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.


175: According to 46 CFR Subchapter T, a stability test may be dispensed with if the __________.


322: A definite advantage of using water as a fire extinguishing agent is its characteristic of __________.


510: A new crew member aboard your fishing vessel, who has not received any safety instructions or participated in any drills, reports on board. The Master must provide a safety orientation __________.


544: In radiotelephone communications, the prefix PAN-PAN indicates that __________.

    N a. a ship is threatened by grave and imminent danger and requests immediate assistance
    Y b. a calling station has an urgent message about the safety of a person
    N c. the message following the prefix will be about the safety of navigation
    N d. the message following is a meteorological warning

669: You are ordering ships' stores. Which statement is TRUE?

    N a. Aerosol cans of engine starting fluid must be stowed in either the paint locker or portable magazine after receipt.
    N b. Drugs and medicines must be stowed in accordance with the directives of the Food and Drug Administration.
    N c. Flammable ship's stores must be certified for use on inspected vessels by Underwriter's Laboratories.
    Y d. Properly labeled consumer commodities need not be labeled in accordance with Title 46 CFR.

802: A portable dry chemical fire extinguisher discharges by __________.

    N a. gravity when the extinguisher is turned upside down
    Y b. pressure from a small CO2 cartridge on the extinguisher
    N c. air pressure from the hand pump attached to the extinguisher
    N d. pressure from the reaction when water is mixed with the chemical

858: A fire in trash and paper waste is classified as class __________.

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

875: How many bolts are required in a temporarily connected standard ANSI coupling?

    N a. 2
    Y b. 4
    N c. 6
    N d. 8

935: If an airplane circles a vessel 3 times, crosses the vessel's course close ahead while rocking the wings, and heads off in a certain direction, what does this indicate?

    N a. The plane is in distress and will have to ditch.
    N b. The plane is going to drop a package and wishes the vessel to recover it.
    Y c. Someone is in distress in that direction and the vessel should follow and assist.
    N d. There is danger ahead and the best course is indicated by the direction of the aircraft.

1091: The SS AMERICAN MARINER has the following drafts: FWD 09'-00", AFT 15'-11.5". Upon completion of loading and bunkering the items listed will be on board. Use the white pages of The Stability Data Reference Book to determine the minimum GM required to meet a one compartment standard. ST-0026

    N a. 2.49 feet
    Y b. 2.38 feet
    N c. 2.27 feet
    N d. 2.05 feet

1125: What is the best procedure for picking up a lifeboat at sea while utilizing the lifeboat's sea painter?

    N a. Place the lifeboat ahead and to windward of your vessel with the wind about broad on the bow of your ship.
    Y b. Place the lifeboat ahead and to leeward of your ship with the wind about broad on the bow of your ship.
    N c. Place your ship to windward of the lifeboat with the wind on the quarter to allow your ship to drift down to the lifeboat.
    N d. Place the lifeboat ahead and to windward of your ship with the wind about broad on the quarter of your ship.

1247: The BEST method of applying foam to a fire is to __________.

    N a. spray directly on the base of the fire
    Y b. flow the foam down a nearby vertical surface
    N c. sweep the fire with the foam
    N d. spray directly on the surface of the fire

1258: On a bulk chemical carrier, water should NOT be used as an extinguishing agent to fight a fire if the water may come into contact with the chemical called __________.

    N a. acrylic acid
    N b. benzene
    Y c. oleum
    N d. vinyl toluene

1281: You are in the process of righting an inflatable liferaft that has inflated in an upside down position. Which statement is TRUE?

    N a. As the raft flips to the upright position, you will be thrown clear.
    N b. After the raft is in the upright position on top of you, dive down to prevent your life preservers from fouling as you come out.
    Y c. Swim out from under the raft in a face up position to keep your life preservers clear of the raft.
    N d. You should remove your life preservers before attempting to right an inflatable raft.

1323: How should latitude 51°48.7'S be written when preparing an AMVER report?

    Y a. 5149S
    N b. 51.8S
    N c. 0578S
    N d. 52S

1356: What is placed on the under side of an inflatable liferaft to help prevent it from being skidded by the wind or overturned?

