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Free S-CAT Practice Questions

10 free, exam-style Shipboard Corrosion Assessment Technician (S-CAT) (S-CAT) practice questions with answers and explanations. No signup required. Work through them below, then take the full free S-CAT practice test to study every exam domain.

The S-CAT exam has 50 questions and runs 1 hour 30 minutes.

These 10 free S-CAT questions are organized by exam domain, so you can see how each part of the Shipboard Corrosion Assessment Technician (S-CAT) blueprint is tested. Reveal the answer and explanation under each question.

Domain 1: Visual Assessments (18-22%)

Question 1

On the ASTM D610 / SSPC-VIS 2 scale used to rate the degree of rusting on a painted steel surface, a surface that is essentially free of visible rust is assigned a rust grade of:

  1. 0
  2. 10
  3. 5
  4. 1
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - 10

Question 2

All of the following observations made during a Level 1 survey automatically require escalation to a Level 2 inspection **EXCEPT**:

  1. Holing or perforation of a tank boundary
  2. Cracking or fracture of a structural member
  3. General surface rusting on a coated bulkhead
  4. Buckling or permanent deformation of structure
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - General surface rusting on a coated bulkhead

Domain 3: Evaluation Tools and Equipment (4-8%)

Question 3

An inspector must determine the thickness of each individual coat within a multi-coat paint system on a steel substrate. Which instrument is specifically designed for this purpose?

  1. A magnetic dry film thickness (DFT) gauge that reads over steel
  2. A Tooke gauge (paint inspection gauge)
  3. An ultrasonic thickness gauge applied to the substrate
  4. A pit depth gauge with a dial indicator
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - A Tooke gauge (paint inspection gauge)

Domain 4: Corrosion Protection System (22-26%)

Question 4

During a Level 1 survey, a coating deficiency is identified in a ship's bilge. Under the CCAMM, in order to be assigned a higher maintenance-action priority, the deficiency must be rated at a minimum of:

  1. P1
  2. P2
  3. P3
  4. P4
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - P3

Question 5

Survey results carrying which coating condition rating may be entered directly into the Corrosion Control Information Management System (CCIMS) without additional verification?

  1. P1 or P2
  2. P3 or P4 only
  3. Only a rating of P4
  4. Any rating, as long as photographs are attached to the record
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A - P1 or P2

Domain 6: Tank Inspection (10-14%)

Question 6

Before personnel make a manned entry into a fuel or ballast tank to conduct a survey, the FIRST required action is to:

  1. Don protective equipment and immediately enter to begin assessing
  2. Photograph the tank boundaries for the inspection record
  3. Test the atmosphere for oxygen, flammable gas, and toxic gas
  4. Note the condition of the installed sacrificial anodes
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Test the atmosphere for oxygen, flammable gas, and toxic gas

Domain 7: Total Tank Scoring (4-8%)

Question 7

In CCAMM total tank scoring, a tank or void is divided into four scoring zones abbreviated "TSTB." These four zones are:

  1. Tank, Sump, Trunk, Bilge
  2. Top, Sides, T-bars (framing), Bottom
  3. Transverse, Stringer, Transom, Baseline
  4. Topside, Shell, Tank-top, Boundary
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - Top, Sides, T-bars (framing), Bottom

Domain 8: General Knowledge (6-10%)

Question 8

The S-CAT (Shipboard Corrosion Assessment Technician) written certification exam delivered through Pearson VUE consists of:

  1. 50 multiple-choice questions given in 90 minutes
  2. 100 multiple-choice questions given over a 3-hour session
  3. 75 questions plus a separate written essay component
  4. An oral board reviewed by a panel of two examiners
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A - 50 multiple-choice questions given in 90 minutes

Question 9

Shipboard corrosion condition assessments performed by an S-CAT technician on U.S. Navy vessels are governed primarily by which reference?

  1. The IMO Performance Standard for Protective Coatings (PSPC)
  2. The ISO 12944 atmospheric corrosivity classification system
  3. The U.S. Navy CCAMM
  4. The vessel operator's commercial coating warranty terms
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - The U.S. Navy CCAMM

Question 10

An aluminum superstructure component is in direct metal-to-metal contact with a fitting. Contact with which of the following metals would produce the MOST severe galvanic corrosion of the aluminum?

  1. Zinc
  2. Magnesium
  3. Galvanized (zinc-coated) steel
  4. Copper
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D - Copper

The rest of the S-CAT blueprint

The S-CAT exam also covers these domains. Drill them in the full free practice test:

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