Boating Certification Test Emergency Procedures and Safety 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A passenger falls overboard at night. What should you do FIRST?
- Throw a throwable PFD toward the person immediately (Correct answer)
- Radio the Coast Guard before doing anything else
- Turn off the engine and wait for daylight
- Deploy an anchor to hold your position
Correct answer: Throw a throwable PFD toward the person immediately
Throwing a throwable PFD immediately gives the person in the water something to hold while you maneuver back to them.
Question 2: What does a single prolonged blast of a horn (4–6 seconds) signal when leaving a dock?
- Danger or distress
- Intention to depart from a berth (Correct answer)
- Overtaking another vessel on the starboard side
- Request for a bridge to open
Correct answer: Intention to depart from a berth
One prolonged blast signals a vessel's intention to depart from a dock or berth.
Question 3: Which fire extinguisher class is required to fight a gasoline fire aboard a boat?
- Class A
- Class B (Correct answer)
- Class C
- Class D
Correct answer: Class B
Class B extinguishers are designed for flammable liquid fires, including gasoline and other fuels common on boats.
Question 4: What is the correct response when you discover a fuel leak below deck before starting the engine?
- Start the engine briefly to test if it ignites
- Ventilate the boat thoroughly and locate the leak before starting the engine (Correct answer)
- Use a flashlight immediately to find the leak
- Activate the bilge blower for 30 seconds then start normally
Correct answer: Ventilate the boat thoroughly and locate the leak before starting the engine
You must ventilate fully and find and fix the leak before starting the engine to prevent an explosion.
Question 5: When signaling distress using a whistle, what pattern should you use?
- One short blast every 60 seconds
- Three short blasts repeated
- One prolonged blast every two minutes (Correct answer)
- Four short blasts followed by one long blast
Correct answer: One prolonged blast every two minutes
One prolonged blast sounded at intervals of not more than two minutes is a recognized sound distress signal.
Question 6: A fire breaks out in the engine compartment. What should you do before using the fire extinguisher?
- Open all hatches to improve visibility
- Shut off the fuel supply (Correct answer)
- Radio for help and wait for assistance
- Increase speed to create airflow
Correct answer: Shut off the fuel supply
Shutting off the fuel supply removes the fire's source and makes extinguishing more effective.
Question 7: Which action is recommended when caught in a severe thunderstorm on open water?
- Head for the nearest shore immediately regardless of conditions
- Reduce speed, head into waves at an angle, and have all passengers don PFDs (Correct answer)
- Anchor in open water and wait out the storm
- Increase speed to get out of the storm faster
Correct answer: Reduce speed, head into waves at an angle, and have all passengers don PFDs
Reducing speed and heading into waves at an angle improves stability, and PFDs protect passengers if the boat capsizes.
Boating Certification Test Emergency Procedures and Safety 2
A passenger falls overboard at night.
What should you do FIRST?