USCG COXSWAIN COMPREHENSIVE EXAM QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS 2025/2026 ALL GRADED A+
✔✔what are the effects of wind on waves - ✔✔depends on fetch, wind speed, wind
duration, wind direction
✔✔identify the types of breaking waves - ✔✔plunging- tunnel type wave
spilling- no tunnel in wave
surging- beginning of breaking wave
✔✔what is a type I PFD - ✔✔designed to keep an unconscious victim floating face up.
" off-shore vest"
✔✔state the two GEO areas of CG responsibility for SAR - ✔✔-Atlantic area region
-Pacific area region
✔✔MK 124 Day/Night Specs - ✔✔-Each end burns for about 20 secs
-Day end is orange smoke
-Night end is red flare
✔✔What are windows, wave saddles, close outs, high and low side of waves -
✔✔window- an area where the wave momentarily stops breaking. allowing safer ares of
operation
wave saddles- lowest part of wave bordered on both sides by higher ones
close outs- two waves breaking towards each other; a wave breaking on both ends
toward the middle
high side carries most potential energy; low side is safer, less energy
✔✔what is the definition of surf - ✔✔when breaking seas exceed 8 ft or
in the judgement of CO/OIC, rough bar conditions exist or
doubt in coxswains mind as to present conditions
✔✔2 power driven vsls in sight of one another may sound all except? - ✔✔4 Short
blasts
✔✔MK 79 Signal Specs - ✔✔- Burns for about 4.5 secs
-Altitude of 250-650 ft
-12,000 candlepower
✔✔at what degree is a second VS search conducted - ✔✔30 degrees to the right
120 degree turns
✔✔what are the items found in the boat crew survival vest - ✔✔-signal mirror
-signal whistle
, -MK 124
-MK 79
-CG-1 signal light
-Survival knife
-PPIRB
✔✔Navigation Depth - ✔✔RBM: 6 feet
RBS II: 6 feet
✔✔what is a safe haven - ✔✔a place to accomodate the safe mooring of a vsl with
means of communications
✔✔what is the initial track spacing for - ✔✔PIW- .1
< 15 ft- .5; .2
> 15 ft- 1.0; .5
✔✔Free Surface Effect - ✔✔loose water shifts from side to side or forward and aft the
vessel does not want to right itself. this causes a loss of stability.
✔✔Topside Icing - ✔✔Icing can increase the displacement of a boat by adding weight
above the center of gravity causing the center of gravity to rise
✔✔what is the general salvage policy - ✔✔- when commercial salvage is on scene, CG
may assist w/in capabilities and at salvers request
- when no salver on scene, CG may engage when limited salvage can prevent
worsening or total loss of boat
-must be under discretion of CO/OIC
✔✔Flare Sighting Policy - ✔✔- reported sighting of red/orange flares must be treated as
distress unless other available info indicates no distress exists.
- if unresolved, the first light search is required
✔✔Surface Swimmer Ops - ✔✔swimmer shall not go under the water and enter a
capsized object.
✔✔Firefighting Policy - ✔✔CG personnel shall not exchange in independent fire fighting
ops except to save a life or in early stages of fire.
✔✔what is a restrictive casualty - ✔✔Casualties that restrict the boat from doing some
missions but not all
* shall be reported to operational commander if cant be fixed in 1 hr. placed in c-status.
Cant get u/w w/o waiver. 48 hrs to repair, if not, casrep w/in 24 hrs
✔✔What is a Disabling Casualty - ✔✔Casualty that makes the boat unserviceable
AND SOLUTIONS 2025/2026 ALL GRADED A+
✔✔what are the effects of wind on waves - ✔✔depends on fetch, wind speed, wind
duration, wind direction
✔✔identify the types of breaking waves - ✔✔plunging- tunnel type wave
spilling- no tunnel in wave
surging- beginning of breaking wave
✔✔what is a type I PFD - ✔✔designed to keep an unconscious victim floating face up.
" off-shore vest"
✔✔state the two GEO areas of CG responsibility for SAR - ✔✔-Atlantic area region
-Pacific area region
✔✔MK 124 Day/Night Specs - ✔✔-Each end burns for about 20 secs
-Day end is orange smoke
-Night end is red flare
✔✔What are windows, wave saddles, close outs, high and low side of waves -
✔✔window- an area where the wave momentarily stops breaking. allowing safer ares of
operation
wave saddles- lowest part of wave bordered on both sides by higher ones
close outs- two waves breaking towards each other; a wave breaking on both ends
toward the middle
high side carries most potential energy; low side is safer, less energy
✔✔what is the definition of surf - ✔✔when breaking seas exceed 8 ft or
in the judgement of CO/OIC, rough bar conditions exist or
doubt in coxswains mind as to present conditions
✔✔2 power driven vsls in sight of one another may sound all except? - ✔✔4 Short
blasts
✔✔MK 79 Signal Specs - ✔✔- Burns for about 4.5 secs
-Altitude of 250-650 ft
-12,000 candlepower
✔✔at what degree is a second VS search conducted - ✔✔30 degrees to the right
120 degree turns
✔✔what are the items found in the boat crew survival vest - ✔✔-signal mirror
-signal whistle
, -MK 124
-MK 79
-CG-1 signal light
-Survival knife
-PPIRB
✔✔Navigation Depth - ✔✔RBM: 6 feet
RBS II: 6 feet
✔✔what is a safe haven - ✔✔a place to accomodate the safe mooring of a vsl with
means of communications
✔✔what is the initial track spacing for - ✔✔PIW- .1
< 15 ft- .5; .2
> 15 ft- 1.0; .5
✔✔Free Surface Effect - ✔✔loose water shifts from side to side or forward and aft the
vessel does not want to right itself. this causes a loss of stability.
✔✔Topside Icing - ✔✔Icing can increase the displacement of a boat by adding weight
above the center of gravity causing the center of gravity to rise
✔✔what is the general salvage policy - ✔✔- when commercial salvage is on scene, CG
may assist w/in capabilities and at salvers request
- when no salver on scene, CG may engage when limited salvage can prevent
worsening or total loss of boat
-must be under discretion of CO/OIC
✔✔Flare Sighting Policy - ✔✔- reported sighting of red/orange flares must be treated as
distress unless other available info indicates no distress exists.
- if unresolved, the first light search is required
✔✔Surface Swimmer Ops - ✔✔swimmer shall not go under the water and enter a
capsized object.
✔✔Firefighting Policy - ✔✔CG personnel shall not exchange in independent fire fighting
ops except to save a life or in early stages of fire.
✔✔what is a restrictive casualty - ✔✔Casualties that restrict the boat from doing some
missions but not all
* shall be reported to operational commander if cant be fixed in 1 hr. placed in c-status.
Cant get u/w w/o waiver. 48 hrs to repair, if not, casrep w/in 24 hrs
✔✔What is a Disabling Casualty - ✔✔Casualty that makes the boat unserviceable
