Coast Guard Exams
Question 3949Deck General70% to pass

You are arriving in port and are assigned to anchor in anchorage circle B-4. It has a diameter of 550 yards and your vessel's LOA is 449 feet. If you anchor in 9 fathoms at the center of the circle, what is the maximum number of shots of chain you can use and still remain in the circle?

AI Explanation
The correct answer is D) 4 shots. The reasoning is as follows: 1. The diameter of the anchorage circle B-4 is 550 yards, which is equivalent to 1,650 feet. 2. The vessel's length overall (LOA) is 449 feet. 3. When anchoring in 9 fathoms (54 feet) of water, the maximum length of chain that can be used while still remaining within the 1,650-foot circle is typically 4 shots (1 shot = 90 feet), which would be a total of 360 feet of chain. 4. The other options are incorrect because 6 shots (540 feet) or 5 shots (450 feet) would exceed the diameter of the anchorage circle, while 3 shots (270 feet) would not provide enough scope for the vessel to remain securely anchored.

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