The Efficient Deck Hand (EDH) qualification is an indispensable benchmark of seamanship. Regulated under the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), this five-day efficient deckhand course bridges foundational deck experience with professional crew responsibilities, serving as a mandatory stepping stone toward your Able Seafarer (Deck) ticket or Officer of the Watch (OOW Yacht <3000 GT) Certificate of Competency.

Delivered at our purpose-built training facility in South Gloucestershire, this comprehensive deck hand course balances vital nautical theory with intensive, practical ropework and deck mechanics. Whether you work on superyachts, tugs, workboats, or commercial fishing vessels, our training equips you with the real-world operational competence demanded across the international maritime sector.

Our deckhand training UK curriculum ensures you master the Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seafarers (COSWP), shipboard maintenance, anchoring systems, and mooring evolutions—giving you the skills and confidence to literally "learn the ropes" in a controlled, professional environment.

Efficient Deck Hand (EDH) Course at South West Maritime Academy

Course Details

Duration 5 Days (0900hrs – 1700hrs daily).
Prerequisites Participants must be aged 17 or over and satisfy one of the following:
  • MCA-accepted Yachtmaster Offshore practical and shorebased certificate
  • Yacht rating with 6 months sea service and Steering/NWR certificate
  • Fishing Class 2 CoC or Seafish 5-day watchkeeping certificate (<16.5m)
  • BML Tier 1 Level 2 certificate
  • Tug rating with 6 months sea time and Steering/NWR certificate
Certification Upon successful completion, candidates receive an MCA approved certificate:
Efficient Deck Hand (EDH) – STCW Regulation II/5
Certificate Validity This certificate does not expire (Lifetime validity).
MCA Approved Training Provider

Booking Info

Cost £750.00 inc VAT.
Location South West Maritime Academy, Cromhall Quarry, South Gloucestershire, GL12 8AA
Have Questions About Sea Time? Not sure if your existing certificates or sea service qualify? Contact our office team for guidance on your route to certification.
Important Sea Service Note: A minimum of 6 months documented sea service on vessels over 15m in length is required to receive your EDH certificate. If the required sea service has not been completed at the time of training, a 5-day Seamanship Course certificate will be issued by South West Maritime Academy. An MCA approved training certificate for EDH will then be issued once official proof of your qualifying sea service has been received.
Career Pathway Guidance

What is the EDH course and who is it required for?

The Efficient Deck Hand (EDH) certificate is a statutory qualification embedded in the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) framework. It acts as the definitive bridge between basic watchkeeping duties and senior deck roles, confirming that a seafarer possesses the theoretical knowledge and physical competence to carry out critical deck evolutions safely and without direct supervision.

Mandatory Prerequisite For:

  • Officer of the Watch (OOW Yacht less than 3,000 GT): An MCA approved EDH certificate is a non-negotiable statutory requirement for the issue of the MCA OOW (Yacht) Certificate of Competency.
  • Able Seafarer Deck Certificate (STCW Regulation II/5): The EDH course and practical assessment serve as the qualifying technical examination to step up from Navigational Watch Rating (NWR) to Able Seafarer Deck.
  • Superyacht & Commercial Workboat Advancement: Commercial vessel operators, workboat fleets, and yacht skippers actively require an efficient deckhand ticket before placing crew in charge of tendering, mooring, windlass operation, or heavy lifting gear.
Syllabus Breakdown

What Does the Efficient Deck Hand Course Cover?

Comprehensive practical and theoretical units delivered under the Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seafarers (COSWP).

1. Nautical Knowledge & Watchkeeping

Master nautical nomenclature, key shipboard components from compartments to pipeline runs, and professional bridge communication.

  • Ensign, courtesy, and international signal flag protocols
  • Reporting bearings in points, compass cards, and 360-degree notation
  • Standard marine helm orders and officer-of-the-watch handover
  • Musters, alarm recognition, and fixed fire smothering systems
  • Operation and maintenance of watertight and fire screen doors

2. Shipboard Maintenance & Tools

Hands-on training in surface preservation, mechanical upkeep, tool management, and MARPOL marine pollution prevention.

  • Surface preparation, paint applications, and chemical safety
  • Safe operation and preventative maintenance of hand and power tools
  • Lubrication systems, greasing schedules, and routine repairs
  • Garbage Management Plans and safe shipboard waste disposal
  • Deployment of anti-pollution kits and oil spill mitigation gear

3. Seamanship Knots & Hitches

Intensive, muscle-memory practical testing across all statutory knots, hitches, and bends essential for deck safety.

