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.


22: A wildcat is a __________.


159: What is the standard net barrel for petroleum products?


175: While the Pilot is maneuvering the vessel to a dock, what is the primary responsibility of the watch officer?


207: A towing vessel's capability is BEST measured by horsepower, maneuverability, displacement, and __________.

    N a. stability
    N b. propeller design
    Y c. bollard pull
    N d. towing winch horsepower

226: Which statement is TRUE concerning the vessel's slipstream?

    N a. It has no effect on the steering of the vessel.
    N b. It has no effect on the rudder when the helm is amidships.
    N c. Its velocity is the same as that of the wake.
    Y d. The propeller gives it a helical motion.

233: A vessel brought alongside should be fended off the towing vessel by __________.

    N a. crew members using their arms
    N b. a boat hook
    Y c. fenders
    N d. No fending is necessary due to the rugged construction of most towing vessels.

235: Which ending is NOT acceptable in a wire rope that is free to rotate when hoisting?

    N a. Poured socket
    Y b. Liverpool eye splice
    N c. Eye formed with a pressure clamped sleeve
    N d. Eye formed by clips

339: Oil product samples should be taken from the __________.

    N a. dock riser
    N b. ship's cargo tanks
    N c. shore tank discharge
    Y d. All of the above

466: A twin screw vessel, making headway with both engines turning ahead, will turn more readily to starboard if you __________.

    N a. reverse port engine, apply right rudder
    N b. reverse port engine, rudder amidships
    Y c. reverse starboard engine, apply right rudder
    N d. reverse starboard engine, rudder amidships

564: The anchors on the bow are known as __________.

    Y a. bower anchors
    N b. kedge anchors
    N c. spare anchors
    N d. stream anchors

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.

872: In a foreign port with a consulate, the U.S. Consul may excuse the Master from personally appearing before him to consent to the mutual release of an injured seaman, when the __________.

    Y a. injury requires immediate inpatient hospitalization of the seaman
    N b. Master authorizes the agent to act in his place
    N c. ship is still in port and the seaman can appear before the Consul after medical treatment
    N d. seaman also consents to the absence, and there is no dispute as to the wages due

883: The size and material used for towline(s) must meet all of the following requirements, EXCEPT ____________ .

    N a. be appropriate to the vessel's horsepower or bollard pull
    N b. be strong enough to handle any static or dynamic loads expected during its service life
    Y c. fit any spare wire clips carried on board the vessel for repair purposes
    N d. be suitable for exposure to the marine environment

888: You are going to load bales of wool having a stowage factor of 100 in #3 lower hold which has a bale cubic of 62,000. How many tons of the wool can be stowed in the compartment, assuming 10% broken stowage?

    N a. 520
    Y b. 558
    N c. 620
    N d. 654

978: Anyone voluntarily surrendering their license to a U.S. Coast Guard investigating officer signs a statement indicating that __________.

    N a. all title to the license is given up for 5 years
    Y b. their rights to a hearing are waived
    N c. they may be issued a new license in 5 years after passing another written examination
    N d. All of the above

1033: Each crewmember has an assigned firefighting station. This assignment is shown on the __________.

    N a. fire fighting plan
    N b. shipping articles
    N c. Certificate of Inspection
    Y d. muster list

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

1171: If you intend to land tulip bulbs from Holland in a U.S. port, they must be inspected by the __________.

    Y a. Animal and Plant Health Service Inspector
    N b. Captain of the Port personnel
    N c. Quarantine Officer
    N d. All of the above

1248: A declaration made by the Master before a U.S. Consul, giving particulars regarding heavy weather or other incidents which may have caused damage to the vessel or cargo, through no fault of the vessel, her officers, or crew is a(n) __________.

    N a. cargo addendum
    N b. exception report
    N c. Master's declaration
    Y d. note of protest

1311: Before arriving at the first U.S. port from foreign, you must fill out a Crewman's Landing Permit for each __________.

    N a. alien crewmember
    N b. crew member
    Y c. nonresident alien crewmember
    N d. unlicensed crew member

1322: The American Consul has asked the Master of a vessel bound for a port in the U.S. to transport a destitute seaman back to the U.S. Which action may the Master take?

    N a. He may refuse to take the seaman if the ship will not stop at a U.S. port within 30 days.
    N b. He is required to accept the seaman only if the seaman is medically unfit.
    Y c. He may refuse to take the seaman if the seaman has a contagious disease.
    N d. He is required to take the seaman under any circumstance.

1446: The marking on an anchor chain for 30 fathoms is __________.

