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.


8: You are alone and administering CPR to an adult victim. How many chest compressions and how many inflations should you administer in each sequence?


21: Coast Guard regulations require that all of the following emergencies be covered at the periodic drills on a fishing vessel EXCEPT __________.


414: A vessel in distress should send by radio telephone the two tone alarm signal followed immediately by the __________.


497: The Coast Guard broadcasts routine weather reports on channel __________.

    N a. 13
    N b. 9A
    Y c. 22A
    N d. 44

715: Your vessel is taking on fuel when a small leak develops in the hose. You order the pumping stopped. Before you resume pumping, you should __________.

    N a. notify the terminal superintendent
    N b. place a large drip pan under the leak and plug the scuppers
    N c. repair the hose with a patch
    Y d. replace the hose

791: During a training exercise a submarine indicating that a torpedo has been fired will send up smoke from a float. The smoke's color will be __________.

    Y a. black
    N b. red
    N c. orange
    N d. yellow

813: You hear the general alarm and ship's whistle sound for over 10 seconds. Traditionally, this is the signal for __________.

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

883: On a vessel of 15,000 tons displacement, compute the reduction in metacentric height due to free surface in a hold having free water in the tank tops. The hold is 50 feet long and 60 feet wide. The reduction in metacentric height is __________.

    N a. 1.54 feet
    N b. 1.59 feet
    N c. 1.63 feet
    Y d. 1.71 feet

903: On a vessel displacing 8,000 tons, what is the reduction in metacentric height due to free surface when a tank 45 feet long and 45 feet wide is partly filled with salt water?

    Y a. 1.22 feet
    N b. 1.16 feet
    N c. 1.13 feet
    N d. 1.10 feet

1086: Required lifesaving equipment on existing vessels may be continued in use on the vessel if __________.

    N a. kept on board no more than 2 years
    N b. inspected and serviced every 6 months
    N c. destroyed if more than 5 years old
    Y d. maintained in good and serviceable condition

1152: Hand tillers are only accepted as an auxiliary means of steering if __________.

    N a. they are at least 6 feet long
    N b. they are not operated through a reduction gear
    Y c. they are found satisfactory by the cognizant OCMI
    N d. Both A and C above

1252: When fighting a fire with a portable dry chemical fire extinguisher, the stream should be directed __________.

    N a. over the top of the flames
    N b. off a bulkhead into the fire
    N c. in front of the fire
    Y d. at the base of the fire

1401: Which statement about transmitting distress messages by radiotelephone is INCORRECT?

    N a. Distress messages should first be transmitted on 2182 kHz.
    Y b. It is advisable to follow a distress message on 2182 kHz by two dashes of 10 to 15 seconds duration.
    N c. If no answer is received on the designated distress frequencies, repeat the distress call on any frequency available.
    N d. Channel 16 (156.8 MHz) may be used for distress messages.

1495: A weight of 350 tons is loaded on your vessel 85 feet forward of the tipping center. The vessel's MT1 is 1150 foot-tons. What is the total change of trim?

    N a. 12.93 inches
    N b. 23.75 inches
    Y c. 25.87 inches
    N d. 38.50 inches

1530: Which vessel in ocean service is not subject to Annex V of MARPOL 73/78?

    N a. A 20-foot sailing vessel
    N b. A 26-foot tug and tow
    N c. An uninspected 35-foot passenger vessel
    Y d. A Navy Destroyer

1672: Which of the following would be considered downflooding on a fishing vessel as defined in regulation?

    Y a. Vessel heels until water enters a hatch.
    N b. Vessel in collision floods through a damaged area above the waterline.
    N c. Vessel takes on water due to the hatches being left open in heavy rain.
    N d. Vessel takes on water by the propeller shaft due to failure of the stern gland.

1734: Which procedure should be followed when individuals are rescued in cold climates and suffer from hypothermia?

    N a. Give them brandy or other alcoholic stimulation to promote a return to an acceptable body temperature.
    Y b. Move them to a warm room to gradually raise their body temperature.
    N c. Keep them moving to stimulate circulation to raise their body temperature.
    N d. Warm them under an electric blanket to rapidly regain normal body temperature.

