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.


7: The mooring line labeled "F" is called a __________. (D044DG )


43: In illustration D044DG, the mooring line labeled "D" is called a(n) __________. (DO44DG )


64: Which statement about damage control is TRUE?


147: In illustration D044DG, the mooring line labeled "B" is called a(n) __________. (DO44DG )

    Y a. inshore stern line
    N b. offshore stern line
    N c. after spring line
    N d. after breast line

215: How does the effect known as "bank suction" act on a single-screw vessel proceeding along a narrow channel?

    N a. It pulls the bow toward the bank.
    N b. It heels the vessel toward the bank.
    N c. It pushes the entire vessel away from the bank.
    Y d. It pulls the stern toward the bank.

450: Once a vessel has loaded packaged hazardous cargo, the cargo spaces shall be inspected. The spaces shall also be inspected at least once in every 24 hours. The only exception to daily inspection is when __________.

    Y a. a vessel is equipped with an automatic smoke or fire detecting system
    N b. the cargo hatches are of steel construction
    N c. the cargo is of a nonflammable type
    N d. there is sufficient fire protection located on the main deck adjacent to the cargo hatch

452: Where should the foundation supports for towing bitts terminate?

    N a. Forward of the towing winch
    Y b. In the frames or other substantial structural members below decks
    N c. On the deck plates in the engineroom
    N d. On deck, aft of the towing winch

528: Determine the dew point when the dry bulb temperature is 74°F (23°C) and the wet bulb temperature is 60°F (16°C). (D008DG )

    N a. 14°F
    N b. 20°F
    N c. 28°F
    Y d. 50°F

624: A serving mallet is used in __________.

    Y a. covering wire or fiber rope
    N b. forcing fids into a line
    N c. dogging hatches
    N d. splicing lines

636: The use of an anchor to assist in turning in restricted waters is __________.

    N a. a last resort
    Y b. good seamanship
    N c. the sign of a novice shiphandler
    N d. to be used only with a single-screw vessel

659: You are planning to use the crude oil washing system on your tankship. What is required to prevent electrostatic buildup in the tanks?

    N a. The portable machines must be set at the proper drop for the first wash before the fixed machines are used.
    Y b. The source tank for the tank cleaning machines must have least one meter decanted from it.
    N c. The inert gas system must reduce the oxygen content in the tanks to a maximum of 18%.
    N d. The fixed machines must be operated simultaneously with the portable machines to equalize the electrostatic potential.

675: An advantage of the modified Christmas Tree towing method is to __________.

    N a. increase the towing hawser's catenary and provide more spring
    Y b. reduce catenary, allow operation in shallower water, and to release one barge without breaking up the entire tow
    N c. enable one tug and its crew without any outside assistance to make up or break down the tow
    N d. provide rapid delivery of logs from the northwestern United States to Hawaiian sawmills

684: Right-laid line should be coiled __________.

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

693: The effect of excessive catenary in shallow water may be __________.

    N a. dragging the towing hawser along the bottom and chafing it
    N b. snagging sunken or submerged objects
    N c. slowing, stopping or endangering the towing operation by placing the tug in irons
    Y d. All of the above

723: What safety precautions must you take when maneuvering on a towing hook?

    N a. The engines must be operated on the slow bell.
    Y b. Clear the afterdeck and fantail of personnel.
    N c. Lash the hook closed so it does not open accidentally.
    N d. The towing winch engine must be running.

815: A U.S. or foreign flag vessel that does not comply with the Officers Competency Certificates Convention of 1936 may be detained by certain designated officials. These officials include all of the following EXCEPT a/an ___________ .

    Y a. State Police officer
    N b. Coast Guard officer
    N c. Coast Guard petty officer
    N d. officer of the U.S. Customs Service

849: The valve on the discharge side of a cargo pump on a tank vessel will usually be a __________.

    N a. gate valve
    N b. butterfly valve
    N c. globe valve
    Y d. check valve

911: Which entry is NOT required in the Official Logbook?

    N a. Steering gear tests
    N b. Position of the load line and freeboard upon sailing
    Y c. Commencement and termination of cargo operations
    N d. Closure of hatches and sideports upon sailing

979: A cargo of oil has a coefficient of expansion of .0005 per degree F. If this cargo is loaded at 70°F, and a cargo temperature of 90°F is expected at the discharge port, how many barrels would you expect to unload if you loaded 10,000 barrels?

