🔍 Key Concepts

• Meaning of the phrase "in irons" in nautical language, especially regarding maneuverability and ability to respond to helm and engines • How a tug’s position and movement relative to its tow affects control and safety • What situations create a risk of a tug losing control so that the tow’s momentum can create a hazardous condition

💭 Think About

• Think about what happens if a tug loses the ability to turn or move ahead effectively while it still has a heavy tow behind it. Which option reflects that risk? • Ask yourself: does "in irons" sound like a normal, safe status (like being moored or in dry dock), or does it suggest a problem with control? • Consider which choice describes a dynamic danger involving the tug and tow, rather than a routine or static situation.

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify which options describe a loss of maneuverability or control rather than a normal condition • Check which choice involves the relative motion between tug and tow that could create a hazardous situation • Eliminate any options that describe the tug as safely secured, motionless, or out of the water (those are not typically emergency phrases)