USCG Safety: 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.


163: You are at sea in an inflatable liferaft. In high latitudes, the greatest danger is __________.


223: The steering oar in a lifeboat is __________.


242: You are in a tank wearing the self-contained breathing apparatus and you desire to return topside. How many tugs of the lifeline mean to take up the slack?


310: A vessel's light draft displacement is 7400 tons. The center of gravity at this draft is 21.5 ft. above the keel. The following weights are loaded: (WT. #1-450 tons, VCG #1-17.4 ft.; WT. #2-220 tons, VCG #2-11.6 ft.; WT. #3-65 tons, VCG #3-7.0 ft.). The new CG above the keel is __________.

    N a. 14.7 feet
    N b. 17.8 feet
    N c. 18.7 feet
    Y d. 20.9 feet

660: Reserve buoyancy is __________.

    Y a. the watertight part of a vessel above the waterline
    N b. the void portion of the ship below the waterline which is enclosed and watertight
    N c. transverse watertight bulkheads
    N d. a measure of metacentric height

788: Fires of which class would most likely occur in the engine room of a vessel?

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

833: While reading the muster list you see that "3 short blasts on the whistle and 3 short rings on the general alarm bells" is the signal for __________.

    N a. abandon ship
    Y b. dismissal from fire and emergency stations
    N c. fire and emergency
    N d. man overboard

1031: What is the major function of the deck water seal in an inert gas system?

    N a. Relieves excessive pressures from the system.
    Y b. Isolates hazardous areas from nonhazardous areas.
    N c. Prevents the flow of inert gas into closed or isolated tanks.
    N d. Removes any leftover water or soot after the gas has been scrubbed.

1452: First aid means __________.

    N a. medical treatment of accident
    N b. setting of broken bones
    Y c. emergency treatment at the scene of the injury
    N d. dosage of medications

1458: Your vessel displaces 14,500 tons, with a longitudinal CG 247.5 ft. aft of the FP. If you pump 80 tons of ballast from forward to aft through a distance of 480 feet, your new CG will be __________.

    N a. 244.85 feet aft of FP
    N b. 246.22 feet aft of FP
    N c. 248.87 feet aft of FP
    Y d. 250.15 feet aft of FP

1489: The boat command that means complete the stroke and level the oars horizontally with the blades trimmed fore and aft is __________.

    Y a. "Oars"
    N b. "Up oars"
    N c. "Way enough"
    N d. "Hold water"

1494: Your vessel has 3 lifeboats on each side. The aftermost boat on the port side is designated as boat number __________.

    Y a. 6
    N b. 5
    N c. 3
    N d. 3 PORT

1580: Which statement is TRUE concerning the placard entitled "Discharge of Oil Prohibited"?

    N a. It is required on all vessels.
    N b. It is only required in the wheelhouse.
    Y c. It may be located at the bilge and ballast pump control station.
    N d. All of the above

1594: Which statement is TRUE concerning buoyant work vests aboard tank vessels?

    N a. They may be worn while working on deck but not while working over the side.
    Y b. They must be used only under supervision of a designated ship's officer.
    N c. They will be accepted for up to 10% of the required life preservers.
    N d. They may be worn during drills.

1637: Which is a disadvantage of Halon as a fire extinguishing medium?

    N a. Conducts electricity
    N b. Difficult to store
    N c. Large volume necessary to be effective
    Y d. Ineffective in powdered metal fires

1684: You are sailing before the wind in heavy weather. The failure of what will affect the vessel's safety most?

    N a. The main halyard
    N b. The jib sheet
    Y c. The helm
    N d. The outhaul

1885: In the case of an injury causing a person to be incapacitated, the Master or person in charge of a mobile offshore drilling unit must submit a report to the __________.

