GMDSS & Yachtmaster Oral Exam Flashcards

During the Yachtmaster Offshore oral exam, a candidate is asked to plan a passage from Dartmouth to Cherbourg overnight. Which are the most critical planning factors?

Answer: Traffic Separation Scheme crossing (Dover Strait or off Casquets), tidal gate timing at headlands, weather window, crew watch system, French port entry tides, and Navtex/GMDSS check

Cross-Channel passage planning covers: TSS crossing procedure (at right angles, minimise time in scheme), tidal gates (Portland Bill, Alderney Race, Casquets), weather window, crew watches, fuel, flares, and destination port tides.

A yacht is approaching the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) off Ushant. Under COLREGs Rule 10, which procedure is correct?

Answer: Cross the TSS at right angles (or as nearly so as practicable) to minimise time in the scheme and proceed in the appropriate traffic lane if using it

COLREGs Rule 10 requires vessels using or crossing TSS to do so at right angles. Vessels crossing (rather than proceeding along the route) should do so as nearly perpendicular as practicable.

The Yachtmaster Offshore certificate requires a minimum qualifying sea time of:

Answer: 50 days, 2,500 nm, including 5 days as skipper and 2 offshore/night passages as skipper

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore eligibility requires: minimum 50 days, 2,500 nm sea time; at least 5 days as skipper; 2 qualifying offshore passages (50+ nm); 2 night hours.

A vessel is approaching a busy anchorage at night. What is the correct light display?

Answer: A vessel at anchor shows an all-round white light forward (and a second all-round white light aft for vessels over 50 m)

COLREGs Rule 30: a vessel at anchor shows one all-round white light forward (under 50 m). This is mandatory — failure to display an anchor light is a COLREGs infringement and a safety hazard.

The Alderney Race is one of the strongest tidal streams in European waters. A Yachtmaster passage plan for this area should ensure:

Answer: Timing arrival at or near slack water to avoid the strongest stream and associated dangerous overfalls

The Alderney Race can run at 6–8 knots at springs. Even in moderate winds, the resulting overfalls and confused sea state can be dangerous. Passage planning must time the slot near slack water.

In the Yachtmaster oral exam, what does the examiner mean when asking about 'situational awareness'?

Answer: The skipper's continuous mental picture of vessel position, traffic, weather, crew status, and potential hazards — updated constantly and used to anticipate problems before they develop

Situational awareness (SA) in the Yachtmaster context is the skipper's holistic, continuously updated understanding of everything relevant to the vessel's safety — position, hazards, people, equipment, weather, time. Loss of SA is a primary cause of maritime accidents.