USCG COXSWAIN UPDATED STUDY EXAMS QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS GUARANTEE A+
✔✔Flare Sighting Policy - ✔✔Issue a UMIB
Issue PAN-PAN if they have an urgent situation
Reported sightings must be treated as distress situations unless sufficient other
available information indicated otherwise.
Sighting information should be recorded in log, location, time,
First light search if ongoing flares
✔✔Salvage Policy - ✔✔a. When no commercial salvage facilities are on scene, units
should only engage in salvage other than towing when limited salvage ops can prevent
a worsening situation or complete loss of the vessel. b. Examples of prudent actions i.
Ungrounding of small recreational vessels ii. Dewatering iii. General damage control iv.
Allowing the next tide to refloat the vessel v. Help set anchors vi. Evacuate passengers
vii. Help determine vessels seaworthiness c. Salvage ops are performed at the
discretion of the units CO/OINC d. Coast Guard is under NO OBLIGATION to agree to
any operator demands or requests. Again, safety of crew and people is top priority.
✔✔Surface Swimmer Policy - ✔✔a. Surface swimmers from station boats are normally
deployed only to assist in man‐ overboard situations. They shall not enter capsized
hulls. Reference (e) states: ". . . the coxswain will designate one of the crew as a
swimmer . . .a swimmer should be used only when absolutely necessary because when
a crewmember goes over the side to assist, it means an additional person has to be
picked up from the water. Another crewmember must tend the line attached to the
swimming harness at all times . . ." b. Surface swimmers may attempt to direct trapped
persons out but shall not dive under the vessel c. Typically only deployed in Man‐Over‐
Board (MOB) situations.
✔✔MEDICO - ✔✔A REQUEST FOR MEDICAL ADVISE AT SEA
✔✔medevac - ✔✔AN EVACUATION FROM A VESSEL AT SEA DUE TO A MEDICAL
EMERGENCY.
✔✔Drifting Patterns - ✔✔
✔✔Pre Tow Questions - ✔✔Problem
Position
# POB
PFD'S
Medical Emergencies?
Status of Vessel
Make Round of Vessel
Backing Plates
Towed by CG before?
, Brief tow plan
Emergency Breakaway procedures
✔✔Expanding Square Search - ✔✔SS: Single Unit, Expanding Square Search i. Use
when search area is small. ii. Location of the object is known within relatively close
limits, but some doubt exists about the distress position. High degree of confidence the
search object is close to the estimated datum position. iii. A concentrated search is
desired.
✔✔Victor Sierra search - ✔✔Single Unit, Sector Search i. Use When: Search area is
small ii. Location of the object is well known iii. Concentrated search is desired
✔✔parallel search - ✔✔Single Unit, Parallel Search i. Use When: Search area is large ii.
Location of the object is approximate iii. Uniform coverage is desired
✔✔creeping line search - ✔✔large area, uniform coverage, probability of being in one
end of the search than the other.
✔✔Track line search - ✔✔TSR: Single Unit, Track Line Search, Return i. Use When:
The intended route of the search object is known ii. A rapid and reasonably thorough
coverage of the missing craft's intended track and the area immediately adjacent, such
as along a datum line is desired
✔✔Emergency Phases of SAR - ✔✔a. An UNCERTAINTY phase exists when there is
knowledge of a situation that may need to be monitored, or to have more information
gathered, but that does not require moving resources. b. An ALERT phase exists when
a craft or person is experiencing some difficulty and may need assistance, but is not in
immediate danger or in need of immediate response. Apprehension is usually
associated with the ALERT phase. c. The DISTRESS phase exists when grave or
imminent danger requiring immediate response to the distress scene threatens a craft
or person.
✔✔Types of Stability - ✔✔longitudinal and transverse
Static and dynamic forces
✔✔Warning signs of instability - ✔✔Listing
Slow to plane
Rolling
Slow return to upright position
✔✔Restrictive Casualties - ✔✔Those discrepancies which restrict the operations of the
boat such that it can perform some missions, but not all missions safely. Written or
verbal waiver required.