    Y a. two links on each side of the 30 fathom detachable link are painted white
    N b. one link on each side of the 30 fathom detachable link is painted white
    N c. three links on each side of the 30 fathom detachable link are painted white
    N d. only the detachable link is painted red

1510: The type of welding employed in shipyards is primarily __________.

    N a. brazing
    Y b. electric arc
    N c. pressure welding
    N d. thermite welding

1577: You are the Chief Mate of a 30,000-DWT tankship. The vessel is engaged in trade with another country signatory to MARPOL 73/78. Which statement is TRUE?

    N a. The Certificate of Inspection serves as prima facie evidence of complying with MARPOL 73/78.
    Y b. The IOPP Certificate for an inspected vessel is valid for 5 years.
    N c. An IOPP Certificate is invalidated if the ship carries cargoes outside the classes authorized thereon.
    N d. An IOPP Certificate is renewed at each inspection for certification.

1615: A towing vessel should be on the crest of a wave at the same time as its tow and in the trough at the same time. The term used to describe this is __________.

    N a. tow strain
    N b. catenary length
    Y c. being in step
    N d. Williamson's Tow

1622: What is NOT an indication that pack ice may be nearby?

    Y a. The presence of icebergs
    N b. Ice blink
    N c. Absence of wave motion
    N d. Sighting a walrus in the Arctic

1703: What is the stress on the hauling part when lifting a 4,200 lbs. weight using a threefold purchase rove to advantage? (Allow 10 percent of the weight per sheave for friction.)

    N a. 571.4
    N b. 715.2
    Y c. 960
    N d. 1066.7

1870: The knot lettered S is a __________. (DO30DG )

    N a. bowline
    Y b. blackwall hitch
    N c. half hitch
    N d. hook hitch

1958: When tandem tug towing, the more powerful of the two tugs should be __________.

    N a. the lead tug
    Y b. behind the lead tug
    N c. towing at a right angle to the smaller tug
    N d. towing at a faster speed than the smaller tug

1966: The turning circle of a vessel making a turn of over 360 degrees is the path followed by the __________.

    N a. bow
    N b. bridge
    Y c. center of gravity
    N d. centerline

2007: The helm command "shift your rudder" means __________.

    N a. double your rudder angle or go to full rudder
    Y b. change from right rudder to left rudder an equal number of degrees
    N c. bring your rudder amidships
    N d. check the swing of the vessel

2049: While the Pilot is maneuvering the vessel to a dock, what is the PRIMARY responsibility of the watch officer?

    N a. Supervise the signaling and flag etiquette.
    N b. Record the bells and their times in the bell book.
    N c. Judge the appropriateness of the Pilot's orders and countermand them if necessary.
    Y d. Insure that helm and throttle orders given by the Pilot are correctly executed.

2056: A seaman may not make an allotment to his __________.

    N a. minor children
    N b. grandparents
    N c. brother
    Y d. mother-in-law

2061: A sheave is a __________.

    Y a. grooved wheel in a block
    N b. line to hold a lifeboat next to the embarkation deck
    N c. partial load of grain
    N d. seaman's knife

2094: A large basin cut into the shore, closed off by a caisson, and used for dry docking of ships is known as a __________.

    N a. slipway
    Y b. graving dock
    N c. ground warp
    N d. caisson dock

2162: A crew has signed on for a 3-month voyage. Fourteen days into the voyage a seaman is improperly discharged at the first port of call. How much pay is he entitled to receive?

    N a. 14 days
    N b. 1 month's
    Y c. 14 days and one month's extra
    N d. double wages (28 days)

2193: You have determined the maneuvering characteristics of your vessel by taking the radar ranges and bearings of an isolated light while making a turn. The results are listed in illustration D035DG. Based on this data what is the tactical diameter of the turning circle? (D035DG )

    N a. 755 yards
    N b. 780 yards
    N c. 820 yards
    Y d. 880 yards

2211: What is the mechanical advantage, neglecting friction, of tackle number 5? (DO29DG )

    N a. 2
    N b. 4
    Y c. 5
    N d. 5.5

2237: Using the graph in illustration D008DG, if the dry bulb temperature is 76° and the wet bulb temperature is 59°, what is the relative humidity in a cargo hold? (D008DG )

    Y a. 34%
    N b. 47%
    N c. 76%
    N d. 79%

2243: You are using tackle number 4, as shown, to lift a weight. The hauling part of this tackle is bent to the weight hook of tackle number 11. What is the mechanical advantage of this rig? (DO29DG )

    N a. 4
    N b. 6
    N c. 10
    Y d. 24

2249: Which knot should be used to secure a line to a spar when the pull is parallel to the spar? (DO30DG )

    N a. G
    N b. F
    Y c. P
    N d. Q

2389: What is the area of a circle with a diameter of 17 feet after a sector of 111° has been removed?

