AB Deck General and Safety 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When using a ring life buoy to rescue a person in the water, what is the correct technique?
- Throw it directly at the person to stun them so they can be retrieved
- Throw it just upwind or upcurrent of the person so it drifts to them (Correct answer)
- Drop it directly on the person
- Hold one end of the attached line while throwing the buoy as far as possible
Correct answer: Throw it just upwind or upcurrent of the person so it drifts to them
The ring buoy should be thrown just upwind or upcurrent of the victim so it drifts toward them without striking them.
Question 2: What is the correct meaning of 'deadweight tonnage' (DWT)?
- The weight of the empty vessel's hull
- The total weight a vessel can carry including cargo, fuel, water, and stores (Correct answer)
- The displacement of the vessel when fully loaded
- The weight of the vessel's machinery and equipment
Correct answer: The total weight a vessel can carry including cargo, fuel, water, and stores
Deadweight tonnage is the total weight in metric tons that a vessel can carry, including cargo, fuel, ballast, fresh water, stores, and crew.
Question 3: Which type of fire extinguisher is MOST appropriate for a Class B fire involving flammable liquids?
- Water (APW)
- CO2 or dry chemical (BC or ABC rated) (Correct answer)
- Wet chemical
- Soda-acid
Correct answer: CO2 or dry chemical (BC or ABC rated)
CO2 and dry chemical extinguishers rated for Class B fires are effective on flammable liquid fires such as fuel or oil.
Question 4: What is the purpose of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code?
- To set maximum cargo weight limits
- To provide an international standard for safe ship management and pollution prevention (Correct answer)
- To regulate crew wages on international voyages
- To establish manning requirements for all vessel types
Correct answer: To provide an international standard for safe ship management and pollution prevention
The ISM Code establishes an international standard for the safe management and operation of ships and pollution prevention.
Question 5: A vessel is described as being 'in extremis.' What does this mean?
- The vessel is navigating in restricted visibility
- The vessel is in a situation where a collision is imminent and normal rules may be disregarded to avoid it (Correct answer)
- The vessel has lost propulsion
- The vessel is anchoring in an emergency
Correct answer: The vessel is in a situation where a collision is imminent and normal rules may be disregarded to avoid it
In extremis describes a situation so close to collision that both vessels must take immediate action regardless of normal give-way/stand-on rules.
Question 6: How is the 'metacentric height' (GM) of a vessel related to its stability?
- A larger GM indicates a stiffer, more stable vessel with a faster rolling period (Correct answer)
- A larger GM indicates a tender vessel with a slow rolling period
- GM has no relation to rolling behavior
- A negative GM always means the vessel will capsize immediately
Correct answer: A larger GM indicates a stiffer, more stable vessel with a faster rolling period
A large positive GM produces a stiff vessel that rolls quickly and sharply, while a small positive GM produces a tender vessel with a slow, gentle roll.
Question 7: What signal is displayed by a vessel that is Not Under Command (NUC)?
- Two black balls in a vertical line
- Two all-round red lights in a vertical line (Correct answer)
- One black ball and one diamond shape
- One all-round red light and one all-round white light
Correct answer: Two all-round red lights in a vertical line
A NUC vessel displays two all-round red lights in a vertical line where they can best be seen, and no sidelights or sternlight when not making way.
AB Deck General and Safety 3
When using a ring life buoy to rescue a person in the water, what is the correct technique?