Question 4204 Deck General

The correct answer is C) kick its stern to port. When a single-screw vessel with a right-handed propeller is dead in the water and the rudder is amidships, reversing the engine will cause the stern to kick to port. This is due to the directional effect of the right-handed propeller. As the propeller rotates in reverse, it creates a transverse thrust that pushes the stern to the left (port side) of the vessel. The other options are incorrect because: A) the stern would not first swing to starboard and then to port; B) the stern would kick to port, not starboard; and D) the vessel would not simply move astern without swinging, as the propeller's transverse thrust would cause the stern to kick to port.