What equipment is NOT used to protect a towing hawser?

Correct Answer: Option D — Halyards and snap hooks

Halyards and snap hooks are rigging components used for hoisting flags or light gear, not for heavy-duty towing operations. Protecting a hawser requires robust chafing gear, such as hawser boards, or securing methods like seizing wire and marline to prevent abrasion against the vessel's structure during the tow.