USCG General Deck: Master's License

This is an interactive test. Read each question and select the proper answer by clicking on the appropriate answer. If a "Y" appears, your choice is correct. If a "N" appears, more study may be in order.


4: Considering manning requirements for US flag vessels, your 2 watch cargo vessel has a deck crew of 20 people, exclusive of officers. How many of these people do the manning regulations require to be able seamen?


11: A person is found operating a vessel while intoxicated. He is liable for __________.


88: Which is an example of cargo damage caused by inherent vice?


336: When a vessel with a single right-hand propeller backs to port the __________.

    Y a. bow falls off to starboard
    N b. vessel moves to port without changing heading
    N c. bow swings to port
    N d. vessel moves to starboard without changing heading

409: A tanker is loaded with 5,000 barrels of petroleum. The cargo was loaded at a temperature of 70°F, and the coefficient of expansion is .0004. What is the net amount in barrels of cargo loaded?

    N a. 4800
    Y b. 4980
    N c. 5020
    N d. 5200

465: Which structural members improve a towing vessel's chance of surviving punctured shell plating?

    N a. Stringers
    N b. Longitudinals
    Y c. Transverse watertight bulkheads
    N d. The rake

538: Using the graph shown, if the dry bulb temperature is 80°F (27°C) and the wet bulb temperature is 70°F (21°C), what is the relative humidity in a cargo hold? (D008DG )

    N a. 45%
    N b. 52%
    Y c. 58%
    N d. 65%

540: As seen from the tow, what should connect the leading ends of both towing bridle legs to the main towing hawser?

    N a. A cable clamp
    Y b. A fishplate, flounder, or towing plate
    N c. A pad eye
    N d. The towing bitts

563: While the Pilot is maneuvering the vessel to a dock, what is the PRIMARY responsibility of the watch officer?

    N a. Supervise the signaling and flag etiquette.
    N b. Record the bells and their times in the bell book.
    Y c. Insure that helm and throttle orders given by the Pilot are correctly executed.
    N d. Judge the appropriateness of the Pilot's orders and countermand them if necessary.

591: What will NOT be found on the Certificate of Inspection of an ocean going tankship?

    N a. Manning requirements
    Y b. Minimum freeboard permitted
    N c. Grade(s) of cargoes that the vessel may carry
    N d. Waters upon which the vessel may be operated

612: When backing down with sternway, the pivot point of a vessel is __________.

    N a. at the bow
    N b. about one-third of the vessel's length from the bow
    N c. aft of the propellers
    Y d. about one-quarter of the vessel's length from the stern

A dark appearance of the sky: A yellowish glare in the sky

    Y a. The presence of seals or certain type birds
    N b.
    N c.
    N d.

727: Which space(s) is(are) deducted from gross tonnage to derive net tonnage?

    N a. Galley fitted with range or oven
    N b. Open structures
    N c. Passenger spaces
    Y d. Boatswain's stores

729: A petroleum liquid has a flash point of 85°F. This is a grade __________.

    N a. B flammable liquid
    N b. C flammable liquid
    Y c. D combustible liquid
    N d. E combustible liquid

822: You are on watch at sea at night and a fire breaks out in #3 hold. What should be done IMMEDIATELY?

    Y a. Shut down the cargo hold ventilation.
    N b. Proceed to the space and determine the extent of the fire.
    N c. Flood the space with C02 from the fixed fire fighting system.
    N d. Cool the deck to contain the fire.

894: When taking a length of new manila rope from the coil, you should __________.

    N a. mount the coil so it will turn like a spool and unreel from the outside
    N b. roll the coil along the deck and allow the rope to fall off the coil
    Y c. lay the coil on end with the inside end down, then pull the inside end up through the middle of the coil
    N d. lay the coil on end with the inside end up then unwind the rope from the outside of the coil

1034: You are the licensed operator of a 100 GT towing vessel sailing coastwise. What percentage of the deck crew must be able to understand the language commonly used onboard the vessel?

    N a. 100%
    Y b. 75%
    N c. 65%
    N d. 50%

1080: The "inner bottom" is the __________.

    Y a. tank top
    N b. compartment between the tank top and shell of the vessel
    N c. inner side of the vessel's shell
    N d. space between two transverse bottom frames

1110: One function of a bulwark is to __________.

    Y a. help keep the deck dry
    N b. prevent stress concentrations on the stringer plate
    N c. protect against twisting forces exerted on the frame of the vessel
    N d. reinforce the side stringers

1144: Which rope has the greatest breaking strength?

    N a. Manila
    Y b. Nylon
    N c. Polyethylene
    N d. Polypropylene

1164: Which type of line floats?

    N a. Dacron
    N b. Nylon
    N c. Old manila
    Y d. Polypropylene

1176: You have arrived at your anchorage location. You have put the engines astern prior to letting go the anchor. How will you know when the vessel has stopped over the ground?

