This is an interactive test. Read each question and select the proper answer by clicking on the appropriate answer. If a "Y" appears, your choice is correct. If a "N" appears, more study may be in order.
26: Wind direction may be determined by observing all of the following EXCEPT __________.
N a. low clouds N b. waves N c. whitecaps Y d. swells 41: Mean high water is the reference plane used for __________.
N a. all vertical measurements Y b. heights above water of land features such as lights N c. soundings on the East and West Coasts N d. water depths on the East Coast only 84: When using an echo sounder in deep water, it is NOT unusual to __________.
Y a. receive a strong return at about 200 fathoms (366 meters) during the day, and one nearer the surface at night N b. receive a first return near the surface during the day, and a strong return at about 200 fathoms (366 meters) at night N c. receive false echoes at a constant depth day and night N d. have to recalibrate every couple of days due to inaccurate readings 109: While proceeding along the Norwegian coast on course 039°T, you sight the black-yellow-black banded buoy shown bearing 053°T. What action should you take? (D021NG )
N a. Alter course to 053° and leave the buoy close aboard on either side N b. Maintain course Y c. Alter course to 060° and ensure that the true bearings decreases N d. Alter course to port to rapidly open the bearing to the right 158: Discounting slip, if your vessel is turning RPM for 10 knots and making good a speed of 10 knots, the current could be __________.
N a. with you at 10 knots N b. against you at 10 knots Y c. slack N d. with you at 2 knots 192: The description "Racon" beside an illustration on a chart would mean a __________.
N a. radar conspicuous beacon N b. circular radio beacon Y c. radar transponder beacon N d. radar calibration beacon 199: Civil twilight occurs at 0558 zone time on 30 December 1981. Your DR position at that time is LAT 15°02'N, LONG 46°02'W. Which statement concerning the planets available for morning sights is TRUE?
Y a. At 0558, Mars can be used for an ex-meridian observation. N b. Venus, Jupiter, and Mars sights will yield a good three line fix. N c. Saturn will be near the prime vertical. N d. Venus will be visible low in the western sky. 291: A buoy marking a wreck will show a(n) __________.
Y a. white light FL (2) and a topmark of 2 black spheres N b. occulting green light and may be lettered N c. yellow light and will be numbered N d. continuous quick white light and may be numbered 330: You are taking bearings on two known objects ashore. The BEST fix is obtained when the angle between the lines of position is __________.
Y a. 90° N b. 30° N c. 45° N d. 60° 420: You are inbound in a channel marked by a range. The range line is 309°T. You are steering 306°T and have the range in sight as shown. The range continues to open. What action should you take? (D047NG )
Y a. Alter course to the left until the range closes then steer to the left of 306°T. N b. Maintain course as it is normal for the range to open as you get close. N c. Alter course to the left to close the range, then alter course to 309°T. N d. Alter course to the right to 309°T or more to bring the range in line. 572: You wish to measure the distance on a Mercator chart between a point in latitude 43°30'N and a point in latitude 40°30'N. To measure 30 miles at a time, you should set the points of the dividers at __________.
N a. 41°30' and 42°00' Y b. 41°45' and 42°15' N c. 42°00' and 42°30' N d. 42°15' and 42°45' 649: You are on course 226°T. In order to check the latitude of your vessel, you should observe a celestial body on which bearing?
N a. 226° N b. 270° Y c. 000° N d. 026° 664: Which ARPA data should you use in order to determine if a close quarters situation will develop with a target vessel?
N a. Set and drift of the current Y b. Relative track information N c. Predicted time of CPA N d. Initial range of acquisition 720: Which change in the condition of the seas could indicate the formation of a tropical storm or hurricane several hundred miles from your location?
Y a. A long swell from an unusual direction N b. A lengthy lull in the wind and seas N c. Large seas coming from different directions N d. A brisk chop from the southeast 742: You are preparing to take a tow from San Diego to Portland, OR. Good seamanship would require that you have on board, available for reference and use, all of the following EXCEPT the __________.
N a. Coast Pilot N b. harbor and coastal charts for ports of refuge enroute Y c. Sailing Directions (Enroute) N d. Light List 774: Variation is not constant; it is different with every change in __________.
N a. speed N b. vessel heading Y c. geographical location N d. cargo 775: A sidereal day is shorter than a solar day. This difference is due to __________.
N a. irregularities in the daily rotational rate of the Sun N b. the space motion of the solar system N c. the precession of the equinoxes Y d. the use of different reference points 793: The permanent magnetism of a vessel may change in strength due to __________.
N a. a collision with another vessel N b. being moored on a constant heading for a long period of time N c. being struck by lightning Y d. All of the above 848: It is unlawful to approach within how many yards of a northern right whale?
