AB Rules of the Road & Maritime Regulations 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Inland Rules, the signal for a vessel in a bend wishing to indicate she is leaving a dock or berth on her port side is:
- One short blast
- Two short blasts (Correct answer)
- Three short blasts
- One prolonged blast
Correct answer: Two short blasts
Under Inland Rule 34(g), a vessel leaving a dock or berth to port sounds two short blasts as a warning signal.
Question 2: The 'danger signal' under COLREGS is sounded when a vessel is in doubt about another's intentions. What does it consist of?
- Five or more short and rapid blasts (Correct answer)
- Three prolonged blasts
- One prolonged and three short blasts
- Repeated alternating long and short blasts
Correct answer: Five or more short and rapid blasts
Rule 34(d) prescribes five or more short and rapid blasts on the whistle as the danger signal indicating doubt about another vessel's intentions.
Question 3: A sailing vessel underway at night, if less than 20 meters, may show what simplified light in lieu of sidelights and sternlight?
- An all-around white light only
- A tricolor lantern at the masthead (Correct answer)
- A red light forward only
- Sidelights only, no sternlight
Correct answer: A tricolor lantern at the masthead
Rule 25(b) permits a sailing vessel under 20 meters to combine sidelights and sternlight in a tricolor lantern at or near the top of the mast.
Question 4: Which of the following vessels must give way to a vessel engaged in fishing?
- A vessel not under command
- A vessel restricted in ability to maneuver
- A power-driven vessel underway (Correct answer)
- A vessel constrained by her draft
Correct answer: A power-driven vessel underway
Rule 18 places a power-driven vessel underway below fishing, NUC, and RAM vessels in the give-way hierarchy, so it must keep clear of a fishing vessel.
Question 5: What is the purpose of a Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS)?
- To restrict vessel speeds in congested areas
- To organize opposing traffic flows and reduce collision risk (Correct answer)
- To designate anchorage areas for large vessels
- To define no-go zones near hazardous cargo terminals
Correct answer: To organize opposing traffic flows and reduce collision risk
A TSS separates opposing streams of vessel traffic using separation zones or lines to reduce the risk of head-on collisions in busy waterways.
Question 6: A vessel conducting mine clearance operations shows which additional visual signal?
- One black ball at the bow
- Three black balls — one at the foremast and one at each end of the foreyard (Correct answer)
- A black cone point down
- A yellow flag at the masthead
Correct answer: Three black balls — one at the foremast and one at each end of the foreyard
Rule 27(f) requires a vessel engaged in mineclearance to show three black balls: one at the foremast head and one at each end of the foreyard.
Question 7: Under COLREGS Rule 18, which category of vessel has the highest priority in the give-way hierarchy?
- Vessel constrained by draft
- Vessel not under command (Correct answer)
- Vessel engaged in fishing
- Vessel restricted in ability to maneuver
Correct answer: Vessel not under command
A vessel not under command (NUC) ranks at the top of the give-way hierarchy and all other vessels must keep clear of her.
AB Rules of the Road & Maritime Regulations 5
Under the Inland Rules, the signal for a vessel in a bend wishing to indicate she is leaving a dock or berth on her port side is: