National Maritime Center

National Maritime Center Providing Credentials to Mariners (Sample Examination) Page 1 of 18

Choose the best answer to the following Multiple Choice Questions. 1. Transverse frames are more widely spaced on a ship that is designed with the. (A) longitudinal system of framing o (B) centerline system of framing o (C) isometric system of framing o (D) transverse system of framing 2. Which statement is TRUE concerning carbon dioxide? (A) It is an inert gas. o (B) It is used mostly on class A fires. o (C) It is lighter than air. o (D) All of the above 3. If a vessel takes a sudden, severe list or trim from an unknown cause, you should FIRST. o (A) assume the cause is environmental forces o (B) counterflood (C) determine the cause before taking countermeasures o (D) assume the shift is due to off-center loading 4. Which statement about the free surface effect is TRUE? o (A) The effect can be reduced by shifting weights vertically. o (B) The free surface effect usually increases at angles of heel above 25. o (C) The effect increases if the tank is off the centerline. (D) It has the same affect on initial stability whether the tank is 75% full or 25% full. 5. A crew member has just fallen overboard off your port side. Which action should you take? (A) Immediately put the rudder over hard left. o (B) Immediately put the engines astern. o (C) Immediately put the rudder over hard right. o (D) Wait until the stern is well clear of the man and then put the rudder over hard right. Page 2 of 18

6. Tensile stress is a result of two forces acting in. o (A) opposite directions on the same line, tending to compress the object (B) opposite directions on the same line, tending to pull the material apart o (C) the same direction along parallel lines o (D) opposite directions along parallel lines 7. To keep injured survivors warm in the water after abandoning ship, they should. o (A) remove their life preservers and hold on to the uninjured survivors (B) be placed in the middle of a small circle formed by the other survivors in the water o (C) sip water at intervals of fifteen minutes o (D) float on their backs with their arms extended for maximum exposure to the air 8. You must shore up a bulkhead due to solid flooding forward. The bulkhead approximates a rectangle. The center of pressure of the shores on the bulkhead should be located. o (A) evenly over the surface of the bulkhead o (B) approximately halfway up the bulkhead (C) approximately one-third of the way up the bulkhead o (D) at the bottom of the bulkhead 9. Which signal would be used by a shore rescue unit to indicate "Landing here highly dangerous"? o (A) The firing of a white star signal (B) Horizontal motion with a white flag o (C) Vertical motion of a white light o (D) Code letter "K" by blinker light 10. Which portable fire extinguisher should be used on a class C fire on board a vessel? o (A) Foam o (B) Carbon tetrachloride (C) Carbon dioxide o (D) Water (stored pressure) Page 3 of 18

11. When possible, what is the FIRST step in fighting an engine fuel-pump fire which results from a broken fuel line? o (A) Check the spread of the fire with foam. (B) Close the fuel line valve. o (C) Secure all engine room doors, hatches, and vents. o (D) Cast the barge off the wharf. 12. You have hand launched an inflatable liferaft. What should be one of your FIRST actions after all persons have boarded the liferaft? o (A) Inflate the liferaft floor. o (B) Open the equipment pack. (C) Cut the sea painter and clear the vessel. o (D) Decide on food and water rations. 13. Topside icing that blocks freeing ports and scuppers. o (A) increases the effective freeboard and increases the wind-heel affect (B) may decrease stability by increasing free surface effect due to water on deck o (C) is usually below the center of gravity and has little effect on stability o (D) will cause water on deck to pocket and increase stability 14. If heavy smoke is coming from the paint locker, what should be the FIRST firefighting response? (A) Secure the ventilation o (B) Release the CO2 flooding system o (C) Enter and use a portable extinguisher o (D) Open the door to evaluate the extent of the fire 15. The fittings used to secure a watertight door are known as. (A) dogs o (B) clasps o (C) clamps o (D) latches Page 4 of 18