    Y a. Water pockets
    N b. A keel
    N c. Strikes
    N d. Sea anchor

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.

1506: Before hydraulic starting of an engine on a covered lifeboat, what need NOT be checked?

    N a. Fuel supply line valve
    N b. Pressure registered on the accumulator gauge
    Y c. Cold-spark voltage readings test lamp
    N d. Engine stop control

1560: The most important reason for taking anti-seasickness pills as soon as possible after entering a liferaft is to __________.

    N a. assist in sleeping
    N b. reduce appetite by decreasing nausea
    Y c. prevent loss of body moisture by vomiting
    N d. prevent impaired judgment due to motion-induced deliriousness

1635: Which firefighting method is an example of an indirect attack on a fire?

    N a. Bouncing a straight stream of water off the overhead to create spray effect
    N b. Spraying foam on a bulkhead and letting it flow down and over a pool of burning oil
    Y c. Flooding a paint locker with CO2 and sealing the compartment
    N d. Cooling adjacent bulkheads with water to prevent the spread of the fire by conduction

1798: The combined fan discharge rate in an inert gas system is related to the __________.

    N a. shoreside loading rate
    Y b. cargo pump discharge rate
    N c. boiler forced draft fan rate
    N d. size of the largest cargo tank

1970: What product is considered a noxious liquid substance for regulatory purposes?

    Y a. Octanol
    N b. Acetonitrile
    N c. Hog grease
    N d. Carbon black hose

2012: What is the primary purpose for Digital Selective Calling (DSC)?

    N a. DSC provides reception of weather and navigational warnings plus search and rescue information.
    N b. DSC provides low-cost, routine communications for the vessel operator.
    Y c. DSC is to be used for transmitting and receiving distress alerts to and from other ships or coast radio stations via radio.
    N d. This aids SAR authorities in tracking a vessel's position by satellite.

2014: Your vessel measures 131 feet long by 20 feet in beam. If the natural rolling period at a draft of 8'-03" is 6 seconds, what is the GM?

    N a. 1.26 feet
    N b. 1.74 feet
    N c. 1.93 feet
    Y d. 2.15 feet

2095: Sails may be wing and wing when __________.

    N a. close hauled
    N b. tacking
    N c. wearing
    Y d. sailing with the wind aft

2135: The SS AMERICAN MARINER is loaded with the cargo shown. Use the white pages of The Stability Data Reference Book to determine the amount of liquid loading required in the double bottom tanks to meet a one compartment standard. ST-0051

    N a. 395 tons
    Y b. 530 tons
    N c. 750 tons
    N d. 990 tons

2160: You have approximately 29 tons of fish on deck. What will be the shift in the center of gravity after you shift the fish to the fish hold, a vertical distance of 5 feet? (total displacement is 483 tons)

    Y a. 0.3 foot
    N b. 0.4 foot
    N c. 0.5 foot
    N d. 0.6 foot

2245: The backup system on an electric start survival craft is a __________.

    N a. hydraulic system
    N b. pneumatic system
    N c. spare battery
    Y d. hand crank

2410: Grade A flammable liquids are those with a Reid vapor pressure of __________.

    N a. 5 to 8 1/2 psia
    N b. more than 8 1/2 psia but less than 14 psia
    Y c. 14 psia or more
    N d. None of the above

2449: You are loading epichlorohydrin onto your barge. According to the Chemical Data Guide, you could expect to detect a leak by smell if the concentration in air was at least __________.

    N a. 2 ppm
    Y b. 10 - 25 ppm
    N c. 40 ppm
    N d. 105 ppm

2498: Which product is volatile?

    Y a. Benzene
    N b. Diesel fuel
    N c. Coal tar
    N d. Heavy industrial fuel oil

2653: The deck loads on a MODU are distributed through the deck beams to the __________.

    Y a. frames
    N b. hull
    N c. stringers
    N d. plates

2917: For a jack-up, the angle of maximum stability corresponds approximately to the angle of __________.

