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.


3: A stopper used in securing the ground tackle for sea that consists of a grab attached to a turnbuckle is a __________.


38: A cargo that has a stowage factor over 40 is known as a __________.


169: The lowest temperature at which a liquid will give off sufficient vapors to form a flammable mixture with air is known as the __________.


284: The beam of a vessel refers to the __________.

    N a. depth between decks
    N b. internal cubic capacity
    N c. molded depth of the vessel
    Y d. width of the vessel

337: On a coastwise tugboat of 199 GT, on a voyage over 600 miles, what percentage of the deck crew (excluding licensed officers) must hold a document of able seaman?

    Y a. 65%
    N b. 50%
    N c. 25%
    N d. 0%

432: A licensed Master of Towing Vessels may NOT serve as the person in charge of which towing vessel?

    N a. 99 GRT towing vessel operating on Chesapeake Bay
    N b. 199 GRT towing vessel operating in the Gulf of Alaska
    N c. 480 GRT towboat operating on the Western Rivers
    Y d. 405 GRT towing vessel operating between Florida and the US Virgin Islands

512: When paying out nylon line from around the bitts __________.

    Y a. stand clear of the bitts and use two or more round turns under your figure eights
    N b. you can surge the line even with a single turn
    N c. no extra turns are necessary since nylon has a high coefficient of friction
    N d. stand in the bight of the line

602: Which emergency equipment should you keep near the towing bitts?

    N a. A self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)
    N b. A boat hook and a spanner wrench
    Y c. A fire ax and/or cutting torch
    N d. A Stokes litter basket

621: Which document shows details of a tank vessel, cargoes it may carry, manning and safety equipment required?

    N a. Safety Construction Certificate
    N b. Cargo Gear Certificate
    Y c. Certificate of Inspection
    N d. Declaration of Inspection

730: In a Williamson turn, the rudder is put over full until the __________.

    N a. vessel has turned 90°From her original course
    Y b. vessel has turned 60°From her original course
    N c. vessel is on a reciprocal course
    N d. emergency turn signal sounds

854: A piece of small stuff (small line) secured to an object to prevent it from going adrift is a __________.

    Y a. lanyard
    N b. keeper
    N c. noose
    N d. stopper

880: The projecting lugs of the rudderpost which furnish support to the rudder are called __________.

    N a. bases
    Y b. gudgeons
    N c. pintles
    N d. rudder lugs

931: Which is NOT a required entry in the ship's Official Logbook?

    N a. Sale of effects of a deceased crew member
    N b. Medical treatment of an injury
    N c. Inspections of cargo gear
    Y d. Dry docking of the vessel

939: What is the purpose of pressure-vacuum relief valves?

    N a. Regulation of discharge pressure from cargo pumps
    N b. Maintaining constant velocity in cargo lines
    N c. Regulation of suction head on cargo pumps
    Y d. To maintain a tank or void at atmospheric pressure

969: A tank is loaded with 9,000 barrels of gasoline. The temperature of the product is 80°F (27°C), and it has a coefficient of expansion of .0008. The net amount of cargo loaded is __________.

    Y a. 8,856 barrels
    N b. 8,944 barrels
    N c. 9,072 barrels
    N d. 9,144 barrels

1077: A seaman dies during a voyage. What is NOT required to be entered into the Official Log?

    Y a. Statement that the Master has taken custody of the deceased's MMD and passport
    N b. An inventory of the money and property
    N c. Statement of the wages due
    N d. Statement as to the total deductions to be made from the wages

1100: What is the purpose of the freeing ports on a vessel with solid bulwarks?

    Y a. Allow water which may be shipped on deck to flow off rapidly
    N b. Permit easy jettisoning of deck cargo in an emergency
    N c. Prevent the formation of any unusual stress concentration points
    N d. Lighten the above deck weight caused by a solid bulwark

1261: A vessel operating "in class" has met all the requirements of the __________.

    Y a. ABS or similar society
    N b. insurance company
    N c. U.S. Coast Guard
    N d. U.S. Customs

1344: When working with wire rope, which must be considered?

    N a. Metal sheaves should be lined with wood or leather.
    Y b. It needs better care than hemp or manila.
    N c. It should be lubricated annually.
    N d. The diameter of a sheave over which a rope is worked should be ten times that of the rope.

1366: The best method to stop a vessel from dragging anchor in a sand bottom is to __________.

