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.


32: The explosive range of a fuel lies between the lower explosive limit and the __________.


45: Which shallow water effect will increase dramatically if you increase your ship's speed past its "critical speed"?


48: Which term describes goods having a stowage factor below 40?


80: You are on a cargo vessel carrying portable tanks of dangerous cargoes in bulk. Which statement is TRUE?

    N a. If the tanks are pumped out while remaining on board, each hose connection must have a minimum of three bolts.
    N b. If the tanks are off loaded, no more than two tanks may be lifted together in a hoist.
    N c. When transferring sulfuric acid, you must display a red flag by day whether at anchor or moored.
    Y d. All electrical equipment within 10 feet horizontally must be explosion proof or intrinsically safe.

129: Which knot is suitable for hoisting an unconscious person?

    N a. Bowline on a bight
    N b. Fisherman's loop
    Y c. French bowline
    N d. Spider hitch

141: On a sea going towing vessel of 150 gross tons, there are six (6) seamen in the deck crew. How many certificated able seamen are required if the voyage is over 600 miles?

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

204: What does the helm command "shift the rudder" mean?

    Y a. Put the rudder over to the opposite side, the same number of degrees it is now.
    N b. Put the rudder amidships and hold the heading steady as she goes.
    N c. Shift the rudder control to the alternate steering method.
    N d. Stop the swing of the ship.

214: The helm command "meet her" means __________.

    Y a. use rudder to check the swing
    N b. decrease the rudder angle which is on
    N c. steer more carefully
    N d. note the course and steady on that heading

250: The damage to a vessel is over $25,000. Who must notify the nearest Coast Guard Marine Safety or Marine Inspection Office as soon as possible?

    N a. The crew members
    Y b. The Master of the vessel
    N c. The port authorities
    N d. All of the above

274: What is the difference between net tonnage and gross tonnage?

    Y a. Net tonnage is the gross tonnage less certain deductible spaces.
    N b. Net tonnage is tonnage of cargo compared to tonnage of whole ship.
    N c. Net tonnage is gross tonnage minus engine and bunker spaces.
    N d. Net tonnage is the net weight of the ship.

310: Operators of Uninspected Passenger Vessels are required to keep their Coast Guard License aboard __________.

    N a. only when operating more than one mile from shore
    N b. only when operating at night
    Y c. only when carrying passengers for hire
    N d. At all times

455: A vessel having continuous closely spaced transverse strength members is __________.

    N a. longitudinally framed
    Y b. transversely framed
    N c. cellular framed
    N d. web framed

612: When backing down with sternway, the pivot point of a vessel is __________.

    N a. at the bow
    N b. about one-third of the vessel's length from the bow
    N c. aft of the propellers
    Y d. about one-quarter of the vessel's length from the stern

621: Which document shows details of a tank vessel, cargoes it may carry, manning and safety equipment required?

    N a. Safety Construction Certificate
    N b. Cargo Gear Certificate
    Y c. Certificate of Inspection
    N d. Declaration of Inspection

651: Fire fighting equipment requirements for a particular vessel may be found on the __________.

    Y a. 4Certificate of Inspection
    N b. Certificate of Seaworthiness
    N c. Classification Certificate
    N d. Certificate of Registry

655: Good seamanship while towing in heavy weather requires all of the following EXCEPT __________.

    N a. reducing speed to reduce surging on the towline
    N b. lashing down or stowing all loose gear
    N c. dogging all hatches and watertight doors
    Y d. streaming all of your towing hawser

749: Butadiene, inhibited, is labeled as a __________.

    N a. combustible liquid
    Y b. flammable gas
    N c. flammable liquid
    N d. flammable solid

783: The owner or Master of a towing vessel shall ensure that each person that directs and controls the movement of the vessel can accomplish all of the following EXCEPT ___________ .

    N a. evaluate the danger of each closing visual or radar contact
    N b. adjust speed with due regard for the weather and visibility
    Y c. reduce speed only where local speed limits are posted
    N d. enter all required test and inspection results in the vessel's log or other record carried on board

789: Which statement about a centrifugal cargo pump is TRUE?

    N a. It is a positive displacement pump.
    Y b. It must have a positive suction.
    N c. Increasing rotation speed will decrease discharge pressure.
    N d. All of the above

868: You are going to load bales of wool having a stowage factor of 100 in #3 lower hold which has a bale cubic of 72,000. How many tons of the wool can be stowed in the compartment, assuming 10% broken stowage?

    N a. 493
    N b. 577
    N c. 602
    Y d. 648

900: Camber, in a ship, is usually measured in __________.

