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.
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 104: What should you apply to a fathometer reading to determine the depth of water?
N a. Subtract the draft of the vessel. Y b. Add the draft of the vessel. N c. Subtract the sea water correction . N d. Add the sea water correction. 216: The prevailing winds in the band of latitude from approximately 5°N to 30°N are the __________.
N a. prevailing westerlies Y b. northeast trade winds N c. southeast trade winds N d. doldrums 218: Lines of position may be __________.
N a. hyperbolas N b. straight lines N c. arcs Y d. All of the above 306: Weather conditions in the middle latitudes generally move __________.
Y a. eastward N b. westward N c. northward N d. southward 391: When outbound from a U.S. port, a buoy displaying a flashing red light indicates __________.
N a. a junction with the preferred channel to the left N b. a sharp turn in the channel to the right Y c. the port side of the channel N d. a wreck to be left on the vessel's starboard side 441: A yellow buoy may exhibit a(n) __________.
N a. fixed red light Y b. flashing light N c. white light N d. occulting light 490: You are underway on course 050°T and your maximum speed is 10 knots. The eye of a hurricane bears 100°T, 90 miles from your position. The hurricane is moving towards 285°T at 19 knots. Which course should you steer at 10 knots to have the maximum CPA?
N a. 221° Y b. 226° N c. 233° N d. 238° 493: The picture shown represents the geographic location of a vessel and the radar presentation at the same time. Which statement is TRUE? (D011NG )
N a. Ship No. 1 is not detected due to the shadow effect of the headland. N b. The small island is not detected due to the effect of beam width. Y c. A tangent bearing of the headland to the south-southeast should be corrected by adding one-half of the beam width. N d. Ship No. 2 is not detected due to the reflective mass of the background mountain overpowering the ship's reflective signals. 494: Aneroid barometers are usually calibrated to indicate atmospheric pressure in __________.
N a. inches of mercury and centimeters N b. feet of mercury and millibars N c. inches of mercury and millimeters Y d. inches of mercury and millibars 528: What should you expect when you encounter a tsunami in the open ocean?
N a. Violent seas from mixed directions Y b. No noticeable change from the existing sea state N c. Winds increasing to gale force from the northwest in the Northern Hemisphere N d. A major wave of extreme height and length 586: The approximate distance to a storm center can be determined by noting the hourly rate of fall of the barometer. If the rate of fall is 0.08 - 0.12 inches, what is the approximate distance to the storm center?
N a. 50 to 80 miles Y b. 80 to 100 miles N c. 100 to 150 miles N d. 150 to 250 miles 617: You are bound for the Chelsea docks in the Hudson River. The Captain wants to arrive at the docks at the first slack water on 28 July 1983. You are keeping daylight saving time. What time should you be at the docks?
Y a. 0215 N b. 0530 N c. 0811 N d. 0911 632: You must construct a Mercator projection for an area bounded by latitudes 40° - 47°N and longitudes 176°E to 176°W on a paper 28 X 36 inches. Allow a neat line of one inch. What will be the separation between meridians?
N a. 3.190 inches Y b. 3.249 inches N c. 3.529 inches N d. 3.714 inches 658: Monsoons are characterized by __________.
N a. light, variable winds with little or no humidity N b. strong, gusty winds that blow from the same general direction all year Y c. steady winds that reverse direction semiannually N d. strong, cyclonic winds that change direction to conform to the passage of an extreme low pressure system 791: Under the IALA Buoyage Systems, the topmark of a red and white vertically-striped buoy shall be __________.
N a. X-shaped N b. two black spheres Y c. a single red sphere N d. a single red cone 920: What is the average speed of the movement of a hurricane following the recurvature of its track?
N a. 5 to 10 knots Y b. 20 to 30 knots N c. 40 to 50 knots N d. Over 60 knots 931: Under the IALA-B Buoyage System, when entering from seaward, a buoy that should be left to port will be __________.
N a. black N b. red Y c. green N d. yellow 941: While preparing to enter a Brazilian port, you see ahead a red and green horizontally-striped buoy. The upper band is red. What action should you take?
N a. Alter course to leave the buoy to port. Y b. Alter course to leave the buoy to starboard. N c. Pass the buoy close aboard on either side. N d. Pass the buoy well clear on either side. 947: The cold ocean current which meets the warm Gulf Stream between latitudes 40° and 43°N to form the "cold wall" is called the __________.
N a. North Cape Current Y b. Labrador Current N c. Greenland Current N d. North Atlantic Current 983: Error may be introduced into a magnetic compass by __________.
