According to SOLAS, what special steering gear requirement must tankers above 10 000 tonnes meet that other ships do not require?
There must be two or more identical power units.
There must be oil leak detection, and steering capability must be regained within 45 seconds following the loss of one power actuating system.
Steering capability must be regained within 60 seconds following an oil leak.
There must always be full duplication of components up to the rudder stock.
According to the SOLAS rules the steering gear should be capable of being recharged with hydraulic oil from a fixed storage tank. What is the main reason for this?
To cut down the fire risk and reduce the risk of spillages.
Because a steady leakage of oil is to be expected from some steering gears and having a fixed storage tank reduces the time taken for topping up.
To ensure that the steering gear can be rapidly recharged with clean hydraulic oil in the event of a leak from the system.
To ensure that the correct grade of oil is always used.
According to the SOLAS rules, when must ships fitted with more than one steering gear power unit have at least two of these units running?
In areas where navigation demands special caution, unless the system is arranged to change over automatically within 45 seconds of a failure to either power unit.
In all cases, in areas where navigation demands special caution.
In areas where navigation demands special caution, unless each individual power unit can perform as a main steering gear.
When entering or leaving port, or at the discretion of the Master.
For an electro-hydraulic steering gear, if the stand by pump fails to start following a failure of the running pump, which one of the following best describes the likely cause?
There is a valve shut somewhere in the system.
The pump has not been set to standby or its power supply has been switched off.
There has been a significant loss of hydraulic fluid.
The starting current has caused overload.
For an electro-hydraulic steering gear, if there is a lot of movement of the wheel in hand steering mode before the steering gear responds, which one of the following best describes the likely causes?
Excessive wear in the hydraulic pumps.
Air in the hydraulic control system.
Overheating of the hydraulic fluid.
Loss of one phase of the electrical supply to the pump motor.
If there are no alarms, but the ship stops responding correctly to helm orders, which one of the following best describes the likely causes?
An electrical power failure in the control system.
A failure in the remote rudder angle indication system.
An electrical power failure in the power actuating system.
In the event of an oil leak on a steering gear fitted with an automatic change-over system, at what point should the system be automatically split into two?
When the final low level alarm on either hydraulic oil tank operates.
When a main low level alarm operates on either hydraulic oil tank.
The system will be split into two in the event of any alarm sounding.
At the same time as one of the pumps is automatically stopped.
Requirements for steering gears are given in which one of the following publications?
The steering mode in which the rudder angle is pre-set manually and kept in position automatically, is called?
What is the most likely cause of the hydraulic lock alarm occurring on a steering gear system?
A failure in the control system such as a directional valve sticking open.
Failing to purge the system of air.
A failure of one of the hydraulic pumps.
Having both hydraulic pumps running at the same time.
What special requirement for steering gears is applied to any ship over 70 000 tonnes?
The main steering gear must have two or more identical power units.
One of the steering gear motors must be supplied from the emergency switchboard.
There must be automatic change-over in the event of hydraulic leakage.
There must be oil leakage detection.
What types of valves are actuated in order to move the rudder when local steering is being carried out?
When a heavy sea strikes the rudder, which one of these statements best describes what will happen?
The rudder is free to move, but the auto-pilot will bring the ship back on course.
The rudder is hydraulically locked in position and will not move.
The shape and lightweight design of the rudder means that wave forces have no effect.
If the force is large enough, the hydraulic pressure in the steering gear will be high enough to operate the safety valve, and the rudder will move.
Where a steering gear is fitted with oil leak detection what would be the first alarm in the event of loss of oil?
Hydraulic system power failure.
Low level alarm in the hydraulic fluid tank together with stand by pump auto-start.
Low level alarm in the hydraulic fluid tank.
Hydraulic system separation.
Where are remote rudder angle indicators usually fitted?
In the steering gear compartment only.
At the bridge steering console and on the bridge wings.
At the bridge steering console only.
In the cargo control room.
Where is the changeover to local steering carried out?
The steering compartment, but it must be acknowledged by the bridge before it can take effect.
The engine control room or the bridge.
The steering compartment.
Which is the only one of the following NOT known to have caused moisture to have contaminated the hydraulic oil used for the steering gear?
Water collecting on top of hydraulic oil drums stored on deck.
A leaking rudderstock gland.
Air in the hydraulic control system containing moisture.
Oil for topping up stored in open containers in the steering compartment.
Which is the only one of the following that is NOT likely to cause overheating of a hydraulic steering gear?
Pumps running on load for long periods of time.
Leakage of hydraulic fluid.
Air in the main hydraulic system.
High ambient temperatures and blocked oil coolers.
Which of the following statements best describes the importance of the purity of the hydraulic oil used in steering gear?
