Hong Kong Part A Written Test cheat sheet

Mooring line lead: spring lines resist fore-and-aft movement, breast lines resist lateral movement; a stern spring from the boat's quarter to the dock forward stops forward drift.

Pivot point: a single-screw vessel with right-handed propeller pivots near amidships when going ahead, near the stern when going astern; transverse thrust pushes the stern to port when going astern.

Approach a berth at the slowest speed that keeps steerage way, typically under 3 knots in Hong Kong typhoon shelters; allow current set before wind effect in strong tidal streams.

Anchor scope: 5:1 to 7:1 chain-to-depth in calm conditions; increase to 10:1 in strong wind or swell; veering 30-40 m of chain in 5 m depth is a typical harbour holding scope.

Man overboard under power: immediate helm hard over toward the casualty side, engine to neutral, throw buoyant marker, then approach from downwind/downcurrent.

Rescue boat recovery: approach a person in the water from downwind, stop the engine or shift to neutral before contact, and recover over the lowest freeboard side.

Towing: towline length should be at least 3-5 times the longer vessel's length in open water; shorter in confined harbour waters to maintain control.

Fire triangle: fuel, oxygen, heat; extinguishing removes one leg. Fuel shut-off and closing vents is the first action for an engine-room fire before using CO2 or dry powder.

Rule 13 overtaking: any vessel approaching from more than 22.5 degrees abaft the beam is overtaking and must keep clear; the overtaken vessel maintains course and speed.

Rule 14 head-on: two power-driven vessels meeting end-on, or nearly so, each alters course to starboard and passes port-to-port.

Rule 15 crossing: the vessel with the other on her own starboard side is give-way; if in doubt, assume give-way and act early.

Rule 5 lookout and Rule 6 safe speed: safe speed is assessed against visibility, traffic density, manoeuvrability, background lights and state of wind, sea and current.

Rule 19 restricted visibility: reduce to safe speed, no assumed right of way; a vessel detecting another by radar alone must take avoiding action in ample time.

Rule 34 sound signals in sight: one short = altering to starboard; two short = altering to port; three short = operating astern propulsion; five short = doubt or danger.

Rule 35 fog signals: power-driven vessel making way = one prolonged blast every 2 minutes; stopped with no way = two prolonged blasts with an interval.

Local rule: Hong Kong's Collision Regulations apply the International Regulations; harbour speed limits and the Ferry Route/Precautionary Area rules are set out in the Shipping and Port Control Regulations.

Rule 18 hierarchy: power-driven vessels keep clear of sailing vessels, fishing vessels, and vessels not under command or restricted in ability to manoeuvre; the least manoeuvrable has priority.

Latitude 1 minute = 1 nautical mile; use the chart's latitude scale adjacent to the position to measure distance, never the longitude scale.

Chart datum is normally Lowest Astronomical Tide; soundings are below datum and drying heights are above it, so actual depth = charted depth + height of tide.

Compass conversion: True = Compass + Deviation + Variation (east positive); apply deviation from the deviation table for the vessel's heading.

Three-point fix: choose objects with bearing lines crossing at roughly 60-90 degrees; a large cocked hat indicates a systematic error or misidentification.

Running fix: advance a previous position line by the course and distance run to obtain a fix from a single object.

Dead reckoning uses course steered and speed through the water; estimated position additionally applies leeway and tidal set and drift.

Transit bearings: two charted objects in line give a position line along the transit; a second bearing crossing at a good angle fixes the position.

Tidal stream: use the tidal stream atlas or Reeds tables for the hour relative to HW at the reference port; set is direction toward, drift is speed in knots.

IALA Region A (Hong Kong): port-hand marks are red can buoys with a red can topmark; starboard-hand marks are green conical buoys with a green cone topmark.

Lateral marks are defined by direction of buoyage; in Hong Kong harbour direction of buoyage generally follows the flood tide into the harbour.

Cardinal marks: north = two cones point up, black above yellow with continuous quick or very quick flashing light; east = three cones base-to-base, black-yellow-black.