N a. making a structural change to the vessel N b. a short circuit near the compass N c. belt buckles Y d. All of the above 1000: You are inbound in a channel marked by a range. The range line is 309°T. You are steering 306°T. The range appears as shown and is closing. Which action should you take? (D047NG )
Y a. Continue on course until the range is closed, then alter course to the right. N b. Continue on the present heading until the range is in line, then alter course to the left. N c. Immediately alter course to the right to bring the range in line. N d. Immediately alter course to 309°T to bring the range in line. 1007: When a current flows in the opposite direction to the waves, the wave __________.
N a. length is increased Y b. height is increased N c. velocity increases N d. length is unchanged 1063: When adjusting a magnetic compass using the fore-and-aft permanent magnets, you should __________.
N a. use the magnets one at a time, putting one in one side and then one on the opposite side, one step higher. N b. use the magnets in pairs, starting at the top, with trays at the highest point of travel Y c. use the magnets in pairs, from the bottom up, with the trays at the lowest point of travel N d. fill all the trays with magnets, then remove them one-by-one until the deviation is removed 1106: The legend/symbol which designates an occluded front is represented by a __________.
N a. red line Y b. purple line N c. blue line N d. dashed blue line 1109: You are on course 146°T. To check the speed of your vessel you should observe a celestial body on which bearing?
N a. 000° N b. 056° N c. 090° Y d. 146° 1112: Considering the general circulation of the atmosphere, the wind system between latitudes 30°N and 60°N is commonly called the __________.
Y a. prevailing westerlies N b. horse latitudes N c. trade winds N d. subpolar low pressure belts 1207: What will be the velocity of the tidal current at New London Harbor Entrance, CT, at 1615 EST (ZD +5) on 26 December 1983?
Y a. 0.2 knot N b. 0.4 knot N c. 0.7 knot N d. 0.9 knot 1273: Deviation changes with a change in __________.
N a. latitude Y b. heading N c. longitude N d. sea conditions 1317: What will be the velocity and direction of the tidal current at Mobile River Entrance, AL, at 0915 CDT (ZD +5) on 13 May 1983?
N a. 0.1 knot at 333°T Y b. 0.3 knot at 333°T N c. 0.7 knot at 151°T N d. 1.8 knots at 025°T 1372: You are enroute to Jacksonville, FL, from San Juan, P.R. There is a fresh N'ly wind blowing. As you cross the axis of the Gulf Stream you would expect to encounter __________.
N a. cirrus clouds N b. long swells N c. smoother seas and warmer water Y d. steeper waves, closer together 1410: A white buoy marked with an orange rectangle indicates __________.
N a. a fish net area Y b. general information N c. an anchorage N d. mid-channel 1534: You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. Your position is LAT 22°31'S, LONG 138°19'W. How would this be encoded? (D041NG )
N a. LAT 22.5°S, LONG 138.3°W Y b. 99225, 51383 N c. L2231, 53819 N d. 2231S, 5383W 1720: In the Southern Hemisphere winds in a low pressure system rotate in a __________.
Y a. clockwise direction N b. northeasterly direction N c. northerly direction N d. counterclockwise direction 1735: A vessel entering the eye of a hurricane should expect __________.
N a. moderating winds and heavy confused seas to strike his vessel from all directions N b. the winds to increase to hurricane force and strike from a different direction as the eye passes N c. the barometer to reach the lowest point Y d. All of the above 2085: Information about major breakdowns, repairs, or other emergency operations with regard to weirs and (or) wicket dams, on the western rivers, may be obtained from the __________.
Y a. Broadcast Notice to Mariners N b. Light List Vol. V N c. U.S. Coast Pilot N d. Sailing Directions 2115: Vessels regularly navigating rivers above Cairo, Illinois, shall at all times have on board a copy of __________.
Y a. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulations (Blue Book) N b. Light List Vol. V N c. U.S. Coast Pilot N d. None of the above 2150: On a Mercator chart, 1 nautical mile is equal to __________.
N a. 1 minute of longitude N b. 1 degree of longitude Y c. 1 minute of latitude N d. 1 degree of latitude 2163: The letter C in illustration D006NG represents the __________.
N a. visible horizon N b. geoidal horizon Y c. celestial horizon N d. sensible horizon 2246: The speed of an ocean current is dependent on __________.
Y a. the density of the water N b. the air temperature N c. the presence of a high pressure area near it N d. underwater soil conditions 2250: The most important information to be obtained from a barometer is the __________.
