Question 1

A vessel ahead sounds ONE short blast. She is…

Accepted Answer

Turning to starboard — One short: altering to starboard. Two short: port. Three short: engines astern. Five+: doubt — wake up.

Question 2

Five (or more) short, rapid blasts from a ship close by means…

Accepted Answer

I doubt you are taking sufficient action — The wake-up signal: she is unsure of your intentions or doubts you are keeping clear. React early and obviously.

Question 3

In fog under power, the sound signal is…

Accepted Answer

One long blast at least every 2 minutes — Power-driven and making way: one prolonged blast at intervals of not more than 2 minutes. Sailing vessels in fog: one long + two short.

Question 4

In a narrow channel, a small yacht should…

Accepted Answer

Keep as near the starboard side as is safe — Keep to starboard in narrow channels, and do not impede vessels that can only navigate within the channel.

Question 5

In a narrow channel, two prolonged blasts followed by one short means…

Accepted Answer

“I intend to overtake you on YOUR STARBOARD side” — answered by long-short-long-short if you agree — Overtaking in a narrow channel is by arrangement: 2 long + 1 short (your starboard) or 2 long + 2 short (your port); the agreement reply is long-short-long-short.

Question 6

In fog you hear rapid bell-ringing for about five seconds, repeated each minute…

Accepted Answer

A vessel AT ANCHOR (a gong aft as well if she is over 100 m) — At anchor: rapid bell forward; big ships add a gong aft. Aground adds three distinct bell strokes before and after the rapid ringing.

Question 7

Four short blasts in fog may be sounded by…

Accepted Answer

A pilot vessel on duty, in addition to her normal signal — The pilot vessel’s identity signal is four shorts — worth knowing near harbour approaches where you will actually meet her.

The language of blasts

This lesson is part of a paid course