    N a. 36.94 square ft.
    Y b. 156.99 square ft.
    N c. 226.98 square ft.
    N d. 627.47 square ft.

2533: You should attach a towline to a trailer eye bolt using a(n)______________.

    N a. eye splice
    Y b. bowline
    N c. towing hitch
    N d. square knot

2759: Which of the Great Lakes is most affected by short-term Lake level fluctuations?

    N a. Lake Superior
    N b. Lake Michigan
    N c. Lake Huron
    Y d. Lake Erie

2769: You will be advised of any hazardous areas due to the fallout of a nuclear explosive by a message with the code word __________.

    Y a. MERWARN
    N b. NUCLEAR
    N c. FALLOUT
    N d. FALLWARN

2785: You are proceeding under NCS (Naval Control of Shipping) and wish to send a message by rapid transmission which does not require a higher precedence. Which precedence would you assign this message?

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

2908: How should you signal the crane operator to use the whip line?

    N a. Extend arm with the thumb pointing up, and flex the fingers in and out for as long as the load movement is desired.
    Y b. First tap your elbow with one hand, and then proceed to use regular signals.
    N c. First tap the top of your head with your fist, and then proceed to use regular signals.
    N d. Use one hand to give any motion signal, and place the other hand motionless in front of the hand giving the motion signal.

2932: Which type of rudder may lose its effectiveness at angles of 10 or more degrees?

    N a. Contra-guide
    Y b. Balanced spade
    N c. Unbalanced
    N d. Flat plate

3059: A vessel which is being assisted by an icebreaker would display a flag hoist consisting of the code numeral "4" when the vessel __________.

    N a. speed begins to drop
    N b. stops
    N c. receives ice damage
    Y d. becomes icebound

3321: By law, the maximum penalty for failing (without reasonable cause) to give aid in the case of collision is __________.

    N a. one year imprisonment or $500
    N b. two years imprisonment or $500
    Y c. two years imprisonment or $1000
    N d. two years imprisonment or $2000

3452: A drift lead indicates that the vessel is dragging anchor when the line is __________.

    Y a. taut and leading forward
    N b. slack
    N c. leading out perpendicular to the centerline
    N d. leading under the hull

3502: The point that is halfway between the forward and after perpendicular and is a reference point for vessel construction is the __________.

    N a. half length
    N b. mid-body
    N c. center line
    Y d. amidships

3654: Horizontal transverse motion of a vessel is known as __________.

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

4050: You are on a 120,000 DWT loaded bulk carrier. When anchoring without the aid of tugs, your maximum speed should not exceed how many feet per second?

    Y a. 0.5 (0.3 knot)
    N b. 1.0 (0.6 knot)
    N c. 1.3 (0.8 knot)
    N d. 1.75 (1.0 knot)

4156: Which element(s) should be taken into account in the preparation of the "Cargo Securing Manual"?

    N a. Weight of the vehicles
    N b. Geographical area of the voyage
    N c. Dynamic forces under adverse weather conditions
    Y d. All of the above

4160: According to the IMO Code, what are the minimum number of securing points that should be on each side of a "road vehicle", whose gross vehicle mass is between 20 tons and 30 tons, when carried on Ro-Ro vessels?

    N a. One
    N b. Two
    Y c. Three
    N d. Four

4205: Which piece of equipment is required to "twin-up" 30-ton pedestal cranes aboard a crane vessel?

    N a. Portable power swivel
    Y b. Equalizing beam
    N c. 20-foot container spreader
    N d. 40-foot container spreader

4224: What does item "K" refer to in this illustration of a 30-ton pedestal crane? (D045DG )

    N a. Manual slewing cables
    Y b. Rider block taglines
    N c. Jib luffing cables
    N d. Cargo snaking cables

4279: Which statement is TRUE concerning a tagline as used with a 30-ton pedestal crane?

    N a. Taglines are wire rope purchases that raise and lower the jib.
    Y b. Taglines are wire ropes payed-out or taken-in for horizontal positioning of the rider block.
    N c. Taglines can be can be fastened to the corners of the jib when lifting containers.
    N d. The taglines are wire rope purchease that raise and lower the topping lift.

4442: Insulating flanges minimize the dangers arising from __________.

    N a. smoking on deck
    N b. loading asphalt
    Y c. accumulations of electrostatic charges
    N d. tank over-pressurization