National Maritime Center Providing Credentials to Mariners Able Seaman Unlimited, Limited, Special, Special OSV, Sail, Fishing Industry (Sample Examination) Page 1 of 12
Choose the best answer to the following Multiple Choice Questions. 1. What type of knot in illustration D030DG below is indicated by the Letter "J"? o (A) Becket bend o (B) Marline hitch (C) Plain whipping o (D) Bowline 2. Safety shackles are fitted with which items? o (A) A round pin, with a cotter pin o (B) A threaded bolt (C) A threaded bolt, locknuts, and cotter pins o (D) Round pins and locknuts 3. What is of importance when a patient has an electrical burn? (A) look for a second burn, which may have been caused by the current passing through the body o (B) locate the nearest water source and flood the burn with water for five minutes o (C) apply ointment to the burn area and wrap with clean cloth o (D) remove any dirt or charred skin from the area of the burn 4. What is the purpose of Sluicing or slushing wire rope? o (A) To reduce internal friction within the wire o (B) To reduce chafing and increases its useful service life o (C) To prevent internal and external rust and corrosion (D) All of the above 5. Which safety precaution(s) should be observed during crane operations? o (A) Relaying communications to port agents on the pier during cargo hoists (B) Using the proper slings or other lifting devices during cargo operations o (C) Checking for proper lifting from beneath the load during cargo operations o (D) All of the above Page 2 of 12
6. Since electrical burn victims may be in shock, what is the FIRST medical indicator to check for? o (A) indication of broken bones (B) breathing and heartbeat o (C) symptoms of concussion o (D) bleeding injuries 7. Where are the transfer procedures for oil products required to be posted or available during transfer operations? o (A) In the officer's and crew's lounges o (B) In the upper pumproom flat (C) Where they can be easily seen and accessible o (D) In the pilothouse of the vessel 8. A fire in a pile of dunnage would be classified as class. (A) A o (B) B o (C) C o (D) D 9. Which statement is TRUE concerning small oil spills? o (A) They usually stay in a small area. (B) They may cause serious pollution as the effect tends to be cumulative. o (C) A small spill is not dangerous to sea life in the area. o (D) They usually disappear quickly. 10. If an electric cargo winch is being used to lift a draft of cargo and the engine room loses all power, which will occur? o o (A) The load will slowly lower to the deck under control of the drag of the winch motor. (B) A pawl, forced by a spring mechanism, will engage the teeth of the bull gear and hold the load. (C) An electromagnetic brake will hold the load where it is suspended. o (D) The load will fall rapidly to the deck unless the foot brake is engaged. Page 3 of 12
11. What type of knot in illustration D030DG below is indicated by the Letter "R"? o (A) Bowline o (B) Round turn and two half hitches o (C) Fisherman's bend (D) Double becket bend 12. You are on a ship that has broken down and are preparing to be taken in tow. You will use your anchor cable as part of the towline. Which statement is TRUE? o (A) The anchor cable should be veered enough to allow the towline connection to be just forward of your bow. o (B) The anchor cable should be veered enough to allow the towline connection to be immediately astern of the towing vessel. o (C) The anchor cable should be led out through a chock, if possible, to avoid a sharp nip at the hawsepipe lip. (D) The strain of the tow is taken by the riding pawl, chain stopper, and anchor windlass brake. 13. When inspecting ground tackle, where are fractures most frequently found? o (A) The swivel o (B) The anchor shank o (C) The flukes (D) The end links 14. How is the external flotation bladder of an immersion suit inflated? (A) It is inflated by blowing through an inflation tube. o (B) It is inflated by a small CO2 bottle that is manually tripped. o (C) It is inflated by a small CO2 bottle that is automatically tripped when the front zipper is at the top of the zipper track. o (D) It inflates by sea water bleeding into the flotation bladder and reacting with a chemical therein. 15. Which of the following may result from improperly coiling manila line? o (A) 50% loss of efficiency of the line o (B) Number of fishhooks o (C) Increase deterioration of the line (D) Kink in the line Page 4 of 12
