1. With 2056 test results in, 74% of the test takers got this right. The key to the right answer is the term motorsailing. While the general rule is that boats sailing on a port tack are the give way vessel to boats sailing on a starboard tack, when a sailboat has its motor on and in gear, it becomes a power boat. And unless the powerboat is in a restricted channel or restricted in it’s ability to maneuver, engaged in fishing, not under command etc., the power boat is the give way vessel to the sailboat. Source is collregs or any sailing text. 2. 59% got this right. The traveller should be eased to leeward to reduce heel and weather helm. Tensioning the outhaul will flatten and thus depower the main. Easing the mainsheet will spill wind and taking in a reef will also reduce the power of the main. Source is Dennis Conner’s Sail Like a Champion. 3. Only 18% of test takers got this one right. The source is NOAA Chart Number 1 which is a recommended reference for every sailor. The symbol deals with rocks that play “peek a boo” and we have a bunch of them up here in the San Juans. Our tidal range can be as much as 12 feet or more, and a rock that uncovers on a three foot tide will be hidden from view on a six foot tide and grab your keel. NOAA charts generally report depths in fathoms but elevations in feet. Since the rock on the test is three feet above a zero tide (aka chart datum) it is technically an elevation not a depth. 4. 90% of test takers got this right. Obviously your raw water system is not always the problem on overheating, but Nigel Calder says it’s the place to start. Seaweed in the water intake is a common problem in our home waters. Check the raw water strainer for blockage. Ditto the through hull and any connecting hoses. Maybe a blown raw water impeller. After that it’s on to plan B. Source is Nigel Calder’s Marine Diesel Engines. 5. 83% of test takers got this right. An important thing to note is that the other options on the test could be deadly. My understanding is that the critical thing is to keep warm blood in the body’s core for the essential organs. Giving the victim alcohol or caffeinated beverages will increase circulation to the extremities taking warm blood away from vital organs. A serious hypothermia victim is not able to rewarm himself or herself. Source is The Annapolis Book of Sailing by John Rousmaniere used as a text in American Sailing Association advanced courses. 6. Only 40% of test takers got the anchor rode question right. If your transducer is two feet below the water line when your unadjusted depth sounder is reading 15 feet, the water is really 17 feet deep. The tide comes in 5 feet which brings us up to 22. Add 4 more feet for your freeboard to the bow roller and you’re up to 26. Multiply times 7 and you’ve got the answer of 182 feet. As many have commented, this isn’t always realistic due to swing room concerns, but it’s what the sailing texts recommend. Source again is Rousmaniere’s Annapolis Book of Seamanship. 7. Only 18% of test taker’s got the fog horn question right. For a boat under sail, the proper signal is one long blast followed by two short blasts every two minutes. Source Rousmaniere, Annapolis Book of Seamanship. 8. 75% got the lights at night question correct. The only correct answer offered was option “c” with a red port sidelight, a green starboard sidelight and a white sternlight. As some have pointed out a tricolor light at the top of the mast may be an alternative in certain circumstances. Add a steaming light if you are under power. Source again is Rousmaniere. 9. 45% got the green over red buoy question right. Mike Pyzel writes in Coastal Navigation, the official American Sailing Association Coastal Navigation Manual: “Red over green (or green over red) horizontal bands mark junctions in the channel. The color of the TOP band indicates the side you should leave the buoy on in order to follow the main channel. If the top band is red, leave the buoy to your right when returning to follow the main channel.” 10. Only 35% got the telltales question right. Dennis Conner says “With the sails properly trimmed the windward telltales on the headsail should flick every other second or every two seconds.” I’m not sure what Russell Coutts would say about that! Source is Dennis’ book, Sail Like a Champion. Hope you enjoyed the quiz and maybe learned something. Based on the response, we’ll plan to do more. Gary Wyngarden
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Question #2 : weather helm etc.
