Question 4201 Deck General

The correct answer is C) When dead in the water, it is often difficult to find the neutral position and slight headway or sternway may result. This is correct because with a controllable pitch propeller, when the vessel is dead in the water, it can be challenging to find the exact neutral position of the propeller blades. Even a slight movement of the pitch control can result in the propeller generating a small amount of forward or reverse thrust, causing the vessel to have slight headway or sternway, making it difficult to maintain a stationary position. The other options are incorrect because: A) When the vessel has headway and the propeller is in neutral, there will still be an effect on the rudder as the water flow over the rudder is generated by the vessel's forward motion. B) When maneuvering in port, the shaft RPM may need to be adjusted to obtain full ahead or astern power, as the propeller pitch alone may not be sufficient. D) When going directly from full ahead to full astern, there may not be complete steering control as the vessel's momentum and the transition of the propeller pitch can temporarily affect the steering.