South cardinal: two cones point down, yellow over black, light gives six flashes plus one long flash every 15 seconds; west = nine flashes every 10 seconds.

Safe water mark: red and white vertical stripes, single red sphere topmark, occulting, isophase or Morse 'A' light; indicates navigable water all around.

Special marks: yellow buoys with yellow X topmark and yellow light, marking spoil grounds, pipelines, moorings or race areas.

Isolated danger mark: black with red horizontal bands, two black spheres topmark, white flashing group of two.

Beacon versus buoy: a beacon is fixed to the seabed, a buoy floats; both may carry topmarks and lights, and light character is identified from the chart.

Beaufort scale: force 4 = 11-16 knots moderate breeze; force 6 = 22-27 knots strong breeze; force 8 = 34-40 knots gale.

Sea breeze forms by day as land heats faster than sea; land breeze at night as land cools faster; both are local and typically under 15 knots.

Tropical cyclone signals in Hong Kong: Signal 1 standby, Signal 3 strong wind 41-62 km/h, Signal 8 gale or storm 63-117 km/h, Signal 9 increasing gale, Signal 10 hurricane.

Spring tides occur at new and full moon (syzygy) with greatest range; neap tides at first and last quarter with least range.

Rule of twelfths: tidal rise in six hours is 1/12, 2/12, 3/12, 3/12, 2/12, 1/12 of the range per hour; the middle hours have the fastest rise.

Hong Kong tides are predominantly semidiurnal with two high and two low waters per day; the tidal range is greatest in winter and smallest in summer.

Fog in Hong Kong is most frequent in spring (February-April) with warm moist southerly air over cooler sea; visibility may fall below 200 m.

Pressure tendency: a falling barometer of more than 1 hPa per hour indicates an approaching depression and worsening weather.

MAYDAY (distress) is used only for grave and imminent danger; PAN PAN (urgency) for urgent safety; SECURITE for navigational or weather warnings.

MAYDAY call format: MAYDAY x3, this is (vessel name x3, callsign), MAYDAY (name, callsign), position, nature of distress, assistance required, persons on board, over.

DSC distress alert on VHF Channel 70; voice distress on VHF Channel 16; Hong Kong Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) answers on Ch 16.

EPIRB 406 MHz transmits to Cospas-Sarsat; register it and test only within the first 5 minutes of a UTC hour to avoid false alerts.

Lifejacket: fit snugly, crotch strap fastened, whistle and light attached; a lifejacket must keep an unconscious wearer's face clear of the water.

Fire in a confined space: close all openings, shut off fuel and ventilation, use fixed CO2 or dry powder; do not open up until the space has cooled.

Abandon ship: broadcast MAYDAY, don immersion suits or lifejackets, take the grab bag with water, flares, radio and first-aid kit, and stay with the vessel as long as possible.

Hypothermia: treat with gradual rewarming, remove wet clothing, insulate and seek medical advice; do not give alcohol or rub the limbs.

Hong Kong waters are administered under the Shipping and Port Control Ordinance (Cap. 313) and the Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) Ordinance (Cap. 548).

A local vessel must be licensed and its operator certificated; a Pleasure Vessel Operator's Certificate (PVOP) or Certificate of Competency is required to operate a pleasure vessel.

Harbour speed limit in the main harbour is generally 10 knots, reduced to 5 knots in specified areas such as typhoon shelters, the Ferry Route and near moored vessels.

VHF Channels: 16 for distress and calling, 12 for harbour control/VTS, 13 for bridge-to-bridge, 74 for the Tolo Harbour area, and 14 for the western approaches.

The Harbour Master may close a channel or impose a typhoon shelter direction; during Signal 8 or above, small craft must shelter or be secured and crew landed.

Report to the Marine Department Vessel Traffic Centre before entering or leaving the harbour, and keep a continuous listening watch on the designated VHF channel.

Pollution: discharge of oil, garbage or sewage into Hong Kong waters is an offence under the Water Pollution Control Ordinance; report spills to the Marine Department.

Collision reporting: any collision, grounding or serious incident must be reported to the Marine Department as soon as practicable; failure to report is an offence.