AMSA Sailing Master Offshore near coastal: pathway and eligibility

The Sailing Master Offshore near coastal certificate is a domestic commercial vessel certificate for sailing vessels. AMSA says it allows you to command and operate the engines of sailing vessels under 24 metres with propulsion power under 100 kilowatts, within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

This certificate is not on AMSA’s list of near coastal certificates that need an oral exam, and AMSA’s page does not describe a practical assessment for it. Instead, you show eligibility with the recognised sailing certificate and engine qualification AMSA lists. This page summarises them.

AMSA certificate name

Sailing Master Offshore near coastal

Type

Domestic commercial vessel (near coastal) certificate

Oral examination

Not listed by AMSA for this certificate

Assessment AMSA describes

AMSA’s page does not describe an AMSA oral exam or an AMSA Mandated Practical Assessment for Sailing Master Offshore.

Also called

Sailing Master Offshore or the Sailing Master Offshore NC certificate

About the AMSA examination for this certificate

AMSA’s oral exam page lists the certificates that need an AMSA oral exam. For near coastal certificates, that list is Master <45 m, Master <100 m, Marine Engine Driver Grade 1 and Engineer Class 3. Sailing Master Offshore is not on it, and AMSA says an oral exam is not needed for near coastal certificates that are not listed.

AMSA’s page does not describe an AMSA oral exam or an AMSA Mandated Practical Assessment for Sailing Master Offshore. Eligibility is shown by the prior sailing certificate and the engine qualification AMSA names.

• The sailing certificates AMSA lists are issued by the RYA and IYT, not by AMSA. Check with the issuing body that yours carries the commercial endorsement AMSA requires.
• Ask AMSA if your engine qualification is not on its list.

For how AMSA oral exams work for the certificates that do need one, read the AMSA oral exam preparation guide.

What the certificate allows you to do

As AMSA describes it on its certificate page:

• Command and operate the engines of sailing vessels under 24 metres in length with propulsion power under 100 kilowatts.
• Operate within the EEZ, and carry passengers (AMSA gives a maximum of 12 passengers beyond inshore waters).
• Work as chief mate or deck watchkeeper on sailing vessels under 45 metres in the EEZ, and perform General Purpose Hand NC duties.
• Operate sailing vessel tenders with propulsion power under 100 kilowatts.

Who this certificate is for

• Yachtmasters and skippers who hold a recognised offshore sailing certificate and want to work commercially on sailing vessels.
• Charter and training operators who need a master for sailing vessels under 24 metres.

Official AMSA requirements

AMSA sets the requirements for the Sailing Master Offshore certificate. In summary, as AMSA listed them on 3 October 2026:

• Be at least 16 years old on the certificate issue date, and be able to speak, read and understand English.
• Hold one of these sailing certificates: a commercially endorsed RYA Yachtmaster Offshore, a Yachtmaster Ocean, or an IYT Master of Yachts Limited Certificate of Competence (Sail, or Power and Sail).
• Hold one of AMSA’s listed engine qualifications, such as Coxswain Grade 1 NC, Marine Engine Driver Grade 3 NC, the MAR Maritime Training Package unit MAR037, or one of the RYA or IYT engine and powerboat course combinations AMSA lists.
• Make a medical fitness declaration (AMSA form 1850), hold a marine radio Long Range Operator Certificate of Proficiency (LROCP) and a current “Provide first aid” certificate (HLTAID011).
• Apply through myAMSA, or at a participating Australia Post outlet, with AMSA form 426, the medical form and a passport-sized photograph. AMSA says the certificate is valid for five years.

This is a summary only, and requirements change. Check AMSA’s certificate page, linked under Official AMSA sources below, for the current requirements before you plan your pathway.

Preparing for the assessment

This is our own study advice. It is not an AMSA syllabus and it is not a list of actual assessment questions.

AMSA Examiner and this certificate

AMSA Examiner is built around AMSA oral exam preparation. Because AMSA does not list an oral exam for Sailing Master Offshore, the oral-exam checklist and mock oral tools are not what this certificate’s assessment uses. If this rank is available to you, the study tools below can still help you revise the underlying knowledge, but they do not replace your training provider’s course or any assessment AMSA requires.

How AMSA Examiner helps you prepare

AMSA Examiner is a study platform. After you register and enrol for a rank, it gives you these tools:

• Learning topics that you work through in order.
• A Quiz Bank for practice questions.
• Mind maps for revision.
• A study plan built around your exam date.
• Weak-area identification and a revision book.
• Exam readiness reports.

The content you see depends on the rank you enrol for and on what has been published for that rank. AMSA Examiner’s practice material is study material. It is not official AMSA examination content, and it cannot predict the questions you will be asked.

Related certificates

• Coxswain Grade 1 Near Coastal (certificate guide). AMSA lists Coxswain Grade 1 NC as one of the engine qualifications that count towards Sailing Master Offshore.
• Master <24 m Near Coastal (certificate guide). Master <24 m near coastal is the master-level certificate for commercial vessels up to 24 metres.
• All AMSA certificate guides, including the other certificates this site covers.