Question 40 TV02 - Towing Vessels - Great Lakes and Inland

The Correct Answer is A. **Explanation for Option A (about 1 second):** Option A ("about 1 second") is correct because it defines the duration of a **short blast** of the whistle. According to Rule 32 of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs) and the corresponding Inland Rules, whistle signals used to indicate maneuver or intent (such as those used in head-on, crossing, and overtaking situations—Rules 34 and 35) are defined as follows: * **Short blast:** A blast of about one second's duration. * **Prolonged blast:** A blast of from four to six seconds' duration. The signals required in head-on and crossing situations (e.g., one short blast for "I intend to leave you on my port side") are composed of short blasts, each lasting approximately one second. **Explanation for Incorrect Options:** * **B) 2 to 4 seconds:** This duration does not correspond to a standard defined blast length in the Navigation Rules (COLREGs/Inland). It is too long for a short blast and too short for a standard prolonged blast. * **C) 4 to 6 seconds:** This range defines the duration of a **prolonged blast** (e.g., used for warning signals, leaving a dock, or restricted visibility signals), not the duration of the individual blasts used to indicate maneuver in head-on or crossing situations. * **D) 8 to 10 seconds:** This duration is significantly longer than any defined standard whistle signal duration in the Navigation Rules.