Bermuda Engine Drivers License Guide

This page is intended only as a supplemental study aid to the official Marine and Ports information pack. It is not designed to replace the information in that pack. This page may contain outdated/incorrect information; please contact the author with suggested corrections/improvements.

When is an Engine Driver License required?

The Engine Driver License is the first required step towards a Pilot License in Bermuda. It ensures the holder has a basic understanding of marine engines and boating safety. All Island Boats (except rental power-craft and rental sailboat) are required to have a licensed Pilot and licensed Engine Driver on board when carrying passengers. In practice these can often be the same person, as the Engine Driver License is a prerequisite for the Pilot License. However, note that Island Boats must also generally have at least 2 crew members on board when carrying passengers. See the relevant regulations for more details.

Objective of Engine Drivers Examination

The Engine Driver exam is written with safely operating large vessels in mind (e.g. tour boats). Vessels of this size can have a variety of mechanical systems including power, electrical, hydraulic, and water. Be prepared to answer a broad range of questions on the marine-specific applications of these systems.

Fortunately, the test is practical in nature. Many of the questions test your knowledge on how to diagnose common issues with marine engines. Topics also include fire prevention/suppression and general boating safety.

Requirements to get an Engine Driver’s License

• At least 18 years old
• Of good character and temperate habits
• Able to read and write
• Understand basic arithmetic
• Sufficient skill to repair any minor mechanical defects
• Thoroughly acquainted with the mechanical workings of an internal combustion engine
• Understand the differences between a gasoline and diesel engine
• Have a basic understanding of 2 stroke and 4 stroke engines
• Understand the basic elements of the electrical wiring of engines
• Understand fire control appertaining to gasoline and diesel engines
• Provide two 2 letters of reference that the applicant has an understanding of the working of a Marine Diesel and/or Gas Engine, Hull, Fittings, and under water gear. For the Engine Drivers Licence, these do not need to be from Licenced Pilots, rather they can come from other boat owners or operators who can attest to your skills.

Exam Format and Pass Mark

The Engine Driver exam is multiple choice and around 100 questions, split into six sections. Each individual section must be passed with a 70%+ pass mark.

Each correct answer is worth +3 points, each incorrect answer is worth -1 points. So, it can be helpful not to guess answers to a few of the harder questions. See the Tips section.

The largest section is naturally on marine diesel engines. The other sections cover more general boating and mechanical aptitude, see the full syllabus details below.

What happens if you fail?

Marine and Ports’ policy at the time of writing is that if you fail only 1 of 6 sections on the Engine Driver exam, you can retake it without paying the fee gain. If you fail 2 or more sections, you must pay to take the exam again.

Practice Tests

Take the practice Engine Drivers Tests here. Over 60 sample questions are available covering much of the content that can be expected on the formal test. This online practice test is still being developed; questions will be modified/added over time. Please submit any feedback.

Exam Tips

There are some quite specific questions on the test, which can be challenging to guess if you aren’t sure of the answer. It can be better to leave these blank, if you think you already have enough correct answers to pass each section. Recall, incorrect answers count for negative points.

Allow 2-3 hours to take the test, including time to check answers. You don’t need to rush, Marine and Ports give you plenty of time to finish.

Exam Syllabus

The Engine Driver exam has six sections. The table below shows the mix of the test by section. Diesel engines is understandably the largest and hardest section, with the others being more general in nature.

Section #	Name	Difficulty	# Questions
1	Arithmetic	Easy	10
2	Electrical	Medium	10
3	General Boat Mechanics	Medium	15
4	Safety	Easy	10
5	Hull and Fittings	Medium	10
6	Diesel Engines	Hard	45
TOTAL			100

Section 1 – Arithmetic

10 questions on basic arithmetic, using examples related to boats. For example, fuel usage by the hour or converting nautical miles to kilometers using a given ratio.

You shouldn’t need to study for this section if you are comfortable with addition/subtraction/multiplication/division. It is one of the easer sections to pass.