16. How should the letter "W" be pronounced when spoken on the radiotelephone? o (A) DUB A U o (B) WI NE (C) WISS KEY o (D) WOO LF 17. What is the generally accepted method of determining whether the atmosphere within a cargo tank is explosive, too rich, or too lean to support combustion? o (A) Use the open flame test on a small sample that has been taken from the tank. (B) Use an explosimeter (Gas monitors). o (C) Enter the tank with an oxygen analyzer. o (D) Send a gas sample ashore for laboratory analysis. 18. In nautical terminology a "dog" is a. (A) device to force a water tight door against the frame o (B) crow bar o (C) wedge o (D) heavy steel beam 19. You are underway in mid-ocean, when you hear a distress message over the VHF radio. The position of the sender is 20 miles away. What action should you take? o (A) Do not acknowledge receipt until other ships nearer to the distress have acknowledged. o (B) Defer acknowledgment for a short interval so that a coast station may acknowledge receipt. o (C) Do not acknowledge because you are too far away to take action. (D) Immediately acknowledge receipt of the distress message. 20. When a helicopter is lifting personnel from a survival craft, the other individuals in the craft should. o (A) remove their life preservers to prepare for their transfer to the helicopter (B) remain seated inside the craft to provide body weight for stability o (C) enter the water in case the person being lifted slips from the sling o (D) stand on the outside of the craft to assist the person being lifted Page 5 of 18

21. When electrical equipment is involved in a fire, the stream of dry chemicals should be. (A) aimed at the source of the flames o (B) used to shield against electrical shock o (C) fogged above the equipment o (D) shot off a flat surface onto the flames 22. Which statement about firefighting foam is TRUE? o (A) To be most effective, foam should be directed at the base of the fire. (B) Foam conducts electricity. o (C) Foam can ONLY be used to extinguish class A fires. o (D) Foam is most effective on burning liquids which are flowing. 23. When abandoning ship, after launching the motor lifeboat which is the recommended action to take? (A) Stay in the immediate area o (B) Go in one direction until fuel runs out o (C) Take a vote on which direction you should go o (D) Plot a course for the nearest land 24. The tops of the thwarts, side benches, and the footings of a lifeboat are painted which color? o (A) Yellow o (B) White (C) International orange o (D) Red 25. Lifesaving regulations in Subchapter W require that a fire drill include which of the following? o (A) Starting the fire pumps o (B) Checking arrangements for abandon ship o (C) Checking the operation of watertight doors (D) All of the above Page 6 of 18

26. When the height of the metacenter is greater than the height of the center of gravity a vessel has which type of stability? o (A) Negative o (B) Unstable (C) Stable o (D) Neutral 27. A fire in a pile of canvas is classified as class. (A) A o (B) B o (C) C o (D) D 28. The term displacement refers to which of the following? (A) number of long tons of water displaced by a vessel afloat o (B) cubic capacity of a vessel o (C) deadweight carrying capacity of a vessel o (D) gross tonnage of a vessel 29. You are at sea and have received a General Emergency message announcing the outbreak of war in Europe. You are directed to comply with the instructions in NGA (NIMA) PUB 117, Chapter Eight. Which statement is TRUE? o (A) You should only enter a port in the danger zone during hours of darkness. o (B) If on a coastwise voyage along the east coast of the U.S., you should put into the nearest port. o (C) When over 200 miles from a port in the danger zone, you should not darken ship. (D) You should attempt to submit an AMVER report to NSA. Page 7 of 18

30. 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. 31. For small angles of inclination, if the KG were equal to the KM, then the vessel would have. o (A) maximum stability o (B) positive stability (C) neutral stability o (D) negative stability 32. Which of the following is NOT required to be part of a vessel's Fire Control Plan? o (A) Ventilation dampers o (B) Ventilation fan location (C) Ventilation fan capacity o (D) Ventilation fan control 33. You are having a Coast Guard inspection. All carbon dioxide fire extinguishers aboard will be. o (A) sent ashore to an approved service facility o (B) checked for pressure loss o (C) discharged and recharged (D) weighed 34. Line throwing apparatus aboard ship must contain. o (A) two rockets, one of which shall be the buoyant type o (B) three rockets, one of which shall be the buoyant type (C) four rockets, two of which shall be the buoyant type o (D) five rockets, two of which shall be the buoyant type Page 8 of 18

