STCW II/1 — Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch

Practice questions (with answers)

1. A vessel of 12 metres or more aground at night additionally shows:

   1. Two green all-round lights vertically
   2. Three red all-round lights vertically
   3. Two red all-round lights vertically
   4. One red all-round light
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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.

2. Five or more short and rapid blasts mean:

   1. I intend to overtake you on your starboard side
   2. Agreement: I understand and will let you overtake me
   3. Doubt or danger — the intentions of the other vessel are not understood
   4. Warning: I am nearing a bend or area where other vessels may be obscured
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   Correct answer: C. Doubt or danger — the intentions of the other vessel are not understood

   Rule 34(d): at least five short and rapid blasts indicate doubt about whether sufficient action is being taken.

3. A power-driven vessel underway but stopped and making no way through the water in fog sounds:

   1. One prolonged blast at intervals of not more than 2 minutes
   2. Two prolonged blasts in succession at intervals of not more than 2 minutes
   3. One prolonged followed by two short blasts at intervals of not more than 2 minutes
   4. Rapid ringing of the bell for about 5 seconds
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   Correct answer: B. Two prolonged blasts in succession at intervals of not more than 2 minutes

   Rule 35(b): two prolonged blasts in succession at intervals of not more than 2 minutes.

4. A masthead light shows over an arc of:

   1. 135 degrees
   2. 180 degrees
   3. 225 degrees
   4. 360 degrees
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   Correct answer: C. 225 degrees

   Rule 21(a): masthead light shows over an arc of 225 degrees from dead ahead to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on each side.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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).

8. Safe water marks are used as:

   1. Marks placed on an isolated danger
   2. Fairway or mid-channel marks
   3. Marks for a special area or feature
   4. Port-hand lateral marks
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   Correct answer: B. Fairway or mid-channel marks

   Safe water marks are used as fairway, mid-channel, or landfall marks.

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