Question 1

Why should keel bolts on a fin-keeled sailing yacht be periodically inspected, particularly on an older vessel?

Accepted Answer

Keel bolts carry the full loading of the keel, which is both a major structural element and often the vessel's main source of stability — corrosion, stretching, or crevice corrosion (often hidden from simple visual inspection) can weaken them over years, and a keel bolt failure is a serious, sometimes catastrophic structural event A keel carries real, ongoing structural loading and is often central to a sailing yacht's stability — keel bolt failures, though rare, are serious enough that periodic inspection (often as part of a haul-out survey, since crevice corrosion can hide beneath washers or in the bolt itself) is standard practice on vessels of any real age, not an optional extra.

Question 2

You're asked to test a deck crane grab after electrical repairs nearby. As the grab is hoisted, what should have happened first?

Accepted Answer

The area within the grab's swing radius should be cleared of personnel before the lift On the bulk carrier Fairfield Eagle, a crew member working nearby was struck and fatally injured when a grab being test-lifted after repairs swung unexpectedly. The investigation found the area should have been cleared and barriered before the test lift began.

Question 3

A toolbox talk held before a lifting operation should explicitly cover which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Who must remain clear of the exclusion zone while the lift takes place A toolbox talk exists to make sure everyone present understands the danger zones, the abort signal, and — critically — who must not be in the area while the lift happens. The RMIMA investigation into the Fairfield Eagle fatality found the toolbox talk had not made this clear.