1987: When a fire drill is conducted on a mobile offshore drilling unit, the designated person in charge must ensure that __________.

    Y a. all personnel report to their stations
    N b. each hose is brought to full pressure at the nozzle
    N c. at least three portable extinguishers are activated
    N d. All of the above

2050: You have 160 tons of below deck tonnage and 300 tons of above deck cargo on board. You must load 110 tons of liquid mud below deck. How much more deck cargo can you load? (See illustration D036DG, stability letter for M.V. Hudson.) (D036DG )

    Y a. 55 tons
    N b. 99 tons
    N c. 140 tons
    N d. 360 tons

2389: The best way to test the INMARSAT-C terminal is to __________.

    N a. send a message to a shore terminal and wait for confirmation
    Y b. compose and send a brief message to your own INMARSAT-C terminal
    N c. send a message to another ship terminal
    N d. see if the send light flashes, then proper operation has been confirmed

2559: What is NOT a grade B flammable liquid?

    N a. tert-Butylamine
    N b. Allyl chloride
    Y c. Ethyl chloride
    N d. Carbon disulfide

2564: Use the floodable length curve in Section 1, the blue pages, of the Stability Data Reference Book. If the curve represents 45 percent permeability, and holds 1 and 2 flood, the vessel will sink if the permeability exceeds what percent?

    N a. 19
    N b. 24
    Y c. 32
    N d. 39

2603: Where is the keel generally located on a MODU?

    N a. Along the midships axis
    Y b. Along the centerline of the lower hulls
    N c. Along the roll axis of the hull
    N d. Along the axis of rotation of the hull

2651: Load line regulations are designed to insure that a MODU has adequate structural strength and sufficient __________.

    N a. lifesaving equipment
    Y b. stability
    N c. mooring tension
    N d. riser tension

2890: You have loaded a deck cargo, and the vessel has assumed an 8° list due to negative GM. Your salt water drafts are: FWD 16'-10", AFT 17'-02". If you then load 1050 tons of cargo in the lower holds (VCG 12.5 feet) and 475 tons in the lower 'tween decks (VCG 24.5 feet), what is the final GM? (Use the reference material in Section 1, the blue pages, of the Stability Data Reference Book)

    N a. 2.1 feet
    N b. 1.6 feet
    N c. 1.4 feet
    Y d. 0.6 foot

2900: You have loaded a deck cargo, and the vessel has assumed a 7° list due to negative GM. Your salt water drafts are: FWD 17'-00", AFT 17'-04". If you then load 825 tons of cargo in the lower holds (VCG 11 feet) and take on 500 tons of bunkers (VCG 2.5 feet), what is the final GM? (Use the reference material in Section 1, the blue pages, of the Stability Data Reference Book)

    N a. 0.8 foot
    N b. 1.0 foot
    Y c. 1.7 feet
    N d. 2.3 feet

3109: The SS AMERICAN MARINER has the liquid loading shown. Use the white pages of The Stability Data Reference Book to determine the KG of the liquid load. ST-0106

    Y a. 3.9 feet
    N b. 4.3 feet
    N c. 4.7 feet
    N d. 5.1 feet

3125: The center of flotation for the COASTAL DRILLER is located at the geometric center of the __________.

    N a. underwater volume
    N b. above water volume
    N c. amidships section
    Y d. waterplane area

3171: Automatic fire dampers in ventilation systems are operated by use of __________.

    Y a. fusible links
    N b. remotely operated valves
    N c. C02 system pressure switches
    N d. heat or smoke detectors

3265: A semisubmersible with a displacement of 20,000 tons and KG of 52 feet discharges 300 long tons of barite from P-tanks located 120 feet above the keel. Ballast added to maintain draft has a VCG of 20 feet. What is the change in KG?

    N a. 0.49 foot increase
    N b. 0.50 foot decrease
    Y c. 1.50 feet decrease
    N d. 1.80 feet decrease

3513: The lightweight transverse free surface moments for the DEEP DRILLER are __________.

