Past Paper Questions Flashcards
NOVEMBER 2022 - State the on board observations that may indicate the presence of ice or icebergs in the vicinity of the ship (10 marks)
Reliable indicators:
- Absence of the sea on a fresh breeze (iceberg blocking the wind creating waves - vessel on the leeward side)
- Hearing icebergs break off (sounds like thunder/ gunshots)
- Smaller pieces of icebergs like growlers
- Ensuring radar is a peak performance
- Ice blink - reflection of light off sea ice
Unreliable indicators:
- Wildlife in the area
- Change of sea temperatures and sometimes air temperature also
- Sonar has been used but is unreliable due to temperature and salinity changes, it causes refraction
NOVEMBER 2022 - Outline how ice may affect the position fixing capabilities of the ship (10 marks)
- Fast ice along the coast may obscure conspicuous headlands and other radar conspicuous object that could otherwise be used for position fixing
- Ice may obscure important aids to navigation such as leading lights and sector lights, or lead to arcs of visibility being distorted due to ice refracting the light
- In areas where sea ice is expected, buoys may have been removed for the winter.
- The frequent course alterations that may be required to navigate around floes or utilise leads, make obtaining an accurate DR more difficult
- Cold winds blowing off the ice may induce abnormal refraction (sub refraction due to the cold winds flowing off the ice onto a relatively warmer sea), and this may reduce the range at which clearly visible objects are detected by radar
NOVEMBER 2022 - State the methods of reducing ice accretion and ice accumulation on board the ship (10 marks)
- Reduce speed in order to reduce spray and the relative wind across the decks
- Seek shelter if possible
- Steer towards warmer conditions
- If unable to seek shelter or warmer conditions, head into wind and sea at slowest speed possible to maintain steerage way, or if this is not possible, to run before the wind at the least possible speed to maintain steerage way
- If possible / safe, the crew could attempt to remove some of the ice accumulated manually
NOVEMBER 2022 - State the FIVE circumstances when a Master must transmit a Danger Message (10 marks)
There are 6 circumstances…
- Dangerous ice
- Dangerous derelict
- Any other direct danger to navigation
- Tropical Storm
- Encountering sub-freezing air temperatures associated with gale force winds causing severe ice accretion on superstructure
- Winds of force 10 or above on the Beaufort scale for which no storm warning has been received
NOVEMBER 2022 - State to whom should the Danger Message be addressed (1 mark)
All vessels in the vicinity and to competent authorities
NOVEMBER 2022 - State the purpose of the following Hydrographic Notes: Form H102 (3 marks)
To notify the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) when new or suspected dangers to navigation are discovered, changes observed in aids to navigation, or corrections to publications are seen to be necessary
NOVEMBER 2022 - State the purpose of the following Hydrographic Notes: Form H102A (3 marks)
Reporting Port and Harbour information affecting Admiralty Products. To be submitted with H102
NOVEMBER 2022 - State the purpose of the following Hydrographic Notes: Form H102B (3 marks)
Designed to assist in the reporting of observed differences between WGS84 datum and the geodetic datum of British Admiralty Charts by mariners. To be submitted with H102
NOVEMBER 2022 - State the FOUR categories of Maritime Safety Information (8 marks)
- Navigational Warnings
- Meteorological Information
- Other Urgent Safety – related information
- Search & Rescue Information
NOVEMBER 2022 - Outline the Master’s obligation regarding the World Wide Navigational Warning Service transmissions, including implementation on board (12 marks)
- Making arrangements to ensure all nav warnings and info affecting safety of life, vessel and environment is brought to the Master, or OOW on watch attention IMMEDIATELY
- Monitor nav warnings PRIOR AND DURING the passage
- This must be passed down to ALL OOW’s
MARCH 2018 - Discuss the criteria for selection of stars, ideal period of observation for star sights and correct order of taking these observations to obtain the vessel’s observed position for a 4 star fix (10 marks)
PERIOD: half way in between sunrise/sunset time and Civil Twilight time to half way in between Civil Twilight and Nautical Twilight time: in order to see horizon as well as maintaining to see stars
STAR SELECTION: it depends on the following:
- Altitude (15 - 75 degrees)
- Magnitude (lower number = brighter star)
- Angle of cut = roughly 90 degrees apart
CORRECT ORDER: observe stars that are to the east, as the sun rises in that direction, so the stars will disappear first
MARCH 2018 - Outline the main principles and the purpose of WWNWS (8 marks)
PURPOSE: The WWNWS is a co-ordinated global service for the promulgation of navigational warnings.
PRINCIPLES: In GMDSS Sea Area A1 and A2 they are broadcast via the NAVTEX system and outside given areas, via the SafetyNET system.
MARCH 2018 - State the obligation of the Master with regards to WWNWS (6 marks)
Masters should make arrangements to ensure that all navigational warnings or other matters relating to safety of life at sea are brought to their notice, or that of the navigating officer on watch at the time, immediately on receipt. Masters of vessels encountering dangers to navigation or severe weather conditions should notify other vessels in the vicinity and the nearest MRCC.
MARCH 2018 - Explain the following with relevant examples: NAVAREA WARNINGS (8 marks)
NAVAREA warnings include new navigational hazards and failures of important aids to
navigation as well as information that may require changes to planned navigational routes that are prepared in number series for each calendar year.
MARCH 2018 - Explain the following with relevant examples: COASTAL WARNINGS (6 marks)
For areas seaward of fairway buoy or pilot station and not restricted to shipping lanes.
They contain similar information to NAVAREA warnings: navigational hazards and failures of important aids
