WHO NEEDS THE MCA SMALL CRAFT STABILITY COURSE?
The MCA Approved Small Craft Stability Course is a one-day classroom course for workboat skippers, pilot boat masters, yacht skippers and commercial operators who need to understand small craft stability, stability books, loading, free surface effect, cranes, deck cargo and practical stability risks. Chieftain Training runs the course at Hamble and Southampton, with MCA certification issued on successful completion.
The MCA Approved One-day Small Craft Stability Course was originally launched to satisfy the MCA Workboat and Pilot Boat Code of Practice. It is now also a requirement for skippers operating on yachts and powered craft under the Sport & Pleasure Vessel Code of Practice.
This course is suitable for skippers, masters and candidates working with commercial small craft, workboats, pilot boats, coded yachts, fishing vessels and larger leisure or sport/pleasure vessels.
Mandatory for some workboat skippers
The course is required for masters of certain workboats, including vessels that:
- are required to carry a stability book;
- operate more than 60 miles from a safe haven;
- carry more than one tonne of cargo;
- are fitted with a crane or dredging gear;
- operate in areas prone to icing.
Mandatory for some yacht and sport/pleasure vessel skippers
The course may also be required under the Sport or Pleasure Vessel Code for some yachts and powered craft, including vessels that:
- are required to carry a stability book;
- operate with more than 15 people on board;
- operate more than 60 miles from a safe haven with more than six people on board.
Recommended for professional candidates and instructors
This course is also useful for:
- RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore candidates;
- STCW Master 200 candidates;
- STCW OOW 3000 candidates;
- MCA Fishing Class 1 or 2 candidates;
- RYA Cruising Instructor;
- RYA Yachtmaster Instructors;
- RYA Navigation Instructors.
WHERE IS THE MCA APPROVED STABILITY COURSE RUN?
HOW LONG IS THE MCA STABILITY COURSE?
1 day, which includes a short written assessment
WHAT ARE THE PREREQUISITES FOR MCA APPROVED STABILITY COURSE?
- Candidates must be fluent in the English language
- Minimum age 18
- Candidates should either hold or be working towards one of the following CoCs
- RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Coastal
- RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore
- RYA/MCA Advanced Powerboat
- STCW OOW 3000
- STCW Master 200
- MCA Fishing Class 1 or 2
WHAT IS COVERED ON THE MCA SMALL CRAFT WORKBOAT STABILITY COURSE?
This one-day classroom course includes plenty of practical demonstrations and exercises. While this is traditionally a mathematical/scientific subject our Instructor will assume you have no formal stability training, he will keep formulas to an absolute minimum and focus on ensuring you leave with a working knowledge of small craft stability. The course content is;
- General terms in use
- General Principles of Transverse Stability
- Location of CoG, K, M, CoB
- Rolling and shift of CoB
- Theory of Moments, Righting levers, List & heel
- Equilibriums
- Adding, removing and shifting weights
- Simple calculation of transverse stability and effects on draft
- General understanding of change of trim
- Trimming moments
- Longitudinal Metacentre & LCF
- Importance of monitoring of any changes, regular checks
- The Stability Booklet
- Stiff and tender vessels
- Use of cranes and shift of CoG
- Free Surface Effect
- Tanks
- Consumption of fuel and water
- Water on deck
- Critical KG calculations (Transverse Stability)
- Inclining Test
- Deck edge Immersion
- Catamaran stability
- Risks associated with Tug and Tow
- Risks associated with deck cargoes
- Wind & Ice accretion Effects
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE COURSE?
- Day of training (& assessment)
- MCA Certification
- CT Stability Course Handbook
- Motor, Sail & Fishing Vessel Stability Notes
- Use of model boats, test tanks etc.
- Tea and Coffee
- Free Parking
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN COURSE?
- Lunch
WHAT IS THE TEACHING RATIO FOR MCA WORKBOAT STABILITY?
We run this course with a maximum of 12 students per instructor. Each pair of students has use of their own model boat, weights and water tank for the duration of the day to run the various scenarios themselves.