Question 4149 Deck General

The correct answer is D) beam to the wind. When a ship is drifting in calm water with negligible current, it will typically assume a beam-to-the-wind orientation, where the ship's beam (side) is perpendicular to the direction of the wind. This is because a ship in this condition will naturally align itself in a way that minimizes the wind's effect on its orientation, and the beam-to-the-wind position is the most stable configuration. The other options are incorrect because they do not represent the most common or stable drifting orientation for a ship in calm water with negligible current. Specifically, the bow or stern pointing to the wind (options A and B) would be less stable, while the wind on the quarter (option C) would create more wind resistance and cause the ship to drift in a less efficient manner.