COC 5/2/1 (Engine) orals preparation

Well this is what worked for me, hope it may help you too.

1. Study focus
[ ] Recent oral questions (I can’t share link to the WhatsApp/Telegram groups sorry)
[ ] Organise notebooks according to topics
A) Pure drawings
B) Machineries information such as working principle, inspection procedure etc. (inclusive of drawings where relevant)
C) Rules and regulations (MARPOL, SOLAS, Class rules etc.)

Taking example of 28 Feb class 2 orals questions:
– STP drawing and explanation
– Steering gear block diagram + Emergency steering + cross questions
– Conrod failure, consequence and corrective measure- elaborate for 4 stroke engine

To prepare for the STP question,
Notebook A) has STP cross section drawing. Notebook B) has description of each stage of STP. Notebook C) has MARPOL Annex IV and country regulations which states discharge distances for treated and untreated sewage, and explains type approval of STP. Pretty often I hear people say cannot discharge direct from STP if alongside, that’s not true unless STP is not MEPC.159(55) standard (refer to Annex IV reg 9.1.1) and/or local regulations such as USA’s No Discharge Zones.

To prepare for Steering Gear question,
Notebook A) has SG block diagram, 4-ram type drawing, vane type drawing. Notebook B) explains working principle etc. Notebook C) has SOLAS requirements.

*Alternatively, 1 notebook that combines A B C. Meaning each entry is ultra-comprehensive, captures all relevant info in one location.

2. Orals
A) Discussed my answers with classmates (and lecturers if applicable). Confirmed okay.
B) Classmate A reads my notes, ask me questions like he’s David/Rui. We use stopwatch and note how long we take to reply.
• Body language is quite important for orals. I suggest recording videos of each other for playback. David was quite intimidating, so it’s very important to project confidence when answering him.
• Y’all probably already know this, just in case I’ve a gentle suggestion. If genuinely don’t know the answer, just firmly and sincerely reply you will find out the answer and come back to the examiner at a later date. I’ve done this for both COC2 and COC1 exams, they noted my reply and did not fail me. Better to show commitment to learning and retry than to try smoke these examiners and they get angry. 🫠
C) Exchange roles, I ask him other questions while I check my notes.
D) Give each other constructive feedback afterwards.