Preparation and practice makes perfect.

Deck

Since 2017, we have been delivering a different type of MCA orals prep. No expensive prep courses or complex packages; just affordable, flexible, on-demand support from a team of expert mariners who are with you every step of the way.

Let's keep this between ourselves.

Private sessions

Whether you want to test yourself with a realistic mock, need some help to crack an awkward topic or just want to practice speaking out loud, one of our friendly and experienced tutors will get the absolute best out of you.

We won’t judge you or make you feel stupid for not getting everything right but we will help you to find and fix your weak areas and push you to sit up, speak up and shut up with confidence on the big day. Feel free to bring some friends too; it’s cheaper and arguably more effective.

Flexible

We want to help you pass this exam, regardless of whether you just want one mock exam or a month's intensive tuition.

Relevant

Our tutors are all friendly and relatable, with recent, relevant experience of both the oral exam and the maritime industry.

Personal

Stress and doubts are natural but we work hard to boost your confidence and keep you sane in the run up to the exam.

  • You are able to structure your sessions with the tutors based on your own needs, be that focusing on answering questions in a mock situation, swatting up on COLREGs or filling in gaps in your knowledge where required. Thank you to the team and I look forward to seeing you again in the future!

    Aldert, OOW 3000gt Yacht

    5

  • Whitehorse have a great set up allowing myself to book onto Oral prep sessions that suited my schedule. My tutor was very professional and knowledgeable and was able to answer any question I had and helped me find any weak areas I had. I highly recommend the team!

    Richard, Chief Mate Unlimited

    5

  • Whitehorse were hugely accommodating at the last minute for a 1:1 session for a mock oral. The session was very beneficial as it provided feedback in a stress-free environment and enabled me to answer the examiner’s questions with confidence.

    Euan, Master 200gt

    5

  • Couldn’t rate Whitehorse Maritime any higher in helping me pass my Master’s Oral yesterday. The one on one sessions with Tom, James and Ryan were fantastic – it was great to be doing these sessions with guys that have been through it all recently.

    Lewis, Master Unlimited

    5

  • Whitehorse offer 1-1 sessions available at reasonable prices, where you can either get mock orals experience or a stronger understanding of a certain area you are not comfortable with. The people taking these are highly knowledgeable and professional.

    James, OOW Unlimited

    5

Sensible prices make us the sensible choice.

Pricing

CADETS

EVERYONE ELSE

1

person

£ 45.00
per hour

2

people

£ 30.00

per person

3

people

£ 25.00

per person

4

people

£ 20.00

per person

You have questions, we have answers.

FAQs

  • Why is there no availability more than three weeks away?

    In order to keep our scheduling manageable, it's not possible to book sessions more than three weeks ahead of today's date via the online booking system. If you're trying to book in for further ahead, please get in touch so we can figure out a plan that works for you.

  • What will we cover during my first private session?

    For your first private session with us, we tend to recommend going through a gentle mock exam to help you scope out your weak areas and start to practice speaking out loud.

    Taking this approach allows us to cover a wide range of the syllabus and you'll leave the session with a complete picture of what you need to focus on prior to the exam. Having said that, it's your time and we can cover whatever you feel most concerned about.

  • Can I bring a friend or two?

    The single best way to pass your orals is to work in a group and we believe that this translates into our sessions as well.

    A lot of people want to do sessions individually but you will gain a lot from listening to and correcting your friend's answers, and it also makes sure that your whole group is singing from the same song sheet. If you’re still not convinced, it’s also dramatically cheaper when you bring a few people along.

  • Can I join an existing group for some sessions?

    Absolutely! If you like the sound of a group setting but don’t have a group of your own to bring along, then you should check out our small-group ‘clinics’. We run a weekly schedule of sessions covering COLREGs and the General Knowledge content for all levels.

    They are capped at a maximum of six people, last for two hours and, at only £40 per session, are the most affordable way of getting time with one of the team.

  • When should I get started?

    We tend to recommend that our clients do their first one to one session around three to four weeks before the exam, although that very much depends on how much time you have available and if you’re trying to revise while working. If you are, we recommend allowing yourself more time.

  • What if I don’t feel ready?

    A common mistake that people make is to want to feel ‘ready’ before they start engaging with us but the best approach is to view our support and practicing verbalising as part of the process of becoming ‘ready’.

    The problem is that you are unlikely to feel that ready in the run up to your exam because it can be quite overwhelming, especially if you’re revising alone, so you might put off seeking help until it’s too late.

    A related issue is that you might get to the point that you feel ready for the exam and then do a mock only to find out that you’ve gone too deep on one area, ignored another and can’t explain yourself confidently, and there may not be enough time left for us to help.

  • Do you do sessions face-to-face?

    Prior to the pandemic we did about a 50-50 split of online vs face to face sessions and this shifted to 100% online for the duration of the pandemic. Although we have nothing against doing sessions face to face now, we still do 99% of our sessions online because it’s just as effective as doing them face to face.

    When you consider the time you save not travelling, it’s a no brainer. Having said that, if you are decided that you need face to face sessions just get in touch and we’ll see if we can figure something out. Our tutors are spread all over the UK so you wouldn’t need to be local to Southampton.

  • How close to the exam should I schedule a mock exam?

    If you’ve decided not to engage us earlier in the prep process or have only just heard about us, we’re more than happy to do a one-off mock to put you through your paces just before the exam. However, we would still recommend giving yourself as much time as you can between it and the exam to give yourself a chance to patch up any weak areas.

    In that vein, we would always recommend that you leave yourself an absolute minimum of two to three days between your first mock and the exam. We often have people who come for a mock the day before and, if it doesn’t go well, there’s no chance of making improvements before the real thing.

  • Do you offer a prep course or prep week?

    Even though we get asked this a lot, we have so far steered away from developing a fixed prep course because we feel that the bespoke and completely flexible nature of our services is the keystone of our appeal. Having said that, we regularly arrange bespoke prep packages for our clients, so please do get in touch to discuss the options.

    Primarily offering sessions on a pay-as-you-go basis means that our clients are never tied into a prep course that they don’t need or a package that they don’t want. On top of that, because there isn’t a huge financial commitment or a time limit, there’s no reason not to get started early or to have a one-off session to test yourself (and us!) out.