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.


38: A cargo that has a stowage factor over 40 is known as a __________.


72: You are in the process of loading 465,000 barrels of cargo oil. At 1030, on 5 November, you gauge the vessel and find that you have loaded 203,000 barrels. At 1200 you find that you have loaded 218,000 barrels. If you continue loading at the same rate, you will finish at approximately __________.


77: When steering a vessel, a good helmsman will __________.


148: Overcarriage is best prevented by __________.

    N a. assuring heavy cargo is stowed low in the vessel
    N b. checking the vessel's load line calculations carefully
    Y c. inspection of the hold at completion of discharge
    N d. stowing the cargo which is to be discharged last on the bottom

230: You are the Master of a 500-gross ton passenger vessel operating on rivers. Your vessel accidentally runs aground. Under the regulations for passenger vessels, you must notify the __________.

    N a. Coast Guard, only if the grounding results in damage to property in excess of $25,000
    Y b. nearest Coast Guard Marine Safety or Marine Inspection Office as soon as possible
    N c. Coast Guard, only if the grounding results in a loss of life
    N d. Coast Guard, only if the grounding results in injury to personnel

237: The latch of a safety hook __________.

    N a. increases the strength of the hook
    Y b. prevents the sling ring from coming out of the hook if the strain is abruptly eased
    N c. prevents the sling ring from coming out of the hook if there is a strain on the sling ring
    N d. All of the above

395: The vertical motion of a floating vessel in which the entire hull is lifted by the force of the sea is known as __________.

    N a. surge
    N b. sway
    Y c. heave
    N d. pitch

421: An International Tonnage Certificate will be issued to a vessel when it meets several requirements, one of which is that the vessel must __________.

    N a. admeasure over 100 GT
    Y b. be 79 or more feet in length
    N c. engage in intercoastal or international trade
    N d. be issued a Certificate of Inspection

491: A change of a documented vessel's name can only be made by the __________.

    N a. American Bureau of Shipping
    N b. Commissioner of Customs
    N c. Treasury Department
    Y d. Coast Guard

516: You are going ahead on twin engines with rudder amidships. Your starboard engine stalls. To continue on course, you should __________.

    Y a. apply left rudder
    N b. apply right rudder
    N c. increase engine speed
    N d. keep your rudder amidships

529: When loading a tanker, you should __________.

    N a. load only one tank at a time
    N b. keep the seamen on watch on standby in the mess room
    N c. keep a strain on the loading hoses
    Y d. close valves by closing them down, reopening one or two turns, and re-closing

630: You are doing a Williamson turn. Your vessel has swung about 60° from the original course heading. You should __________.

    N a. put the rudder amidships and check the swing
    N b. stop the engines and prepare to maneuver to pick up the man in the water
    Y c. shift your rudder
    N d. increase to maximum speed

704: Laying out a line in successive circles flat on deck with the bitter end in the center is known as __________.

    N a. coiling
    N b. faking
    Y c. flemishing
    N d. lining

747: When carrying a cargo of asphalt or molten sulfur, which are carried at temperatures of over 300°F, one of the biggest dangers is __________.

    N a. inadequate ullage space
    N b. having the cargo too cool
    N c. explosion of vapors after discharge
    Y d. having to breathe the fumes

794: "White Line" is made from __________.

    Y a. cotton
    N b. hemp
    N c. manila
    N d. sisal

867: Who may perform as a lookout?

    N a. A member of the engineering watch
    Y b. A member of the navigational watch
    N c. A member of the Stewards Department
    N d. All of the above

936: A precaution you should take before bunkering is to __________

    N a. plug the vents
    N b. plug the sounding pipes
    Y c. plug the scuppers
    N d. close the lids on the vents

951: The responsibility for maintaining the Official Logbook on voyages between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the United States rests with the __________.

    N a. Chief Mate of the vessel
    Y b. Master of the vessel
    N c. Deck Officer of the watch at the time of the occurrence
    N d. Purser of the vessel

1061: A vessel arrives at the port of San Francisco from Yokohama, Japan. The passengers fill out the Baggage Declaration and Entry form. A passenger has baggage arriving on another vessel. How must this baggage be handled for U.S. Customs purposes?

    N a. It need not be declared at this time.
    Y b. It must be declared on the same form and marked "Unaccompanied Baggage".
    N c. It must be declared on another form entitled "Continuation Sheet".
    N d. It must be declared only if the other vessel's name is known.

1106: A vessel is underway with a work stage rigged over the side. A seaman may work on the stage, but only when __________.

    N a. wearing a life jacket
    N b. wearing a safety harness secured to the stage
    N c. wearing both a life jacket and a safety harness secured to the stage
    Y d. the vessel is not making way

1115: The proper way to correct a mistake in the logbook is to __________.

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

1124: Which material makes the strongest mooring line?