35. The time required to incline from port to starboard and back to port again is called. o (A) initial stability (B) rolling period o (C) range of stability o (D) inclining moment 36. What is the best procedure for picking up a lifeboat at sea while utilizing the lifeboat's sea painter? o (A) Place the lifeboat ahead and to windward of your ship with the wind about broad on the quarter of your ship. o (B) Place your ship to windward of the lifeboat with the wind on the quarter to allow your ship to drift down to the lifeboat. (C) Place the lifeboat ahead and to leeward of your ship with the wind about broad on the bow of your ship. o (D) Place the lifeboat ahead and to windward of your vessel with the wind about broad on the bow of your ship. 37. The governor brake on a lifeboat winch shall be capable of controlling the speed of lowering a fully equipped lifeboat from a cargo ship at. o (A) not more than 90 feet per minute o (B) a safe speed only specified (C) not more than 120 feet per minute o (D) not less than 120 feet per minute 38. The brickwork surrounding the firebox of a boiler is known as. o (A) fire plate (B) refractory o (C) the screen wall o (D) the waterwall 39. Which is TRUE concerning immersion suits and their use? o (A) They should be tight fitting. o (B) Only a light layer of clothing may be worn underneath. o (C) A puncture in the suit will not appreciably reduce its value. (D) They provide sufficient flotation to do away with the necessity of wearing a life jacket. Page 9 of 18

40. 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 41. If there are no alternatives for escape, what is the maximum height that the survival craft could be dropped into the water? o (A) 2 ft. o (B) 6 ft. (C) 10 ft. o (D) 14 ft. 42. When attempting to enter a compartment containing a fire, which method of applying water is best? o (A) Solid stream directed toward the overhead o (B) Straight stream directed into the center of the fire (C) Sweeping the compartment with a fog stream o (D) High-velocity fog stream directed toward the overhead 43. A vessel is flying the signal "BJ-1" from her starboard halyard. What does this signal mean? o (A) The aircraft is still afloat (B) An aircraft is circling over an accident o (C) There is no danger of explosion o (D) An aircraft is ditched in position indicated 44. What is the minimum number of people required to safely handle a 1-1/2 inch fire hose? o (A) 1 (B) 2 o (C) 3 o (D) 4 Page 10 of 18

45. The time required to incline from bow down to stern down and return to bow down again is called. (A) pitching period o (B) amplitude moment o (C) inclining moment o (D) rolling period 46. One of your crew members falls overboard from the starboard side. You should IMMEDIATELY take which action? (A) Throw the crew member a life preserver o (B) Begin backing your engines o (C) Position your vessel to windward and begin recovery o (D) Apply left rudder 47. Damaged bulkheads often take a permanent set which is independent of the panting or bulge caused by water pressure. To control this, you should. (A) install shoring so the shoring supports the damaged bulkheads without pushing on them o (B) place sandbags by the bulkhead without installing shores o (C) install shoring so that it pushes on the damaged bulkhead while supporting it o (D) use jacks or chain falls to remove the set before installing shores 48. According to the Lifesaving regulations in Subchapter W, fire and abandon ship drills must be held within 24 hours of leaving port if the percentage of the crew that has not participated in drills aboard that particular vessel in the prior month exceeds which percentage? o (A) 5% o (B) 10% (C) 25% o (D) 40% 49. When communicating on the radiotelephone using plain English, what procedure word indicates the end of my transmission and that a response is necessary? (A) Over o (B) Out o (C) Wilco o (D) Roger Page 11 of 18

50. Radiation spreads a fire by. o (A) heated gases flowing through ventilation systems o (B) burning liquids flowing into another space (C) transferring heat across an unobstructed space o (D) transmitting the heat of a fire through the ship's metal 51. When you hear three short blasts on the ship's whistle and the same signal on the general alarm bells, you. o (A) should start the fire pump o (B) are required to be at your liferaft o (C) should point to the man overboard (D) are dismissed from drills 52. By regulation, orange smoke distress signals will expire not more than how many months from the date of manufacture? o (A) 24 months o (B) 36 months (C) 42 months o (D) 54 months 53. The percentage of the total surface area or volume of a flooded compartment that can be occupied by water caused by damage is known as. (A) permeability o (B) one compartment standard o (C) form gain o (D) center of flotation 54. In illustration D039SA below, which fire control plan symbol designates a space or compartment protected by Halon 1301? o (A) 10 (B) 11 o (C) 12 o (D) 44 Page 12 of 18

