Free practice test
Second Mate practice test
A free Second Mate mock exam with 30 questions. Take it against the clock and the pass mark, or read through the answers: every one is explained, so you learn from each mistake.
Reviewed by Ramon Curto, Nautical teacher at IECNPC
- 30 questions
- 25 minutes
- Pass: 24 of 30
This is our practice format, not the official one: check the current exam format with the exam authority.
This mock covers only the parts our question bank teaches: the steering and sailing rules, lights and shapes, sound signals, and IALA buoyage. The official exam also tests other subjects, so study those from the official syllabus.
These are IALACOLREG's own study questions, not official exam questions.
Take it as a timed test
25 minutes on the clock. The answers stay hidden until you finish, then you see your score against the pass mark.
Questions and answers
1.Which of these is a typical use of a special mark?
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Correct answer: A. Marking a cable or pipeline area
Special marks indicate areas or features such as cables, pipelines, spoil grounds, military exercise zones, ODAS and recreation zones. New dangers may instead be marked with lateral, cardinal, isolated-danger or emergency-wreck marks, as the competent authority determines (R1001 §3.2.2).
2.Local harbour authorities may make special rules that:
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Correct answer: B. Must conform as closely as possible to COLREGs
Rule 1(b) permits appropriate authorities to make special rules for connected navigable roadsteads, harbours, rivers, lakes and inland waterways; these must conform as closely as possible to COLREG.
3.Do special marks normally replace suitable lateral or cardinal marks?
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Correct answer: C. No, as a rule they do not take the place of those marks
R1001: special marks generally do not replace suitable lateral or cardinal marks; they indicate an area or feature described in charts and publications.
4.What colours does an isolated danger mark have?
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Correct answer: A. Black with one or more red horizontal bands
An isolated danger mark is black with one or more red horizontal bands; its topmark, if fitted, is two black spheres.
5.A vessel of at least 12 metres not under command (NUC) shows which status lights?
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Correct answer: B. Two all-round red lights vertically
Rule 27(a)(i) prescribes two all-round red lights vertically. Under Rule 27(g), vessels under 12 metres, except those engaged in diving operations, are not required to show the Rule 27 lights and shapes.
Study Rule 27: Vessels Not Under Command or Restricted in Ability to Manoeuvre
6.The Steering and Sailing Rules in Section I (Rules 4–10) apply:
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Correct answer: C. In any condition of visibility
Rule 4: rules in Section I apply in any condition of visibility — clear, restricted, day or night.
7.A 'short blast' is defined as a blast of about:
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Correct answer: B. One second
Rule 32(b): a short blast means a blast of about one second's duration.
8.Where it is impracticable for a seaplane or WIG craft to show the lights and shapes prescribed in Part C, she must:
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Correct answer: B. Exhibit lights and shapes as closely similar as possible in characteristics and position to those prescribed
Rule 31: where compliance is impracticable, seaplanes and WIG craft shall exhibit lights and shapes as closely similar in characteristics and position as possible.
9.In patchy fog with fishing activity ahead, the master wants to maintain schedule because radar is working well. Which factor should drive the speed decision?
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Correct answer: B. The vessel's ability to take effective action and stop within an appropriate distance
Rule 6 is about safe speed in the actual circumstances. Schedule pressure is irrelevant compared with stopping distance, manoeuvrability, visibility and traffic density.
10.Under Rule 36, a vessel trying to attract attention may direct her searchlight beam:
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Correct answer: A. In the direction of the danger, without embarrassing any vessel
Rule 36: any vessel may direct the beam of her searchlight in the direction of the danger, in such a way as not to embarrass any vessel.
11.A vessel under oars at night, if she does not exhibit the lights for sailing vessels, shall:
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Correct answer: C. Have ready an electric torch or lantern showing a white light, to exhibit in time to prevent collision
Rule 25(d): a vessel under oars may exhibit the lights prescribed for sailing vessels; if she does not, she shall have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light to be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision.
Study Rule 25: Sailing Vessels Underway and Vessels Under Oars
12.The day shape for a vessel constrained by draught is:
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Correct answer: C. A cylinder
Rule 28: the day shape is a cylinder.
13.A give-way vessel makes one small course change, sees little effect on CPA, and then waits. What is the best critique?
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Correct answer: B. Incorrect, because avoiding action should be substantial and then monitored until effective
Rule 8 requires positive action in ample time and follow-up monitoring. A token alteration that does not open the situation is not enough.