  • Reef knot, timber hitch, clove hitch, and rolling hitch
  • Bowline and bowline on the bight
  • Sheet bend and double sheet bend
  • Figure-of-eight, sheepshank, and fisherman’s bend
  • Round turn and two half hitches, marlinspike hitch, and monkey’s fist

4. Splicing, Whipping & Ropework

Learn traditional and modern wire and rope manipulation techniques under master instruction.

  • Back splices, short splices, and eye splices in 3-strand cordage
  • Eye splices in 8-strand plaited (multi-plait) mooring lines
  • Eye splices with locking tucks in steel wire rope
  • Parcelling, serving, and applying seizing to cordage and wire
  • Plain whipping and traditional sailmaker’s palm-and-needle whipping

5. Rigging, Ladders & Deck Work

Rigging and securing temporary working platforms, access ladders, and deck hardware for adverse sea states.

  • Slinging and rigging painter stages and bosun’s chairs
  • Rigging pilot ladders, hoists, gangways, and accommodation ladders
  • Fitting rat guards and rigging derricks and deck cranes
  • Deploying cordage and wire stoppers during warping evolutions
  • Fitting Bulldog grips and hydrostatic release units (HRUs) correctly

6. Mooring, Anchoring & Cargo

Heavy deck machinery evolutions, dynamic winch safety, anchor handling, and safe cargo lashing.

  • Safety with synthetic fibre ropes, snap-back zones, and tension winches
  • Making fast and letting go mooring, tug, and buoy lines
  • Windlass operation: letting go, weighing anchor, and securing hawse pipes
  • Safe Working Loads (SWL), breaking strains, and shackle/block ratings
  • Cargo securing procedures, hatch covers, and IMDG dangerous goods codes
Meet Your Instructor

Martyn Johnstone

Martyn’s story is one of a lifetime dedicated to the sea. His passion began at the age of 11 with the Sea Cadets in 1980, inspired by his grandfather—an archetypical sailor with a deep, encyclopaedic knowledge of seamanship, rope splicing, and traditional knots. Martyn embarked on his professional career as a commercial fisherman at 16, before joining the Royal Navy, where he served with distinction for 22 years in operational roles including Seaman and Bosun.

With 45 years of maritime industry experience, Martyn’s practical knowledge is exceptionally vast. Following his Royal Navy service, he conducted LOLER examinations on RNLI lifeboats and has spent the last 8 years active in Marine Search & Rescue (SAR) operations. Today, he remains actively at sea working for Briggs Marine.

Martyn is a recognised master of traditional ropework, a passion so profound that he runs his own bespoke company, The Bosun Ropeworks. His craftsmanship is proudly exhibited in the Merseyside Maritime Museum, and he was even commissioned to create a special presentation piece for Princess Anne.

Under Martyn’s watchful eye, delegates at South West Maritime Academy master both time-honoured marlinespike seamanship and modern high-modulus synthetic materials.

Martyn Johnstone - EDH Lead Instructor

Career Highlights & Credentials

  • ✔ 45 Years Active Seagoing Experience: Commercial fishing, Royal Navy, SAR, and Briggs Marine operations.
  • ✔ 22 Years Royal Navy: Extensive operational service advancing through Seaman and Bosun ranks.
  • ✔ RNLI Lifeboat Inspector: Certified LOLER lifting and safety inspector on life-saving craft.
  • ✔ Royal & Museum Commissioned: Master artisan featured in Merseyside Maritime Museum with work presented to Princess Anne.
  • ✔ Active Marine SAR: 8+ years executing real-life coastal and offshore rescue operations.
Candidate Criteria

Prerequisites & Target Audience

Our course is structured to be accessible across yachting, workboat, tug, and commercial fishing sectors.

