COLREGs oral questions
Scenario questions on the Collision Regulations, of the kind to be ready for in a deck oral. They are our wording, not the MCA's. Under each set we name the rule pages on this site that answer it, so you can check yourself after answering out loud.
No — they are our examples. The MCA publishes the syllabus each oral is examined against, not a bank of questions. Every question below is our own wording of a COLREGs scenario, and every one can be answered from our rule-by-rule pages: the Rule pages under /colregs, listed in the COLREGs rules index.
Every yacht deck oral. OOW (Yachts <3000 GT), Master (Yachts <500 GT) and Master (Yachts <3000 GT) each ask, at section 1.2, for a thorough knowledge of the content, application and intent of the Collision Regulations. Master (Code vessels <200 GT) / OOW (Yachts <500 GT) gives them a section of their own, 1.4, which spells out lights, shapes and sound signals, action to avoid collision, restricted visibility, traffic separation schemes and narrow channels.
Chief Mate and Master (Yachts Unlimited) list them under the competence 'Establish watchkeeping arrangements and procedures'. How the COLREGs are tested, Part A included, is on our COLREGs guide.
Answer out loud, in an order that covers everything: what the vessel is or what the situation is, which rule applies, what you do, and why. Then open the rule page we name and check every part of your answer — including the 'so far as possible' and 'if the circumstances of the case admit' parts that are easy to skip.
“On your starboard bow you see two masthead lights and a red sidelight. What is she, roughly how is she heading, and what do you do?”
“A vessel shows one masthead light. What can you say about her length — and what can't you say if she shows two?”
“Red over green all-round lights at the top of a mast, with a sidelight below. What is she?”
“What are the minimum ranges of the masthead light and sidelights on your own vessel?”
Answered on our pages for Rule 21 (definitions and arcs), Rule 22 (visibility of lights), Rule 23 (power-driven vessels underway) and Rule 25 (sailing vessels).
“A power-driven vessel shows three masthead lights in a vertical line, with a yellow light above her sternlight. What is she doing, and what does the third light tell you?”
“By day you see a diamond shape on a vessel and another on the barge astern of her. What does that tell you?”
“Red over white all-round lights. Now white over red. What is each, and who keeps out of whose way?”
“By day: two cones, points together, in a vertical line. What is she doing?”
Answered on our pages for Rule 24 (towing and pushing), Rule 26 (fishing vessels), Rule 29 (pilot vessels) and Rule 18 (responsibilities between vessels).
“Two all-round red lights in a vertical line, and now you can see her sidelights as well. What does that tell you?”
“Red, white, red all-round lights in a vertical line. What is she, and what would you see by day?”
“Three all-round red lights in a vertical line. What is she, and what does the rule ask of you?”
“How do you tell a vessel aground from one not under command, at night and by day?”
Answered on our pages for Rule 27 (not under command or restricted in her ability to manoeuvre), Rule 28 (constrained by her draught) and Rule 30 (anchored vessels and vessels aground).
“A vessel in sight sounds two short blasts. What is she telling you?”
“How long is a short blast, and how long is a prolonged one?”
“You're in sight of a vessel, closing, and you can't tell what she's doing. What do you sound?”
“In a narrow channel you want to overtake the vessel ahead on her port side. What do you sound, and how does she agree?”
“You're approaching a bend in a channel where you can't see round it. What signal do you give?”
Answered on our pages for Rule 32 (definitions) and Rule 34 (manoeuvring and warning signals).
“Underway in fog and making way: what do you sound, and how often? What changes when you stop and have no way on?”
“In fog you hear one prolonged blast followed by two short. Name the kinds of vessel that could be.”
“You hear a bell rung rapidly for about five seconds, then a gong. What is she?”
“How does a vessel aground sound different from one at anchor?”
“Which of these signals does a yacht of 15 metres have to give, and what equipment must she carry?”
Answered on our pages for Rule 33 (equipment for sound signals) and Rule 35 (sound signals in restricted visibility).
“What does a proper look-out mean on your bridge at night? Can AIS or radar be the look-out?”
“What factors decide a safe speed? Which extra ones apply because you have radar?”
“How do you decide whether risk of collision exists? Why a compass bearing?”
“How big should an alteration of course be, and when is slowing down the better action?”
Answered on our pages for Rule 5 (look-out), Rule 6 (safe speed), Rule 7 (risk of collision) and Rule 8 (action to avoid collision).
“Two power-driven vessels meeting end on. What do you see at night, and what does each do?”
“You're under power, and a power-driven vessel is crossing from your port side. You're the stand-on vessel: at what point may you act, and at what point must you? Which way should you not turn?”
“You're overtaking a fishing vessel. Who keeps out of the way?”
“Two sailing vessels on opposite tacks are closing. Which keeps out of the way? And on the same tack?”
“Give me the order of responsibilities between vessels in Rule 18. Where does a sailing yacht motoring with her sails up fit?”
Answered on our pages for Rule 12 (sailing vessels), Rule 13 (overtaking), Rule 14 (head-on), Rule 15 (crossing), Rule 16 (give-way vessel), Rule 17 (stand-on vessel) and Rule 18 (responsibilities between vessels).
“Where should you be in a narrow channel? Does that mean hugging the edge?”
“Your yacht is under 20 metres. What does Rule 9 ask of you towards a ship that can only navigate within the channel?”
“You need to cross a traffic separation scheme. How do you do it, and why heading rather than track?”
“Does a ship in a traffic lane have right of way over you?”
Answered on our pages for Rule 9 (narrow channels) and Rule 10 (traffic separation schemes).
“You're in fog with a radar contact on your port bow, closing, bearing steady. Which alteration does the rule tell you to avoid, and what would you do?”
“Now the contact is abaft your starboard beam and closing. Which alteration should you avoid?”
“Who is the stand-on vessel in fog?”
“You hear a fog signal apparently forward of the beam, but see nothing on radar. What must you do?”
“The fog lifts and you can now see the other vessel. Which rules apply from that moment?”
“It's daytime and visibility closes in. When do your navigation lights go on?”
Answered on our pages for Rule 19 (conduct in restricted visibility), Rule 11 (application of the in-sight rules), Rule 6 (safe speed), Rule 20 (application of the lights rules) and Rule 35 (sound signals in restricted visibility).
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