Question 13 UFV01 - Master - Uninspected Fishing Vessels

The Correct Answer is A. **Explanation for A:** The situation described involves a vessel underway in restricted visibility (heavy fog) that hears the fog signal of another vessel ahead. This scenario falls under Rule 19 (Conduct of Vessels in Restricted Visibility) of both the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs) and the Inland Rules. Rule 19(e) specifically addresses this situation: > "Except where it has been determined that a risk of collision does not exist, every vessel which hears, apparently forward of her beam, the fog signal of another vessel, or which cannot avoid a close-quarters situation with another vessel forward of her beam, **shall reduce her speed to be the minimum at which she can be kept on her course.** She shall if necessary take all her way off and in any event navigate with extreme caution until danger of collision is over." Therefore, the required action is to **slow to the minimum speed necessary to maintain course and navigate with caution**, making option A the correct legal requirement. **Why other options are incorrect:** * **B) Slow to moderate speed and navigate with caution:** Rule 19 requires reducing speed to the *minimum* necessary, not just a "moderate" speed. Moderate speed is often too fast when the position of the other vessel is uncertain. * **C) Stop engines and navigate with caution:** While Rule 19(e) permits taking all way off ("if necessary take all her way off"), the primary requirement is to reduce speed to the minimum for steerageway. Stopping engines completely might cause loss of steerageway and control, which is only done as a secondary measure if the minimum speed is not sufficient to prevent danger. Option A reflects the primary, mandatory requirement. * **D) Maintain speed and sound five short and rapid blasts:** Maintaining speed is explicitly forbidden by Rule 19(e). Furthermore, sounding five short and rapid blasts (the danger signal, Rule 34(d)) is used when the vessel doubts the other vessel's intentions or actions, not as the primary maneuvering response to hearing a fog signal ahead. The immediate mandatory action is speed reduction.