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.


85: The wooden planking that protects the tank top from cargo loading is called __________.


86: The turning circle of a vessel making a turn of over 360 degrees is the path followed by the __________.


104: You are on watch at sea at night when a fire breaks out in #3 hold just forward of the bridge. You would NOT __________.


140: Your tankship is carrying a 30% solution of hydrogen peroxide. The cargo containment system must have a permanent inert gas system. While discharging this cargo the inert gas system must maintain a minimum pressure of __________.

    Y a. 0.5 psig
    N b. 3.0 psig
    N c. 5.0 psig
    N d. atmospheric pressure

218: What is the main purpose of dunnage?

    N a. To act as ballast for light vessels
    Y b. To provide ventilation and drainage for cargo
    N c. To secure the tarpaulins in place
    N d. To support weakened bulkheads

225: For safety reasons, when assistance towing __________.

    N a. the disabled vessel should be towed to the nearest port
    N b. the disabled vessel should be inspected for flammable gases
    N c. passengers should always be removed from the disabled vessel
    Y d. personnel on the disabled vessel should don PFD's

235: Which ending is NOT acceptable in a wire rope that is free to rotate when hoisting?

    N a. Poured socket
    Y b. Liverpool eye splice
    N c. Eye formed with a pressure clamped sleeve
    N d. Eye formed by clips

272: When measuring the oxygen content of the cargo tanks prior to loading cargoes requiring vapor recovery, check it __________.

    N a. one meter from the tank bottom and one meter below the tank top
    Y b. one half the ullage of the tank and one meter below the tank top
    N c. one half the ullage of the tank and one meter above the tank bottom
    N d. at three meter intervals from the tank top to the bottom

296: You are on a course of 000°T and put the rudder right 30°. In which direction will the transfer be measured?

    N a. 000°T
    Y b. 090°T
    N c. 180°T
    N d. 270°T

407: You are carrying cargoes of crotonaldehyde, phosphoric acid, and morpholine on your multiple-product tankship. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

    Y a. Each of the cargoes must be segregated from the other by at least two barriers.
    N b. The minimum protective clothing required for taking samples of phosphoric acid is goggles or a face shield.
    N c. Aluminum, copper, and zinc are prohibited in all valve parts in contact with these cargoes.
    N d. The required warning sign must have the legend "cancer hazard" added to it.

444: A metal object on the pier resembling a tree stump and made to receive mooring lines is a __________.

    N a. bight
    Y b. bollard
    N c. chock
    N d. camel

480: What is NOT a requirement for the preparation of used, gasoline-propelled cars if they are to be carried as ordinary cargo and not as hazardous cargo?

    N a. The engine must be run until it dies from lack of fuel.
    Y b. The fuel tank must be inerted with CO2.
    N c. The ignition key may not be in the ignition.
    N d. The vehicle must be inspected for fuel leaks.

514: The part of an anchor which takes hold on the bottom is the __________.

    N a. arm
    N b. base
    Y c. fluke
    N d. stock

533: A towing hook may be released from the __________.

    N a. tug's engineroom or the bow
    Y b. pilot house or aft steering station
    N c. forecastle
    N d. towing bitts by reaching over and releasing a lever

556: You may BEST turn a twin-screw vessel about, to the right, in a narrow channel by using __________.

    N a. both engines ahead and helm
    N b. one engine only
    Y c. port engine ahead and the starboard engine astern
    N d. both engines astern and use helm

627: Your ship is steaming at night with the gyro-pilot engaged when you notice that the vessel's course is slowly changing to the right. What action should you take FIRST?

    Y a. switch to hand steering
    N b. shift steering to the emergency steering station
    N c. call the Master
    N d. notify the engineroom

663: While towing astern, if your towing hawser becomes taut it results in __________.

    N a. more catenary in the towing hawser
    Y b. less catenary in the towing hawser
    N c. more yaw
    N d. less yaw

684: Right-laid line should be coiled __________.

    Y a. clockwise
    N b. counterclockwise
    N c. either clockwise or counterclockwise
    N d. on a reel

744: When using natural-fiber rope, you should NEVER __________.

    N a. dry the line before stowing it
    N b. reverse turns on winches periodically to keep out kinks
    Y c. try to lubricate the line
    N d. use chafing gear

751: A document which has a list of names, birthplaces, and residences of persons employed on a merchant vessel bound from a U.S. port on a foreign voyage and is required at every port is called the __________.

    Y a. Certified Crew List
    N b. Crew Manifest
    N c. Shipping Articles
    N d. Muster List ("Station Bill")

819: Which pump must be primed?

    N a. Rotary pump
    N b. Reciprocating pump
    Y c. Centrifugal pump
    N d. All of the above

857: On vessels over 100 gross tons, whose responsibility is it to ensure that all able seamen in the vessel's crew have the documents and qualifications required by law and regulation?