55. Who has the exclusive use of the radiotelephone as stated in the "Vessel Bridge-to-Bridge Radiotelephone Act"? o (A) a person designated by the Master o (B) the Master or person in charge of the vessel o (C) a person on board to pilot the vessel (D) All of the above 56. All of the following are recognized distress signals under the Navigation Rules EXCEPT which signal? o (A) The repeated raising and lowering of outstretched arms (B) A green star signal o (C) Orange-colored smoke o (D) Red flares 57. What is not usually a concern when loading a single-hulled tanker? (A) Initial stability o (B) Bending moments o (C) Draft o (D) Trim 58. When the alarm bell sounds on a positive-pressure, self-contained breathing apparatus, how long will reserve air supply last? (A) About 4-5 minutes o (B) About 12-15 minutes o (C) About 8-10 minutes o (D) About 18-20 minutes 59. The AMVER system for vessels in the Gulf of Mexico is administered by which organization? o (A) Minerals Management Service o (B) Department of Energy (C) U.S. Coast Guard o (D) Corps of Engineers Page 13 of 18

60. What is the meaning of the signal SA T1035 RQ when sent by the International code of Signals? o (A) I am altering course to 103.5 T. o (B) Is the latitude 10 35'? (C) Can you proceed at 1035 local time? o (D) The longitude is 10 35'. 61. Your vessel has been damaged and is partially flooded. The first step to be taken in attempting to save the vessel is to. o (A) pump out the water inside the vessel (B) establish flooding boundaries and prevent further spread of flood water o (C) calculate the free surface effect and lost buoyancy to determine the vessel's stability o (D) plug the hole(s) in the outer shell 62. A thrust block is designed to. o (A) absorb the shock of wave pressure at the bow (B) transmit the thrust of the propeller to the vessel o (C) transmit the thrust of the engine to the propeller o (D) be placed between the engines and the foundation to absorb the vibration 63. Fixed CO2 systems would not be used on crew's quarters or at which other location? (A) Spaces open to the atmosphere o (B) The engine room o (C) Cargo holds o (D) The paint locker 64. Which statement about immersion suits is TRUE? o (A) The immersion suit seals in body heat and provides protection against hypothermia for weeks. o (B) The collar must be inflated before abandoning ship. o (C) The suit will still be serviceable after a brief (2-6 minutes) exposure to flame and burning. (D) The suit must, without assistance, turn an unconscious person's mouth clear of the water within 5 seconds. Page 14 of 18

65. The air cylinder bottles in the survival craft should be refilled with. (A) compressed air o (B) oxygen o (C) nitrogen and oxygen o (D) nitrogen 66. What is the spoken emergency signal for a distress signal over a VHF radio? o (A) Pan o (B) Red Alert (C) Mayday o (D) Security 67. What is the maximum length of time that distress flares are approved for? o (A) 1 and 1/2 years o (B) 2 years (C) 3 and 1/2 years o (D) 5 years 68. A spark arrestor. o (A) keeps sparks from falling into an open tank o (B) grounds static electricity (C) prevents sparks from getting out of an engine's exhaust system o (D) secures covers on ullage openings 69. A situation has occurred in which your vessel must be towed. When the towing vessel passes the towing line to you, where should you secure the line? o (A) At the stern o (B) To the base of the foremast (C) To the forwardmost bitts o (D) To the forward part of the deckhouse Page 15 of 18

70. Forces within a vessel may cause a difference between the starboard and port drafts. What is this difference called? o (A) trim (B) list o (C) flotation o (D) heel Page 16 of 18

National Maritime Center Providing Credentials to Mariners D039SA 5/23/2016 Adapted for testing purposes only Further reproduction prohibited without permission Page 17 of 18

National Maritime Center Providing Credentials to Mariners D039SA 5/23/2016 Adapted for testing purposes only Further reproduction prohibited without permission Page 18 of 18