Module 6 - Distress & Mayday
The Complete Current Small-Craft Mayday
What you will learn
Deliver the complete current MCA small-craft voice format from a prompt card and check that every response-critical field is present.
The following worked transmission is deliberately fictional. Its value is the ordered structure: priority, identity, second priority signal, full identity, position, danger, assistance, people, useful information and a reply invitation.
Use a cockpit card with the vessel name, call sign and MMSI already written in. Leave a clear space for the current position and people count. In an emergency, read the prepared identity accurately rather than trying to reconstruct registered details from memory.
The exact useful-information line will change with the casualty. It should improve the response, not describe every event. For example: one person injured, all wearing lifejackets, preparing the liferaft, red-hulled sailing yacht, EPIRB activated, or hazardous debris in the water.
If the first call is not answered, check that PTT has been released and listen before repeating. Continue other available distress alerting and locating actions as appropriate. A voice rehearsal on this page cannot assess microphone distance, clarity, radio controls or performance under practical exam conditions.
Worked example
Fictional training call for sailing vessel North Star after a DSC distress alert; identifiers and position are invented and must never be transmitted as real information.
- 1MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY.
- 2THIS IS NORTH STAR, NORTH STAR, NORTH STAR.
- 3CALL SIGN MIKE ALFA ONE TWO THREE FOUR. MMSI TWO THREE TWO ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO ONE.
- 4MAYDAY. THIS IS NORTH STAR, CALL SIGN MIKE ALFA ONE TWO THREE FOUR, MMSI TWO THREE TWO ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO ONE.
- 5POSITION FIVE ZERO DEGREES FOUR TWO DECIMAL THREE MINUTES NORTH, ZERO ZERO ONE DEGREES ONE EIGHT DECIMAL SIX MINUTES WEST.
- 6TAKING WATER AND UNABLE TO CONTROL THE FLOODING. REQUIRE IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE. FOUR PERSONS ON BOARD. ALL WEARING LIFEJACKETS; PREPARING THE LIFERAFT. OVER.
Sense check: The example contains the complete first identity, second MAYDAY and full identity before moving to position and response facts.
Use a prompt-and-check loop
One crew member reads the cockpit card while the operator speaks. The vessel is moving, so the position may change during the exchange.
1. Prompt
The reader points to one field at a time and confirms the written identity and latest position.
2. Transmit
The operator speaks clearly, pauses between groups and releases PTT after OVER.
3. Check and update
The crew ticks the fields sent, listens for acknowledgement and prepares any changed position or casualty information.
Sense check: A second person should be able to mark identity, position, nature, assistance, persons and other useful information from the transmission.
Common mistake or limitation
- Using a fictional or remembered MMSI instead of the vessel's registered identity.
- Dropping the assistance-required or persons-on-board fields after a detailed description of the incident.
- Ending OUT or holding PTT instead of ending OVER and listening.
Recap
- Keep a current cockpit card beside the radio.
- Use the full ordered format and prioritise information that changes the response.
- Release PTT after OVER and prepare updates.
Optional quick check
Section 7 of 10
Which field should follow the position in the full message?
Sources and factual review
Reviewed 1 September 2026 - Compass Revision editorial review.
Continue studying Distress & Mayday
This public lesson is part of Revision Module 6. Full revision access adds the guided Learn, Practise and Test flow, flashcards and revision progress.