    N a. reduce the length of the cable
    Y b. pay out more anchor cable
    N c. back the engines
    N d. swing the rudder several times to work the anchor into the bottom

1375: A chain stripper is used to __________.

    Y a. prevent chain from clinging to the wildcat
    N b. clean the marine debris from the chain
    N c. flake chain from a boat's chain locker
    N d. clean chain prior to an x-ray inspection

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

1523: When making a short splice in wire rope __________.

    Y a. all tucks go against the lay
    N b. all tucks go with the lay
    N c. the first three wires are tucked against the lay and the last three go with the lay
    N d. the first three wires are tucked with the lay and the last three go against the lay

1591: A complaint of unseaworthiness by a majority of crew members to the American Consul is found to be justified after a survey is completed. Who must pay the cost of the survey?

    N a. Crew members requesting the survey
    N b. American Consul
    Y c. Master
    N d. Vessel's owners

1654: Which knot should be used to bend two hawsers together for towing?

    Y a. Double carrick bend
    N b. Fisherman's bend
    N c. Heaving line bend
    N d. Rolling hitch

1655: Which knot represents a double blackwall hitch? (DO30DG )

    N a. F
    N b. G
    Y c. L
    N d. R

1802: Which picture represents a bowline? (DO30DG )

    N a. G
    N b. H
    N c. L
    Y d. Q

1816: Which picture shown represents a square knot? (DO30DG )

    Y a. W
    N b. R
    N c. P
    N d. H

1888: How many legs does the bridle for an ocean tow have?

    N a. One
    Y b. Two
    N c. Three
    N d. Four

1901: You are proceeding under NCS (Naval Control of Shipping) and wish to send a message by rapid transmission which does not require a higher precedence. Which precedence would you assign this transmission?

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

2007: The helm command "shift your rudder" means __________.

    N a. double your rudder angle or go to full rudder
    Y b. change from right rudder to left rudder an equal number of degrees
    N c. bring your rudder amidships
    N d. check the swing of the vessel

2043: A mooring line that prevents a vessel from moving sideways away from the dock is a __________.

    N a. bow line
    Y b. breast line
    N c. stern line
    N d. spring line

2106: A racetrack turn would be better than a Williamson turn in recovering a man overboard if __________.

    N a. the man has been missing for a period of time
    Y b. the sea water is very cold and the man is visible
    N c. there is thick fog
    N d. the wind was from astern on the original course

2130: In a racetrack turn, to recover a man overboard, the vessel is steadied for the SECOND time after a turn of how many degrees from the original heading?

    N a. 60°
    N b. 135°
    N c. 180°
    Y d. 360°

2133: The S.S. Hollowpoint has a charter party in which the charterer assumes no responsibility for the operation of the vessel but pays stevedoring expenses. What is the name of the charter party?

    N a. Bareboat
    N b. Dispatch
    Y c. Voyage
    N d. Demise

2150: The vessel shown has broken down and you are going to take her in tow. The wind is coming from her starboard beam. You are making more leeway than she. Where should you position your vessel when you start running lines? (DO25DG )

    Y a. A
    N b. B
    N c. C
    N d. D

2199: What is the name of tackle number 2? (DO29DG )

    N a. Whip
    N b. Onefold purchase
    N c. Single purchase
    Y d. Gun tackle

2253: What is the area of a circle with a radius of 17 feet after a sector of 57° has been removed?

    Y a. 764.17 sq. ft
    N b. 190.66 sq. ft
    N c. 145.27 sq. ft
    N d. 36.85 sq. ft

2284: In determining the scope of anchor line to pay out when anchoring a small boat, one must consider the __________.

    N a. charted depth of water only
    Y b. depth of water, including tidal differences
    N c. type of line being used for the anchor rope
    N d. type of anchor being used

2285: While writing in the logbook at the end of your watch, you make an error in writing an entry. What is the proper way of correcting this error?

    N a. Remove this page of the log book and rewrite all entries on a clean page.
    N b. Carefully and neatly erase the entry and rewrite it correctly.
    N c. Blot out the error completely and rewrite the entry correctly.
    Y d. Cross out the error with a single line, write the correct entry, and initial it.

2325: Which line cannot be spliced?

    N a. Braided line with a hollow core
    N b. Double-braided line
    Y c. Braided line with a solid core
    N d. Any line can be spliced

2355: The metal, teardrop-shaped object sometimes used within an eyesplice is a __________.

    N a. grommet
    N b. reinforcement
    N c. splice form
    Y d. thimble

2385: You are on a multiple-product chemical tanker and will carry cargoes of butyric acid, propylene oxide, and octyl alcohol. Which statement is true?

    N a. Butyric acid is incompatible with octyl alcohol but not propylene oxide.
    Y b. Propylene oxide may not be stowed in a tank adjacent to butyric acid.
    N c. All of these cargoes are compatible.
    N d. Octyl alcohol is incompatible with both butyric acid and propylene oxide.

2553: The key to rescuing a man overboard is __________.

    N a. good equipment
    N b. a dedicated crew
    Y c. well-conducted drills
    N d. good communication

2593: On a transpacific voyage, you receive a message from your vessel's operators saying that your vessel has been consigned to voluntary Naval Control of Shipping. Further information is contained in __________.

    N a. the Light List
    Y b. Radio Aids to Navigation (PUB 117)
    N c. the International Code of Signals (PUB 102)
    N d. the Coast Pilot

2606: You are approaching the pilot station with the wind fine on the starboard bow and making about 3 knots. You can help to calm the seas by taking what action just before the pilot boat comes along on the port side?

    N a. Backing full
    N b. Stopping the engines
    N c. Giving right full rudder
    Y d. A short burst of ahead full with left full rudder

2722: "Limber" is a term associated with __________.

    N a. emergency gear
    Y b. drainage
    N c. deck cargo storage
    N d. securing gear

2792: When relieving the helm, the new helmsman should find it handy to know the __________.

    N a. variation in the area
    Y b. amount of helm carried for a steady course
    N c. leeway
    N d. deviation on that heading

2844: Naval authorities would NOT give orders about which of the following, when the vessel is under control of the Naval Control of Shipping Organization?

    N a. Visual communication at sea
    N b. Rescue operations
    N c. Diversions
    Y d. Schedules for loading cargo

2869: When more than one vessel is being assisted by an icebreaker, distances between vessels should be constant. Which signal should be given by a vessel which is ahead of another and whose speed suddenly begins to drop?

    N a. Four short blast on the whistle
    N b. A flag hoist consisting of the code figure "4"
    Y c. A flag hoist consisting of the code figure "5"
    N d. A flag hoist consisting of the code letters "FE" (Foxtrot-Echo)

2892: What is LEAST likely to be used to strip a cargo tank?

    Y a. Centrifugal pump
    N b. Eductor
    N c. Rotary pump
    N d. Reciprocating pump

2931: In a national emergency, when communicating via the Navy, messages are sent by precedence. A message designated FLASH will be delivered within __________.

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

3031: Before a Master relieves a Pilot of the conn, the __________.

    N a. vessel must be in extremis
    N b. Master must request the Pilot to take corrective action
    N c. Master should release the Pilot from all liability
    Y d. Master should foresee any danger to the vessel on the present course

3436: The signal man assisting the crane operator has one hand occupied and one fist in front of his chest with the thumb pointing outward and is tapping his chest with the heel of his fist. This is the signal to __________.

    N a. extend the boom
    N b. lower the boom
    Y c. retract the boom
    N d. hoist the boom

3530: Which is NOT a duty of a look-out?

    N a. Refuse to talk to others, except as required by duty.
    N b. Remain standing during your watch.
    N c. Report every sighting.
    Y d. Supervise any deck work going on in the area.

4042: You are on a 120,000 DWT loaded bulk carrier. What is the maximum safe docking speed when coming alongside?

    N a. 0.1 foot per second (0.06 knot)
    Y b. 0.2 foot per second (0.12 knot)
    N c. 0.5 foot per second (0.30 knot)
    N d. 0.75 foot per second (0.44 knot)

4115: Entries should be made in a Ro-Ro vessel’s cargo-securing device record book for __________.

    N a. procedures for accepting cargo securing devices
    N b. procedures for maintaining and repairing cargo-securing devices
    N c. record of cargo securing device inspections
    Y d. All of the above

4188: The most important safety consideration during loading or discharge aboard a Ro-Ro vessel is __________.

    N a. having all crewmembers and longshoremen wear hard hats
    Y b. the thorough ventilation of all cargo spaces
    N c. ensuring that visitors cannot come aboard
    N d. having the outboard anchor down

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

4233: The 30 ton capacity pedestal cranes shown in the illustration can lift a maximum weight of how many tons when two cranes are married together in twin with the other pair of cranes at the opposite end of the hatch? (D051DG )

    N a. 30 tons
    N b. 60 tons
    N c. 90 tons
    Y d. 120 tons