2 / Second Engineer 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
