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.


14: Damaged bulkheads often take a permanent set which is independent of the panting or bulge caused by water pressure. To control this, you should __________.


29: You are in charge of a U.S. documented vessel. Under title 46 of the United States Code, if you fail to report a complaint of a sexual offense, you may be __________.


60: You are on a vessel designed to carry compressed gasses in bulk with a cargo of butadiene. Which statement is TRUE?


132: What is a characteristic of all centrifugal cargo pumps?

    N a. They are self-priming.
    Y b. Decreasing the speed of rotation will decrease the discharge pressure.
    N c. Opening the discharge valve wider will increase the discharge pressure.
    N d. All of the above

206: In stopping distances of vessels, "head reach" can best be described as the __________.

    N a. difference between the vessel's speed through the water at any instant and the new speed ordered on the telegraph
    N b. distance the vessel has actually run through the water since a change of speed was ordered
    Y c. distance the vessel will run between taking action to stop her and being stationary in the water
    N d. speed at which a vessel should proceed to ensure that she will run a predetermined distance, once her engines have been stopped

263: Which type of hull damage should be repaired FIRST?

    N a. Damage below the waterline
    N b. Damage to interior watertight boundaries
    N c. Damage in way of machinery rooms
    Y d. Damage at or just above the waterline

390: A package contains nitric acid solution and is radioactive. The radiation level at the package surface is .36 millirems per hour. How should this package be labeled?

    N a. Radioactive II and oxidizer
    N b. Radioactive II and poison
    Y c. Radioactive I and corrosive
    N d. Fissile class I

424: Faking a line means to __________.

    Y a. arrange it on deck in long bights
    N b. coil it down on deck
    N c. put a whipping on it
    N d. stow it below

467: Of which type of material may a towing hawser be constructed?

    N a. Wire rope
    N b. Nylon, dacron, polypropylene or a blend of other synthetic fibers
    N c. Manila
    Y d. All of the above

580: Which statement is FALSE about using a wire bridle on an ocean tow?

    N a. The inboard end of each bridle leg should have a large eye splice to fit over the bitts.
    Y b. The strength of each leg should be at least one-half that of the main towing hawser.
    N c. Each leg should be at least 60 to 90 feet long.
    N d. None of the above

581: The Certificate of Inspection for your tankship authorizes the carriage of grade A and lower products. Which chemical may NOT be carried unless it is specifically endorsed on the Certificate of Inspection?

    N a. Amylene
    N b. Diisobutyl Phthalate
    N c. Oleic acid
    Y d. Vinyl acetate

698: Which agency issues a certificate of loading that is evidence that the rules and regulations concerning bulk grain cargoes have been observed?

    N a. American Bureau of Shipping
    N b. Department of Agriculture
    Y c. National Cargo Bureau
    N d. Public Health Service

728: How many board feet of dunnage are in a draft 4 feet wide, 1-1/2 feet high and 13 feet long?

    N a. 84
    N b. 756
    Y c. 936
    N d. 1021

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

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

880: The projecting lugs of the rudderpost which furnish support to the rudder are called __________.

    N a. bases
    Y b. gudgeons
    N c. pintles
    N d. rudder lugs

944: When caring for natural-fiber line, you should NEVER __________.

    N a. dry the line before stowing it
    Y b. lubricate the line
    N c. protect the line from weather
    N d. slack off taut lines when it rains

950: The upward slope of a ships bottom from the keel to the bilge is known as __________.

    N a. camber
    N b. slope
    Y c. deadrise
    N d. keel height

981: When a vessel is entering or leaving a port, a record of engine speeds is kept in the __________.

    Y a. bell book
    N b. deck rough log
    N c. Official Logbook
    N d. engine rough log

983: When a vessel is on autopilot steering, the "weather " control is adjusted to compensate for which severe weather effect on a vessel?

    Y a. Yaw
    N b. Roll
    N c. Pitch
    N d. Leeway

1048: You are the person in charge of a vessel involved in a marine casualty. You must notify the nearest Coast Guard Marine Inspection Office if the property damage is over __________.

