Free USCG-AMS Practice Questions

Question 1

In clear weather under the International Rules, a tug not engaged in towing sights another power-driven vessel on its port side, crossing with risk of collision. The other vessel makes an early, substantial alteration to pass astern, and successive observations confirm that the maneuver is working. There is ample sea room. What should the tug do while the other vessel completes its maneuver?

Accepted Answer

Maintain course and speed, monitoring until the other vessel is past and clear.

Answer

Reduce to minimum steerage speed to give the other vessel more time to cross.

Answer

Alter to port to increase the separation from the other vessel's original track.

Answer

Stop propulsion until the other vessel has crossed the tug's projected track.

Question 2

A twin-screw towboat moves ahead close to the starboard bank of a straight, narrow channel. Its bow sheers to port while its stern draws toward the bank. Both engines are delivering equal ahead thrust, the rudders follow helm orders, and there is no appreciable crosswind. The paired bow-and-stern motion most strongly indicates:

Accepted Answer

Bank cushion at the bow combined with bank suction at the stern.

Answer

Propeller walk from the two propellers producing a combined transverse thrust.

Answer

Shallow-water squat causing intermittent stern contact with the channel bottom.

Answer

A local cross-current acting more strongly on the bow than on the stern.

Question 3

An engine-room fire has defeated the initial portable-extinguisher attack. The master orders use of the installed total-flooding CO2 system. The alarm has sounded, everyone is accounted for outside the space, and fuel and machinery have been shut down. Ventilation fans are still running and the ventilation openings remain open. Before releasing CO2, the crew must:

Accepted Answer

Stop ventilation and seal the protected space's openings.

Answer

Run the exhaust fans until the visible smoke has cleared.

Answer

Leave the intake openings clear so the gas can displace the smoke.

Answer

Discharge a partial charge first to cool the space before sealing it.

Question 4

The next leg of a coastal passage requires a true heading of 290°. Local variation is 7° W, and the steering compass has 2° E deviation on the required heading. No allowance for wind or current is needed. Which compass course should be ordered?

Accepted Answer

295°

Answer

281°

Answer

285°

Answer

299°

Question 5

An equal-leg towing bridle is re-rigged with a wider angle between its legs. The steady pull along the towing centerline remains unchanged, and the legs still share the load symmetrically. How does widening the angle affect the tension in each leg?

Accepted Answer

It increases because a smaller fraction of each leg's tension acts along the towing centerline.

Answer

It decreases because the wider spread distributes the tow force over more of the barge's beam.

Answer

It stays unchanged because the total pull and the number of supporting legs have not changed.

Answer

It stays unchanged, but the attachment fittings carry higher loads because their separation has increased.

Question 6

A marine forecast gives a significant wave height of 6 ft for the tow's offshore route. During the passage, the crew encounters occasional waves noticeably higher than 6 ft. How should the operator interpret the forecast value?

Accepted Answer

It represents the average height of the highest one-third of waves, not a maximum.

Answer

It represents the average height of all waves, with higher waves balanced by lower ones.

Answer

It represents the largest expected wave, so a higher wave demonstrates a forecast error.

Answer

It represents the height of wind waves alone, with swell heights added directly to that value.

Question 7

Before a nighttime departure into waters where the International Rules apply, the crew checks the lights on a 32 m tug towing an ordinary surface barge astern. The tow measures 235 m from the tug's stern to the barge's after end. The operation does not severely restrict deviation from course. Besides sidelights, a sternlight and a yellow towing light, the tug requires which vertical light group?

Accepted Answer

Three white masthead lights

Answer

Two white masthead lights

Answer

Three all-round lights, red over white over red

Answer

Three all-round red lights

Question 8

A loading comparison holds displacement, KM and uncorrected KG constant. One condition has broad slack tanks with unrestricted liquid surfaces; the other has the tanks either empty or pressed full. Compared with the empty-or-full condition, the slack-tank condition has:

Accepted Answer

Reduced initial stability, because free surface produces a virtual rise in the center of gravity.

Answer

Greater initial stability, because carrying liquid low in the vessel offsets its movement during a roll.

Answer

Unchanged initial stability, because displacement and the upright vertical center of gravity are the same.

Answer

A permanent list to one side, because free surface has the same effect as a fixed off-center weight.

Question 9

A tug is secured port side to a straight pier. A current setting from stern toward bow tends to surge the vessel ahead. Which mooring-line lead is specifically suited to checking that ahead movement?

Accepted Answer

From the bow to a bollard farther aft along the pier

Answer

From the stern to a bollard farther forward along the pier

Answer

From the bow to a bollard directly abeam on the pier

Answer

From the stern to a bollard directly abeam on the pier

Question 10

A tow must pass through a shallow reach and under a fixed bridge. At transit time, the water will be 2 ft above the chart's sounding datum and 1 ft below the bridge's clearance datum. Charted depth is 12 ft; charted bridge clearance is 50 ft. The tow's deepest draft is 11 ft, its air draft is 48 ft, and predicted squat is 0.5 ft. The passage plan requires at least 2 ft under the keel after squat and 2 ft above the tow, with no bridge-clearance credit for squat. No other allowances apply. Which clearance assessment is correct?

Accepted Answer

2.5 ft under the keel and 3 ft above the tow; both minimums are met.

Answer

0.5 ft under the keel and 3 ft above the tow; wait for higher water.

Answer

2.5 ft under the keel and 1 ft above the tow; wait for lower water.

Answer

3 ft under the keel and 3 ft above the tow; both minimums are met.

Free USCG-AMS Practice Questions

Domain 1: Navigation Rules

Question 1

Question 2

Domain 2: Deck General

Question 3

Question 4

Domain 3: Deck Safety

Question 5

Question 6

Domain 4: Navigation General

Question 7

Domain 5: Navigation Problems

Question 8

Question 9

Domain 6: Towing Vessel Operations

Question 10

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