    Y a. nearest Marine Safety or Marine Inspection Office
    N b. nearest hospital
    N c. Department of Energy
    N d. American Bureau of Shipping

1888: The liquid mud tanks on your vessel measure 18'L by 10'B by 6'D. The vessel's displacement is 944 T and the specific gravity of the mud is 1.9. What is the reduction in GM due to 2 of the tanks being slack?

    N a. .08 foot
    Y b. .16 foot
    N c. .45 foot
    N d. .90 foot

1923: Except as provided by approved special examinations, each offshore drilling unit must be dry-docked at least once during every __________.

    N a. 12 month period
    N b. 18 month period
    Y c. 24 month period
    N d. 36 month period

1926: A "reaching" course is one in which the wind __________.

    N a. comes directly over the bow
    N b. comes directly over the stern
    Y c. comes over an area extending from broad on the bow to the quarter
    N d. has no effect on the vessel

1946: You have 8 containers of steward's supplies each measuring 6'L by 6'B by 6'H and weighing 1.5 tons each. Each container is stowed on deck. What is the maximum VCG permitted of the remaining cargo if you are carrying rig water and load to maximum capacity? (Refer to trim and stability letter for M.V. Surveyor.) (D037DG )

    N a. 1.00 foot
    N b. 1.33 feet
    Y c. 1.48 feet
    N d. 2.00 feet

2101: A person on a fixed or floating platform engaged in oil exploration located 10 nautical miles from nearest land MAY discharge __________.

    N a. food waste
    N b. food, ground to less than 1"
    N c. paper, ground to less than 1"
    Y d. None of the above

2283: Sails may be wing and wing when_____________.

    N a. tacking
    N b. on a close reach
    Y c. sailing with the wind aft
    N d. anchored or drifting

2355: What publication/s should a GMDSS Operator consult regarding the proper set-up and operation of vessel equipment?

    N a. ITU Publications
    Y b. The manufacturers instruction manuals
    N c. Part 90 of the FCC Rules and Regulations
    N d. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 47, Part 80, Subpart W`

2387: A magnetic compass card is marked in how many degrees?

    N a. 90
    N b. 180
    Y c. 360
    N d. 400

2719: Your vessel's drafts are: FWD 14'-04", AFT 17'-08". The LCG of the forepeak is 200 feet forward of amidships. How many tons of ballast must be pumped into the forepeak in order to have a drag of 2 feet? (Use the reference material in Section 1, the blue pages, of the Stability Data Reference Book)

    N a. 62 tons
    N b. 65 tons
    N c. 72 tons
    Y d. 75 tons

2838: How many B-II hand portable fire extinguishers are required in the machinery space of a 260 GT tow vessel with 2400 B.H.P.? (Uninspected Vessel Regulations)

    N a. 6
    N b. 5
    Y c. 3
    N d. 2

2979: Which vessel is required to carry a Category I, 406 MHz EPIRB installed to automatically float free and activate? (small passenger vessel regulations)

    N a. A vessel operating exclusively on inland waters
    N b. A vessel limited to 20 miles offshore, which carries a radiotelephone on board
    Y c. A vessel operating on the high seas or beyond 3 miles from the coastline of the Great Lakes
    N d. A vessel limited to 100 miles offshore

3015: An inclined semisubmersible with a very short rolling period about a constant angle of list is likely to have __________.

    Y a. an off-center TCG
    N b. an LCG greater than level vessel LCB
    N c. a negative GM
    N d. excessive free surfaces

3040: A vessel's drafts are: FWD 19'-00", AFT 21'-10". How much more cargo can be loaded to have the vessel down to the freeboard draft? (Use the information in Section 1, the blue pages, of the Stability Data Reference Book)

    Y a. 4819 tons
    N b. 4982 tons
    N c. 5012 tons
    N d. 5099 tons

3090: Which statement is TRUE concerning spare charges for portable fire extinguishers on unmanned tank barges?

    N a. Spare charges shall be carried for at least 50 percent of each size and variety required on board.
    N b. If the unit cannot be charged by the vessel's personnel, one spare unit shall be carried in lieu of spare charges.
    N c. Spare charges shall be stowed in watertight containers on deck.
    Y d. Regulations concerning spare charges do not apply to unmanned barges.