    N a. $1,500
    N b. $10,000
    Y c. $25,000
    N d. $50,000

1080: The "inner bottom" is the __________.

    Y a. tank top
    N b. compartment between the tank top and shell of the vessel
    N c. inner side of the vessel's shell
    N d. space between two transverse bottom frames

1111: A vessel sailing from Liverpool to New York puts into Boston, Mass. for emergency repairs. If no inward foreign cargo is to be discharged at that port, which of the following documents is required?

    N a. Custom Manifest
    N b. Inward Foreign Manifest
    Y c. Pro Forma Manifest
    N d. Traveling Manifest

1134: The critical point in nylon line elongation is about __________.

    N a. 20%
    N b. 30%
    Y c. 40%
    N d. 50%

1189: When bunkering is complete, the hoses should be __________.

    N a. cleaned internally with a degreaser
    N b. washed out with hot soapy water
    Y c. drained, blanked off, and stored securely
    N d. stowed vertically and allowed to drain

1206: You are landing a single-screw vessel with a left-handed propeller, starboard side to the dock. As you approach the dock you back your engine with your rudder amidships. You would expect the vessel to __________.

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

1207: The Tonnage Certificate indicates __________.

    N a. deadweight tons
    N b. displacement tons
    Y c. net tons
    N d. light displacement tons

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

1358: Seeing that all hands are familiar with their duties, as specified in the muster list, is the responsibility of the __________.

    Y a. Master
    N b. Chief Mate
    N c. safety officer
    N d. department heads

1459: When handling cargo, the majority of cargo gear breakdowns is due to __________.

    N a. compression bending of the boom
    N b. extension failure of the boom
    Y c. guy failures
    N d. topping lift failures

1497: Which of the pictures in illustration DO30DG represents a round turn and two half hitches? (DO30DG )

    N a. E
    Y b. F
    N c. Q
    N d. S

1536: When anchoring, it is a common rule of thumb to use a length of chain __________.

    Y a. five to seven times the depth of water
    N b. seven to ten times the depth of water
    N c. twice the depth of water
    N d. twice the depth of water plus the range of tide

1562: Which situation requires you to furnish a notice of marine casualty to the Coast Guard?

    N a. A seaman slips on ice on deck and sprains his ankle, requiring an ace bandage.
    N b. You collide with a buoy and drag it off station with no apparent damage to the vessel or the buoy.
    N c. Storm damage to the cargo winch motors requires repairs costing $19,000.
    Y d. Your vessel is at anchor and grounds at low tide with no apparent damage.

1583: Which statement concerning a short splice is TRUE?

    N a. It is used to temporarily join two lines together.
    Y b. A short splice is stronger than two lines joined by a knot.
    N c. A short splice decreases the diameter of the line.
    N d. None of the above

1607: Using a scope of 6, how much cable would have to be used in order to anchor in 24 feet of water?

    N a. 4 feet
    N b. 18 feet
    N c. 30 feet
    Y d. 144 feet

1612: Which of the pictures in illustration DO30DG represents a stopper? (DO30DG )

    N a. E
    Y b. N
    N c. R
    N d. S

1776: When anchoring in calm water, it is best to __________.

    N a. maintain slight headway when letting go the anchor
    N b. wait until the vessel is dead in the water before letting go the anchor
    Y c. have slight sternway on the vessel while letting go the anchor
    N d. let the anchor go from the stern with the anchor cable leading from the bow

1852: What is normally used to pass a mooring line to a dock?

    N a. Distance line
    N b. Gantline
    Y c. Heaving line
    N d. Tag line

1950: You are proceeding to a distress site and expect large numbers of people in the water. Which statement is TRUE?

    N a. You should stop to windward of the survivors in the water and only use the ship's boats to recover the survivors.
    N b. If the survivors are in inflatable rafts you should approach from windward to create a lee for the survivors.
    Y c. An inflatable liferaft secured alongside can be an effective boarding station for transfer of survivors from the boats.
    N d. Survivors in the water should never be permitted alongside due to the possibility of injury from the vessel.

2151: Many dangerous cargoes are stowed on deck because of the __________.