    Y a. deck edge immersion
    N b. the load line
    N c. downflooding
    N d. loll

2964: Using the information in Section 1, the blue pages, of the Stability Data Reference Book, determine the danger angle for permanent list if the KG is 22.2 feet and the drafts are: FWD 23'-06", AFT 24'-03".

    Y a. 26°
    N b. 30°
    N c. 34°
    N d. 53°

3076: The SS AMERICAN MARINER is ready to bunker with drafts of FWD 11'-01", AFT 15'-01". After all bunkers are on board, soundings indicate the tonnages shown. Use the white pages of The Stability Data Reference Book to determine the free surface correction. ST-0103

    N a. 0.87 foot
    N b. 0.98 foot
    Y c. 1.14 feet
    N d. 1.25 feet

3122: All life jackets carried on board small passenger vessels are required to be marked __________. (small passenger vessel regulations)

    Y a. with the vessel's name
    N b. with the vessel's official number
    N c. with the maximum weight to be held by the life preserver
    N d. with the maximum serviceable life of the life preserver

3259: Why is a warning sign displayed at the gangway or access point of a barge during cargo transfer?

    N a. To keep visitors away from the barge
    N b. To prohibit smoking
    N c. To prohibit open lights
    Y d. All of the above

3294: What is the purpose of the liferaft hydrostatic release?

    Y a. To release the liferaft from the cradle automatically as the ship sinks
    N b. To inflate the raft automatically
    N c. To test rafts hydrostatically
    N d. None of the above

3695: In storm conditions, when the environmental conditions are such that the DEEP DRILLER has disconnected the marine riser, the two leeward mooring lines should be __________.

    N a. tightened
    N b. slacked slightly
    Y c. completely slacked
    N d. adjusted to give the same line tensions as the windward lines

3709: When starting CPR on a drowning victim, you should __________.

    N a. start chest compressions before the victim is removed from the water
    N b. drain water from the lungs before ventilating
    Y c. begin mouth-to-mouth ventilations as soon as possible
    N d. do not tilt the head back since it may cause vomiting

3867: Each OSV must carry __________.

    N a. one category I 406 Mhz satellite EPIRB
    N b. at least one life buoy on each side of the vessel fitted with a buoyant life line
    N c. at least 12 rocket parachute flares
    Y d. All of the above

4003: The DEEP DRILLER is loaded as shown in Sample Load Form #4 (Drilling). What would be the new sum of transverse moments for Fuel Oil if the entire contents of Tank 4P are transferred to Tank 4S?

    N a. 995 foot-tons
    N b. 16,918 foot-tons
    N c. 17,713 foot-tons
    Y d. 34,381 foot-tons

4088: Which towing vessel(s) is/are exempt from carrying radar?

    N a. A vessel used solely in a limited area, such as a barge fleeting area.
    N b. A vessel exempted, in writing, by the Captain of the Port.
    N c. A vessel used solely for pollution response or assistance towing.
    Y d. All of the above

4120: Which of the following would be of immediate concern after discovering a large fire in the ship's galley?

    N a. An adjacent storeroom, containing spare parts
    Y b. A storeroom directly above, containing combustible fluids
    N c. An adjacent storeroom, containing mattresses and linen
    N d. An adjacent storeroom, marked "Stewards Stores"

4120: Which of the following would be of immediate concern after discovering a large fire in the ship's galley?

    N a. An adjacent storeroom, containing spare parts
    Y b. A storeroom directly above, containing combustible fluids
    N c. An adjacent storeroom, containing mattresses and linen
    N d. An adjacent storeroom, marked "Stewards Stores"

4597: While loaded as shown in the COASTAL DRILLER Sample Load Form #3 (Drilling), 236 kips are discharged from 80 feet AF0 and 19.79 feet to port of the centerline. What is the resulting starboard leg reaction?

    N a. 4,281 kips
    N b. 5,382 kips
    Y c. 5,459 kips
    N d. 5,537 kips

4661: The COASTAL DRILLER is loaded as shown in the Sample Load Form #1 (Rig Move). If the contents of the #1 drill water tank are discharged, what would be the new LCG?