3338: Assuming that the recommended hatch loading sequence is followed, how many long tons of iron ore may be loaded through hatches 5 & 7 while using a single belt loader, to arrive at a desired mean keel draft of 25'-02"? (Use the Guidance Manual for Loading M.V. GRAND HAVEN.)

    N a. 1410 tons
    N b. 1450 tons
    N c. 1490 tons
    Y d. 1520 tons

3345: When launching an inflatable liferaft, you should make sure that the operating cord is __________.

    Y a. fastened to some substantial part of the vessel
    N b. not fastened to anything
    N c. secured to the hydrostatic release
    N d. fastened to the raft container

3416: The instructions for the launching of lifeboats and liferafts must be approved by the __________.

    N a. lease operator
    N b. Minerals Management Service
    Y c. Coast Guard
    N d. person-in-charge of the unit

3628: Each vessel in ocean and coastwise service must have an approved EPIRB. An EPIRB __________.

    N a. must be stowed in a manner so that it will float free if the vessel sinks
    N b. must be stowed where it is readily accessible for testing and use
    N c. is a devise that transmits a radio signal
    Y d. All of the above

3666: When you are firing a pyrotechnic distress signal, it should be aimed at __________.

    N a. straight overhead
    N b. at the vessel whose attention you are trying to get
    N c. into the wind
    Y d. about 60 degrees above the horizon

3795: When the ullage is 5.7 feet in P-Tank #6 for the Deep Driller, the transverse moment for P-Tank #6 is __________.

    N a. 1,288 foot-tons
    Y b. 1,887 foot-tons
    N c. 3,169 foot-tons
    N d. 4,596 foot-tons

3980: In the illustration shown, the pressure relief valve is indicated as item number __________. (D014SA )

    N a. 3
    Y b. 4
    N c. 9
    N d. 11

4009: You are preparing to load fuel oil on a vessel of 1,600 gross tons constructed after June 30, 1974. Before loading, you must check that the fuel oil tank vents __________.

    N a. are not obstructed by on-deck cargo
    N b. have a fire extinguisher within the immediate area
    Y c. have containment capacity for at least one barrel
    N d. are opened and the flame screen replaced

4073: The DEEP DRILLER is loaded as shown in the Sample Load Form #1 (Transit). What are the new TM (transverse moments) if the entire contents of Salt Water Ballast Tanks 1P and 1S are discharged?

    N a. -3,436 ft-tons
    Y b. 3,446 ft-tons
    N c. 3,594 ft-tons
    N d. 22,682 ft-tons

4079: Your cargo vessel's Certification of Inspection expires 30 April 2002. One of your inflatable liferafts was last serviced in January 2002. The raft must be reinspected no later than __________.

    Y a. January 2003
    N b. June 2003
    N c. April 2004
    N d. January 2007

4292: A violation of the "Vessel Bridge-to-Bridge Radiotelephone Act" may result in a __________.

    Y a. civil penalty of $650 against the Master or person in charge of a vessel
    N b. civil penalty of $1,000 against the vessel itself
    N c. suspension and/or revocation of an operator's FCC license
    N d. All of the above

4326: The SS AMERICAN MARINER has on board 4850 tons of cargo with an LCG-FP of 279.84 feet. See the distribution of the cargo to be loaded. Use the white pages of The Stability Data Reference Book to determine the final LCG-FP of the cargo. ST-0159

    N a. LCG-FP 267.7 feet
    N b. LCG-FP 268.4 feet
    N c. LCG-FP 269.2 feet
    Y d. LCG-FP 270.6 feet

4363: Scouring is the result of __________.

