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Sailing situations — Seamanship, Mashit 30

55 questions on sailing situations, from the Seamanship exam of Mashit 30. Who gives way to whom, with vessels lettered A–P. Every question is shown with its correct answer, as in the official question pool.

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Questions on Sailing situations

  1. You are on vessel G and see vessel K sounding the signal shown in picture 119. What does it mean? The vessel is in distress and needs help.
  2. You are on vessel F and hear vessel H sound three short blasts, three prolonged blasts, three short blasts. What do these blasts mean? This is a vessel signalling that she is in distress.
  3. Vessel F hears vessel H sound a signal of six short blasts, three prolonged blasts, six short blasts. What do these blasts mean? These blasts have no meaning.
  4. Sailing vessel P sees sailing vessel H. The wind is south-westerly (SW). What action is required? P is on starboard tack, H on port tack; H gives way.
  5. Sailing vessel B, showing two black balls, sees sailing vessel J. What action is required? J gives way in the most effective direction.
  6. Vessel M, showing a black diamond, sees vessel K, also showing a black diamond. What action is required? M gives way to K: the vessel that has the other on her starboard side gives way.
  7. Vessel P, showing a black diamond, sees vessel H, also showing a black diamond. What action is required? Each alters course to her own starboard: two power-driven vessels meeting head-on.
  8. You are vessel N, a sailing vessel. The wind is northerly. You see a red light on your starboard side. What is the vessel, and what action is required? Answers a and c are correct.
  9. You are underway in vessel A and see vessel I flying flag O with a black ball above it. What do you do? She is in distress; I go to her assistance.
  10. Sailing vessel D is on a collision course with power-driven vessel H. What action is required? D keeps her course and speed; H must give way.
  11. You are vessel K, a sailing vessel, and you see sailing vessel A with her mainsail on the starboard side and her jib on the port side. The wind is from the north. What do you do? I am on port tack and so is she; she gives way to me (she is to windward).
  12. Sailing vessel O sees vessel C showing the lights in picture 53, and there appears to be a risk of collision. What is the vessel, and what action is required? C is a towing vessel and must give way. Sailing vessel O will hold her course.
  13. You are in vessel J under sail only, on port tack. You see B, which is under sail and showing the shape in picture 82. What action is required? I will keep my course and speed.
  14. You are in vessel H, on a course of 340°, showing the lights in picture 1. You are at risk of collision with P, which shows the lights in picture 58. The wind is easterly. What will you do? I will keep my course and speed.
  15. Vessel K shows the lights in picture 16 and sees vessel C, which shows the lights in picture 28. What action is required? Each alters course to starboard.
  16. Vessel K shows the day-shape in picture 86 and sees vessel F, which shows the same day-shape. What action is required? K gives way to F, in accordance with the Collision Regulations.
  17. Vessel H, showing the lights in picture 36, sees vessel K showing the lights in picture 40. What action is required? K gives way to H because H is on her starboard side.
  18. Vessel P, showing the lights in picture 24, sees vessel C showing the lights in picture 53. What action is required? P is a sailing vessel and C is towing; P keeps her course and speed.
  19. Vessel H, flying the flag in picture 97, sees vessel J flying the flag in picture 106 above her superstructure, with a black ball at her bow. What action is required? J is at anchor, flying a flag meaning that she is healthy and requests permission to enter harbour; no action is needed.
  20. Vessel J, showing the lights in picture 35, sees vessel B showing the lights in picture 15, with flames visible on her deck. What action is required? B is in distress; J must go to her and assist her.
  21. Vessel M shows the lights in picture 1 and is at risk of collision with vessel E, which shows the lights in picture 37. The wind is southerly. Under the Rules, which vessel must give way? M is "overtaking", so the duty to give way is hers.
  22. Sailing vessel N sees sailing vessel F. What action is required? The wind is northerly, 12 knots. N gives way to F.
  23. Vessel J, showing the lights in picture 35, sees vessel B showing the lights in picture 15. What action is required? B gives way to J.
  24. Vessel K shows the lights in picture 16 and sees vessel C, which shows the lights in picture 28 (the wind is easterly, force 4 on the Beaufort scale). What action is required? Each alters course to starboard.
  25. Vessel H, flying the flag in picture 97, sees vessel J flying the flag in picture 104 with a black ball below it. What action is required? J is in distress; you must go and assist her.
  26. Vessel H, showing the lights in picture 36, sees vessel K showing the lights in picture 40. The wind is northerly, 5 knots. What action is required? K gives way to H because H is on her starboard side.
  27. Vessel P, showing the lights in picture 24, sees vessel C showing the lights in picture 53 (a westerly wind of 15 knots is blowing). What action is required? P is a sailing vessel and C is towing; P keeps her course and speed.
