Sailor Trivia Test #1

[JeffL]

Let's give this a whirl. Since an occasional question may be CG related, I put the quiz on this site.

All you Sailors, regardless of service, seat yourselves in alphabetical order, according to size.

Pencils sharpened? Ready? Begin.......

1. Was the Naval Academy at Annapolis or the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs the first military academy to admit a woman cadet?

2. What is meant by the term, ?Boxing the compass??

3. What is meant by the order, ?Nothing to the right (left)??

4. What was the significance of the order, ?PLAN ONE ACKNOWLEDGE??

5. What is a flaw?

[janecallanan]

I'd like to buy a vowel, Jeff. Oh, sorry. I'll be serious.

[Drywall]

You haven't got any money yet Jane, got to get a couple consanants first.:D

[JeffL]

Buy a vowel! How about OOOOOOOOOoooooooooo.........!!!!!!

I be bad! I be real bad! :D :p :v:

[Tamaroa]

Boy do I feel dumb! The only one I know is boxing the compass which is repeating verbatim all 32 points on the compass rose. I thought I knew nothing to the right as a command on the rifle range. Then I remembered it was "ready on the right."

Bill

[JeffL]

Bill is correcto mundo on #2! :xx:

Let's hear it for Bill!!!!!! (YAYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!)

?Boxing the compass,? means naming the 32 points of the compass in proper sequence from north, through east, south and west back to north.

The hushed audience awaits the next response from a contestant....

Hints? Well, there is a kinda trick question (but not really - just purposely misleading), and there is a Coast Guard historical question.

Now I've given away the test!

[Tamaroa]

A long long time ago in a land far far away I was once a helmsman. there is precious little I do remember from those days, but blindfolded I can still handle the helm on anything !!!

Bill

[JeffL]

Was that in Oz?

[Tamaroa]

never never land!
;)

Bill

[Wazza]

Must have been a wizard on a yellow sea!

[Tamaroa]

OK Jeff, now its my turn. Here's 5 more nautical questions:

1. What is a degaussing cable used for?

2. You are at the helm and the skipper tells you to shift the rudder, what do you do?

3. What is the plimsoll marker?

4. When the helmsman acknowledges the last command the skipper gives him, the skipper says "very well". Why is that specific phrase used?

5. As lookout, you spot a target two points abaft the starboard beam. What is the relative bearing of that object?

Have fun!!!

Bill

[Wazza]

Is this quiz open to the public or are you two doing 15 rounds solo?

[Tamaroa]

Nah, Wazza, have at it. I posted mine then realized that all the questions hadn't been answered yet. But mine are easier, Jeff gets too esoteric sometimes :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

:a:

Bill

[JeffL]

Esoteric? It seems that you're writing the book on esoteric inquiries!

Waz, I'd much prefer that everyone get involved in these "tests of meaningless trivia." After all, Bill isn't the only one who's supposed to have fun here!!! :D

Now then. I wasn't even a deck ape, nor was I ever involved with navigation.

1. What is a degaussing cable used for? I think I remember that degaussing gear sets up neutralizing magnetic fields to protect a ship from electronic mines. I suppose the same principle would apply for eliminating magnetic fields that interfere with the operation of electronic equipment, because I've heard the term used in general electronics terminology for civilian applications. But I'm not sure. (See disclaimer above.)

2. You are at the helm and the skipper tells you to shift the rudder, what do you do? To shift the rudder you swing it an equal distance in the opposite direction.

3. What is the plimsoll marker? A plimsol marker is on the side of a ship to indicate allowed loading depths.

4. When the helmsman acknowledges the last command the skipper gives him, the skipper says "very well". Why is that specific phrase used? ?Very well? means the skipper has received and understands the info the helmsman gave him. The term is also used to grant permission. "Aye-aye" would be much different, since it indicates that an order from a superior has been received, is understood, and will be carried out.

5. As lookout, you spot a target two points abaft the starboard beam. What is the relative bearing of that object? I didn't do well on bearings and positioning, even in boot camp. The CG made a wise decision to not allow me to steer one of their large vessels; 40-boats I could handle! I've heard these terms but don't know their meaning(s).

What about my quiz? Questions 1 and 4 should be a snap for everyone; they're both history-related.

[Drywall]

Avast me hardies, arrrrrrr.

[Tamaroa]

Jeff,

Right on for Questions 1,2 and 3. 4, you left out an element of importance that I will not yield to you yet to allow others a chance and I'll give you a hint for #5. Think of your boxing the compass question and extrapolate from there.