16. During oil transfer operations, who is responsible for ensuring that the posted transfer procedures are followed? (A) The designated person in charge o (B) The senior able seaman o (C) The tankerman o (D) The oiler 17. The wire rope used for cargo handling on board your vessel has a safe working load of eight tons. It shall be able to withstand a breaking test load of. o (A) 32 tons (B) 40 tons o (C) 48 tons o (D) 64 tons 18. If you are operating on the Inland Waters of the United States, which of the following may you discharge overboard? o (A) Bottles o (B) Dunnage o (C) Metal (D) None of the above 19. What secures the locking pin, that joins the parts of a detachable link, in position? o (A) A tack weld on the exposed surface o (B) A cotter pin o (C) The self-locking characteristics of its taper (D) A lead plug 20. When bunkering at a dock which of the following signals must be displayed? o (A) A green flag by day, green light by night o (B) A yellow flag by day, red light by night (C) A red flag by day, red light by night o (D) A red flag by day, a blue light by night Page 5 of 12
21. What should be given, as a minimum, to personnel who are involved in crane cargo handling? (A) Protective head gear, gloves, and steel-toed safety shoes o (B) A life preserver for going aloft to work on the crane o (C) A survival suit for work on the stern or side port o (D) All of the above 22. What is the cause of most minor spills of oil products? o (A) Major casualties o (B) Equipment failure o (C) Unforeseeable circumstances (D) Human error 23. Which is the name given to a metal ring on the bottom of a block, to which the standing part of a tackle is spliced? o (A) Loop (B) Becket o (C) Eye o (D) Swivel 24. What type of knot in illustration D030DG below is indicated by the Letter "E"? (A) Timber and half hitch o (B) Bowline on a bight o (C) Stopper hitch o (D) Blackwall hitch 25. What is the proper name for the fitting that allows a boom to move freely both vertically and laterally? o (A) Spider band (B) Gooseneck o (C) Swivel o (D) Lizard Page 6 of 12
26. While taking on fuel oil from an offshore supply vessel, the transfer hose leaks, causing a sheen in the water. Which action should you take FIRST? o (A) Reduce the rate of transfer o (B) Repair the leak with duct tape o (C) Continue transfer operations (D) Immediately shut down operations 27. Which of the following is considered "discharge" as it applies to the pollution regulations? o (A) leaking o (B) spilling o (C) pumping (D) All of the above 28. You are approaching a ship that is broken down and are preparing to take her in tow. BEFORE positioning your vessel to pass the towline, which action should you take? o (A) Secure the bitter end of the towing hawser to prevent loss if the tow is slipped o (B) Install chafing gear on the towline (C) Compare the rate of drift between the ships o (D) Have traveling lizards rigged to guide the towline while it is paid-out 29. The spray of water in low-velocity fog will have. (A) lesser range than high-velocity fog o (B) greater range than a solid stream o (C) greater range than high-velocity fog o (D) about the same range as high-velocity fog 30. What is a sailmaker's hook used for? (A) Sewing canvas o (B) Hoisting a windsail o (C) Parceling o (D) Testing canvas Page 7 of 12
31. You should NOT use a power tool if which condition exists? o (A) Hand tools can be used instead o (B) It has a three-prong plug (C) The insulation of the power wires is worn o (D) The power source is alternating current 32. In reference to accidental oil pollution, the most critical time during bunkering is when. o (A) hoses are being disconnected o (B) you first start to receive fuel o (C) hoses are being blown down (D) final topping off is occurring 33. You are using an automatic tension winch by yourself. If you get caught in the turns of the line as they lead into the gypsyhead. (A) you may be pulled into the winch and injured or killed o (B) the safety cutout will stop the winch before you're injured o (C) the line will part and snap back o (D) None of the above are correct 34. The scuppers had been plugged as required at the time an oil spill occurs on deck. After shutting down the transfer, the engine room should first be informed and then. o (A) remove the plugs from the scuppers o (B) rig a fire hose and call for water on deck o (C) sound the general alarm (D) spread an absorbent material, such as sawdust 35. You are rigging a stage over the vessel's side and are securing the downhaul with lowering turns at your end of the stage. When finished, what should be done with the remainder of the line? (A) Lowered down into the water to provide additional lifelines o (B) Coiled on the stage with the bitter end on top o (C) Coiled on deck to be slacked down by a seaman as needed o (D) Coiled on the stage with the bitter end on the bottom Page 8 of 12
36. You are on watch at sea on course 090 T. A man falls overboard on your starboard side. You immediately start a Williamson Turn. Which action is NOT a part of a Williamson Turn? o (A) Shift the helm to left full rudder. (B) Stop the engines until clear of the man. o (C) Continue with left rudder until on course 270 T. o (D) Come right full rudder until the vessel heads 150 T. 37. Which would be considered pollution under the U.S. water pollution laws? o (A) Hazardous substances o (B) Oil o (C) Garbage (D) All of the above 38. To achieve the designed holding power of a stockless anchor, the flukes must be embedded in the sea bottom. Which of the following is also required to reach this condition? o (A) The shank should be upright and perpendicular to the flukes o (B) The shank should be upright and parallel to the flukes o (C) The length of chain should be stretched along the bottom and perpendicular to the shank (D) The length of chain should be stretched along the bottom and in line with the shank 39. Which safety check(s) should be made before letting go the anchor? o (A) See that the wildcat is disengaged. o (B) See that the anchor is clear of obstructions. o (C) See that the chain is all clear. (D) All of the above 40. Which is the easiest way to anchor a vessel in a current? o (A) Stop all headway through the water and keep the current astern when the anchor is dropped o (B) Stem the current and make very slow headway when the anchor is dropped (C) Stem the current and be falling aft very slowly when the anchor is dropped o (D) Stem the current and endeavor to make neither headway nor sternway when the anchor is dropped Page 9 of 12
41. In the event of an oil spill a report must be made to which of the following entities? o (A) U.S. Corps of Engineers (B) U.S. Coast Guard o (C) The local fire department o (D) The local police 42. Which rope is the lightest in weight? o (A) Manila (B) Polypropylene o (C) Dacron o (D) Nylon 43. At what distance from shore may plastic material may be thrown overboard from a vessel? o (A) 25 miles from shore o (B) 12 miles from shore o (C) 3 miles from shore (D) None of the above are correct. 44. How does foam extinguish an oil fire? o (A) By cooling the oil below the ignition temperature (B) By excluding the oxygen from the fire o (C) By increasing the weight of the oil o (D) By removing the fuel source from the fire 45. In order to pay out or slack a mooring line which is under strain, you should take which action? o (A) Stopper the line o (B) Slip the line (C) Surge the line o (D) Sluice the line Page 10 of 12
46. Which condition is necessary for a substance to burn? o (A) The air must contain oxygen in sufficient quantity. o (B) The mixture of vapors with air must be within the "explosive range." o (C) The temperature of the substance must be equal to or above its fire point. (D) All of the above 47. The danger of a charged hose left unattended on deck with the nozzle open is. o (A) personnel might trip over the hose o (B) water damage to vessel's cargo or structure (C) the nozzle end will whip about causing damage or injury o (D) the hose could burst 48. When using or caring for natural-fiber rope, which of the following is NOT recommended? o (A) Reverse turns on winches periodically to keep out kinks o (B) Use chafing gear o (C) Dry the line before stowing it (D) Try to lubricate the line 49. Who has the authority to grant an alternate procedure for oil transfer operations? o (A) The Area Commander (B) The Captain of the Port o (C) The Officer-in-Charge, Marine Inspection o (D) The nearest Coast Guard office 50. Which of the following is a hook that will release quickly? o (A) Longshore hook o (B) Marginal hook (C) Pelican hook o (D) Margin hook Page 11 of 12
National Maritime Center Providing Credentials to Mariners D030DG 5/23/2016 Adapted for testing purposes only Further reproduction prohibited without permission Page 12 of 12