    N a. danger to crew and cargo
    N b. necessity of periodic inspection
    N c. possible need to jettison
    Y d. All of the above

2175: Which is a negotiated charter?

    Y a. Fixture
    N b. Bill of Lading
    N c. Conference agreement
    N d. All of the above

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

2272: Which knot is secure only when there is a strain on the line? (D030DG )

    N a. H
    N b. I
    Y c. L
    N d. P

2453: On a ship's crane, the load chart relates the allowable load to the combination of the boom length and __________.

    N a. winch speed
    N b. boom strength
    Y c. load radius
    N d. cable strength

2471: To determine the number of able seamen required on an inspected vessel, you should check the __________.

    N a. Load Line Certificate
    N b. operations manual
    N c. Safety of Life at Sea Certificate
    Y d. Certificate of Inspection

2558: A sling is a device used in __________.

    Y a. hoisting cargo aboard a vessel
    N b. hoisting personnel aboard a vessel
    N c. securing a small boat to a large vessel
    N d. hoisting the anchor

2578: According to regulations when, if ever, may cargo hatches on Great Lakes vessels, with more than 6 feet of freeboard, be left uncovered or open while the vessel is being navigated?

    N a. If a Mate deems it necessary for ship's maintenance
    Y b. At the discretion of the Master, for reasonable purposes
    N c. On the authority of the Bosun
    N d. The hatch may never be uncovered

2589: The angle at which the anchor flukes penetrate the soil is the __________.

    N a. burial angle
    N b. penetration angle
    Y c. fluke angle
    N d. holding angle

2870: A single-screw vessel going ahead tends to turn more rapidly to port because of propeller __________.

    N a. discharge current
    N b. suction current
    Y c. sidewise force
    N d. thrust

2977: You are proceeding under NCS (Naval Control of Shipping) when you wish to send a message concerning your ships diversion. Which precedence would you assign this message?

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

3030: The piping that routes an oil cargo from the manifold to underdeck pipelines is known as a __________.

    N a. cargo fill
    Y b. line drop
    N c. transfer
    N d. branch line

3208: The tankship Northland is loaded as shown. Use the salmon colored pages in the Stability Data Reference Book to determine the sagging numeral. (Get Table Data)

    N a. 72.42 numeral
    Y b. 78.98 numeral
    N c. 83.46 numeral
    N d. 91.48 numeral

3450: Kort nozzles are installed around the propellers of some vessels to __________.

    Y a. increase the thrust of the propeller
    N b. protect the propeller from striking sawyers
    N c. prevent the propeller from striking barges towed on the hip
    N d. prevent the propeller from touching bottom in low water

3464: The ultimate or maximum strength of a wire rope is referred to as the __________.

    N a. operating strength
    N b. working load
    Y c. breaking strength
    N d. lifting load

3530: Which is NOT a duty of a look-out?

    N a. Refuse to talk to others, except as required by duty.
    N b. Remain standing during your watch.
    N c. Report every sighting.
    Y d. Supervise any deck work going on in the area.

3590: When steering a vessel, a good helmsman does NOT __________.

    Y a. use as much rudder as possible to maintain course
    N b. consider steering a vessel a highly responsible job
    N c. use as little rudder as possible to maintain course
    N d. advise his relief of the course being steered

4047: Your vessel is to dock bow in at a pier. Which line will be the most useful when maneuvering the vessel alongside the pier?

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

4117: Cargo securing for Ro-Ro is based on the concept of __________.

    N a. solid packing
    Y b. rapid loading and discharge
    N c. vessel loaded full and down to her marks
    N d. palletized cargo

4229: Which of the following is/are the optional component(s) of a twin crane set as shown? (D047DG )

    N a. Boom assembly
    N b. Hook block assembly
    Y c. Rider block tagline system
    N d. All of the above

4244: What is meant by the term "luffing the boom" of a crane?

    N a. Stopping the boom
    Y b. Topping or lowering the boom
    N c. Moving the boom left or right
    N d. All of the above

4381: What does item "D" refer to in this illustration of a 30-ton pedestal crane? (D045DG )

    N a. Heel block
    N b. Gin block
    N c. Rider block
    Y d. Hook block