USCG Master 25-100 Ton License Practice Test

A lifebuoy is designed to be thrown to a person overboard to provide immediate flotation. It’s a ring-shaped buoyant device that you can hurl to someone in the water, often with a line attached so you can tow or guide them to safety. Its purpose is quick, passive buoyancy to keep the person’s head above water and buy time for rescue. In contrast, a life jacket is something the person wears to stay afloat and keep the airway clear, but it isn’t something you throw to someone who’s already in the water. An EPIRB is a distress beacon used to signal location to rescuers, not to provide flotation. A fender protects the hull and is not used for rescue in the water. So the lifebuoy best fits the scenario of being thrown to someone in the water to provide flotation.