    N a. Sisal
    N b. Manila
    Y c. Nylon
    N d. Polyethylene

1128: The most accurate account of cargo on board will be found in the __________.

    N a. Manifest
    N b. charter party
    Y c. Bill of Lading
    N d. Portage Bill

1178: A shipper of cargo aboard your vessel offers a letter of indemnity for the cargo. This is done in order to obtain a(n) __________.

    Y a. Clean Bill of Lading
    N b. Order Bill of Lading
    N c. Straight Bill of Lading
    N d. Through Bill of Lading

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.

1267: You are on watch while your vessel is entering port with a pilot conning. The pilot gave a steering command to the helmsman who failed to acknowledge it by repeating the order. You have now enunciated the pilot's order to the helmsman and there is still no response. If the helmsman continues on the original course, you should immediately __________.

    Y a. take the helm and expedite the maneuver that the pilot ordered
    N b. ask the Pilot to repeat the command since the helmsman failed to hear it
    N c. tell the helmsman to ask the Pilot to repeat any command that he fails to hear or understand
    N d. repeat the Pilot's command a second time and notify the Master

1296: To ensure the best results during the Mediterranean moor, the chains should __________.

    N a. be crossed around the bow
    N b. tend out at right angles to the bow
    N c. tend aft 60°From each bow
    Y d. tend forward 30° on either bow

1330: Beams are cambered to __________.

    N a. increase their strength
    Y b. provide drainage from the decks
    N c. relieve deck stress
    N d. All of the above

1414: A wire rope that has been overstrained will show __________.

    N a. a bulge in the wire where the strain occurred
    Y b. a decrease in diameter where the strain occurred
    N c. a kink in the wire where the strain occurred
    N d. no visible effects of an overstrain

1427: Which letter in illustration D030DG represents a plain whipping? (D030DG )

    N a. E
    N b. F
    Y c. J
    N d. V

1472: Which knot represents a single becket bend? (DO30DG )

    N a. E
    N b. F
    N c. G
    Y d. H

1502: The tankship Northland is loaded as shown. Use the salmon colored pages in the Stability Data Reference Book to determine the hogging numeral. (Get Table Data)

    Y a. 49.73 numeral
    N b. 52.76 numeral
    N c. 55.29 numeral
    N d. 57.93 numeral

1521: An underwriter is liable for __________.

    N a. loss arising from the subject itself because of its inherent qualities
    N b. loss caused by the ordinary evaporation of liquids
    Y c. loss caused by heavy weather
    N d. the natural decay of the vessel due to the passage of time

1637: Which statement about a vessel's stability while dry-docking is TRUE?

    Y a. Every ton of weight bearing on the blocks acts as if a ton of weight was removed at keel level.
    N b. When the ship touches the blocks, the beam for stability purposes increases to the beam of the dry-dock.
    N c. The stability of the vessel increases as a dock is pumped out due to the support of the keel blocks.
    N d. As the dock begins to support the weight of the vessel, stability calculations are based on the ship and dock as a single unit.

1640: The garboard strake is the __________.

    N a. raised flange at the main deck edge
    N b. riveted crack arrester strap on all-welded ships
    N c. riveting pattern most commonly used in ship construction
    Y d. row of plating nearest the keel

1665: Which picture in illustration DO30DG represents a sailmaker's whipping? (DO30DG )

    N a. E
    N b. F
    N c. J
    Y d. K

1707: You are proceeding under NCS (Naval Control of Shipping) when it becomes necessary to send a distress message. What precedence would you assign this message?

    N a. R (ROUTINE)
    N b. Z (FLASH)
    N c. P (PRIORITY)
    Y d. O (IMMEDIATE)

1726: When attempting to free an anchor jammed in the hawsepipe, the simplest method of freeing it may be __________.

    Y a. starting the disengaged windlass at high speed
    N b. rigging a bull rope to pull it out
    N c. to grease the hawsepipe
    N d. to pry it loose with a short piece of pipe

1736: Before letting the anchor go, you should check that the __________.

    N a. chain is clear
    N b. anchor is clear of obstructions
    N c. wildcat is disengaged
    Y d. All of the above

1778: You are landing a single-screw vessel with a right-handed propeller port side to a dock. As you approach the dock, you back down on your engine with rudder amidships. You would expect the vessel to __________.

    N a. drift away from the dock
    N b. lose headway without swinging
    Y c. swing its stern towards the dock
    N d. swing its stern away from the dock

1793: The lines led forward from the bow and aft from the stern when a vessel is moored to the dock are __________.

    Y a. bow and stern lines
    N b. breast lines
    N c. halyards
    N d. warps

1875: A seam is indicated by which letter in illustration D033DG? (D033DG )

    Y a. E
    N b. H
    N c. L
    N d. M

1917: How many tons of salt water can be loaded into a flat-ended cylindrical tank with a diameter of 5 feet and a length of 14 feet?