    N a. The ship's log reads zero
    N b. The backwash of the propeller reaches amidships
    Y c. An azimuth bearing on the beam remains steady
    N d. All of the above

1355: Ice concentration is measured in OKTAs. What percentage of the sea surface is ice-covered with 6 OKTAs concentration?

    N a. 6%
    N b. 50%
    N c. 60%
    Y d. 75%

1389: A band or collar on the top end of a boom to which the topping lift, midships guy, and outboard guys are secured, is called the __________.

    N a. collar band
    N b. guy band
    N c. pad eye collar
    Y d. spider band

1605: The pivoting point of a vessel going ahead is __________.

    N a. near the stern
    N b. about two-thirds of the vessel's length from the bow
    N c. at the hawsepipe
    Y d. about one-third of the vessel's length from the bow

1683: "Herringbone" is a term associated with __________.

    N a. anchoring
    N b. mooring
    Y c. sewing
    N d. splicing

1860: A towline should be fastened to __________.

    N a. the chocks at the bow of a towed vessel
    N b. the most forward, centermost point of a towed vessel such as a sturdy bow rail
    N c. the mast of a towed sailboat
    Y d. a secure fitting near the bow of the towed vessel

1895: The knot lettered Q as shown is a __________. (DO30DG )

    N a. square knot
    N b. clove hitch
    Y c. bowline
    N d. round knot

1991: Using the graph shown, if the dry bulb temperature is 91°, and the wet bulb temperature is 87°, what is the relative humidity in a cargo hold? (D008DG )

    N a. 79%
    Y b. 85%
    N c. 91%
    N d. 98%

2047: Progressive flooding is controlled by securing watertight boundaries and __________.

    N a. transferring water ballast
    N b. jettisoning cargo
    Y c. pumping out flooded compartments
    N d. abandoning ship

2052: You are proceeding under NCS (Naval Control of Shipping) when it becomes necessary to send a distress message. Which precedence would you assign this message?

    Y a. O (IMMEDIATE)
    N b. P (PRIORITY)
    N c. R (ROUTINE)
    N d. Z (FLASH)

2172: The lower hold of your vessel has a bale cubic of 52,000 cu. ft. You will load a cargo of cases, each weighing 380 lbs. and measuring 3 ft. x 2 ft. x 2 ft. The estimated broken stowage is 15%. How many tons of cases can be loaded?

    N a. 137 tons
    N b. 161 tons
    Y c. 625 tons
    N d. 969 tons

2209: Certain cargoes must be segregated because of their __________.

    Y a. inherent characteristics
    N b. weight
    N c. destination
    N d. danger to humans

2287: In a national emergency, when communicating via the Navy, messages are sent by precedence. A message designated IMMEDIATE will be delivered within __________.

    Y a. 30 minutes to 1 hour
    N b. 1 to 6 hours
    N c. 3 hours to start of business the following day
    N d. 10 minutes if possible

2310: How do you determine the weight of the vessel that is supported by the ground when a vessel has run aground?

    N a. This requires extensive calculation and is usually performed only by a naval architect not by a ship's officer.
    N b. Determine the point where aground and the draft at that point, then calculate it using the grounding formula.
    Y c. Use the hydrostatic tables and enter with the mean draft before grounding and the mean draft after grounding.
    N d. Use the inclining experiment formula and substitute the change of trim for the angle of list.

2398: How many tons of salt water can be loaded into a flat-ended cylindrical tank with a diameter of 4.5 feet and a length of 8 feet?

    N a. 1.82
    Y b. 3.64
    N c. 7.27
    N d. 14.54

2494: The major components which determine the length of a catenary in a deployed anchor cable are water depth, cable weight, and __________.

    Y a. cable tension
    N b. water temperature
    N c. bottom conditions
    N d. water density

2598: Where, due to the arrangement of the vessel, lifejackets may become inaccessible, additional lifejackets shall be carried __________.

    N a. for the people on bridge watch
    N b. for the forward lifeboats
    Y c. as determined by the OCMI
    N d. for 50% of the crew of the vessel, not including those assigned to engineering duties

2662: What will NOT increase friction of a liquid flowing in a pipe and cause a loss of suction head?

    N a. Bends in the piping
    Y b. Slowing the pumping rate
    N c. Pipeline valves
    N d. Backing rings for pipe welds

2704: The legs of a tow bridle are joined together with a __________.

    N a. bridle plate
    N b. shackle
    Y c. fishplate
    N d. tri-link

2726: The lifeboats on your vessel are stowed on cradles on deck and are handled by sheath-screw boom davits. Which of the following statements about launching a boat is TRUE?

