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.


24: A crack in the deck plating of a vessel may be temporarily prevented from increasing in length by __________.


28: The stowage factor for a cargo is based upon __________.


53: The objective of shoring a damaged bulkhead is to __________.


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

    N a. Tainting
    N b. Wear and tear
    N c. Stevedore damage
    Y d. Heating of grain

151: The forecastle card is a copy of the __________.

    N a. quarters allocation
    Y b. shipping agreement
    N c. Muster List ("Station Bill")
    N d. unlicensed shipping card from the union

156: When heading on a course, you put your rudder hard over. The distance traveled parallel to the direction of the original course from where you put your rudder over to any point on the turning circle is known as __________.

    Y a. advance
    N b. head reach
    N c. tactical diameter
    N d. transfer

159: What is the standard net barrel for petroleum products?

    Y a. 42 gallons at 60°Fahrenheit
    N b. 48 gallons at 70°Fahrenheit
    N c. 50 gallons at 50°Celsius
    N d. 60 gallons at 100°Saybolt

174: A proper look-out must be kept __________.

    N a. only in fog
    N b. only between the hours of sunset and sunrise
    N c. only when entering and leaving port
    Y d. at all times

252: You have orders to load cargoes of carbon disulfide, diisopropylamine and pyridine on your multi-product tankship. Which statement is true?

    N a. Carbon disulfide may be carried in NOS. 1 and 2 center tanks and diisopropylamine in NOS. 1 and 2 wing tanks.
    Y b. Pyridine and diisopropylamine may not be carried in tanks having a common header vent.
    N c. Pyridine must be separated from carbon disulfide by two barriers (cofferdams, voids, empty tanks, etc.).
    N d. A tank of diisopropylamine may be used to separate a tank of pyridine from a tank of carbon disulfide.

278: Regulations concerning the stowage, lashing, and securing of timber deck cargoes aboard general cargo vessels may be found in the __________.

    N a. International Cargo Bureau Regulations
    Y b. Load Line Regulations
    N c. Rules and Regulations for Cargo and Miscellaneous Vessels
    N d. vessel's classification society rules and regulations

295: Which publication offers information on Great Lakes ice services?

    N a. Light List volume VII
    Y b. U.S. Coast Pilot #6
    N c. Marine Weather Log
    N d. National Weather Service, Ice Outlooks

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%

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.

735: A heavy steel curved arch constructed athwartships and above the after deck on a towing vessel is sometimes called a __________.

    N a. main brace
    Y b. tow span
    N c. jockey bar
    N d. None of the above

764: Roundline is a __________.

    N a. four-stranded, left- or right-handed line
    Y b. three-stranded, right-handed line
    N c. three-stranded, left-handed line
    N d. small tarred hempline of three strands laid left-handed

796: When you enter shallow water, you would expect your rudder response to __________.

    Y a. be sluggish and your speed to decrease
    N b. be sluggish and your speed to increase
    N c. improve and your speed to decrease
    N d. improve and your speed to increase

810: In nautical terminology a "dog" is a __________.

    N a. crow bar
    Y b. device to force a water tight door against the frame
    N c. heavy steel beam
    N d. wedge

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

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

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

889: The owner or Master of a towing vessel must evaluate whether the entire towline, or a part of it, is no longer serviceable. The towline should be removed from service in all cases EXCEPT ___________ .

    N a. when recommended by the manufacturer or an authorized classification society
    N b. in accordance with a replacement schedule
    Y c. when the vessel is underway
    N d. depending on the mileage or time that the towline has been in service

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

998: When steering on autopilot which of the following input conditions may NOT have an effect on the control of the steering gear?

    Y a. Non-followup
    N b. Rudder adjustment
    N c. Weather adjustment
    N d. All the above may be activated

1164: Which type of line floats?

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

1181: Uncleared crew curios remaining on board during a domestic coastwise voyage after returning from foreign should be __________.

    N a. listed in the Official Logbook
    N b. cleared prior to the next foreign voyage
    Y c. noted in the Traveling Curio Manifest
    N d. retained under locked security by the owner

1230: Which statement concerning solid floors is TRUE?