Section 2 – Electrical

10 questions on basic electrical theory and components. If you have an understanding of general electrical systems you shouldn’t need to study. Topics covered include:

• Fuses: these prevent current overload and are measures in Amps.
• Resistors: these slow down the flow of current and are measured in Ohms.
• Rectifiers: these convert Alternating Current (AC) to Direct Current (DC) by allowing current flow in one direction only.
• Regulators: These restrict the flow of voltage. Typically applied to an alternator which can produce an unstable voltage relative to its RPM.
• Lead-acid storage batteries have multiple cells, with each cell producing around 2 volts. So, a 48v system typically contains 24 cells, etc.
• Voltmeters are connected in parallel because they are designed to measure the potential difference (voltage) across a circuit component without impacting current to other components. In a parallel circuit, all components share the same voltage, which is exactly what a voltmeter needs to measure.

Section 3 – General Boat Mechanics

15 Questions on general boat mechanics, not specific to gasoline v diesel engines. Topics covered include:

• Hydraulic steering systems: general principles of operation and common causes of problems e.g. air in the system.
• Heat exchanger tubes: what are they and what do they do. Flat tubes can offer better heat transfer efficiency in certain situations compared to round tubes, due to their larger surface area per unit volume. Additionally, the flow of fluid through flat tubes can be more turbulent, enhancing heat transfer in some cases.
• Impellor pumps work via centrifugal force. The rotating component accelerates water outward from the center of rotation, creating pressure which is directed into an outlet.
• Leaks: to be expected on any marine exam! Various possible causes of oil and water leaks including loose connections, worn parts, etc.
• Gearboxes and clutches: general principles of operation.
• Couplings: basic principles, for example in a drive shaft.
• Sanitary systems: operation, common issues, holding tanks.

Section 4 – Safety

10 questions on general boat safety. You shouldn’t need to study for this section if you are familiar with safe boating practices already. If not, you can find lots of resources online covering boating safety. Topics include:

• Fire fighting
• Fire prevention
• Safe handling of fuel:
  • fill portable tanks on the dock, not the boat
  • Allow a few minutes for ventilation after fueling, before starting motor(s)
  • Always use your blowers and check for gas fumes first before starting inboard gasoline motors!
• Flotation devices
  • 1 appropriately-sized lifejacket required for every passenger. Other requirements may vary depending on vessel size, check the Marine and Ports website for latest requirements.
• General safety
• Vessel regulations
• First aid

Section 5 – Hull and Fittings

10 questions on general boat/hull fittings. The questions are mostly intuitive, especially if you have spent any amount of time working on boats. Topics covered include:

• Thru-hull fittings e.g. seacocks, shaft bearings, stuffing boxes
• Purpose of zincs
• Various types of bearings: e.g. cutlass bearings are water lubricated
• Parts of the vessel (bow, stern, port, starboard)
• Emergency repairs
• Prop shafts (typically stainless steel)
• Rudders

Section 6 – Diesel Engines

45 questions on diesel engines. For this section you should read the book (see below) unless you are already familiar with general troubleshooting and maintenance procedures for diesel motors. A few of these questions are “all of the above” answers, when multiple correct options exist.

Most of these questions are directly related to diesel mechanics. The other half are a mix of more general questions. Topics include:

• Causes of problems like non-starting, smoke, low oil pressure
• Boiling point of water temp 212 Fahrenheit
• Diesel motors and their main components including:
  • Construction
  • Operating principles
  • Maintenance
  • Fuel systems
  • Air systems
  • Exhaust systems
  • Cooling system
  • Lubricating systems
  • Electric system
  • Starting method
  • Governors

If you are not already familiar with diesel engine mechanics you should study. Marine and Ports recommends a book Marine Diesel Engines by Nigel Calder, it is available at the M&P boats & moorings office in Paget and the local marine stores usually carry them as well. Or ask around for the book, there are plenty of copies to be borrowed.

You don’t need to completely understand the whole book, but it is recommended to read it from front to back to get a basic sense of operation. The book has a helpful series of pictures explaining each concept. The overview of diesel engines in chapters 1 and 2 covers a lot of the material on the test e.g. operating and ignition principles. The troubleshooting information in chapters 4 and 5 also features heavily on the test. The remaining chapters cover more detailed maintenance and repair, but these concepts are not addressed in much detail on the test.

Where to take the Engine Driver exam

Examinations are conducted on Wednesday mornings at Department of Marine and Ports services in Dockyard. This is directly opposite the main boat slip in Dockyard and is easy to find. Appointments may be made through the Supervising Engineer – Telephone 234-2246 or 239-4600. Once month’s notice is preferred. Confirm the appointment the day before the examination. Candidates can call the Supervising Engineer after the exam for verbal notification of results.