Towing & Ship-Assist · Wire Rope & Line
The 'safe working load' of towing gear is:
- AThe same as the breaking strength
- BA fraction of the breaking strength that should never be exceeded in normal use✓ Correct
- CTwice the breaking strength
- DUnrelated to the breaking strength
Explanation
Safe working load (SWL) is the breaking strength divided by a design factor (safety factor) and represents the maximum load that should be applied in service. Loading gear toward its breaking strength risks a sudden, dangerous failure.
Authority: Bowditch (Pub. No. 9)
Practice the full Towing & Ship-Assist bank
Free spaced-repetition quizzing across 2190 USCG exam questions — it schedules your reviews so the ones you miss come back until they stick.
Related Towing & Ship-Assist questions
- Wire Rope & Line
Which condition is cause to remove a wire towing hawser from service?
- Wire Rope & Line
Compared with wire rope, a synthetic (nylon) line under load is especially dangerous because it:
- Wire Rope & Line
Which characteristic is typical of polypropylene line?
- Wire Rope & Line
The 'snapback zone' associated with a line or wire under tension is:
- Towing Lights
For the purpose of the towing light rules, the 'length of the tow' is measured from the:
- Towing Lights
A power-driven vessel towing astern, with a tow 200 meters or less in length, exhibits which lights in addition to sidelights and a sternlight?