Question 5 TV02 - Towing Vessels - Great Lakes and Inland

The Correct Answer is C **Why Option C ("the nature of her work") is correct:** The definition of a "vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver" (RAM) is explicitly laid out in Rule 3(g) of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), which applies to both international and inland waters (where adopted). This rule defines a vessel that, **"from the nature of her work, is restricted in her ability to maneuver as required by these Rules and is therefore unable to keep out of the way of another vessel."** Examples include vessels engaged in dredging, surveying, cable laying, launching or recovering aircraft, or mine clearance operations. Their inability to maneuver safely is directly related to the operational task they are performing. **Why the other options are incorrect:** * **A) her draft (A vessel constrained by her draft):** While a vessel constrained by her draft (CBD) is also given special status under COLREGs (Rule 18(d)), it is a separate category from a vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver (RAM). A CBD vessel's inability to deviate is due to the relationship between its draft and the available water depth (depth/width of the navigable channel), not the "nature of her work." * **B) some exceptional circumstances:** While exceptional circumstances could lead to a vessel being temporarily unable to maneuver, this general phrasing is not the specific, regulatory definition used to classify a "vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver." The definitive cause for the RAM status is the nature of the *work* being performed. * **D) a danger of navigation:** This phrase is too broad. While a danger of navigation might require a vessel to take specific action (like altering course or speed), it does not define the *status* of a vessel as being "restricted in her ability to maneuver." If the vessel's inability to maneuver is due to a sudden danger, it would fall under the general application of the Steering and Sailing Rules (Rules 5-19), but the underlying reason for the permanent RAM designation is the nature of her work.