    N a. 680,914 ft-long tons
    Y b. 000 ft-long tons
    N c. -5,937 ft-long tons
    N d. -6,716 ft-long tons

3537: The marine riser on the DEEP DRILLER should be disconnected if it appears the mooring line tensions will exceed 522 kips or the ball joint angle will exceed __________.

    N a. 4°
    N b. 5°
    N c. 7°
    Y d. 10°

3598: If you have to abandon ship, the EPIRB can be used to __________.

    N a. hold the survival craft's head up into the seas
    N b. generate orange smoke
    N c. seal leaks in rubber rafts
    Y d. send radio homing signals to searching aircraft

3620: How should the letter "O" be pronounced when spoken on the radiotelephone?

    N a. OCK TOW BER
    N b. O RI AN
    Y c. OSS CAH
    N d. OA KAM

3818: To keep injured survivors warm in the water after abandoning an OSV, when no rescue craft is in sight, they should __________.

    Y a. be placed in the middle of a small circle formed by the other survivors in the water
    N b. float on their backs with their arms extended for maximum exposure to the air
    N c. remove their life jackets and hold on to uninjured survivors
    N d. sip seawater at intervals of fifteen minutes

3856: The immersion suit requirements for OSV apply to units operating in the Atlantic Ocean __________.

    N a. above 20 degrees North and below 20 degrees South
    N b. above 25 degrees North and below 25 degrees South
    N c. above 30 degrees North and below 30 degrees South
    Y d. above 32 degrees North and below 32 degrees South

3905: On the DEEP DRILLER, when using the starboard #2 ballast pump to provide water to the main deck from the sea, it is necessary to open valves __________.

    Y a. 37, 35, 36, 45
    N b. 37, 36, 46, 47
    N c. 38, 47
    N d. 38, 47, 45, 46

3934: The SS AMERICAN MARINER has the liquid loading shown. Use the white pages of The Stability Data Reference Book to determine the LCG-FP of the liquid load. ST-0150

    Y a. 228.8 ft
    N b. 238.3 ft
    N c. 252.4 ft
    N d. 266.5 ft

4194: You are loading in a port governed by the tropical load line mark for a voyage to a port governed by the winter mark. The fresh water allowance is 5 inches, and the hydrometer reads 1.005. Which statement is TRUE?

    N a. You may load to the tropical mark plus 1 inch brackish water allowance.
    Y b. You must load so that each zone mark will not be submerged upon entering the zone.
    N c. Your draft must not exceed the winter mark plus the fresh water allowance upon arrival off the discharge port.
    N d. You may only load to the winter mark plus a brackish water allowance of 4 inches.

4276: Your vessel is greater than 100 GRT and carries more than 12 passengers. In addition to the licensed deck officer in the pilothouse, there should be on watch an additional crew member __________.

    Y a. in or near the pilothouse
    N b. on the bridge wing
    N c. always in the pilothouse
    N d. only when another vessel is in sight

4362: The free surface effects of a partially full tank in a vessel increase with the __________.

    Y a. surface area of the fluid in the tank
    N b. displacement volume of the vessel
    N c. draft of the vessel
    N d. height of the tank above the keel

4391: Which data is NOT used in the Allowable Wind and Wave Charts for the COASTAL DRILLER?

    N a. Leg penetration
    N b. Wave height
    Y c. Total weight
    N d. Current

4574: The SS AMERICAN MARINER has on board 4824 tons of cargo with an LCG-FP of 277.45 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-0164

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

4633: On the COASTAL DRILLER, when afloat, oily bilge discharge should be pumped through the __________.

    N a. overboard discharge
    N b. dump valves
    Y c. skimmer tanks
    N d. raw water header

5175: The DEEP DRILLER, in transit at a seawater draft of 19 feet, enters a fresh water port. What is the new draft?

    N a. 19.03 feet
    Y b. 19.40 feet
    N c. 19.63 feet
    N d. 21.16 feet

5817: The two main types of load cells used in mooring tension gauges are __________.