    N a. 118.46 feet AF0
    N b. 119.44 feet AF0
    N c. 119.98 feet AF0
    Y d. 120.42 feet AF0

4677: The COASTAL DRILLER is loaded as shown in the Sample Load Form #1 (Rig Move). If the contents of #6 and #7 drill water tanks are discharged, what is the new height of the center of gravity corrected for transverse free surface effects?

    N a. 47.49 feet
    N b. 49.16 feet
    Y c. 50.82 feet
    N d. 50.93 feet

5503: What are the two main types of stud link chain?

    N a. Oil Rig chain and Oil Field Stud Link chain
    Y b. Flash-butt welded chain and Di-Lok chain
    N c. Flash-butt welded chain and Oil Rig chain
    N d. Oil Field Stud Link chain and Flash-butt welded chain

5753: The length of chain between the anchor and the end of the pendant line is called the __________.

    N a. pigtail chain
    N b. thrash chain
    Y c. crown chain
    N d. wear chain

5835: The initial tension set in the mooring system of a MODU establishes the __________.

    N a. maximum water depth at which drilling operations can be conducted
    Y b. distance the unit can be offset from the wellbore before the restoring forces oppose the environmental forces
    N c. maximum time it will take to disconnect the riser package in the event of a storm
    N d. minimum amount of ballast needed to keep the vessel at operating draft during normal drilling operations

6521: When cargo aboard a jack-up in transit becomes adrift, the tow vessel should be asked to __________.

    Y a. turn into the seas
    N b. turn to be parallel to the seas
    N c. reduce speed
    N d. increase speed

6946: Your drafts are: FWD 20'-08", AFT 25'-03". Use the blue pages of the Stability Data Reference Book to determine the MT1.

    N a. 1130 foot-tons
    N b. 1095 foot-tons
    Y c. 1070 foot-tons
    N d. 1025 foot-tons

7341: If you know that the vessel you are about to call on the VHF radio maintains a radio watch on both the working and the calling frequencies, which frequency should you call on?

    N a. Calling frequency
    N b. Distress frequency
    N c. Urgency frequency
    Y d. Working frequency

8127: The COASTAL DRILLER is loaded as shown in the Sample Load Form #1 (Rig Move). If the contents of #6 and #7 drill water tanks are discharged, what would be the new height of the transverse metacenter?

    N a. 134.95 feet
    N b. 135.91 feet
    Y c. 136.38 feet
    N d. 136.89 feet

8695: The DEEP DRILLER, at 58.0 feet draft in sea water, discharges 200 long tons. What is the new displacement?

    N a. 16,263 long tons
    Y b. 17,642 long tons
    N c. 17,842 long tons
    N d. 18,118 long tons

8723: The DEEP DRILLER, at 60.0 feet draft in sea water, has VM = 974,441 foot-long tons, LM = 40,301 foot-long tons, TM = 3 foot-long tons, FSML = 30,572 foot-long tons, and FSMT = 18,732 foot-long tons, and FSMT = 18,732 foot-long tons. What is the LCG?

    N a. 0.00 feet
    N b. 1.69 feet
    Y c. 2.22 feet
    N d. 3.91 feet

8833: A jack-up level at 12.5 feet draft transfers 100 kips of drill water from a tank with a TCG of -30 feet to a starboard tank with a TCG of 70 feet. The resulting starboard draft is 13 feet. The moment required to change list one inch (MCL1") is __________.

    N a. 667 foot-kips
    Y b. 833 foot-kips
    N c. 1,400 foot-kips
    N d. 1,667 foot-kips

9191: After abandoning a vessel, water that is consumed within the first 24 hours will __________.

    Y a. pass through the body with little absorbed by the system
    N b. help to prevent fatigue
    N c. quench thirst for only 2 hours
    N d. help to prevent seasickness

9567: The correction to KG for transverse free surface effects may be found by dividing the vessel's displacement into the __________.

    N a. transverse free surface correction for the vessel
    N b. sum of the vertical moments of the vessel
    Y c. sum of the transverse free surface moments of the vessel
    N d. transverse baseline of the vessel