Question 33 TV03 - Towing Vessels - Western Rivers

The Correct Answer is D **Explanation for D ("All of the above"):** Option D is correct because all three preceding statements (A, B, and C) describe situations or conditions where a risk of collision either definitively exists or should be presumed to exist, according to the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), Rule 7 ("Risk of collision"). COLREGs apply to both international and inland waters (often through incorporating federal or local rules which mirror COLREGs). **Analysis of the Options (Why each contributes to risk):** * **A) even when an appreciable bearing change is evident, particularly when approaching a vessel at close range:** While a steady bearing usually indicates risk, Rule 7(a) warns that risk may still exist even when there is an appreciable bearing change, especially when approaching large vessels or a tow, or approaching any vessel at close range. At close quarters, even a small change in bearing may not be sufficient to guarantee safety. * **B) if you observe both sidelights of a vessel ahead for an extended period of time:** Observing both sidelights (red and green) means you are viewing the vessel directly from ahead (or nearly so). This puts the vessels in a "head-on" situation, which inherently involves a risk of collision unless corrective action is taken. Rule 7(a) implies that any doubt as to whether a risk exists must be met with the assumption that risk *does* exist. * **C) if the compass bearing of an approaching vessel does NOT appreciably change:** This is the primary and most critical trigger defined in Rule 7(b). The rule explicitly states: "Such risk shall be deemed to exist if the compass bearing of an approaching vessel does not appreciably change." This is the foundational principle for determining collision risk. Since A, B, and C all describe valid situations indicating a risk of collision under COLREGs, D ("All of the above") is the correct comprehensive answer. **Explanation of Incorrect Options:** This request asks for an explanation of why the *other* options are incorrect. Since D is the correct answer and encompasses A, B, and C, these individual options are technically incomplete when compared to the comprehensive answer D. * **A) is incorrect (as the sole answer):** While A describes a valid scenario where risk exists, it is incomplete because B and C also describe scenarios where risk exists. * **B) is incorrect (as the sole answer):** While B describes a definite head-on situation where risk exists, it is incomplete because A and C also describe situations where risk exists. * **C) is incorrect (as the sole answer):** While C is the primary indicator of risk defined by the rule, it is incomplete because A and B also describe situations where risk exists.