USCG Exam PracticeAuxiliary machinery and shipboard systems
Under 46 CFR §58.25-10(f)(3), when a vessel's main steering gear with two or more identical power units is arranged to substitute for auxiliary steering gear, and the installation was completed on or after September 1, 1984, on an international voyage, what must be demonstrated after a single failure in the hydraulic piping system or in one of the power units?
- A. The vessel must be able to anchor safely within 30 minutes of the failure
- ✓ The defect can be isolated so that steering capability can be maintained or speedily regained in less than ten minutesCorrect
- C. The remaining power unit alone must meet the full 28-second rudder movement standard without any isolation of the failed component
- D. The vessel must proceed to the nearest port under escort within 24 hours of the failure
Why B is correct
46 CFR §58.25-10(f)(3) requires that after a single failure in the hydraulic piping system or in one of the power units, the defect can be isolated so that steering capability can be maintained or speedily regained in less than ten minutes. This is the key condition allowing the waiver of a separate auxiliary steering gear for qualifying installations on international voyages.
Cited:46 CFR §58.25-10