N a. 200 N b. 300 N c. 400 Y d. 500 866: Anticyclones are usually characterized by __________.
Y a. dry, fair weather N b. high winds and cloudiness N c. gustiness and continuous precipitation N d. overcast skies 903: Eight points of a compass are equal to how many degrees?
N a. 45 Y b. 90 N c. 180 N d. 360 906: In the Northern Hemisphere, an area of counterclockwise wind circulation surrounded by higher pressure is a __________.
Y a. low N b. high N c. warm front N d. cold front 960: The Light List shows that a navigational light has a nominal range of 15 miles and a height above water of 29 feet (8.8 meters). Your height of eye is 52 feet (15.8 meters) and visibility is 6.0 miles. At which approximate range will you first sight the light?
N a. 8.0 miles Y b. 11.0 miles N c. 14.5 miles N d. 16.0 miles 1002: What publication contains information about the port facilities in Cadiz, Spain?
Y a. World Port Index N b. United States Coast Pilot N c. Nautical Index N d. Sailing Directions 1015: Which statement about the time diagram shown is correct? (D005NG )
N a. The Greenwich hour angle of the Sun is greater than 180°. N b. The meridian angle of the Sun is labeled west. N c. The date of Greenwich is the day after the date for observer at M. Y d. The Sun has already passed the lower branch of the observer's meridian. 1070: Chart legends which indicate a conspicuous landmark are printed in __________.
N a. underlined letters Y b. capital letters N c. italics N d. boldface print 1150: You are on course 312°T. To check the speed of your vessel you should observe a celestial body on which bearing?
Y a. 312° N b. 000° N c. 090° N d. 222° 1208: Which type of cloud is indicated by the number 1? (D039NG )
Y a. Cirrus N b. Altostratus N c. Altocumulus N d. Nimbostratus 1220: Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System, a lighted buoy with a spherical topmark marks __________.
N a. the position of underwater cables N b. a hazard to navigation N c. the port side of the channel Y d. safe water 1255: The wind velocity is higher in the dangerous semicircle of a tropical cyclone because of the __________.
N a. extension of the low pressure ridge N b. direction of circulation and pressure gradient N c. recurvature effect Y d. the wind circulation and forward motion of the storm 1256: A cold front moving in from the northwest can produce __________.
Y a. thunderstorms, hail, and then rapid clearing N b. increasing cloud cover lasting for several days N c. lengthy wet weather N d. low ceilings with thick cirrus clouds 1305: Complete information on weather broadcasts throughout the world is contained in __________.
Y a. Selected Worldwide Marine Weather Broadcasts N b. your local newspaper N c. the Notice to Mariners N d. the daily weather map 1308: On a voyage from Cape Town to London, the favorable ocean current off the coast of Africa is the __________.
N a. Canary Current Y b. Benguela Current N c. Agulhas Current N d. South Atlantic Current 1359: The distance in longitude from the intersection of a great circle and the equator to the lower vertex is how many degrees of longitude?
N a. 45° Y b. 90° N c. 135° N d. 180° 1359: The distance in longitude from the intersection of a great circle and the equator to the lower vertex is how many degrees of longitude?
N a. 45° Y b. 90° N c. 135° N d. 180° 1395: The lunar day is __________.
Y a. longer than a solar day N b. shorter than a solar day N c. the same length as the solar day N d. longer than a solar day during the summer months and shorter in winter months 1427: Determine the duration of the first PM slack water on 3 March 1983, east of the Statue of Liberty, when the current is less than 0.1 knot?
N a. 10 minutes Y b. 13 minutes N c. 16 minutes N d. 19 minutes 1430: The Light List indicates that a light has a nominal range of 14 miles and is 42 feet high (12.8 meters). If the visibility is 6 miles and your height of eye is 20 feet (6.1 meters), at what approximate distance will you sight the light?
N a. 20.1 miles Y b. 10.0 miles N c. 7.6 miles N d. 6.0 miles 1459: In a tropical cyclone, in the Northern Hemisphere, a vessel hove to with the wind shifting counterclockwise is __________.
N a. ahead of the storm center N b. in the dangerous semicircle Y c. in the navigable semicircle N d. directly in the approach path of the storm 1460: What is the major advantage of a rhumb line track?
Y a. The vessel can steam on a constant heading (disregarding wind, current, etc.). N b. The rhumb line is the shortest distance between the arrival and departure points. N c. It is easily plotted on a gnomonic chart for comparison with a great circle course. N d. It approximates a great circle on east-west courses in high latitudes. 1465: The planet Venus can be observed in the morning before sunrise if it is well to the __________.
Y a. west of and higher than the Sun N b. west of and lower than the Sun N c. east of and higher than the Sun N d. east of and lower than the Sun 1493: You are running parallel to the coast and estimate that the current is against you. In plotting a running fix using bearings from the same object on the coast, the greatest safety margin from inshore dangers will result if what speed is used to determine the fix?