    N a. 31.42
    N b. 15.71
    Y c. 7.85
    N d. 6.25

1953: What is likely to occur when you are surging synthetic mooring lines on the gypsyhead during mooring operations?

    N a. The lines may jam and then jump off the gypsyhead.
    N b. If there is sudden strain on the line, the man tending the line may be pulled into the gypsyhead.
    N c. The lines' surging may cause the vessel to surge.
    Y d. The heat generated may cause the lines to temporarily fuse to the gypsyhead.

2000: The vessel has broken down and you are going to take her in tow. The wind is on her starboard beam. Both vessels are making the same amount of leeway. Where should you position your vessel when you start running lines? (D025DG )

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

2223: What is the mechanical advantage of tackle number 3? (DO29DG )

    N a. 1
    N b. 2
    Y c. 3
    N d. 4

2259: You have determined the maneuvering characteristics of your vessel by taking radar ranges and bearings of an isolated light while making a turn. The results are as shown. Based on this data what is the advance for a turn of 90°? (D035DG )

    N a. 490 yards
    N b. 350 yards
    Y c. 800 yards
    N d. 885 yards

2400: The turning circle of a vessel is the path followed by the __________.

    N a. bow
    N b. outermost part of the ship while making the circle
    Y c. center of gravity
    N d. tipping center

2500: Which part of an anchor actually digs into the bottom?

    N a. Stock
    Y b. Fluke
    N c. Shank
    N d. Crown

2547: In a national emergency, when communicating via the Navy, messages are sent by precedence. A message designated IMMEDIATE will be delivered within __________.

    N a. 3 hours to start of business the following day
    Y b. 30 minutes to 1 hour
    N c. 1 to 6 hours
    N d. 10 minutes if possible

2696: You are on a power-driven vessel proceeding down a channel, with the current, on a river on the Great Lakes System. If you meet another power-driven vessel who is upbound, your responsibilities include __________.

    N a. backing down to get out of the way of the other vessel
    N b. waiting for the other vessel to signal her intentions, and then answering promptly
    Y c. proposing a safe way to pass
    N d. All of the above

2928: How should you signal the crane operator to raise the boom and lower the load?

    N a. Extend arm with the palm down and hold this position rigidly.
    N b. Place both fists in front of your body with thumbs pointing toward each other.
    N c. Clasp hands in front of your body.
    Y d. Extend arm with the thumb pointing up, and flex the fingers in and out for as long as the load movement is desired.

3018: When turning a vessel in shallow water, which statement is TRUE?

    N a. The rate of turn is increased.
    N b. The rate of turn is decreased.
    Y c. The turning diameter increases.
    N d. The turning diameter remains the same.

3024: How should you signal the crane operator to dog everything?

    N a. Place both fists in front of your body with thumbs pointing toward each other.
    Y b. Clasp hands in front of your body.
    N c. Extend arm with the palm down and hold this position rigidly.
    N d. Extend arm with the thumb pointing up, and flex the fingers in and out.

3046: What is an explosion hazard when exposed to flame?

    N a. Formic acid
    N b. Nitrous oxide
    N c. Tallow
    Y d. Toluene

3172: The signal man assisting the crane operator has his hands clasped in front of his body. This is the signal to __________.

    Y a. dog everything
    N b. stop
    N c. stand-by
    N d. prepare for signal

3681: While you are on watch entering port, the Master gives the helmsman a rudder command which conflicts with a rudder command from the Pilot. You should make sure the helmsman __________.

    N a. obeys the Pilot
    Y b. obeys the Master
    N c. asks you for instructions
    N d. brings the rudder to a point midway between the two conflicting positions

4030: While discharging a cargo, the stripping of the tanks falls behind schedule. This would indicate the __________.

    N a. main pumps are working at a high discharge pressure
    Y b. main pumps are leaving too much oil in the tanks
    N c. stripping pump is not primed
    N d. stripping line is cross-connected to the main line

4180: Which of the following actions are stated in the correct order prior to loading or discharging cargo on a Ro-Ro vessel?

    N a. Raise/open stern door, lower the stern ramp, turn on ventilation for cargo holds
    Y b. Lower the stern ramp, raise/open stern door, turn on ventilation for cargo holds
    N c. Turn on ventilation for cargo holds, lower the stern ramp, raise/open stern door
    N d. Turn on ventilation for cargo holds, raise/open stern door, lower the stern ramp

4257: Which of the following statement(s) is/are TRUE regarding twin pedestal cranes?

    N a. A slew drive system provides for rotation of each crane.
    N b. An independent slew drive system rotates the turntable.
    N c. Each crane is supplied with luff, hoist, and slew functions for crane load handling.
    Y d. All of the above