    Y a. Master of the vessel
    N b. USCG Officer in Charge of Marine Inspection
    N c. Owner or operator of the vessel
    N d. Company's personnel director

902: The number of able seamen required on board is stated in the __________.

    N a. American Bureau of Shipping code
    N b. Solas Certificate
    N c. Classification Certificate
    Y d. Certificate of Inspection

1073: You are preparing to slush a stay on your vessel by lowering yourself down the stay in a bosun's chair. The proper way to do this is to ride down the stay on a riding shackle __________.

    N a. with the pin of the shackle riding on the stay
    Y b. with the pin of the shackle through the chair's bridle eye
    N c. with a hook attaching the chair to the riding shackle
    N d. connected to a second shackle on the chair

1093: When rigging a bosun's chair, a tail block or lizard is used to __________.

    N a. guide the bosun's chair down a stay when applying a protective coating
    N b. run paint or tools up to a sailor in a chair with a heaving line
    N c. keep a bosun's chair from swinging with the ship's motion
    Y d. reeve the gantline through

1115: The proper way to correct a mistake in the logbook is to __________.

    N a. draw several lines through the entry, rewrite, and initial the correction
    Y b. draw a line through the entry, rewrite, and initial the correction
    N c. completely black out the entry, rewrite, and initial the correction
    N d. erase the entry and rewrite

1194: What type of line melts easiest?

    N a. Wire
    N b. Dacron
    N c. Nylon
    Y d. Polypropylene

1241: A Notice of Marine Casualty to a vessel must include __________.

    N a. the estimated cost of damage
    Y b. the name of the owner or agent of the vessel
    N c. an evaluation of who was at fault
    N d. the amount of ballast on board

1302: Reinforcing frames attached to a bulkhead on a vessel are called __________.

    N a. side longitudinals
    N b. intercostals
    Y c. stiffeners
    N d. brackets

1340: The usual depth of a beam bracket is __________.

    Y a. 2 1/2 times the depth of the beam
    N b. 5 times the depth of the beam
    N c. 10 times the depth of the beam
    N d. same depth as the beam

1505: The supplement to the IOPP Certificate contains what type of data?

    N a. The grades of cargo that an oil tanker is permitted to carry.
    Y b. A checklist of the equipment installed for controlling the discharge of oil.
    N c. The trade routes upon which the vessel may operate.
    N d. A list of the underwriters who will assume financial responsibility in the event of an oil spill.

1508: While towing, sudden shock-loading caused during heavy weather can be reduced by __________.

    N a. using a short tow hawser
    N b. using a nonelastic type hawser
    Y c. using a heavier hawser
    N d. decreasing the catenary in the hawser

1537: Which is NOT a potential hazard of approaching close to an iceberg?

    Y a. The brash ice in the vicinity may clog sea intakes.
    N b. The berg may calve with the bergy bit hitting the vessel.
    N c. There may be underwater rams extending out from the berg.
    N d. The berg may suddenly tilt or capsize due to uneven melting and hit the vessel.

1551: A majority of the crew requests a survey from the American Consul to determine a vessel's seaworthiness. The vessel is found unfit to continue her intended voyage. The Consul allows the vessel to sail to another port where deficiencies can be corrected. The crew must __________.

    N a. be discharged and given first class passage back to the original port of signing on in lieu of one month's wages
    N b. be discharged by the American Consul with additional one month's wages until repairs are made
    N c. be furnished employment on another vessel returning to the United States which is satisfactory to that crew
    Y d. comply with the judgment

1684: Temporary seizings on wire rope are made with __________.

    N a. marline
    N b. sail twine
    N c. tape
    Y d. wire

1938: Towing a structure using two tugs approximately side by side, each using one hawser, is referred to as a __________.

    N a. tandem tow
    N b. Honolulu tow
    Y c. breasted tug tow
    N d. tandem tug tow

1961: A sufficient amount of chain must be veered when anchoring a vessel to ensure __________.

    N a. the vessel has enough room to swing while at anchor
    Y b. the anchor flukes bite into the ocean bottom
    N c. there is a sufficient scope of chain to keep the anchor on the bottom
    N d. there is more chain out than there is in the chain locker

2010: On the cargo manifest, the total weight of a box containing cargo is the __________.

    N a. tare weight
    N b. net weight
    Y c. gross weight
    N d. cargo weight

2176: The tankship Northland is loaded as shown. Use the salmon colored pages in the Stability Data Reference Book to determine the hogging numeral. (Get Table Data)

    N a. 91.42 numeral
    N b. 85.60 numeral
    Y c. 79.23 numeral
    N d. 74.73 numeral

2193: You have determined the maneuvering characteristics of your vessel by taking the radar ranges and bearings of an isolated light while making a turn. The results are listed in illustration D035DG. Based on this data what is the tactical diameter of the turning circle? (D035DG )

    N a. 755 yards
    N b. 780 yards
    N c. 820 yards
    Y d. 880 yards

2276: You have determined the maneuvering characteristics of your vessel by taking radar ranges and bearings of an isolated light while making a turn. The results are as shown. Based on this data what is the advance for a turn of 60°? (D035DG )

    Y a. 665 yards
    N b. 710 yards
    N c. 745 yards
    N d. 780 yards

2286: Cargo that is highly susceptible to damage by tainting from odorous cargo is called __________.

