professional course · beyond the ladder

Officer of the Watch (Unlimited) Notes

The commercial STCW II/1 certificate to stand a bridge watch on ships of any size, and the gateway to 1st and 2nd Officer jobs on large yachts (500 GT+). Watchkeeping, COLREGs, radar and ARPA, ECDIS, passage planning, stability, shiphandling, GMDSS and the MCA oral. An extra course, not a rung on the ladder.

The OOW (Unlimited) is the commercial certificate to keep a bridge watch on ships of any size, and the one large yachts (500 GT and over) ask of their 2nd and 1st Officers. Expect a Yachtmaster or equivalent first, significant sea time, radar, ARPA and GMDSS training, several months to years overall and roughly £5,000 to £10,000 or more. These notes follow MSN 1856, the STCW Code and the MCA oral syllabus, and each lesson lists its references.

4 modules14 lessons
New to ships? Start with the merchant navy overview

The Certificate and the Watch

3 lessons
The OOW (Unlimited) Certificate: Routes, Sea Service and Exams40mKeeping a Navigational Watch40mBridge Resource Management and Teamwork35m

Collision Avoidance

4 lessons
COLREGs for the OOW: Steering and Sailing Rules50mCOLREGs: Lights, Shapes and Sound Signals for Large Ships55mRadar and ARPA55mECDIS, AIS and Electronic Navigation50m

Navigation

3 lessons
Passage Planning: Appraise, Plan, Execute, Monitor55mPosition Fixing, Compass Errors and Tides50mMeteorology and Weather Routeing for Ships50m

Ship Operations and Safety

4 lessons
Ship Stability and Cargo for the OOW55mShiphandling, Manoeuvring and Anchoring45mEmergencies, GMDSS and Search and Rescue45mRegulations, ISM, MARPOL and the MCA Oral45m