Provided the oil remains incompressible, the steering gear will continue to work correctly.
Even small solid particles will cause wear, whilst moisture will cause corrosion.
Provided the oil viscosity remains within acceptable limits, the steering gear will continue to work correctly.
Steering gear power actuators are very robust and therefore a degree of oil contamination can be tolerated.
Which one of the following is NOT caused by air in a steering gear hydraulic system?
Rudder tends to return to mid-ships.
Erratic movement of the rudder.
Which one of the following statements about steering gear is NOT correct?
An auxiliary steering gear must be able to move the rudder from 15° on either side to 15° on the other side.
A main steering gear must be able to move the rudder from 35° on either side to 35° on the other side.
Ships with more than one rudder do not need an auxiliary steering gear if they are navigable with one rudder.
A main steering gear must be able to move the rudder from 30° on either side to 30° on the other side in less than 28 seconds.
Which one of the following statements best describes the actions would you take if there is a leak of hydraulic fluid from a steering gear which does not have an automatic change-over system?
Top up the system oil until repairs can be made.
Isolate the leaking part of the steering gear by following the procedures on the emergency steering instructions.
Immediately switch over to another power unit.
Immediately switch off all power units.
Which one of the following statements best describes the arrangement of steering gear alarms?
Steering gear alarms are only indicated and acknowledged in the steering compartment.
Steering gear alarms can be acknowledged on the bridge, or elsewhere.
Steering gear alarms can only be acknowledged on the bridge, but are indicated elsewhere.
Steering gear alarms are only indicated and acknowledged on the bridge.
Which one of the following statements best describes the checks carried out during emergency steering drills?
All emergency arrangements must be tested including operation from the steering compartment and communication with the bridge.
In addition to the checks carried out prior to leaving port, hand steering from the bridge must be tested.
Checks previously carried out prior to leaving port do not need to be repeated, but hand steering from the bridge must be carried out.
The checks carried out are the same as those required prior to leaving port, but are more realistic because the ship is moving through the water.
Which one of the following statements gives one of the steering gear requirements for passenger ships?
There must be oil leakage detection fitted.
There must be two identical power units which together can move the rudder from 35° on either side to 30° on the other side in not more than 28 seconds.
The requirements for each steering gear remains the same, even if there is more than one rudder.
Each power unit must be capable of moving the rudder from 35° on either side to 30° on the other side in not more than 28 seconds.
Which one of the phrase given in the options most accurately completes the following statement? A leaking safety valve on a hydraulic steering system is most likely to cause which one of the following:
A time delay before the rudder first starts to move.
Excessive hydraulic oil consumption.
Leakage of oil into drip trays in the steering flat.
Which one of the phrase given in the options most accurately completes the following statement? According to the SOLAS rules, if a ship has more than one rudder and can be manoeuvred with only one rudder, then:
An additional main or auxiliary steering gear is only required on each rudder for tankers, chemical tankers and gas carriers above 10 000 tonnes.
Only one main steering gear needs to be fitted to each rudder.
Each rudder must be fitted with a main and auxiliary steering gear.
An additional main or auxiliary steering gear is only required on each rudder for passenger ships of over 70 000 tonnes.
Which one of the phrase given in the options most accurately completes the following statement? The safety valve on a steering gear hydraulic system is most likely to operate because:
It has been opened as part of the normal operation of the steering gear.
An attempt has been made to put too much helm on, too quickly.
A heavy sea has hit the rudder.
The output pressure from the hydraulic pumps is too high.
Which one of the phrase given in the options most accurately completes the following statement? The ships steering gear must normally be checked and tested by the ship’s crew:
Within 24 hours before departure.
Within 12 hours before departure.
Within 72 hours before departure.
Within 48 hours before departure.
Which one of these statements about rudder carrier bearings is true?
A rudder carrier bearing is not required on rotary vane type steering gears.
A separate rudder carrier bearing is only required on ram type steering gears.
A rudder carrier bearing is only required on ram type steering gears.
A rudder carrier bearing is only required on rotary vane type steering gears.
Which one of these statements about the force developed by a hydraulic system is true?
Force equals pressure divided by area.
Force equals pressure times area.
Pressure equals force times area.
Force equals pressure plus area.
Which one of these statements about types of steering gear is true?
Higher pressures are needed for the ram type.
Higher pressures are needed for the rotary vane type.
The ram type takes up less space than the rotary vane type.
A greater angle of possible rudder movement is available with ram type steering gears.
Which one of these statements best describes the effect of using two steering gear hydraulic pumps instead of one?
The force on the rudder is greatly increased.
The speed of rudder movement is greatly increased.
There is little effect on the speed of movement or the force on the rudder, but reliability is increased.
The speed of rudder movement and the force on the rudder are greatly increased.