Question 397 Rules of the Road

The correct answer is C) The sailing vessel is the give-way vessel and would sound two prolonged blasts followed by two short blasts. In this scenario, the sailing vessel is overtaking the power-driven vessel in a narrow channel, so the sailing vessel is the give-way vessel according to the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS). As the give-way vessel, the sailing vessel must take early and substantial action to keep well clear of the power-driven vessel. This includes sounding the appropriate whistle signal, which is two prolonged blasts followed by two short blasts to indicate that it is taking action to keep clear. The other options are incorrect because A) the sailing vessel is the give-way vessel, not the stand-on vessel, and B) and D) do not require the sailing vessel to sound any whistle signal, which is not the correct action for the give-way vessel in this situation.