    N a. feet per feet of breadth
    N b. feet per feet of length
    Y c. inches per feet of breadth
    N d. inches per feet of length

918: Ten triangular piles of piping on the pier are to be loaded - each pile has a 20 foot base, is 15 feet high and 30 feet long. If the breadth of the hold is 60 feet and the piping is to be stowed fore and aft in a 30 foot space, how high will it stow?

    N a. 16.6 feet
    Y b. 25.0 feet
    N c. 50.0 feet
    N d. 75.0 feet

1000: The "Mode" selector switch can be positioned and select all of the following EXCEPT __________.

    Y a. weather adjustments
    N b. hand-electric steering
    N c. automatic gyro
    N d. non-followup control

1041: The document on a vessel, annually endorsed by an American Bureau of Shipping surveyor, is called the __________.

    N a. Certificate of Inspection
    N b. Classification Certificate
    Y c. Load Line Certificate
    N d. Seaworthy Certificate

1077: A seaman dies during a voyage. What is NOT required to be entered into the Official Log?

    Y a. Statement that the Master has taken custody of the deceased's MMD and passport
    N b. An inventory of the money and property
    N c. Statement of the wages due
    N d. Statement as to the total deductions to be made from the wages

1166: You are 15 feet off a pier and docking a vessel using only a bow and stern breast line. Once the slack is out of both lines you begin to haul in on the bow breast line. What is the effect on the vessel?

    N a. The bow will come in and the stern will go out.
    N b. The whole ship moves toward the pier.
    Y c. The bow will come in and the stern will remain the same distance off the pier.
    N d. The stern will come in and the bow will remain the same distance off the pier.

1211: When clearing a vessel for a foreign voyage, the original crew list is duly certified by proper authority. In a U.S. port, this authority is the U.S. __________.

    N a. Coast Guard
    Y b. Customs
    N c. Immigration Service
    N d. Public Health Service

1264: Which type of line is best able to withstand sudden shock loads?

    N a. Polypropylene
    Y b. Nylon
    N c. Dacron
    N d. Manila

1288: A document used to indicate suspected cargo damage caused by rough weather would be the __________.

    N a. cargo report
    N b. hull damage report
    Y c. Master's Note of Protest
    N d. Unseaworthy Certificate

1321: Which type of carrier accepts without discrimination all legal cargoes of a shipper?

    Y a. Common
    N b. Industrial
    N c. Private
    N d. Tramp

1416: What is meant by veering the anchor chain?

    N a. Bringing the anchor to short stay
    N b. Heaving in all the chain
    N c. Locking the windlass to prevent more chain from running out
    Y d. Paying out more chain

1483: The knot used to join two lines or two large hawsers for towing is called a __________.

    N a. square knot
    Y b. carrick bend
    N c. sheet bend
    N d. bowline

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

1520: A welded joint's effectiveness is considered __________.

    N a. 48%
    N b. 90%
    Y c. 100%
    N d. 121%

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

1794: A "figure eight" knot is used to __________.

    N a. be a stopper
    N b. shorten a line
    N c. join lines of equal size
    Y d. keep a line from passing through a sheave

1800: The figure obtained by dividing the total volume of the ship in cubic feet (after omission of exempted spaces) by 100 is the __________.

    N a. bale cubic
    Y b. gross tonnage
    N c. light displacement
    N d. net tonnage

1829: The term "shift your rudder" means __________.

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

1924: The knot lettered I as shown is a __________. (DO30DG )

    N a. square knot
    N b. round knot
    Y c. bowline on a bight
    N d. timber hitch

2042: Which statement about the deck line is TRUE?

    N a. The top of the deck line is marked at the highest point of the freeboard deck, including camber, at the midships point.
    Y b. A vessel with wooden planks on a steel deck will have the deck line marked at the intersection of the upper line of the wood sheathing with the side shell.
    N c. The deck edge is marked at the intersection of the freeboard deck with the side shell, at the lowest point of sheer, with the vessel at even trim.
    N d. On a vessel with a rounded stringer-sheer plate, the deck line is marked where the stringer plate turns down from the plane of the deck line.

2053: A mooring line leading 45° to the keel, used to check forward or astern movement of a vessel, is called a __________.

    Y a. spring line
    N b. warp line
    N c. bow line
    N d. breast line

2135: A load line certificate is valid for how many years?

    N a. 1
    N b. 2
    N c. 3
    Y d. 5

2169: What is the mechanical advantage of tackle number 8? (DO29DG )

    Y a. 3
    N b. 1.5
    N c. 1
    N d. 0.5

2207: After an explosion, repair of emergency machinery and services should be accomplished __________.