N a. difference between the reading of the two pointers, which shows wind direction N b. last two figures of the reading of the pointer, such as .87, .76, or .92 Y c. present reading of the pressure, combined with the changes in pressure observed in the recent past N d. weather indications printed on the dial (such as "cold, wet, etc.") under the pointer 2280: Which would influence a magnetic compass?
N a. Electrical wiring N b. Iron pipe N c. Radio Y d. All of the above 2322: You have completed the magnetic compass adjustments on magnetic east and magnetic south. The vessel is now steady on magnetic north but the compass reads 356°. Which action should be taken?
N a. Use the fore-and-aft magnets and adjust the compass until it reads 358°. Y b. Use the athwartships magnets and adjust the compass until it reads 358°. N c. Use the fore-and-aft magnets and adjust the compass until it reads 000°. N d. Use the quadrantal spheres and adjust the compass until it reads 000°. 2364: The immediate surroundings of what constellation contain the most first magnitude stars?
N a. Libra N b. Cassiopeia N c. Pegasus Y d. Orion 2373: The vertical distance from the tidal datum to the level of the water is the __________.
N a. actual water depth N b. range of tide N c. charted depth Y d. height of tide 2384: On U.S. charts, you can tell if a named feature such as a rock (i.e. Great Eastern Rock in Block Island Sound) is submerged by the __________.
N a. color of ink used to print the name Y b. style of type used to print the name N c. dashed circle around the feature N d. magenta circle around the feature 2408: What is the equivalent of 42 min. 48 sec. in arc units?
N a. 21°24' N b. 18°16' N c. 11°19' Y d. 10°42' 2434: A vessel is heading magnetic east and its magnetic compass indicates a heading of 093°. What action should be taken to remove this error during compass adjustment?
N a. If the red ends of the magnets are aft you should lower the fore-and-aft tray. Y b. If the red ends of the magnets are forward, and the fore-and-aft tray is at the bottom, you should remove some magnets. N c. If the red ends of the magnets are to port you should raise the athwartships tray. N d. If the red ends of the magnets are to port, and the athwartships tray is at the top, you should reverse the magnets. 2584: You must construct a Mercator plotting sheet on a piece of paper measuring 30" by 36". The area includes latitude 30°45'S to 37°15'S and longitude 004°00'E to 005°00'W. Allow a one 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 limitation?
N a. 3.09 inches N b. 3.22 inches N c. 3.41 inches Y d. 3.58 inches 2604: A sidereal day is approximately how much shorter than a solar day?
Y a. 4 minutes N b. 8 minutes N c. 12 minutes N d. 16 minutes 2629: In both regions of the IALA buoyage system, which topmark is used on a special mark? (D022NG )
N a. A N b. B N c. C Y d. D 2725: 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 N b. dead-reckoning position N c. running fix Y d. fix 2794: The standard atmospheric pressure in millibars is __________.
N a. 760.0 N b. 938.9 N c. 1000.0 Y d. 1013.2 2848: While navigating in fog off a coastline of steep cliffs, you hear the echo of the ships fog horn 6 seconds after the signal was sounded. What is the distance to the shore?
N a. 1200 yards Y b. 1100 yards N c. 1000 yards N d. 900 yards 2858: While navigating in fog off a coastline of steep cliffs, you hear the echo of the ships fog horn 2 1/2 seconds after the signal was sounded. What is the distance to the shore?
N a. 225 yards Y b. 460 yards N c. 750 yards N d. 910 yards 2894: Fetch is the __________.
N a. distance a wave travels between formation and decay Y b. stretch of water over which a wave-forming wind blows N c. time in seconds required for two crests to pass a given point N d. measurement of a wave's steepness 2899: You take a bearing of 043° and 169° of two objects. What bearing of a third object will give the best fix?
N a. 356° N b. 073° N c. 192° Y d. 309° 2936: Information on search and rescue procedures and special, local communications used in Mexican waters will be found in the __________.
N a. World Port Index N b. International Code of Signals (Pub 102) Y c. Sailing Directions (Planning Guides) N d. International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue Manual 2972: You are in a channel inbound from sea. A daymark used to mark a channel junction when the preferred channel is to starboard will have the shape indicated by what letter in illustration D045NG?
Y a. A N b. B N c. C N d. D 3126: Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding automatic identification systems (AIS)?
N a. AIS will not provide information on another vessel if that vessel is indistinguishable in radar sea clutter. N b. AIS can be relied upon as the sole means to determine risk of collision and safe speed. N c. AIS is designed to replace ARPA, maneuvering boards, and visual bearings as a means to ascertain the risk of collision. Y d. AIS provides the other vessel's identity, dimensions and navigational status regardless of visibility.