AND SOLUTIONS GUARANTEE A+
✔✔Flare Sighting Policy - ✔✔Issue a UMIB
Issue PAN-PAN if they have an urgent situation
Reported sightings must be treated as distress situations unless sufficient other
available information indicated otherwise.
Sighting information should be recorded in log, location, time,
First light search if ongoing flares
✔✔Salvage Policy - ✔✔a. When no commercial salvage facilities are on scene, units
should only engage in salvage other than towing when limited salvage ops can prevent
a worsening situation or complete loss of the vessel. b. Examples of prudent actions i.
Ungrounding of small recreational vessels ii. Dewatering iii. General damage control iv.
Allowing the next tide to refloat the vessel v. Help set anchors vi. Evacuate passengers
vii. Help determine vessels seaworthiness c. Salvage ops are performed at the
discretion of the units CO/OINC d. Coast Guard is under NO OBLIGATION to agree to
any operator demands or requests. Again, safety of crew and people is top priority.
✔✔Surface Swimmer Policy - ✔✔a. Surface swimmers from station boats are normally
deployed only to assist in man‐ overboard situations. They shall not enter capsized
hulls. Reference (e) states: ". . . the coxswain will designate one of the crew as a
swimmer . . .a swimmer should be used only when absolutely necessary because when
a crewmember goes over the side to assist, it means an additional person has to be
picked up from the water. Another crewmember must tend the line attached to the
swimming harness at all times . . ." b. Surface swimmers may attempt to direct trapped
persons out but shall not dive under the vessel c. Typically only deployed in Man‐Over‐
Board (MOB) situations.
✔✔MEDICO - ✔✔A REQUEST FOR MEDICAL ADVISE AT SEA
✔✔medevac - ✔✔AN EVACUATION FROM A VESSEL AT SEA DUE TO A MEDICAL
EMERGENCY.
✔✔Drifting Patterns - ✔✔
✔✔Pre Tow Questions - ✔✔Problem
Position
# POB
PFD'S
Medical Emergencies?
Status of Vessel
Make Round of Vessel
Backing Plates
Towed by CG before?
, Brief tow plan
Emergency Breakaway procedures
✔✔Expanding Square Search - ✔✔SS: Single Unit, Expanding Square Search i. Use
when search area is small. ii. Location of the object is known within relatively close
limits, but some doubt exists about the distress position. High degree of confidence the
search object is close to the estimated datum position. iii. A concentrated search is
desired.
✔✔Victor Sierra search - ✔✔Single Unit, Sector Search i. Use When: Search area is
small ii. Location of the object is well known iii. Concentrated search is desired
✔✔parallel search - ✔✔Single Unit, Parallel Search i. Use When: Search area is large ii.
Location of the object is approximate iii. Uniform coverage is desired
✔✔creeping line search - ✔✔large area, uniform coverage, probability of being in one
end of the search than the other.
✔✔Track line search - ✔✔TSR: Single Unit, Track Line Search, Return i. Use When:
The intended route of the search object is known ii. A rapid and reasonably thorough
coverage of the missing craft's intended track and the area immediately adjacent, such
as along a datum line is desired
✔✔Emergency Phases of SAR - ✔✔a. An UNCERTAINTY phase exists when there is
knowledge of a situation that may need to be monitored, or to have more information
gathered, but that does not require moving resources. b. An ALERT phase exists when
a craft or person is experiencing some difficulty and may need assistance, but is not in
immediate danger or in need of immediate response. Apprehension is usually
associated with the ALERT phase. c. The DISTRESS phase exists when grave or
imminent danger requiring immediate response to the distress scene threatens a craft
or person.
✔✔Types of Stability - ✔✔longitudinal and transverse
Static and dynamic forces
✔✔Warning signs of instability - ✔✔Listing
Slow to plane
Rolling
Slow return to upright position
✔✔Restrictive Casualties - ✔✔Those discrepancies which restrict the operations of the
boat such that it can perform some missions, but not all missions safely. Written or
verbal waiver required.