    N a. They must be watertight.
    Y b. They may have lightening, limber, or air holes cut into them.
    N c. They are built of structural frames connected by angle struts and stiffeners, with flanged plate brackets at each end.
    N d. They are lighter than open floors.

1260: The function of the bilge keel is to __________.

    Y a. reduce the rolling of the vessel
    N b. serve as the vessel's main strength member
    N c. add strength to the bilge
    N d. protect the vessel's hull when alongside a dock

1270: When a man who is conscious has fallen overboard is being picked up by a lifeboat, the boat should approach with the wind __________.

    N a. astern and the victim just off the bow
    N b. ahead and the victim just off the bow
    N c. just off the bow and the victim to windward
    Y d. just off the bow and the victim to leeward

1291: "Free pratique" means that __________.

    N a. clearance requirements for all regulatory bodies have been met
    Y b. health requirements have been met and no further quarantine formalities are required
    N c. shipment will be made at no cost
    N d. tonnage taxes are not required to be paid

1526: One shot of anchor chain is equal to how many feet (meters)?

    N a. 6 (1.8 meters)
    N b. 15 (4.6 meters)
    N c. 45 (13.7 meters)
    Y d. 90 (27.4 meters)

1566: In bad weather, what length of chain should be used with a single anchor?

    N a. 3 times the depth of water
    N b. 6 times the depth of water
    Y c. 10 times the depth of water
    N d. 15 times the depth of water

1575: The key to rescuing a man overboard is __________.

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

1739: If two falls are attached to lift a one-ton load, what angle between the falls will result in the stress on each fall being equal to the load being lifted?

    N a. 60°
    N b. 75°
    Y c. 120°
    N d. 150°

1822: What is the principal danger in attempting to swing a barge on a hawser in order to slow the barge's speed?

    N a. Dangerous wakes may result from the swinging barge and capsize the tug.
    N b. The barge may swing too quickly and run over the tug.
    N c. Free surface effect of liquid inside the barge may rupture the barge bulkheads if the turn is too quick.
    Y d. The barge may pass under the hawser and capsize the tug.

1832: The run of plating labeled A is known as the __________. (D033DG )

    N a. sheer strake
    Y b. stringer plate
    N c. deck strake
    N d. deck longitudinal

1856: When passing a hawser to the dock you would first use what line?

    N a. Gantline
    Y b. Heaving line
    N c. Preventer
    N d. Warp

1893: A block and tackle is "rove to advantage". This means that the __________.

    N a. blocks have been overhauled
    N b. hauling parts of two tackles are attached
    Y c. hauling part leads through the movable block
    N d. hauling part leads through the standing block

1998: When towing in an open seaway, it is important to use a towing line __________.

    N a. made only of wire rope, due to possible weather conditions
    N b. that will have the tow on a crest while your vessel is in a trough
    Y c. that will have the tow on a crest while your vessel is on a crest
    N d. with little dip to gain maximum control of the tow

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

2102: A seaman deserts the vessel in a foreign port. What should the Master do with any of the deserter's personal effects remaining on board?

    N a. Sell them at auction and deposit the money in the ship's morale or welfare fund.
    N b. Donate them to a local charity upon return to the United States.
    Y c. Transfer them to the appropriate district court of the U.S. at the end of the voyage.
    N d. Inventory them, make an appropriate entry in the Official Logbook and dispose of them at sea.

2154: A vessel has a charter party for one voyage to carry a full load of manganese from Durban, South Africa, to Baltimore, Maryland, at a stipulated rate per ton. Which type of contract is involved?

    N a. Bareboat charter party
    Y b. Voyage charter party
    N c. Demise charter party
    N d. Time charter party

2170: Your vessel is disabled and in imminent danger of grounding on a lee shore. The Master agrees to salvage services using Lloyd's Standard Form of Salvage Agreement. Which is TRUE?