Y a. Minimum speed estimate N b. Maximum speed estimate N c. Average speed estimate N d. A running fix should not be used under these conditions. 1567: Buoys and day beacons exhibiting a yellow triangle or square painted on them are used __________.
N a. in minor harbors where the controlling depth is 10 feet (3 meters) or less N b. on isolated stretches of the ICW to mark undredged areas Y c. where the ICW and other waterways coincide N d. at particularly hazardous turns of the channel 1578: The LMT of sunrise on the standard meridian is 0552. Your longitude is 99°15'E. What is your ZT of sunrise?
N a. 0512 N b. 0529 N c. 0552 Y d. 0615 1603: A position that is obtained by using two or more intersecting lines of position, taken at nearly the same time, is a(n) __________.
N a. estimated position Y b. fix N c. running fix N d. dead-reckoning position 1779: The Light List indicates that a light has a nominal range of 14 miles and is 26 feet high. If the visibility is 14 miles and your height of eye is 20 feet, at which approximate distance will you sight the light?
N a. 7.5 miles Y b. 11.2 miles N c. 14.0 miles N d. 18.1 miles 1868: Illustration D036NG represents a fixed C of E lock and dam. What navigational light(s) is(are) exhibited at the position indicated by the letter A in the illustration? (D036NG )
Y a. One red light N b. Two red lights N c. Two green lights N d. Three green lights 1905: In order to insure that the racon signal is visible on your 3 cm radar, the __________.
N a. 10 cm radar should be placed on standby or turned off N b. gain control should be turned to maximum N c. radar should be stabilized, head up Y d. rain clutter control should be off but, if necessary, may be on low 1969: The precession of the equinoxes of the Earth is __________.
N a. the gradual increase in the period of rotation caused by the effects of the Moon N b. the irregularity of the Earth's orbit caused by influences of the Sun and Moon N c. caused by the elliptical shape of the Earth's orbit Y d. similar to a top spinning with its axis tilted 2183: Diagram number D037NG represents a movable dam. If there is high water and the wickets are down so that there is an unobstructed navigable pass through the dam, what light(s) will be shown at D if the lock walls and piers are not awash?
N a. Three red lights N b. Two red lights Y c. One red light N d. No light 2289: The constellation that contains the pointer stars is __________.
N a. Orion Y b. Ursa Major N c. the Southern Cross N d. Pegasus 2532: You must construct a Mercator plotting sheet on a piece of paper measuring 28" by 32". The area includes latitude 32°S to 39°S and longitude 005°E to 003°W. Allow a one-half inch neat line on all sides. What is the maximum distance between each degree of longitude that will permit the area of the plotting sheet to be drawn within the stated limitations?
Y a. 3.38 inches N b. 3.62 inches N c. 3.79 inches N d. 3.95 inches 2706: The following types of vessels are awaiting lockage on the upper Mississippi. Which type of vessel is normally passed through the lock first?
N a. Pleasure craft N b. Commercial towboats Y c. Commercial passenger vessels N d. Commercial fishing vessels 2779: The buoy indicated by the letter B in illustration D044NG is a __________.
N a. nun N b. can Y c. spar N d. pillar 2828: The daily recurring pattern of pressure changes most noticeable in low latitudes is the __________.
N a. daily lapse reading Y b. diurnal variation of pressure N c. pressure tendency N d. synoptic pressure 2929: On 29 June 1981 you observe a back sight of the lower limb of the Moon. The sextant altitude (hs) is 114°16.9'. The height of eye is 36 feet and the index error is 2.0' on the arc. The horizontal parallax is 60.5'. What is the observed altitude (Ho)?
Y a. 66°31.6' N b. 66°31.0' N c. 66°28.8' N d. 66°26.0' 2961: Which position includes the effects of wind and current?
N a. Dead reckoning positions Y b. Estimated positions N c. Leeway position N d. Set position 2964: The pictures shown represent the geographic location of a vessel and the radar presentation at the same time. Which statement is TRUE? (D011NG )
N a. Ship No. 1 does not paint as an individual target due to the side lobe affect. N b. The small island is not detected due to the limitation caused by the pulse length. N c. A tangent bearing of the headland to the south-southeast is corrected by subtracting one-half of the beam width. Y d. Ship No. 2 is not detected due to the combined affects of beam width and pulse length. 3013: A white buoy with an orange rectangle on it displays __________.
Y a. directions N b. dangers N c. exclusion areas N d. All of the above 3030: Isogonic lines are lines on a chart indicating __________.
Y a. points of equal variation N b. points of zero variation N c. the magnetic latitude N d. magnetic dip