    N a. The boat should be hoisted a few inches clear of the cradle before cranking out the davits.
    N b. The inboard gripes should be cast off before the outboard gripes.
    Y c. The outboard section of the cradle must be released.
    N d. The tricing pendants will automatically bring the boat alongside at the embarkation deck.

2817: The command "meet her" means the helmsman should __________.

    N a. decrease the rudder angle
    N b. steer more carefully
    Y c. use rudder to slow the vessel's swing
    N d. note the course and steady on that heading

2930: A large vessel is equipped with a controllable pitch propeller. Which statement is TRUE?

    Y a. When dead in the water, it is often difficult to find the neutral position and slight headway or sternway may result.
    N b. When going directly from full ahead to full astern, there is complete steering control.
    N c. When the vessel has headway and the propeller is in neutral, there is no effect on rudder control.
    N d. When maneuvering in port, full ahead or astern power can usually be obtained without changing shaft RPM.

2996: Advection fog, a common occurrence on the Great Lakes, forms when __________.

    N a. air comes in contact with a rapidly cooling land surface
    N b. frigid arctic air moves across the lakes and becomes saturated
    Y c. relatively warm air flows over cooler water
    N d. cool air contacts warm river currents

3030: The piping that routes an oil cargo from the manifold to underdeck pipelines is known as a __________.

    N a. cargo fill
    Y b. line drop
    N c. transfer
    N d. branch line

3220: If you are guilty of failure to properly perform your duties as Master of Uninspected Towing Vessels, which of the following actions may NOT be taken?

    N a. Issuance of a letter of warning
    N b. Suspension of your license
    N c. Revocation of your license
    Y d. A fine placed against your license

3240: You are the operator of a towing vessel which becomes involved in a collision. By law you must assist __________.

    N a. if your vessel is at fault
    N b. if you can do so without excessive delay
    Y c. if you can do so without serious danger to your vessel
    N d. regardless of the circumstances

3330: When towing astern, chafing gear should NOT be used on a hawser which is __________.

    N a. attached to an "H" bitt
    Y b. attached to an automatic towing engine
    N c. held amidships by a gob rope
    N d. connected to a swivel

3360: On a light tow, what could you substitute for a fishplate?

    Y a. heart-shaped shackle
    N b. pelican hook
    N c. swivel
    N d. ring

3462: Under U.S. law, what is the penalty for assaulting the Master?

    N a. Fine of not more than $1000
    N b. Fine of not more than $500 and/or imprisonment for not more than 1 year
    Y c. Imprisonment for not more than 2 years
    N d. Revocation of the Merchant Mariner's Document (and license if applicable)

3502: The point that is halfway between the forward and after perpendicular and is a reference point for vessel construction is the __________.

    N a. half length
    N b. mid-body
    N c. center line
    Y d. amidships

3560: What should look-outs report?

    N a. Discolored water
    N b. Shoals
    N c. Floating objects
    Y d. All of the above

3570: As look-out, you spot an object 45° off your port bow. You should report the object as __________.

    Y a. broad on the port bow
    N b. 3 points on the port bow
    N c. 3 points forward of the port beam
    N d. on the port beam

4067: When steering a vessel, a good helmsman does NOT __________.

    N a. use as little rudder as possible to maintain course
    N b. advise his relief of the course being steered
    N c. consider steering a vessel a highly responsible job
    Y d. use as much rudder as possible to maintain course

4090: The BEST holding ground for conventional anchors is_____.

    N a. very soft mud
    Y b. hard mud
    N c. shale
    N d. rock

4127: Which lashing device(s) would be used in securing heavy vehicles aboard Ro-Ro vessels?

    N a. Buckle or ratchet tensioner
    N b. Webbing
    Y c. Chain
    N d. All of the above

4180: Which of the following actions are stated in the correct order prior to loading or discharging cargo on a Ro-Ro vessel?

    N a. Raise/open stern door, lower the stern ramp, turn on ventilation for cargo holds
    Y b. Lower the stern ramp, raise/open stern door, turn on ventilation for cargo holds
    N c. Turn on ventilation for cargo holds, lower the stern ramp, raise/open stern door
    N d. Turn on ventilation for cargo holds, raise/open stern door, lower the stern ramp

4206: Which piece(s) of equipment is/are required to "twin-up" 30-ton pedestal cranes aboard a crane vessel?

    Y a. Equalizing beam
    N b. Portable power swivel
    N c. 20-foot container spreader
    N d. All of the above

4273: During which condition should the operator of a pedestal crane shutdown operations?

    N a. Bunkering
    Y b. High winds
    N c. Potable water spill on deck
    N d. More than 3° list

4379: When relieving the helm, the new helmsman should know the __________.

    N a. maximum rudder angle previously used
    N b. gyro error
    N c. variation
    Y d. course per magnetic steering compass