The Certificate of Competency that takes an officer towards command.
Master 200, 500 and 3000 GT are the Certificates of Competency that move a deck officer towards command of the vessel, built on OOW and Chief Mate experience and sea time. It's a senior-level ticket, so the quality of teaching and exam preparation matters more here than at earlier stages. Here are accredited centres running Master courses in the main crew hubs.
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Major Fort Lauderdale training campus, MCA / USCG / RYA approved, the main US hub for crew training either side of the Atlantic.
Plymouth centre, MCA-approved and an RYA Recognised Training Centre, covering STCW plus powerboat, radio and tender tickets.
Palma centre (also in Naples), IYT / MCA / Marshall Islands approved, covering deck tickets across two Med bases.
Phuket-based, MCA and IYT approved, the leading superyacht training hub in South-East Asia.
Piraeus-based academy delivering the Warsash Superyacht Academy curriculum via Solent University, MCA-recognised and GUEST accredited.
Malta-based training and simulator centre, Transport Malta and DNV accredited.
Sint Maarten-based school, MCA and IYT approved, serving the Caribbean crew hub.
Seattle-based maritime institute, USCG approved, serving the US Pacific Northwest.
This is our shortlist. Browse the full YachtSync training directory →
I haven't done a Master ticket yet. Chief Mate 3000 is where I am as of 2024, working as officer and chief officer on yachts from 50m to 140m, with Master the obvious next step for me. So I can't give you a personal account of these courses, at least not yet.
The same things that mattered to me at OOW and Chief Mate level are worth checking here too:
I'll update this page with my own experience once I've done it myself. For now, see the FAQs below for what each tonnage level actually requires.
The number refers to the gross tonnage limit of vessel you can command, Master 200GT, 500GT and 3000GT, with each higher ticket requiring more sea time and a more advanced exam.
Yes, in the standard progression. Most crew build OOW, then Chief Mate experience and sea time, before sitting the Master exam at the relevant tonnage level.
It varies with sea time and how quickly you progress through OOW and Chief Mate, but it typically represents several years of officer experience before the Master exam.
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