AB exam questions for every endorsement — Unlimited, Limited, Special, OSV, Sail, and Fishing

The Able Seaman rating is the most common merit-based upgrade in the U.S. merchant marine and an essential stepping stone to officer-level endorsements worldwide. Under 46 CFR 12.25, the USCG issues AB endorsements in six categories — Unlimited, Limited, Special, Special-OSV, Sail, and Fishing Industry — each with different sea-time requirements and slightly different exam modules. Internationally, the equivalent credential is the STCW Able Seafarer Deck under Regulation II/4 and Section A-II/4 of the STCW Code.

MMCE.app covers all AB-category exams with an adaptive question bank, flashcards, and AI tutor that cites 46 CFR parts and STCW tables directly.

What the exam actually tests

The USCG AB written exam is modular. For AB-Unlimited you will sit:

• Deck General and Deck Safety — approximately 70 questions, 3 hours. 70% pass mark.
• Rules of the Road — 30 questions International + 20 questions Inland (or combined 50), 90% pass mark.
• Cargo Handling and Stowage (for AB-Unlimited) — approximately 30 questions.
• Lifeboatman / PSC — separate practical and written, if not already held.

Time pressure is about 2-3 minutes per question on Deck General and tighter on Rules of the Road where a single wrong answer can push you below 90%.

Which credentials test this

• USCG — AB-Unlimited, AB-Limited, AB-Special, AB-Special-OSV, AB-Sail, AB-Fishing Industry (46 CFR 12.25).
• MCA (UK) — Efficient Deck Hand (EDH), the UK AB equivalent.
• Transport Canada — Able Seafarer Deck, STCW Reg II/4 endorsement.
• AMSA (Australia) — Integrated Rating (combined deck/engine AB).
• Maritime NZ — Able Seafarer Deck.
• DG Shipping India — Navigational Watch Rating (NWKO) which maps to Reg II/4.
• MARINA (Philippines) — Rating Forming Part of a Navigational Watch (RFPNW) leading to Able Seafarer Deck.
• RMI (Marshall Islands) — Able Seafarer Deck issued against home-flag credentials.

Core subject-matter breakdown

• Marlinespike seamanship. Line types (nylon, polyester, polypropylene, HMPE), breaking strength rules of thumb, knots and bends (bowline, clove hitch, rolling hitch, sheet bend, carrick bend, figure-8). AB candidates must also know splicing and whipping.
• Deck equipment. Windlasses, capstans, winches, mooring bitts and chocks, anchor parts (shank, crown, fluke, bill, stock), anchor chain markings (shots, 15 fathoms each, painted links).
• Cargo gear and rigging. Booms, topping lifts, guys, preventers, cargo hooks, SWL marking per 29 CFR 1917 and ILO 152.
• Safety equipment. Lifejackets, immersion suits, EPIRBs (406 MHz registration requirement), SARTs, pyrotechnics, fire extinguishers, general alarm 7-short-1-long.
• Bridge and watchkeeping. RFPNW duties under STCW Reg II/4. Standing a proper lookout, helm commands (right/left full rudder, steady as she goes, meet her), engine orders.
• Rules of the Road. All 38 COLREGS rules + Annexes (see our dedicated COLREGS topic page).
• Cargo stowage. Stowage factor, broken stowage, dunnage, securing, lashing, IMDG basics (dangerous goods segregation), grain stability for AB-Unlimited.
• Fire prevention and firefighting. Fire tetrahedron, classes, fixed CO2, foam, international shore connection.
• First aid. CPR, bleeding control, hypothermia, burns — aligned with STCW A-VI/1-3.
• Pollution prevention. MARPOL Annexes I-VI at awareness level, Oil Record Book, Garbage Record Book, no-discharge zones.

Common pitfalls & traps

• Confusing AB-Unlimited cargo questions (includes bulk, grain, tanker basics) with AB-Limited (inland/near-coastal, lighter cargo coverage).
• Getting anchor chain shot length wrong — it is 15 fathoms (90 feet) per shot in the US, which is different from the metric length some candidates memorize from foreign books.
• Failing Rules of the Road on the 90% threshold because practice was done at the 70% standard used for Deck General.
• Mixing up International and Inland Rules distress signal differences.
• Underestimating the amount of marlinespike content — knots and line identification routinely account for 10-15% of Deck General questions.

How MMCE.app prepares you

The adaptive engine separately scores Deck General (70% pass line) and Rules of the Road (90% pass line) so your readiness score correctly reflects the higher bar on COLREGS. Every AB question links to its 46 CFR citation or STCW Table A-II/4 competence row via the AI tutor. SuperMemo-2 spaced repetition brings missed knot/line/chain questions back on the exact day you are likely to forget them.

Full-length AB mock exams mirror the USCG module split so you know what sitting the real exam at an REC feels like.

Related credentials on MMCE.app

The AB exam content directly feeds into RFPNW, Third Mate (deck officer entry), Master 100/200/500 GRT near-coastal, Mate of Towing, and every international Able Seafarer Deck endorsement.