    N a. 9,900
    N b. 9,990
    N c. 10,010
    Y d. 10,100

1107: You are rigging a stage over the vessel's side and are securing the downhaul with lowering turns at your end of the stage. When finished, the remainder of the line should be __________.

    Y a. lowered down into the water
    N b. coiled on the stage with the bitter end on the bottom
    N c. coiled on the stage with the bitter end on top
    N d. coiled on deck to be slacked down by a seaman as needed

1191: Which statement is TRUE about the use of a "gob rope"?

    N a. The gob rope is a mooring line for tyhing up lighters for working cargo alongside a vessel anchored in an open roadstead.
    Y b. The gob rope is used to secure the towline aft over the centerline of a tug..
    N c. The gob rope is a line hung over a vessel's side to assist in boarding.
    N d. The gob rope is a rope used in mooring a vessel to a buoy.

1361: On a voyage charter, when a vessel is ready to load cargo, the Master should render to the charterer a __________.

    Y a. Notice of Readiness
    N b. Master Certificate of Service
    N c. Shipmasters Declaration
    N d. Vessel Utilization and Performance Report

1402: What form of ice is of land origin?

    N a. Shuga
    N b. Floe
    N c. Spicule
    Y d. Bergy bit

1411: The time allowed for loading and discharging cargo in a charter party is referred to as __________.

    N a. charter hire
    N b. demurrage
    N c. dispatch
    Y d. lay days

1494: After splicing an eye in a piece of wire rope, the splice should be parceled and served to __________.

    N a. strengthen the line
    N b. increase its efficiency
    Y c. prevent hand injury by covering loose ends
    N d. make the line more flexible

1543: Which is normally used to hold wire rope for splicing?

    N a. Come along
    N b. Jigger
    Y c. Rigger's screw
    N d. Sealing clamp

1574: Wire rope is galvanized to __________.

    Y a. protect it from corrosion due to contact with saltwater
    N b. make it bend more easily
    N c. increase its strength
    N d. increase its circumference

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

1643: The splice designed to pass easily through a block is called a(n) __________.

    N a. eye splice
    N b. short splice
    Y c. long splice
    N d. block splice

1780: The term that indicates how many tons of cargo a vessel can carry is __________.

    N a. bale cubic
    Y b. deadweight
    N c. gross tonnage
    N d. loaded displacement

1781: Which organization usually assigns load lines to U.S. vessels?

    N a. National Load-Line Agency
    N b. National Shipping Bureau
    Y c. American Bureau of Shipping
    N d. American Regulations Council

1807: When evacuating a seaman by helicopter lift, which statement is TRUE?

    N a. Evacuation should be from an area forward of the bridge.
    N b. The vessel should be slowed to bare steerageway.
    N c. If the hoist is at the stern, booms extending aft at the stern should be cradled with the topping lifts hove taut.
    Y d. The litter should not be touched until it has been grounded.

1808: Which organization would conduct a survey of the insulation in a reefer compartment prior to loading cargo?

    N a. U.S. Customs Service
    N b. OSHA
    Y c. American Bureau of Shipping
    N d. National Cargo Bureau

1817: Refrigeration machinery is often surveyed before loading reefer cargo. This survey is usually performed by the __________.

    N a. U.S. Coast Guard
    Y b. American Bureau of Shipping
    N c. National Cargo Bureau
    N d. local port authority

1819: The stringer plate is represented by which letter? (D033DG )

    Y a. A
    N b. C
    N c. I
    N d. N

1821: While towing, what is the principal danger in attempting to swing a barge on a short hawser in order to slow the barge's speed?

    N a. The barge may capsize from the sharp turn.
    Y 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 when turning too quickly.
    N d. Dangerous wakes may result from the swinging barge and capsize the tug.

1874: The label required for magnesium scrap is __________.

    N a. oxidizer
    N b. yellow
    N c. corrosive
    Y d. None of the above

1908: When towing astern, increased catenary will __________.

    N a. increase control of the tow
    N b. prevent the towing vessel from going in irons
    N c. make the towing vessel less maneuverable
    Y d. reduce shock stress on the towing hawser

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

2093: What is the mechanical advantage of tackle number 10? (DO29DG )

    N a. 4
    N b. 4.5
    Y c. 5
    N d. 5.5

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.

2217: The knot lettered P is a __________. (DO30DG )

    Y a. rolling hitch
    N b. clove hitch
    N c. round turn and two half hitches
    N d. marline hitch

2220: The load chart of a crane enables the operator to combine the load radius with boom length to determine the __________.