  28. Vessel J, showing the lights in picture 33, sees vessel M showing the lights in picture 67. What action is required? Under the Rules of the Road, both vessels must do everything they can to avoid a collision.
  29. Vessel J, showing the day-shape in picture 84, sees vessel D showing the flag in picture 98 on her mast and a black ball at the bow. What is vessel D signalling, and what action is required? She is a vessel at anchor with divers down, so you must keep at least 200 metres away from her.
  30. Motorboat A sees rowing boat D. What action is required? A gives way to D: a power-driven vessel gives way to a rowing boat.
  31. G, a power-driven vessel, sees vessel K sounding the signal shown in picture 119. What does it mean? K is in distress and needs help.
  32. Sailing vessel O sees vessel C showing the lights in picture 53, and there appears to be a risk of collision. What is the vessel, and what action is required? C is a towing vessel and must give way. Sailing vessel O will hold her course.
  33. M, a sailing vessel, is running with her mainsail on her starboard side. She sees vessel E showing the lights in picture 37, and the lights are growing brighter. Choose the correct answer: M is the overtaking vessel, so the tack does not matter: M gives way.
  34. You are in vessel H, on a course of 340°, showing the lights in picture 1. You are at risk of collision with P, which shows the lights in picture 58. The wind is westerly. What will you do? I will alter course about 50 degrees to starboard.
  35. You are in vessel J under sail only, on port tack. You see B showing the shapes in picture 80. What action is required? J gives way to B in the most effective way.
  36. Vessel J is on a course of 020°, showing the lights in picture 1. She is at risk of collision with B, which is showing the lights in picture 58. The wind is westerly, and north is at the top of the page. What action is required? J gives way in the most effective way.
  37. Vessel J, showing the day-shape in picture 84, sees vessel D showing the flag in picture 98 on her mast and a black ball at the bow. What is vessel D signalling, and what action is required? She is a vessel at anchor with divers down, so you must keep at least 200 metres away from her.
  38. Sailing vessel H sees motorboat L sounding the signal in picture 119. What action is required? L is in distress; H must give assistance.
  39. Twin-engine vessel O sees motorboat B. What action is required? B gives way to O.
  40. Sailing vessel K, on port tack in a northerly wind, sees sailing vessel A with her mainsail on her port side. What action is required? K gives way because she is on port tack.
  41. Sailing vessel F sees sailing vessel C. The wind is southerly. What action is required? F gives way to C: F is to windward, on the same tack.
  42. Motorboat A sees rowing boat D. What action is required? A gives way to D: a power-driven vessel gives way to a rowing boat.
  43. Sailing vessel O, showing the day-shape in picture 82, sees M showing the day-shape in picture 84 and, in addition, the day-shape in picture 85 on her port side. What action is required? O is power-driven and M is fishing: O must give way and keep clear of the obstruction on the port side of M.
  44. Vessel M, showing the lights in picture 43, sees E showing the same lights, and there is a risk of collision. What action is required? M gives way to E.
  45. Vessel C, showing the day-shape in picture 84, sees G showing the day-shapes in picture 81. What action is required? C is fishing and G is aground; keep as far away as possible.
  46. Vessel J is on a course of 022°, showing the lights in picture 1. She is at risk of collision with vessel B, which is showing the lights in picture 66. The wind is westerly. What action is required? B keeps her course and speed as far as possible.
  47. Vessel K shows the lights in picture 16 and sees vessel C, which shows the lights in picture 28. What action is required? Each alters course to starboard.
  48. Vessel K, showing the lights in picture 14, sees vessel G showing the lights in picture 55. The wind is northerly. What action is required? K gives way to G.
  49. Vessel G, showing the signal in picture 82, sees vessel O flying the flag in picture 98 above her superstructure and showing a black ball in the bow. What action is required? Keep at least 200 metres away from O: she is at anchor and engaged in diving operations.
  50. Power-driven vessel K, showing the day-shape in picture 86, sees sailing vessel C on port tack. What action is required? K gives way to C.
  51. Sailing vessel M, showing the day-shape in picture 82, sees rowing boat D, and there is a risk of collision. What action is required? M gives way to D.
  52. You are on sailing vessel A, making 12 knots in a northerly wind. You see sailing vessel I, making 8 knots. A is on starboard tack and vessel I is on port tack. What action is required? Under the Rules of the Road, A must give way to vessel I.
  53. Vessel M, showing the day-shape in picture 86, is at risk of collision with K, which is showing the same day-shape. What vessel is this, and what action is required? M is towing and the length of the tow is over 200 metres. M gives way.
  54. Vessel K, showing the lights in picture 11, sees vessel O showing the lights in picture 14. What action is required? Under the Rules, O gives way to K.
  55. Sailing vessel O sees vessel M, also a sailing vessel. The wind is southerly. What action is required? M is to windward and gives way to O.

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