14.Assumptions based on scanty radar information:
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Correct answer: B. Shall NOT be made
Rule 7(c): assumptions shall not be made on the basis of scanty information, especially scanty radar information.
15.A vessel under sail also being propelled by her engine is classified as:
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Correct answer: B. A power-driven vessel
Rule 3(c): a sailing vessel means any vessel under sail provided that propelling machinery, if fitted, is not being used.
16.Following the conventional direction of buoyage in IALA Region B, which mark do you leave to starboard?
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Correct answer: A. A red, usually conical mark
Region B reverses the lateral colours: the starboard-hand mark is red and usually conical (nun), the port-hand mark green and usually can-shaped.
17.How are the blue and yellow vertical stripes of an emergency wreck marking buoy arranged?
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Correct answer: B. 4 to 8 stripes, equal in number and width
R1001: equal numbers and widths of blue and yellow vertical stripes, with a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 8 stripes in total.
18.Both an isolated danger mark and a safe water mark have navigable water around them. What sets them apart?
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Correct answer: B. Only the safe water mark's own position is safe
A safe water mark indicates navigable water all around its own position (fairway, mid-channel or landfall). An isolated danger mark stands on or over a danger of limited extent: the water around it is navigable, but its own position is not. Both may carry a white light and a topmark, and both may be pillar-shaped.
19.A vessel at anchor in restricted visibility rings the bell rapidly for about 5 seconds. At what intervals?
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Correct answer: A. Not more than one minute
Rule 35(g): a vessel at anchor shall at intervals of not more than one minute ring the bell rapidly for about 5 seconds. Most underway fog signals use intervals of not more than 2 minutes instead.
20.Under Rule 32, how long does a 'prolonged blast' last?
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Correct answer: C. From four to six seconds
Rule 32(c): a prolonged blast is a blast of from four to six seconds' duration. A blast of about one second is a short blast (Rule 32(b)).
21.A vessel of 12 metres or more aground at night additionally shows:
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Correct answer: C. Two red all-round lights vertically
Rule 30(d): a vessel aground shows anchor lights plus two all-round red lights in a vertical line.
22.For a power-driven vessel underway manoeuvring in sight of another vessel, one short whistle blast means:
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Correct answer: B. I am altering course to starboard
Rule 34(a): one short blast means 'I am altering my course to starboard.'
23.At night a vessel engaged in fishing other than trawling has outlying gear extending more than 150 metres horizontally to starboard. Which extra light is required?
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Correct answer: A. An all-round white light in the direction of the outlying gear
Rule 26(c)(ii) requires an additional all-round white light toward outlying gear extending more than 150 metres for fishing other than trawling. The corresponding day shape is a cone with apex upward.
24.According to Rule 2, departure from the COLREGs is permitted when:
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Correct answer: B. It is necessary to avoid immediate danger
Rule 2(b) allows departure from the rules when necessary to avoid immediate danger.
25.A proper look-out must be maintained:
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Correct answer: C. At all times
Rule 5 requires every vessel to maintain a proper look-out at ALL times.
26.Which shapes may a safe water mark have?
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Correct answer: B. Spherical, pillar or spar
A safe water mark may be spherical, pillar or spar, with red and white vertical stripes; conical and can shapes belong to lateral marks.
27.Rule 33(a) lets the bell or gong be replaced by other equipment with the same sound characteristics, provided that:
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Correct answer: A. Manual sounding of the prescribed signals is always possible
Rule 33(a): the bell or gong or both may be replaced by other equipment having the same respective sound characteristics, provided that manual sounding of the prescribed signals shall always be possible.
28.At night you see a white light flashing VQ(9) every 10 s. Which mark is it, and where does the navigable water lie?
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Correct answer: A. A West cardinal; navigable water lies to the west
VQ(9) 10 s (or Q(9) 15 s) is the West cardinal light: nine flashes, like 9 o'clock. Navigable water lies on the named side, to the west of the mark.
29.A pilot vessel on duty displays at the masthead:
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Correct answer: B. White over red all-round lights
Rule 29(a): white over red all-round lights at or near the masthead.
30.Which spoken radiotelephony distress signal is internationally recognized?
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Correct answer: C. MAYDAY
Rule 37 / Annex IV recognizes the spoken word "MAYDAY" as the radiotelephony distress signal.
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