Entry Prerequisites

To enrol on the Efficient Deck Hand (EDH) course, candidates must be aged 17 or over and satisfy at least one of the following criteria:

  • ✔ Hold an MCA-accepted Yachtmaster Offshore practical certificate and completed the shorebased theory course.
  • ✔ Be a Yacht rating with at least 6 months of sea service and possess a Steering Certificate or Navigational Watch Rating (NWR) certificate.
  • ✔ Hold a Fishing Class 2 Certificate of Competency or have completed the Seafish 5-day watchkeeping course for fishing vessels under 16.5m.
  • ✔ Possess an MCA Boatmasters' Licence (BML) Tier 1, Level 2 certificate.
  • ✔ Be a Tug rating with at least 6 months of sea time (which can include categorised waters) and hold a Steering Certificate or NWR certificate.
Sea Service Requirement for Certification: Please remember that while you may attend the course, the official MCA EDH certificate can only be issued once you have completed a minimum of 6 months' documented qualifying sea service on vessels over 15 metres in length.

Who Should Attend?

This deckhand course is specifically designed for maritime professionals seeking official commercial recognition:

Superyacht Deck Crew

Deckhands aiming to progress to Lead Deckhand, Bosun, and ultimately sit their Officer of the Watch (OOW Yachts <3000 GT) oral examination.

Commercial Workboat & Tug Crew

Operatives on harbour tugs, CTVs, and workboats seeking formal Able Seafarer credentials under MCA and STCW standards.

Commercial Fishermen

Experienced fishing vessel hands transitioning into merchant shipping, offshore renewables, or commercial towing operations.

Inland & Passenger Boatmasters

BML holders expanding their operational endorsement portfolio to command larger vessels on tidal rivers and estuaries.

The SWMA Advantage

Why Choose South West Maritime Academy?

Led by Master Seamen

Learn directly under Martyn Johnstone—a veteran with 45 years at sea, Royal Navy bosun credentials, and royal-commissioned splicing artistry.

No Hidden Certification Fees

Our £750.00 inc. VAT fee is fully transparent and inclusive of all training materials, practice rope and wire sets, examination fees, and your MCA certificate.

Accessible Location & Free Parking

Situated minutes from the M4/M5 interchange near Bristol[cite: 1], our Cromhall centre offers abundant free on-site parking and close proximity to local transport links.

Contact & Accommodation

Contact Us

Please contact us if you require further information or wish to book on behalf of a company:
Telephone: 01454 260130
Email: info@southwestmaritimeacademy.com
Normal Office Hours (UK Time):
Monday – Friday: 08.30 – 17.00

Accommodation

There is a wide range of local accommodation, some of which are within walking distance of the training centre, to suit everyone’s budget.

View Local Accommodation
Got Questions?

Efficient Deck Hand (EDH) FAQs

Can I take the EDH course if I haven't completed my 6 months of sea time yet?

Yes. You can enrol on and complete the 5-day Efficient Deck Hand course and assessment as long as you meet at least one of the entry prerequisites (such as Yachtmaster Offshore theory & practical). If you have not completed the required 6 months of sea service on vessels over 15 metres at the time of training, a 5-day Seamanship Course certificate will be issued by South West Maritime Academy. An official MCA-approved EDH certificate will then be issued once proof of your qualifying sea time has been received.

How long is an Efficient Deck Hand (EDH) certificate valid for?

An MCA-approved Efficient Deck Hand certificate does not expire. Unlike STCW basic safety certificates, which require refresher training every five years, the EDH certificate carries lifetime validity.

How is the Efficient Deck Hand course assessed?

Assessment takes place continuously throughout the week with a final practical and oral examination on day five, conducted by an MCA-approved examiner. Candidates are assessed on seamanship knots, rope and wire splicing, stage rigging, pilot ladders, anchor and mooring windlass operation, and underpinning knowledge of the Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seafarers (COSWP).

Why is the EDH course required for superyacht crew?

The Efficient Deck Hand certificate is a mandatory statutory requirement to sit the oral examination for the MCA Officer of the Watch (OOW Yacht less than 3,000 GT) Certificate of Competency. Furthermore, yacht captains and management companies expect the ticket when hiring lead deckhands or bosuns responsible for tender operations and deck safety.

What do I need to bring with me to the course?

Please bring formal photographic ID (Passport or UK Driving Licence), proof of your qualifying prerequisite certificates, your Seaman’s Discharge Book or sea service testimonials (if already accrued), a notepad and pen, and comfortable work clothing suitable for practical rope and wire work.

Is the EDH ticket required for the STCW Able Seafarer Deck certificate?

Yes. The MCA Efficient Deck Hand examination is the qualifying technical exam required under STCW Regulation II/5 to step up from a Navigational Watch Rating (NWR) to a full Able Seafarer Deck certificate.