Gary, On Question 2: while I actually misread the question: "...Only one of the following would be an inappropriate step to take to reduce heel and weather helm. Which one is it?" (I read "appropriate"...), I cannot determine from your answer which one you and Dennis consider "inappropriate". Derek
Gary, On Question 2: while I actually misread the question: "...Only one of the following would be an inappropriate step to take to reduce heel and weather helm. Which one is it?" (I read "appropriate"...), I cannot determine from your answer which one you and Dennis consider "inappropriate". Derek
Traveller Trim
Hi Derek, The question asked which of the following would be inappropriate to cure excessive heeling and weather helm. One of the answers was to move the traveller to windward. This would be an inappropriate action to cure heeling and weather helm and was thus the right answer to the question. Hope this helps. Gary
Hi Derek, The question asked which of the following would be inappropriate to cure excessive heeling and weather helm. One of the answers was to move the traveller to windward. This would be an inappropriate action to cure heeling and weather helm and was thus the right answer to the question. Hope this helps. Gary
Thanks Gary
I take pride in my knowledge of seamanship but I need to study more. Even though I only got 6 correct, I sincerely enjoyed taking your test and look forward to the next one. I got the fog horn signal right and the channel junction marker was easy for me as I often sail by them in NC waters. The ones I got wrong was the telltales and outhaul adjustment. Got the Anchor rode question wrong because I can't multiply correctly and missed the one about the rock. Thanks again Gary !
I take pride in my knowledge of seamanship but I need to study more. Even though I only got 6 correct, I sincerely enjoyed taking your test and look forward to the next one. I got the fog horn signal right and the channel junction marker was easy for me as I often sail by them in NC waters. The ones I got wrong was the telltales and outhaul adjustment. Got the Anchor rode question wrong because I can't multiply correctly and missed the one about the rock. Thanks again Gary !
Great Effort...and Thanks
I know it took some effort on your part to gather the questions and answers, edit and verify everything before publishing them. I thoroughly enjoyed taking your quiz, and also look forward to another one. Its usually beneficial to test ones memory and experiences from time to time. Keeps information fresh and accurate. And its fun. I am enjoying the retort to the questions. Anytime we can rationally express our opinions, we all benefit from others experiences. Don
I know it took some effort on your part to gather the questions and answers, edit and verify everything before publishing them. I thoroughly enjoyed taking your quiz, and also look forward to another one. Its usually beneficial to test ones memory and experiences from time to time. Keeps information fresh and accurate. And its fun. I am enjoying the retort to the questions. Anytime we can rationally express our opinions, we all benefit from others experiences. Don
Next Summer
I'm really looking forward to next summer when we all meet in a nice secluded bay in 15 feet of water. Since we will all have over 180 feet of rode out we should meet each other frequently!!!!
It was a fun test, though...enjoyed it!
I'm really looking forward to next summer when we all meet in a nice secluded bay in 15 feet of water. Since we will all have over 180 feet of rode out we should meet each other frequently!!!!
It was a fun test, though...enjoyed it!Fog Signals When Under Sail
According to Chapman's Piloting, Seamanship & Small Boat Handling, the proper fog signals when under sail are as follows: Starboard tack - one blast of the horn Port tack - two short blasts in succession Wind abaft the beam - three blasts in succession All signals to be given at one minute intervals. Have the rules changed since my copy of Chapman's was printed? If not, who is correct?
According to Chapman's Piloting, Seamanship & Small Boat Handling, the proper fog signals when under sail are as follows: Starboard tack - one blast of the horn Port tack - two short blasts in succession Wind abaft the beam - three blasts in succession All signals to be given at one minute intervals. Have the rules changed since my copy of Chapman's was printed? If not, who is correct?