    N a. maximum counter weight required
    N b. minimum horsepower required
    N c. hoist rope strength
    Y d. allowable load

2254: You are using tackle number 4 to lift a weight. The hauling part of this tackle is bent to the weight hook (w) of tackle number 10. What is the mechanical advantage of this rig? (D029DG )

    N a. 4
    N b. 5
    N c. 9
    Y d. 20

2366: To "shore up" the main deck for the stowage of deck cargo means to __________.

    N a. weld pad eyes on deck in proper position to secure the cargo
    Y b. strengthen the main deck by placing pillars underneath it in the tween-decks
    N c. distribute the weight of the cargo by placing fore-and-aft planks on the main deck
    N d. package the cargo in wooden crates so it will not damage the deck

2480: A Danforth lightweight anchor does NOT hold well in which type of bottom?

    N a. Mud
    Y b. Grass
    N c. Sand
    N d. Clay

2729: The load line markings shown are inscribed on the vessel's __________. (D031DG )

    N a. port side
    N b. starboard side
    Y c. port and starboard sides
    N d. stern

2808: Under the forces of its own weight, the suspended length of line will fall into a shape known as a __________.

    N a. polygon
    N b. holding arc
    Y c. catenary curve
    N d. parabolic curve

2868: Which vessel, if navigating independently in ice, is more likely to become beset due to inadequate horsepower?

    N a. A 254 ft. "Whaleback" tanker with 1800 H.P.
    N b. A 309 ft. cement carrier with 2000 H.P.
    N c. A 385 ft. shallow draft tanker with 2400 H.P.
    Y d. A 630 ft. bulk ore carrier with 3500 H.P.

2906: You are planning to anchor in an area where several anchors have been lost due to fouling. As a precaution, you should __________.

    N a. anchor using both anchors
    N b. anchor with scope of 8 or more to 1
    N c. use a stern anchor
    Y d. fit a crown strap and work wire to the anchor

2914: Your vessel has been ordered to proceed to the United Grain Growers Wharf at Thunder Bay, Lake Superior, for the purpose of taking on a load of wheat. Which publication(s) would you consult for such information as the length of the wharf, the depth of the water alongside, and the loading capacity at the facility?

    N a. The Navigational Chart and Light List Vol. VII
    N b. The International Guide to Canadian Ports and Facilities
    N c. The Lake Carriers Association Facilities Directory
    Y d. The United States Coast Pilot #6

3014: You are lifting a 3 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 1/8 inch
    Y b. 1 1/2 inch
    N c. 1 3/4 inch
    N d. 2 inch

3042: A Great Lakes vessel bound for Anticosti Island is exempt from the IMO Grain Regulations if the vessel meets all of the following standards EXCEPT __________.

    N a. the metacentric height corrected for free surface must meet regulatory minimums throughout the voyage
    Y b. slack surfaces should be in a mound
    N c. the longitudinal strength of the vessel must not be imperiled
    N d. the Master must ascertain the expected weather conditions enroute

3124: You attach a line to a stationary barge lying off your starboard beam in order to maneuver it into position to make up tow. The line used to do this is a __________.

    N a. jockey line
    N b. fore and aft line
    N c. check line
    Y d. swing line

3168: Which item is rigged to transmit the thrust from one barge to another when backing down? (D024DG )

    N a. I
    N b. H
    Y c. C
    N d. B

3382: The signal man assisting the crane operator first taps his elbow with one hand and then proceeds to use regular signals. This is the signal to __________.

    N a. use the main hoist
    N b. proceed slowly
    N c. increase speed
    Y d. use the whip line

3390: When towing, a tow hook is used to __________.

    Y a. provide quick release of the hawser
    N b. pull a tow alongside
    N c. attach a hawser to a tow which has no bitts or pad eyes
    N d. join two hawsers for lengthening a tow

3508: A situation has occurred in which your vessel must be towed. When the towing vessel passes the towing line to you, you should secure the line __________.

    N a. to the base of the foremast
    Y b. to the forward-most bitts
    N c. to the forward part of the deckhouse
    N d. at the stern

3710: A new crewman reports on board. He must be trained in the use of the ship's lifesaving appliances within what time period?

    N a. 2 months
    N b. 1 month
    Y c. 2 weeks
    N d. Before sailing

4140: The disadvantage(s) of using web lashing on light vehicles aboard Ro-Ro vessels is that it __________.

    N a. deteriorates in sunlight
    N b. cuts on sharp edges
    N c. is vulnerable to damage and pilferage
    Y d. All of the above