Question 39 ONC02 - Second Mate/Third Mate Unlimited Tonnage

The Correct Answer is C The duration of each prolonged blast on whistle signals used by a power-driven vessel in fog, whether making way or underway but not making way, is defined by the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), Rule 32 and Annex III. Specifically, a **prolonged blast** is defined as a blast of from **four to six seconds** duration. This applies to both International and Inland waters (as US Inland Rules generally adopt the international definition for sound signals unless explicitly modified, which is not the case for the definition of a prolonged blast). **Why the other options are incorrect:** * **A) about one second:** This duration defines a **short blast**, not a prolonged blast. * **B) two to four seconds:** This range is too short. While it overlaps with the lower bound of the defined range for a prolonged blast, the definition explicitly states "from four to six seconds." * **D) eight to ten seconds:** This duration is too long. The maximum allowed duration for a prolonged blast is six seconds.