    N a. The salvage award will be decided by suit in Admiralty Court.
    Y b. The salvage service is on a "no cure-no pay" basis.
    N c. Underwriters will repudiate the agreement if it is unsuccessful, due to their increased liability.
    N d. The salvor becomes the owner of the vessel until the salvage award, if any, is paid.

2204: 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. Blot out the error completely and rewrite the entry correctly.
    N b. Carefully and neatly erase the entry and rewrite it correctly.
    Y c. Cross out the error with a single line, write the correct entry, and initial it.
    N d. Remove this page of the log book and rewrite all entries on a clean page.

2240: What is the mechanical advantage of tackle number 1? (DO29DG )

    N a. 0.5
    Y b. 1
    N c. 1.5
    N d. 2

2292: The biggest problem encountered when towing bridle legs are too short is __________.

    N a. retrieval
    N b. adjusting tension
    Y c. excessive strain
    N d. hookup to main towline

2349: What is the volume of a sphere with a radius of 7 feet?

    N a. 11,491.87 cubic ft.
    Y b. 1,436.76 cubic ft.
    N c. 963.72 cubic ft.
    N d. 205.21 cubic ft.

2672: The term "scantlings" refers to the __________.

    N a. draft of a vessel
    Y b. measurements of structural members
    N c. requirements for ship's gear
    N d. placement of a vessel's load line

2714: The major components which determine the length of catenary in a deployed anchor cable are cable tension, cable weight, and __________.

    N a. water density
    N b. bottom conditions
    N c. environmental forces
    Y d. water depth

3092: Item A is the __________. (D024DG )

    Y a. lashing
    N b. drag wire
    N c. scissor wire
    N d. tandem wire

3465: Which type of anchor is illustrated? (D038DG )

    Y a. Stockless
    N b. Danforth
    N c. Old-fashioned
    N d. Kedge

3476: The strongest method of forming an eye in wire rope is using __________.

    N a. three wire rope clamps
    N b. an eye splice with four or five tucks
    N c. a thimble fastened with four or five tucks
    Y d. a wire rope socket attached with zinc

3489: You are lifting a 5-ton weight with a single whip rove on a swinging boom set at an angle of 60° to the horizontal. Use the formula for the size of a shackle with a safe working load and determine the minimum size shackle that should be used to secure the head block to the boom?

    N a. 1 inch
    N b. 1 3/8 inch
    N c. 1 1/2 inch
    Y d. 1 7/8 inch

3504: Metal plates that cover the top of the hawsepipe are called __________.

    N a. footings
    N b. plugs
    Y c. buckler plates
    N d. stop waters

4043: When backing down with sternway, the pivot point of a vessel is __________.

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

4046: Which statement about tunnel bow thrusters fitted to large vessels is TRUE?

    N a. They are effective on most vessels at speeds up to 10 knots.
    N b. Because of their location, most modern installations have as much power as a tug.
    N c. They are fully effective at all drafts.
    Y d. When going astern at slow speed, they provide effective steering control.

4054: "Hanging a barge off" means to __________.

    Y a. moor a damaged barge to the bank and leave
    N b. remove and deliver a loaded barge from a multiple tow
    N c. remove a barge while locking through
    N d. tow an empty barge astern

4135: An advantage of using chain lashing on heavy vehicles aboard Ro-Ro vessels is that it __________.

    Y a. has long life
    N b. is light weight
    N c. absorbs shock
    N d. has fine adjustment

4229: Which of the following is/are the optional component(s) of a twin crane set as shown? (D047DG )

    N a. Boom assembly
    N b. Hook block assembly
    Y c. Rider block tagline system
    N d. All of the above

4242: What is the advantage of the tandem working arrangement of pedestal cranes when operating cargo?

    N a. The cranes enable the handling of heavy cargos without shoreside assistance
    N b. The cargo discharge can be accomplished with controlled pendulation
    N c. The cargo discharge can be performed in port or at anchor
    Y d. All of the above

4271: Which immediate action should the operator of a pedestal crane take if crane control is lost?

    N a. Sound the general alarm.
    Y b. Return the control levers to the neutral positions.
    N c. Notify port security.
    N d. Hold the control levers all the way down.