Question 3887 Deck General

70% to pass

You are on a large vessel fitted with a right-handed controllable-pitch propeller. When making large speed changes while decreasing pitch, which statement is TRUE?

A You may lose rudder control until the ship's speed has dropped to correspond to propeller speed.

B You will probably have full directional control throughout the speed change.

C The stern will immediately slew to starboard due to unbalanced forces acting on the propeller.

D The stern will immediately slew to port due to unbalanced forces acting on the propeller.

AI Explanation

The correct answer is A) You may lose rudder control until the ship's speed has dropped to correspond to propeller speed. When decreasing pitch on a right-handed controllable-pitch propeller, the reduced propeller thrust can cause a temporary loss of rudder effectiveness until the ship's speed has decreased enough to match the lower propeller speed. This is because the rudder relies on water flow over it to generate the necessary forces for steering. With a sudden drop in propeller thrust, the water flow may become disrupted, leading to a temporary loss of directional control. The other options are incorrect because they do not accurately describe the physics and mechanics involved in this situation.

Pass Your Coast Guard Licensing Exams!

Study offline, track your progress, and simulate real exams with the Coast Guard Exams app

Download on App Store Get it on Google Play Download for Mac