Question 1864 Deck General

The correct answer is C) will float free and clear of a sinking vessel and automatically activate. This is the correct answer because the Coast Guard regulations require that each small passenger vessel operating on the high seas or beyond 3 miles from the Great Lakes coastline must have a Category 1 406 MHz EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) that is designed to float free and automatically activate in the event of a sinking. This ensures that the distress signal can be transmitted even if the vessel goes down, allowing for a timely rescue response. The other options, while important for EPIRB maintenance and protection, do not directly address the critical requirement of the EPIRB being able to float free and activate automatically during a sinking scenario.