Question 39Safety & Environmental - 1st Asst/Chief

The correct answer is B) tend to open the crack. When a crack occurs in the hull of a vessel, driving a wedge into the crack is generally not advisable because the wedge will tend to open the crack further rather than close it. This is because the wedge applies outward pressure on the crack, which can cause the crack to expand rather than contract. The other answer choices are incorrect because: A) the wedge may not stay in place, C) the wedge itself could splinter, and D) the wedge may pull through the plating, all of which would fail to effectively address the crack.