    Y a. distortion and compression
    N b. hydraulic and mechanical
    N c. magnetic and applied torque
    N d. frictionless and hydraulic

5824: The vertical distance between G and M is used as a measure of __________.

    N a. stability at all angles of inclination
    Y b. initial stability
    N c. stability at angles less than the limit of positive stability
    N d. stability at angles less than the downflooding angle

5837: What could cause a significant difference between actual chain tension and the tension measured by the tensiometer?

    N a. The type of anchor and mooring line being used
    N b. The type of bottom in which the MODU is anchored
    N c. A significant difference between air and water temperature
    Y d. The chain contacting a chock or fairlead between the tensiometer and the lower swivel fairlead

6061: The international shore connection required on a MODU is designed to __________.

    N a. permit discharge of waste oil
    Y b. allow hook up of fire fighting water from a dock or another vessel
    N c. satisfy pollution prevention requirements
    N d. allow emergency use of the fire main for deballasting

6102: The SS AMERICAN MARINER has on board 5480 tons of cargo with an LCG-FP of 274.46 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-0191

    N a. LCG-FP 271.79 feet
    Y b. LCG-FP 272.87 feet
    N c. LCG-FP 274.04 feet
    N d. LCG-FP 275.13 feet

6306: An inflatable liferaft is thrown into the water from a sinking vessel. What occurs automatically after the painter trips the CO2 bottles to inflate the raft?

    Y a. The sea anchor deploys.
    N b. The floor inflates.
    N c. If upside down, the craft rights itself.
    N d. The painter detaches from the raft.

6492: The SS AMERICAN MARINER has drafts of: FWD 16'-10", AFT 19'-04". Use the white pages of the Stability Data Reference Book to determine the drafts if you ballast the forepeak with 73 tons of seawater.

    Y a. FWD 17'-05.8", AFT 18'-10.9"
    N b. FWD 17'-06.2", AFT 18'-10.4"
    N c. FWD 17'-06.8", AFT 18'-09.8"
    N d. FWD 17'-07.4", AFT 18'-09.2"

7006: What is NOT a function of the steam drum of a marine water-tube boiler?

    N a. Receives saturated steam from the generating tubes
    N b. Serves as a reservoir of boiler feed water
    N c. Holds internal fittings for separation of moisture from steam
    Y d. Collects steam exhausted from the turbines

7597: In small angle stability theory, the metacenter is located at the intersection of the inclined vertical centerline and a vertical line through __________.

    N a. G
    N b. F
    Y c. B
    N d. K

7625: The original equilibrium position is always unstable when __________.

    Y a. metacentric height is negative
    N b. KM is higher than KG
    N c. KG exceeds maximum allowable limits
    N d. free surfaces are excessive

7977: Overspeed of the diesel engine driving an electric generator could cause __________.

    N a. low voltage trip
    N b. reverse power trip
    Y c. damage to windings
    N d. excessive exhaust temperatures

8395: What is the purpose of the intake/exhaust valves in a diesel engine?

    Y a. They regulate the combustion cycle.
    N b. They supply cooling water.
    N c. They synchronize the ignition spark.
    N d. They supply and regulate the lubricant flow.

8827: A jack-up, while level in transit at 10 feet draft, experiences a wind gust which results in a port draft of 11 feet. What is the heel?

    N a. 1 foot to starboard
    N b. 2 feet to starboard
    Y c. 2 feet to port
    N d. 1 foot to port

9281: A floating jack-up with displacement of 15,000 kips has its LCG 106 feet aft of frame zero (AF0). If 200 short tons are loaded at 20 feet AF0 and 400 short tons are loaded 149 feet AF0, what is the new LCG?

    N a. 105.5 feet
    Y b. 106.0 feet
    N c. 108.3 feet
    N d. 111.8 feet

9591: The DEEP DRILLER is loaded as shown in the Sample Load Form #2 (Ballasting to Survival). What is the new draft if all the bulk materials are discharged?

    N a. 36.23 feet
    Y b. 44.27 feet
    N c. 45.73 feet
    N d. 53.77 feet