Question 37

The Correct Answer is C ### Why Option C is Correct Option C, "The vessel is altering course to port," is correct because, according to the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), Rule 34 (Manoeuvring and Warning Signals): * A vessel operating under International Rules uses two short blasts to signal that it is actively executing a maneuver and **altering its course to port (left)**. The signal indicates the **action being taken**. ### Why the Other Options are Incorrect * **A) The vessel will alter course to port:** This implies a future action. In International Rules, the one, two, or three short blasts signals are used to indicate the action that the vessel is currently **executing** ("I am altering course"), not what it plans to do later ("I will alter course"). * **B) The vessel intends to pass starboard to starboard:** While altering course to port might be a component of a starboard-to-starboard pass in a meeting situation, this option is too specific and incomplete. The dedicated International overtaking signals are much longer (two prolonged blasts followed by one or two short blasts). Two short blasts alone only signifies the turn to port, regardless of the overall traffic situation. * **D) The vessel intends to alter course to port:** This is the common signal definition used under the **U.S. Inland Rules** (and certain other regional rules) where these sound signals denote *intent*. However, the question specifies **INTERNATIONAL ONLY**. Under the International Rules, the signal denotes the **action currently being taken** ("is altering"), not the intent ("intends to alter").