Vic (Revisited)
I just checked out four other sources on the web which confirmed the one long and two short. Perhaps the most authoritative is rule 35 c of the Colregs which can be viewed on the web site below. Gary
I just checked out four other sources on the web which confirmed the one long and two short. Perhaps the most authoritative is rule 35 c of the Colregs which can be viewed on the web site below. Gary
Vic, I checked my Chapman's
62nd Edition, page 144. According to the Inland Rules, one short blast is for "I intend to leave you on my port" or according to International Rules, "I am altering course to starboard" According to Inland Rules, two short blasts is for "I intend to leave you on my starboard side" or according to International Rules, "I am altering course to port". According to Inland Rules, three short blasts is for "I am operatiing astern propulsion" or according to International Rules "I am operating astern propulsion" (same wording). Those are the rules I was taught in my USPS classes. Same edition, page 149, Underway fog signals for a sailboat,one prolonged followed by two short blasts at intervals of not more than 2 minutes. Can't imagine how such a conflicting set of signals could come about in Chapman's. Tom
62nd Edition, page 144. According to the Inland Rules, one short blast is for "I intend to leave you on my port" or according to International Rules, "I am altering course to starboard" According to Inland Rules, two short blasts is for "I intend to leave you on my starboard side" or according to International Rules, "I am altering course to port". According to Inland Rules, three short blasts is for "I am operatiing astern propulsion" or according to International Rules "I am operating astern propulsion" (same wording). Those are the rules I was taught in my USPS classes. Same edition, page 149, Underway fog signals for a sailboat,one prolonged followed by two short blasts at intervals of not more than 2 minutes. Can't imagine how such a conflicting set of signals could come about in Chapman's. Tom
I Don't See a Conflict
While in sight of each other (clear conditions)intentions to move to port or starboard via horn is fairly straight forward. Under reduced visibility, which was the question, 1 long and 2 short blasts tell vessels you are a sailboat, and I am in your vicinity, take precaution. Signalling via a sound and moving to port or starboard in these conditions is redundant. Don
While in sight of each other (clear conditions)intentions to move to port or starboard via horn is fairly straight forward. Under reduced visibility, which was the question, 1 long and 2 short blasts tell vessels you are a sailboat, and I am in your vicinity, take precaution. Signalling via a sound and moving to port or starboard in these conditions is redundant. Don
how many goH ALL answers right
How many persons, by either percentage or by numbers answered all questions correctly? Regards Terry
How many persons, by either percentage or by numbers answered all questions correctly? Regards Terry
Terry
The final tally will be posted tomorrow along with a list of names recognizing those who received perfect scores. It's going to be in the neighborhood of 50 which will be about 2% of those who took the test. Gary Wyngarden
The final tally will be posted tomorrow along with a list of names recognizing those who received perfect scores. It's going to be in the neighborhood of 50 which will be about 2% of those who took the test. Gary Wyngarden
Correlations between knowledge and licensing
There were interesting differences between scores by boat Brand. 57% of Beneteau owners answered more that 50% of the questions correctly. Only 32% of MacGregor owners had 50% or more of the answers correct. There were also correlations between this result and the willingness to accept licensing or leaving things the way they are, captured in one of the previous surveys (see plot in photo). This data suggests to me that the more knowledgeable sailors (Brand with higher scores) tended to be more in favor of requiring licensing (R=0.72) and less worried about taking safe boating exams. (Negative correlation between %owners wanting to leave things the way they are, and fraction of owners with test scores greater than 50%(R=-0.65). In other words, the less knowlageble, the more likely to wanting leaving things the way they are!! I rest my case
There were interesting differences between scores by boat Brand. 57% of Beneteau owners answered more that 50% of the questions correctly. Only 32% of MacGregor owners had 50% or more of the answers correct. There were also correlations between this result and the willingness to accept licensing or leaving things the way they are, captured in one of the previous surveys (see plot in photo). This data suggests to me that the more knowledgeable sailors (Brand with higher scores) tended to be more in favor of requiring licensing (R=0.72) and less worried about taking safe boating exams. (Negative correlation between %owners wanting to leave things the way they are, and fraction of owners with test scores greater than 50%(R=-0.65). In other words, the less knowlageble, the more likely to wanting leaving things the way they are!! I rest my case
Attachments
Joe, Studies show that 90% of the people
studied only understand 20% of what they are being asked. And correlations between focus groups equate statistical outcomes of particpants...;-). So, all in all, everything is the same and studies prove that.
studied only understand 20% of what they are being asked. And correlations between focus groups equate statistical outcomes of particpants...;-). So, all in all, everything is the same and studies prove that.
Tom, ?????
Can you clarify your arguments? Are you saying that only 20% of the quiz questions were undrstood by 90% of the responders? I am impressed that so many people got the correct answers even though, acording to you, they only understood a small fraction of them!! It seems that Beneteau and Hunter owners are a pretty lucky bunch of sailors.
Can you clarify your arguments? Are you saying that only 20% of the quiz questions were undrstood by 90% of the responders? I am impressed that so many people got the correct answers even though, acording to you, they only understood a small fraction of them!! It seems that Beneteau and Hunter owners are a pretty lucky bunch of sailors.
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