Second Mate (FG) — India COLREG study and oral practice

Written revision: learn the rule and its conditions

Revise lookout, safe speed, risk of collision and action to avoid collision before practising overtaking, head-on and crossing encounters. Explain why a rule applies rather than choosing an answer from a remembered diagram. Keep rules for vessels in sight separate from Rule 19 in restricted visibility.

Use lights and shapes to identify a vessel's status, then review the responsibilities between vessels. Practise sound signals in their proper context, and identify IALA marks with the direction of buoyage in mind.

Second Mate orals COLREG questions: study prompts

Ask a partner: What would you check to assess risk of collision? Which rule applies to this crossing encounter? What do these lights indicate? What does this sound signal mean? State the rule, explain the conditions and describe the action. These are our revision prompts, not recalled or official DG Shipping examination questions.

Check DG Shipping's current instructions and the applicable Merchant Shipping (Examination of Masters and Mates) Rules with your training provider. This guide does not specify official paper structure, oral assessment procedure, time limits or pass marks.

Our practice format

The mock has 30 questions, a 25-minute clock and a practice pass mark of 24 correct answers. All three are our settings. Use your result to choose what to revise; it is not an official Second Mate result or a prediction of success in an oral examination.

Practice questions (with answers)

1. Emergency wreck marking buoys are used for:

   1. Permanent marking of wrecks already shown on charts
   2. Marking new dangers, including newly discovered wrecks
   3. Showing where salvage or diving work is going on nearby
   4. Marking temporary channels near ports
   Show answer

   Correct answer: B. Marking new dangers, including newly discovered wrecks

   The emergency wreck marking buoy marks new dangers, including newly discovered wrecks. The competent authority determines further marking once the danger is removed or its information has been sufficiently promulgated.

2. A vessel joining a traffic lane from the side should:

   1. Cross the separation zone at right angles and then turn into the lane
   2. Join at as small an angle as practicable to the traffic flow
   3. Stop at the lane edge and wait for a gap in traffic
   4. Join at right angles so her intention is clear to vessels in the lane
   Show answer

   Correct answer: B. Join at as small an angle as practicable to the traffic flow

   Rule 10(b)(iii): when joining from the side, shall do so at as small an angle as practicable to the general direction of traffic flow.

3. Before she is finally past and clear, an overtaking vessel's bearing changes to resemble a crossing position. What is her duty?

   1. She becomes the stand-on vessel in a crossing situation
   2. She remains the overtaking vessel and must keep clear
   3. Normal crossing rules apply
   4. Both vessels must alter to starboard
   Show answer

   Correct answer: B. She remains the overtaking vessel and must keep clear

   Rule 13(d): a later bearing change does not make the overtaking vessel a crossing vessel or relieve her duty until she is finally past and clear.

4. If in doubt whether a head-on situation exists:

   1. Hold course and speed until her aspect becomes clear
   2. Treat it as a crossing situation and alter course to port
   3. Assume it IS a head-on situation and alter to starboard
   4. Call her on VHF and agree a port-to-port passing first
   Show answer

   Correct answer: C. Assume it IS a head-on situation and alter to starboard

   Rule 14(c): when in doubt, assume it IS a head-on situation and act accordingly.

5. Your power-driven vessel and another identified power-driven vessel are in sight in open water, crossing with risk of collision. She is on your starboard bow; neither is overtaking. Which duty applies to your vessel?

   1. Keep course and speed as the stand-on vessel and take action only if she fails to keep clear
   2. Take early and substantial action to keep clear and, if circumstances admit, avoid crossing ahead
   3. Sound at least five short and rapid blasts, then wait for the other vessel to alter course before acting
   4. Make a large alteration to port in good time and pass ahead of her at a safe distance
   Show answer

   Correct answer: B. Take early and substantial action to keep clear and, if circumstances admit, avoid crossing ahead

   Rules 15 and 16 require your power-driven vessel to give way because the other power-driven vessel is crossing on your starboard side with risk of collision. A red sidelight alone would not establish vessel type or this duty.

6. The topmark of a West Cardinal mark is:

   1. Two cones, both pointing upward
   2. Two cones pointing down
   3. Two cones point to point
   4. Two cones base to base
   Show answer

   Correct answer: C. Two cones point to point

   Two separate black cones with their points facing each other. The cones must remain clearly separated.

7. You are entering a river where the chart shows the conventional direction of buoyage is upstream from the sea entrance. What should determine whether a lateral mark is port-hand or starboard-hand?

   1. The side of the river where the town lies
   2. The vessel's heading at the moment
   3. The charted conventional direction of buoyage
   4. The direction the tidal stream is setting at that moment
   Show answer

   Correct answer: C. The charted conventional direction of buoyage

   Lateral marks are interpreted in the conventional direction of buoyage. The chart, not guesswork, determines which side is port-hand and which is starboard-hand.

8. You sight a cardinal mark with both cones pointing down and a light showing six quick flashes followed by one long flash. What is the safe action?

   1. Pass north of the mark
   2. Pass east of the mark
   3. Pass south of the mark
   4. Treat it as an isolated danger mark
   Show answer

   Correct answer: C. Pass south of the mark

   Two cones down and the 6+1 light rhythm identify a South Cardinal mark, meaning the safe water lies to the south of the mark.

Practise more questions in the free test →

Free resources for your next study session

• COLREG rules and printable PDFRead the rule lessons and use the hub's printable summary for revision.
• IALA buoyage practiceIdentify marks and explain the safe-water information they give you.

Second Mate COLREG study: questions

Are these official DG Shipping Second Mate questions?

No. These are independent lessons and study prompts. They are not an official, recalled or complete Second Mate written or oral question bank.

How should I practise a COLREG oral answer?

State the relevant rule, explain why its conditions apply, then describe your action. Practise with a partner who changes the visibility, vessel status or encounter so you have to reason through the answer.

Which rules should I revise first?

Begin with lookout, safe speed, risk of collision and action to avoid collision. Then study overtaking, head-on and crossing situations, responsibilities between vessels and restricted visibility using the individual rule lessons.

How do I revise lights and sound signals?

Use the linked Lights & Shapes hub's 3D viewer to identify a vessel's status. Review manoeuvring and restricted-visibility signals in the Sound Signals hub, then explain what each signal means before taking a practice test.

Where can I find the COLREG PDF?

The linked COLREG hub leads to the printable rules summary and PDF access. Use it as a revision aid alongside the rule lessons and your course materials.

Is the mock the official Second Mate examination format?

No. We use 30 questions, 25 minutes and 24 correct answers as our practice format. Confirm official examination requirements and the applicable rules directly with DG Shipping and your training provider.