In addition to wearable life jackets, what lifesaving device must a 32-foot uninspected passenger vessel carry?
- At least one inflatable liferaft
- At least one approved ring life buoy
- At least one buoyant cushion per person
- At least one rescue boat with oars
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B. At least one approved ring life buoy
Uninspected commercial vessels 26 feet or longer must carry at least one approved lifebuoy to throw to a person in the water. A buoyant cushion is a recreational-boat throwable and does not meet the commercial requirement; liferafts are not required on a six-pack vessel of this size.
Reference: 46 CFR 25.25-5
Returning from sea, you come to a buoy with red and green horizontal bands, the top band red. How should you pass it to stay in the preferred channel?
- Leave it to starboard, as you would a red buoy
- Leave it to port, as you would a green buoy
- Pass close aboard on either side of the buoy
- Stay well clear; it marks an isolated danger
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A. Leave it to starboard, as you would a red buoy
A red-and-green banded buoy marks a junction or obstruction, and the colour of the top band shows the preferred channel: top band red is treated as a red buoy and left to starboard when returning. You can pass the other side, but that is the secondary channel. An isolated danger mark is black and red.
Reference: 33 CFR 62.25
On which vessels is an OUPV endorsement valid?
- Inspected passenger vessels of less than 100 gross tons
- Uninspected passenger vessels of less than 100 gross tons
- Uninspected passenger vessels of any gross tonnage
- Any vessel of less than 100 gross tons, inspected or not
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B. Uninspected passenger vessels of less than 100 gross tons
The OUPV endorsement is limited to uninspected vessels of less than 100 GRT carrying six or fewer passengers. Operating an inspected small passenger vessel requires a Master endorsement of suitable tonnage.
Reference: 46 CFR 11.467
Which lights must a power-driven vessel 60 metres long show when underway at night?
- One masthead light, sidelights and a sternlight, with no second masthead light
- Two masthead lights, the forward one higher, sidelights and a sternlight
- An all-round white light and sidelights in place of all other lights
- Two masthead lights, the after one higher, sidelights and a sternlight
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D. Two masthead lights, the after one higher, sidelights and a sternlight
A power-driven vessel of 50 metres or more must carry a second masthead light abaft of and higher than the forward one, plus sidelights and a sternlight. Under 50 metres the second masthead light is optional. The after light is always the higher, which lets you judge her heading.
Reference: Navigation Rules, Rule 23(a)
On a clear afternoon in open water, the only person aboard a charter boat engages the autopilot and goes below for ten minutes to make lunch. Which rule has been broken?
- Rule 6, because a speed held by autopilot is never a safe speed
- Rule 8, because no action to avoid collision was being taken
- No rule, because traffic was light and the visibility was good
- Rule 5, because a proper lookout must be kept at all times
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D. Rule 5, because a proper lookout must be kept at all times
Rule 5 has no exception for good weather, light traffic or autopilot: someone must be looking and listening the whole time the vessel is underway. Light traffic affects what a safe speed is, but it does not excuse leaving the vessel with no lookout.
Reference: Navigation Rules (International and Inland, 33 CFR 83), Rule 5