    N a. clean cargo
    Y b. delicate cargo
    N c. dry cargo
    N d. immune cargo

2609: Which tanker discharge pattern would be the safest and most efficient?

    N a. Empty the forward tanks and start working aft, emptying each tank in sequence
    Y b. Start discharging with most of the discharge coming from forward, but include some from midships and after tanks
    N c. Start pumping from forward, midships, and aft with the discharge distributed equally among the tanks
    N d. Start pumping from midships and then work forward and aft simultaneously as the midships tank is emptied

2735: Periodic surveys to renew the load line assignment must be made at intervals NOT exceeding __________.

    N a. 18 months
    N b. two years
    N c. three years
    Y d. five years

2736: Distances on the Great Lakes System are generally expressed in __________.

    N a. miles above the entrance to the St. Lawrence Seaway (MASLW)
    N b. miles above the head of the passes (AHP)
    N c. nautical miles
    Y d. statute miles

2744: An icebreaker assisting a vessel through an ice field would display a visual signal consisting of the code letter "I" (India) to signify that "___________________".

    N a. I am altering my course to starboard
    Y b. I am altering my course to port
    N c. I am operating astern propulsion
    N d. My vessel is stopped and making no way through the water

2776: How are aids to navigation on the Great Lakes arranged geographically?

    N a. In a westerly and northerly direction, except on Lake St. Clair
    N b. In an easterly and southerly direction, except on Lake Erie
    Y c. In a westerly and northerly direction, except on Lake Michigan
    N d. In an easterly and southerly direction, except on the New York State Barge Canal

2882: What does the line labeled "MS" denote on the Great Lakes load line model shown? (D031DG )

    N a. Mean sea level
    N b. Midseason
    N c. Maximum submergence
    Y d. Midsummer

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

2950: In relation to the turning circle of a ship, the term "advance" means the distance __________.

    N a. gained at right angles to the original course
    Y b. gained in the direction of the original course
    N c. moved sidewise from the original course when the rudder is first put over
    N d. around the circumference of the turning circle

2968: On the Great Lakes, winter storms compound the ice threat by bringing a variety of wind, wave, and weather problems on an average of every __________.

    N a. two days
    N b. three days
    Y c. four days
    N d. five days

3073: You are on a large merchant vessel entering a U.S. port. There is a Pilot on board and he has the conn. Which statement is TRUE?

    N a. The Pilot becomes solely responsible for the safe navigation of the vessel only if the Master relinquishes the conn.
    N b. The Pilot is solely responsible for the safe maneuvering of the ship only if he is required to be on board by law.
    Y c. The Master is responsible for the safe navigation of the ship and the Pilot is employed for his local knowledge.
    N d. The Pilot is solely responsible for the internal working of the ship.

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

3395: The holding power of an anchor at a given scope of cable increases when the __________.

    Y a. amount of chain lying along the bottom increases
    N b. length of the catenary is reduced
    N c. mooring line tension is increased
    N d. amount of chain lying along the bottom decreases

3590: When steering a vessel, a good helmsman does NOT __________.

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

4036: When a cargo boom or crane is rated at varying capacities, there will be a table at the controls which relates safe working load to __________.

    N a. winch speed
    N b. boom strength
    Y c. load radius
    N d. cable strength

4040: When towing another vessel astern, the length of the towline should be __________.

    N a. as long as possible
    N b. such that one vessel will be on a crest while the other is in a trough
    Y c. such that the vessels will be "in step"
    N d. not over two wave lengths in seas up to 10 feet

4062: The signal man assisting the crane operator has his forearm vertical, forefinger pointing up, and moves his hand in a small horizontal circle. This is the signal to __________.

    N a. swing
    N b. lower
    Y c. hoist
    N d. extend

4179: 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
    N b. Turn on ventilation for cargo holds, raise/open the stern door, lower the stern ramp
    N c. Turn on ventilation for cargo holds, lower the stern ramp, raise/open the stern door
    Y d. Lower the stern ramp, raise/open the stern door, turn on ventilation for cargo holds

4203: Which of the following statements is/are FALSE concerning cranes being installed on the centerline of vessels?

    N a. One crane is able to work both sides of the ship.
    N b. One crane is able to work one end of two adjacent hatches.
    Y c. A centerline crane can never work more than one hatch.
    N d. All of the above