USCG Exam PracticeTwin-screw vessel handling
A single-screw coxswain uses alternating short bursts ahead with the rudder over and bursts astern to rotate the vessel with minimal headway. Which twin-screw maneuver does this technique substitute for?
- A. Clutching both engines astern simultaneously to stop headway
- B. Asymmetric RPM used to hold a steady course
- ✓ Splitting the throttles to twist the boat in its own lengthCorrect
- D. Increasing RPM on the leeward engine to counteract leeway
Why C is correct
Alternating short bursts ahead against the rudder with bursts astern walks the single-screw boat around with little headway — this compound maneuver substitutes for the twin-screw twist achieved by splitting the throttles. (USCG Boat Crew Seamanship Manual §10-E)