Patrón de Yate — Spain

Practice questions (with answers)

1. Special marks are coloured:

   1. Red
   2. Green
   3. Yellow
   4. Blue and yellow
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   Correct answer: C. Yellow

   Special marks are yellow, indicating special areas like military zones, cables, or pipelines.

2. Which factor is NOT listed in Rule 6 for determining safe speed?

   1. The state of visibility
   2. Traffic density, including fishing vessels
   3. Vessel's commercial schedule
   4. Stopping distance and turning ability
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   Correct answer: C. Vessel's commercial schedule

   Rule 6 lists visibility, traffic density, manoeuvrability, etc. Commercial schedule is never a factor in safe speed determination.

3. If there is any doubt about whether risk of collision exists:

   1. Wait for the other vessel to act
   2. Assume no risk until radar plotting confirms it
   3. The risk shall be deemed to exist
   4. Call the other vessel on VHF to clarify
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   Correct answer: C. The risk shall be deemed to exist

   Rule 7(a): if there is any doubt, such risk shall be deemed to exist.

4. If circumstances admit, course alterations to avoid collision shall be:

   1. As small as possible so as to minimise deviation from the planned track
   2. Large enough to be readily apparent to the other vessel
   3. Made only after a reduction of speed has proved insufficient
   4. Avoided where possible in favour of speed reduction
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   Correct answer: B. Large enough to be readily apparent to the other vessel

   Rule 8(b) requires alterations large enough to be readily apparent to another vessel observing visually or by radar, if circumstances admit.

5. A vessel less than 20m in a narrow channel:

   1. Has right of way over larger vessels because she is more manoeuvrable
   2. Shall not impede vessels that can only navigate within the channel
   3. Must stay outside the channel altogether and may never enter it
   4. Is stand-on with respect to any vessel following the channel
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   Correct answer: B. Shall not impede vessels that can only navigate within the channel

   Rule 9(b): vessels under 20m shall not impede vessels which can safely navigate only within the channel.

6. How does IALA Region B differ from Region A?

   1. The lateral shapes swap sides — cans to starboard
   2. The colours are reversed — red to starboard
   3. Cardinal marks swap their black and yellow bands
   4. Only the topmarks differ
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   Correct answer: B. The colours are reversed — red to starboard

   Region A: port-hand red, starboard-hand green. Region B: port-hand green, starboard-hand red. Interpret both in the charted conventional direction of buoyage.

7. An East Cardinal mark shows how many quick flashes?

   1. 1 flash
   2. 3 flashes
   3. 6 flashes + long flash
   4. 9 flashes
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   Correct answer: B. 3 flashes

   White lights, when fitted: North Q or VQ; East VQ(3) 5 s or Q(3) 10 s; South VQ(6)+LFl 10 s or Q(6)+LFl 15 s; West VQ(9) 10 s or Q(9) 15 s. The long flash lasts at least 2 s.

8. If fitted, the topmark of an isolated danger mark is:

   1. A single red sphere
   2. Two black spheres vertically
   3. A yellow X-shape
   4. Two black cones, point to point
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   Correct answer: B. Two black spheres vertically

   Isolated danger marks have two black spheres (balls) as topmark. (if fitted).

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