    Y a. after control of fire, flooding, and structural repairs
    N b. immediately, before the emergency is under control
    N c. after control of fire, but before control of flooding
    N d. after stability is restored

2222: The lower seam of the strake indicated by the letter B is sometimes riveted. This is done to __________. (D033DG )

    N a. increase the strength in a highly stressed area
    N b. provide the flexibility inherent in a riveted seam
    Y c. serve as a crack arrestor and prevent hull girder failure
    N d. reduce construction costs

2271: You are signing on a crew. You can determine the minimum number and qualifications of the crew that you are required to carry by consulting which document?

    N a. Crew list
    Y b. Certificate of Inspection
    N c. Articles of Agreement
    N d. fo'c'sle card

2300: In the stowage of deck cargo, "cribbing" is __________.

    Y a. placed on deck to support the cargo
    N b. separation pieces used to keep cylinders upright and steady
    N c. shims for stowing baled cargo
    N d. nets placed across the hatch opening to keep the cargo from falling in the hatch

2591: A tow astern is veering from side to side on its towline. The best way of controlling the action is to __________.

    N a. trim the tow by the bow
    Y b. trim the tow by the stern
    N c. list the tow to windward
    N d. adjust the length of the towing bridle

2602: As you hold a piece of manila line vertically in front of you, the strands run from the lower right to the upper left. Which type of line is this?

    N a. Plain-laid
    N b. Shroud-laid
    Y c. Left-hand laid
    N d. Water-laid

2774: There are basically three categories of water level fluctuations on the Great Lakes. What is NOT included as one of these?

    N a. Long range fluctuations
    Y b. Controlled outflow fluctuations
    N c. Seasonal fluctuations
    N d. Short period fluctuations

2852: On a small passenger vessel the collision bulkhead is __________.

    N a. amidships forward of the engine room
    N b. just forward of the steering compartment
    N c. in the engine room
    Y d. A distance of 5% to 15% of the waterline length abaft the stem measured at the load waterline

2933: Your vessel is to dock bow first at a pier. Which line will be the most useful when maneuvering the vessel alongside the pier?

    N a. Stern breast line
    Y b. Bow spring line
    N c. Bow breast line
    N d. Inshore head line

2964: "Seiche" is defined as a(n) __________.

    N a. unusually strong storm system which approaches the Great Lakes System generally from the Northeast
    N b. lake current which is predominant during the spring and fall navigation season on the Great Lakes
    Y c. oscillation caused by the diminishing of forces which cause lake level fluctuations
    N d. higher than normal high water or lower than normal low water

3039: What is NOT a problem when carrying coal?

    Y a. The requirement for through-ventilation
    N b. The corrosion some types of coal will cause to the ship
    N c. Spontaneous heating
    N d. Generation of methane gas

3206: The signal man assisting a crane operator has his arm extended, thumb pointing downwards, flexing fingers in and out. This is the signal to __________.

    Y a. lower the boom and raise the load
    N b. lower the load and raise the boom
    N c. raise the boom and lower the load
    N d. raise the load and lower the boom

3390: When towing, a tow hook is used to __________.

    Y a. provide quick release of the hawser
    N b. pull a tow alongside
    N c. attach a hawser to a tow which has no bitts or pad eyes
    N d. join two hawsers for lengthening a tow

3652: You are lifting a one-ton weight with a swinging boom. When comparing the stresses in the rig with the boom at 20° to the horizontal to the stresses when the boom is at 60° to the horizontal, which statement is TRUE?

    N a. The stress on the topping lift is greater at 60°.
    N b. The thrust on the boom is greater at 20°.
    N c. The stress on the heel block is less at 20°.
    Y d. The stress on the masthead fairlead for the topping lift is greater at 20°.

4020: You are on a tankship discharging oil. When all of the oil that the main cargo pumps can handle is pumped out of a tank, the remainder is __________.

    N a. stripped out and pumped directly ashore into the mainline as the remaining cargo tanks are pumped out with the main pumps
    Y b. stripped to one tank and then pumped out with the main pumps
    N c. stripped out and pumped directly ashore after all the tanks have been emptied by the main pumps
    N d. gravitated to the centers from the wings and pumped out with the main pumps

4274: During which condition should the operator of a pedestal crane shutdown operations?

    N a. Bunkering barge alongside
    N b. Potable water spill on deck
    Y c. Crane hydraulic hose bursts
    N d. Trim greater than 4 feet

4277: Which wire rope purchases may be used with a 30-ton pedestal crane?

    N a. Hoist
    N b. Luff
    N c. Rider block
    Y d. All of the above