Wheelhouse Prep USCG Mariner Exam Prep

Lifeboatman, Revision & Practice Exams

Lifeboatman. Built from official USCG NMC sample examinations (public domain).
Content last updated 12 June 2026

Revision Mode

Revise with instant feedback: the moment you pick an answer you see whether it was right, with the explanation where available. Untimed — ideal before you sit a mock exam. Questions you miss keep coming back until you know them.

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Exam Mode

Exam-day conditions: no feedback until you submit, each module scored separately so you can see your weak areas, plus an overall score against the pass mark, with a full question-by-question review at the end.

Modules to include
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The real exam is passed module by module: Rules of the Road requires 90%, most other modules 70%. Chart-plotting modules are taken on paper and not included.

Modules & your progress

Unlock the full question bank

The free sample is 12 questions, spread across every module in the same proportions as the real exam. The full bank contains every question from the NMC's current published sample examinations for this credential, with written explanations on the popular small-vessel credentials, one-off $29, lifetime access on up to 3 devices, all credentials included.

Buy lifetime access, $29

Score history

The real exam: key facts

Delivered byUS Coast Guard National Maritime Center; exams are sat at Coast Guard Regional Exam Centers (RECs)
Official examMerchant Mariner Credential (MMC) endorsement examinations
QuestionsSet per credential in your Approval to Test letter; the NMC does not publish module question counts
TimeEach module is sat in a 3½-hour examination period; modules are taken in consecutive periods
Passing scoreRules of the Road 90%; Deck General and Deck Safety 70% (NMC notice, January 2018)
Exam feeSet by 46 CFR 10.219: for an original officer endorsement, evaluation $100, examination $95 (lower level) or $110 (upper level), issuance $45
Pre-licensing or eligibilityApply to the Coast Guard first; you need the NMC's Approval to Test letter before you can book. The application stays valid for 12 months
Book your examdco.uscg.mil/nmc/Examinations

Checked 11 October 2026 from the official sources below. Rules and fees change, so confirm with US Coast Guard National Maritime Center; exams are sat at Coast Guard Regional Exam Centers (RECs) before you book.

Official sources

How Wheelhouse Prep compares

Wheelhouse is a $29 question bank built from the Coast Guard's own sample exams, not an approved course. Here is how it compares with the courses and tools mariners usually consider, including where they are the better choice. See the comparison with Mariners Learning System, Sea School, MPT and others.

Frequently asked questions

What score do I need to pass the Lifeboatman exam?

You must pass each module separately. Most modules require 70% to pass.

What modules are on the Lifeboatman exam?

The exam covers 1 module: Lifeboat Operator.

How many practice questions are available for Lifeboatman?

This page includes free sample questions drawn from the official USCG sample examinations, with a full bank of around 49 questions across all modules available with lifetime access.

Are these real USCG exam questions?

Every question comes from the U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center's published sample examinations, which are U.S. government works in the public domain. Wheelhouse Prep is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Do I need to create an account?

No. The free practice tests work in your browser with no signup. Your score history is saved on your own device.

When were these Lifeboatman questions last updated?

Last updated 12 June 2026. The bank is refreshed whenever the Coast Guard publishes revised sample examinations.

Sample Lifeboatman practice questions

A selection of free questions from the official USCG sample examinations. Use the interactive modules above for timed, scored drills.

When launching a lifeboat, when should frapping lines be rigged?

  1. Before the boat is moved from the davits
  2. Before the gripes are released
  3. When the boat is at the embarkation deck ✓
  4. Only after the boat is in the water

What is the purpose of the hydrostatic release on an inflatable liferaft?

  1. To test the rafts hydrostatically
  2. To release the raft from the cradle automatically as the ship sinks ✓
  3. To inflate the raft automatically
  4. None of the above

What is the purpose of the tricing pendants?

  1. They provide suspensions for the manropes
  2. They hold a lifeboat next to the embarkation deck while loading ✓
  3. They control the fore and aft motion of a lifeboat during lowering
  4. They control the outboard swing of a lifeboat during lowering
Show all 12 sample questions with answers

How is the inside light in an inflatable liferaft activated?

  1. With a switch near the boarding handle
  2. Automatically as the liferaft inflates ✓
  3. By screwing the bulb in after the raft is inflated
  4. At night via photosensitive switch

When using a handheld smoke signal aboard a survival craft, how should you activate the signal?

  1. On the downwind side of the craft ✓
  2. At the stern of the craft
  3. On the upwind side of the craft
  4. Inside the craft

What is the primary advantage of using a sea anchor with the survival craft?

  1. It reduces your drift rate ✓
  2. Aids in recovering the survival craft
  3. It increases your visibility
  4. It keeps the survival craft from turning over

Which of the following is part of the annual SOLAS required test on an EPIRB?

  1. Verification that the unit lanyard is neatly stowed and properly secured to the vessel
  2. Verification that the battery voltage is within 20% of the design limits
  3. Verification that the unit has been maintained by a shore based maintenance provider ✓
  4. Verification that the unit is stowed within five feet of survival craft

As a vessel sinks to a depth of 15 feet, the hydrostatic trip releases the liferaft container from its cradle by _________.

  1. releasing the CO2 canister
  2. releasing the tie-down strap ✓
  3. pulling the operating cord
  4. breaking the weak link

What is the function of the hand holds or straps on the underside of an inflatable liferaft?

  1. For crewmen to hang on to
  2. To right the raft if it capsizes ✓
  3. To hang the raft for drying
  4. To carry the raft around on deck

On a lifeboat equipped with Rottmer-type releasing gear, what does turning the releasing lever release?

  1. both falls at the same time even if the boat has not reached the water ✓
  2. both falls at the same time only if the boat is waterborne
  3. the painter
  4. the after boat fall only if the boat is waterborne

Which statement concerning satellite EPIRBs is TRUE?

  1. The coded signal identifies the nature of the distress situation.
  2. The coded signal only identifies the vessel's name and port of registry.
  3. Once activated, these EPIRBs continuously send up a signal for use in identifying the vessel and for determining the position of the beacon. ✓
  4. If the GMDSS Radio Operator does not program the EPIRB, it will transmit default information such as the follow-on communications frequency and mode.

If an inflatable liferaft is overturned, it may be righted by which action?

  1. Standing on the inflating cylinder and pulling on the righting straps ✓
  2. Pushing up from under one end
  3. Filling the stabilizers on one side with water
  4. Releasing the CO2 cylinder will automatically upright the craft