Practice Test GeeksSVOP - Small Vessel Operator Proficiency Practice Test
← All SVOP Flashcard Decks

Boat Handling Flashcards

6 cards from real SVOP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 6 Boat Handling flashcards as text

  1. When leaving a berth with the wind blowing the vessel onto the dock, what is the best technique for a single-screw vessel?

    Answer: Use an after spring line and engine ahead to pivot the bow out, then go astern

    With the vessel pinned to the dock by wind, securing an after spring and applying forward thrust pivots the bow out. Once at a suitable angle, the spring is slipped and the vessel backs clear.

  2. What is the recommended technique for turning a twin-screw vessel in a confined space?

    Answer: Apply forward on one engine and reverse on the other to rotate about the vessel's centre

    Twin-screw vessels can rotate nearly in place by running one engine ahead and the opposing engine astern, creating opposing thrust forces that spin the vessel with minimal forward or backward movement.

  3. What does the term 'making fast' refer to in vessel operations?

    Answer: Securing lines to the dock or a bollard to hold the vessel in position

    'Making fast' means securing the vessel's mooring lines to cleats, bollards, or rings on the dock so it cannot drift away. It is the final step in berthing.

  4. What is bank cushion and when does it occur?

    Answer: A pressure buildup that pushes a vessel's bow away from a nearby bank as it passes

    Bank cushion is a hydrodynamic pressure buildup between the vessel's bow and a nearby bank that deflects the bow away. It works in conjunction with bank suction near the stern, which pulls the stern toward the bank.

  5. At what sea state would a small commercial vessel typically consider seeking shelter?

    Answer: Wave heights exceeding 2 metres (Sea State 5) for a vessel under 12 metres

    For small commercial vessels (under ~12 m), wave heights of 2 m (Sea State 5, Beaufort 6–7) represent significant risk. Operators must know their vessel's safe operational limits and seek shelter before conditions exceed them.

  6. What is 'prop wash' and how can it be used beneficially during docking?

    Answer: The turbulent water discharge from a propeller, which can push a stern away from a dock when engine is in forward

    Prop wash is the water jet expelled rearward by the propeller. In forward gear, it flows aft past the rudder — applying rudder with forward thrust generates strong steering response even at low speed, useful for manoeuvring at the dock.