Question 43

The Correct Answer is B **Why Option B ("I intend to leave you on my starboard side.") is correct:** This scenario specifies "INLAND ONLY," meaning the U.S. Inland Rules of Navigation apply. Under the Inland Rules, when two power-driven vessels are meeting head-on or nearly head-on (a situation where risk of collision exists and they will pass within 1/2 mile of each other, as often depicted in illustration D037RR), whistle signals are used to propose a passing arrangement. Rule 34(a)(i) of the Inland Rules governs these maneuvering signals. The signal of **two short blasts** means: **"I intend to leave you on my starboard side."** This signal proposes a starboard-to-starboard passing arrangement. **Why the other options are incorrect:** * **A) "I am altering my course to port."** This option is incorrect because the Inland Rules use specific intention signals. While altering course to port is the action required to execute a port-to-port passing (leaving the other vessel on your port side), the actual signal for that intention is **one short blast** ("I intend to leave you on my port side"). Two short blasts signals a different intention (starboard-to-starboard passing). * **C) "I intend to leave you on my port side."** This option is incorrect. The intention to leave the other vessel on your port side (a port-to-port passing) is signaled by **one short blast**, not two. * **D) "I am altering my course to starboard."** This option is incorrect. Altering course to starboard is the action required to execute a starboard-to-starboard passing (leaving the other vessel on your starboard side). However, the signal itself is a proposal of intention ("I intend to leave you on my starboard side"), not just a statement of a course change. The signal for an intention to pass starboard-to-starboard is **two short blasts**.