Question 18 AT01 - Assistance Towing Endorsement

The Correct Answer is C. ### Why Option C is Correct: **C) Excessive strain on each leg** When an ocean towing bridle (a V-shaped arrangement connecting the towline to two points on the towed vessel) has legs that are too short, the angle formed by the legs becomes too wide (closer to 180 degrees). As the angle between the legs increases, the tension or strain exerted along each leg of the bridle dramatically increases for a given total load (tension) on the main towline. In an ideal towing situation, the angle should be relatively narrow (often around 60 degrees is cited as a maximum effective limit, although angles vary). A shorter leg length forces the angle open, leading to a mechanical amplification of the tension. Even if the total pulling force remains constant, the required force along each bridle leg to balance that pull increases, resulting in **excessive strain on each leg** and the connection points. ### Why Other Options Are Incorrect: **A) The bridle legs jump clear of the chocks or fairleads** Bridle legs jumping clear of the chocks or fairleads is typically caused by insufficient security, excessive slack, or poor leading geometry, especially when the towline rises too sharply or the tow vessel pitches severely. While a short bridle might affect the geometry, the primary consequence of *too short* a length is high tension, not necessarily physical displacement out of the guides. **B) Unequal distribution of the load to one leg** Unequal distribution of the load is usually caused by factors that break the symmetry, such as legs of *unequal length*, uneven vessel geometry, or the towed vessel yawing/shearing heavily to one side. If the legs are of *equal length*, the load distribution should theoretically remain equal, even if the legs are too short. The problem with shortness is the *magnitude* of the equal load, not the inequality of the distribution. **D) None of the above** This is incorrect because option C accurately describes a major risk associated with using a towing bridle whose legs are too short.