    Y a. interruption of the normal current flow by the footing
    N b. elevating in mud-slide zones
    N c. penetrating rapidly through a hard crust into weaker soils
    N d. extracting legs from soils with high cohesion

4501: The COASTAL DRILLER is in transit at a draft of 10.0 feet. It loads 216.43 kips of weight aboard. What is the new draft?

    N a. 10.2 feet
    Y b. 10 feet 2 inches
    N c. 10 feet 3 inches
    N d. 10 feet 4 inches

5073: An obstruction light on a mobile offshore drilling unit on the waters of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf, shall have a lens that is visible over an arc of __________.

    N a. 60°
    N b. 90°
    N c. 180°
    Y d. 360°

5197: The DEEP DRILLER, at a draft of 60 feet, has VM of 942,120 ft-tons, and FSML of 36,235 ft-tons. What is the KGL?

    N a. 52.0 feet
    N b. 53.0 feet
    Y c. 54.0 feet
    N d. 55.0 feet

5485: The maximum angular tolerance for a bent link of an anchor chain is __________.

    N a. 1 degree
    Y b. 3 degrees
    N c. 5 degrees
    N d. 7 degrees

5507: The American Petroleum Institute recommends magnetic particle inspection for __________.

    N a. anchor chain
    N b. wire rope
    Y c. connecting links
    N d. pendant wires

5933: Each fire hydrant must have at least one spanner and at least one __________.

    Y a. hose rack or reel
    N b. all purpose nozzle
    N c. foam applicator
    N d. pick axe

5961: A CO2 extinguisher on a MODU which has lost 10% of its charge must be __________.

    N a. used at the earliest opportunity
    N b. hydro-tested
    Y c. recharged
    N d. weighed again in one month

6493: A helicopter making a round trip from a helodeck with refueling capabilities to an unmanned platform will take 45 minutes each way. The helicopter should be carrying enough fuel to last __________.

    N a. 45 minutes
    N b. 1 hour and 15 minutes
    N c. 1 hour and 30 minutes
    Y d. 2 hours

6571: To determine the number of portable fire extinguishers required on a mobile offshore drilling unit, you should check the __________.

    N a. hot work permit
    Y b. Certificate of Inspection
    N c. Safety of Life at Sea Certificate
    N d. Operations Manual

6915: When a MODU is involved in a casualty, the cost of property damage includes __________.

    Y a. the cost of labor and material to restore the property to the service condition which existed prior to the casualty
    N b. the loss of revenues while the unit is being repaired, up to a maximum of $50,000
    N c. the damage claims awarded to individuals or companies involved in the casualty, up to a maximum of $50,000
    N d. All of the above

7343: What is maximum power allowed by the FCC for VHF-FM radio transmissions?

    N a. One watt
    N b. Five watts
    N c. 15 watts
    Y d. 25 watts

7387: Prior to boarding from a MODU, a davit-launched liferaft should be well ventilated of excess __________.

    N a. hydrocarbon gas
    N b. carbon monoxide gas
    Y c. carbon dioxide gas
    N d. freon gas

8283: When the alarm bell sounds on a positive-pressure, self-contained breathing apparatus, how long will reserve air supply last?

    Y a. About 4-5 minutes
    N b. About 8-10 minutes
    N c. About 12-15 minutes
    N d. About 18-20 minutes

8313: The worst atmospheric condition for dispersion of H2S is __________.

    N a. heavy rain
    N b. gusty winds with rain
    Y c. nearly calm, clear nights or early morning
    N d. full sun with high winds

8515: While preparing for a storm when elevated, the total weight of the COASTAL DRILLER is 14,150 kips, LM are 1,712,150 ft-kips, and TM are -9,905 ft-kips. The starboard leg reaction is __________.

    N a. 4,536 kips
    N b. 4,698 kips
    Y c. 4,725 kips
    N d. 4,890 kips

9445: The difference between the height of the metacenter and the height of the center of gravity is known as the __________.

    Y a. metacentric height
    N b. height of the righting arm
    N c. fore and aft perpendicular
    N d. height of the center of buoyancy