Coxswain Grade 3 Near Coastal Assessment

Love boating and want to explore it as a career? One of the best entry points is the Coxswain Grade 3 Near Coastal, which gives you one of the qualifications needed to work in Marine Services at a Marina, Oyster Farm, or Shipwright.

Coxswain 3 allows you to command a vessel less than 12 metres long, with up to 6 people onboard during daylight, and of three different engine powers: towing vessels up to 500kW, outboard engines less than 250kW, or inboard less than 100kW.

This qualification is replacing the old Exemption 38, you can read more about it on the AMSA website.

With this qualification in your wheelhouse, you’ll be ready for anything!

What is involved in the Coxswain 3 Assessment?

• The assessment will begin beside your commercial registered vessel, so long as it is appropriate for use with the Coxswain 3 Qualification (eg a tender or work boat).If you do not have access to a vessel then we can arrange for our training vessel to be used instead.Once onboard we will begin the assessment, which is based on your competency at demonstrating the required tasks, some of which can be seen below:
  • Locate and access safety equipment onboard
  • Provide pre-departure briefing to passengers if present
  • Control and operate the vessel at low and high speed
  • Bring vessel safely to wharf, mooring, berth, or pen
  • Identify navigational aids and their meaning
  • Prevention of collision regulations
  • Knowledge of operational limits of Coxswain Grade 3 NC
  • Other techniques and skills, e.g. rope work, environmental assessments, alarm monitoring

How much does Coxswain Grade 3 Near Coastal cost?

Assessments are performed in groups with a minimum of 4 participants.If you do not have access to a suitable vessel we can use an ABC training vessel, please contact us to confirm pricing and availability.(Effective from December 1, 2023)

* Discounted pricing available only when purchasing as part of a Coxswain Grade 3 Assessment bundle

There is also a separate application fee payable to AMSA when the paperwork is lodged at Australia Post, this is currently $174 (as of November 2023).