Your examiner holds up a diagram showing: two white lights visible (not red or green sidelights visible). Bearing 345° at 2nm at night. What does this indicate and what is your assessment?

A. Two white masthead lights visible without sidelights: this is the stern aspect of a power-driven vessel over 50m (which must show two masthead lights — the forward masthead light lower than the after masthead light), OR a vessel constrained in angle so sidelights are not in your line of sight (the vessel is ahead of you and showing its stern). Assessment: the vessel is moving away from you OR is end-on with stern toward you. The angle between the two white lights tells you the vessel's length: if the after (higher) light is well above and behind the forward light, the vessel is large. Action: this situation presents no immediate collision risk if the vessel is moving away — monitor the bearing and range for any change. If bearing is drawing to one side (other vessel altering course), monitor the development.

B. Two white lights indicate a vessel not under command. Two all-round red lights should be shown in addition, so this is an incomplete NUC display — the vessel may have a lights failure.

C. Two white lights at 345° indicate a vessel underway on a crossing course. Red/green sidelights may be too far away to see — assume crossing situation and give way.

D. Two white lights without colour sidelights indicate a pilot vessel. Pilot vessels may show a white over red all-round light pair — the missing colour indicates the pilot is on duty.

A. STCW Regulation II/3 OOW Near-Coastal certificate permits: watchkeeping officer duties on ships of less than 500 GT engaged on near-coastal voyages only. Near-coastal: defined by the flag state — in the UK (MCA), near-coastal means voyages within the sea area defined in Merchant Shipping Notice MSN 1861 (MCA-defined near-coastal waters including UK coastal waters, and areas agreed with specific flag states). Limitations: (1) The certificate is NOT valid for unlimited oceans voyages; (2) NOT valid on ships 500 GT or above; (3) The holder cannot act as OOW on international voyages beyond the near-coastal limit without holding STCW II/1 (OOW Unlimited); (4) Near-coastal OOW in STCW covers the STCW II/3 competencies which are the same functional areas as II/1 but assessed at the operational level appropriate to near-coastal operations and vessels under 500 GT.

B. An OOW < 500 GT Near-Coastal certificate permits watchkeeping on any vessel under 500 GT in any sea area worldwide, including oceanic passages.

C. The near-coastal certificate is valid for all vessels where the Master holds an unlimited Master certificate. The OOW certificate limitations are overridden by the Master's qualifications.

D. STCW II/3 applies only in territorial waters (12nm). Beyond 12nm, an OOW NC certificate is not valid and a full STCW II/1 certificate is required.

A. Tidal stream planning: (1) Extract tidal stream data from the relevant tidal stream atlas or chart tables — timing referenced to HW at the nearest standard port; (2) Calculate the tidal stream vectors for each hour of the passage (direction and rate vary through the tidal cycle); (3) Vector triangle method: plot course to steer (CTS) to achieve the desired track made good — add own ship speed vector and tidal vector to calculate the heading required to maintain the track; (4) At 3.5 knots tidal stream vs 9 knots own speed, the cross-tide component at 90° would require approximately 23° of course correction; (5) Calculate ETAs using speed made good along track (not ship speed); (6) Identify timing of fair vs foul tide — plan departure to favour the fair tide for the main channel crossing; (7) Check for minimum depth at tidal gates — arrive at the gate when sufficient water depth exists.

B. Apply the tidal stream as a compass correction. Add 3.5 knots to own speed when the tide is following, subtract when the tide is foul.

C. Tidal streams only matter in the last mile of a channel approach. Plan the open sea passage on the gyro course and apply tidal correction manually on final approach.

D. At 9 knots, tidal streams below 4 knots have negligible effect on track. No tidal correction is required until tidal stream exceeds own ship speed.