Bill

[daniel topliffe]

hey david... what would it take to add a dictionary click button...we all didn't go through all the grades...

dan t

[Tamaroa]

c'mon you swabbies, #5 should be a breeze to a deck ape, unless you are all techies. What about you Boats?

Bill

[Tamaroa]

Jeff, the answer to your #1 question is neither!!! The Coast Guard Academy was the first to admit women as students.

From Jack's Joint
"PA3 Elizabeth Neely, USCG writing in the Commandant's Bulletin (March 1987) states that "in 1973 landmark legislation allowed women to serve in the regular Coast Guard. The Coast Guard Academy was the first service Academy to open it's doors to women and in 1985 a woman achieved the highest honors of all graduates. Another first among Service Academies."

Coast Guard also had the first woman commanding officer of any service. From Fred's Place here is : "12~1979 - First female Commanding Officer of ANY military vessel ever: LTjg Beverly G. Kelley (now CAPT Kelley), USCGC CAPE NEWAGEN on Maui, HI. [Your Webmaster, QMCM Joe D?Elia, was the XPO]. CAPT Kelley assumed command of the USCGC BOUTWELL (WHEC-719) on 13Jul00."



Bill

[JeffL]

See? I told you. That was the question that was misleading.

Very good, Bill! My info, from an official CG site, places the date quite a bit earlier, but that may be because the first woman admitted didn't graduate:

"Neither of the choices is correct. The Coast Guard Academy was the first to admit a woman cadet, in July 1976."

From 1976 to 1985 would be a L-O-N-G time to be a cadet!

Number 3 is an order to a helmsman, number 4 is an important part of CG history, and number 5 is another word for a commonly used weather term.

Where are those squids? Numbers 3 and 5 are not service-specific.

[Tamaroa]

Jeff,

I won't disagree with you on number 3, however being a helmsman on a 1730 ton lethagric whale, I can tell you that nobody every gave me that order. It sounds like it should be a response from a lookout as opposed to a helmsman. Pray tell would you be so kind as to explain the scenario in which that order applies?

Also have you figured out where two points abaft the starboard beam is?

Bill

[JeffL]

Bill, you know that I'm one of those Coasties who spent a lot of time on small boats but none on sea duty. Instead of trying to BS my way through it, here's the response:

"Nothing to the right (left)" is an order to the steersman not to let the vessel go to the right (left) of the designated course."

It sounds like it would be used when a vessel is in a narrow channel, or when any deviation to the specified course would endanger the vessel or something else.

Regarding "two points abaft the starboard beam," I've been involved with another project and haven't had time to learn what I couldn't learn in boot camp!

[Tamaroa]

if you give up, i'll tell you. once you know you will kick yourself.

bill

[JeffL]

I'd never kick myself for not answering a question for which I know no answer!

Besides, I couldn't kick myself now. My left ankle's sprained, and my right ankle and foot is black-and-blue-and-green-and-red from when I slipped and cranged it into the clutch pedal on my truck. This was AFTER I had taken my coordination meds! I have trouble even turning around, much less kicking anything! :p

Since you're our resident Coast Guard historian, I'm disappointed that you're having problems with question #4.

[Tamaroa]

I'm the historian for the Tamaroa Maritime Foundation, not the CG. The answer to the two points abaft the beam is simple. Gott a run will answer later.

BD

[Tamaroa]

Jeff, go back to your boxing the compass. There are 32 points of the compass. Divided into 360 degrees that is 11.25 degrees per point. Two points equals 22.5 degrees. The relative bearing off the starboard beam is 090 degrees. 90 plus 22.5=112.5 degrees. Therefore, if an object is 2 points abaft the starboard beam you look slightly aft of midships on the starboard side to find it. :D :D :D :D :D . I should add that THIS is an ESOTERIC question since that kind of reference to a target is no longer used. But it was fun to mess with your mind anyway. :af: :af: :e: :e:

Regards,

Bill

[JeffL]

Mess with my mind? :cd:

How the hell did you ever find it? :cd: :cd: :cd:

[JeffL]

Awright, awright...... :cl:

The correct answers to #4 and #5:

4. The significance of the order, ?PLAN ONE ACKNOWLEDGE:? On April 6, 1917, the United States declared war on the German Empire, and Coast Guard units received this message, which signified their transfer to the US Navy for the duration of the war.

5. A flaw is a sudden gust of wind.

Esoteric? :cd: :cd: :cd: