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.
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. 118: What describes an accurate position that is NOT based on any prior position?
N a. Dead-reckoning position N b. Estimated position Y c. Fix N d. Running fix 129: In working out a local apparent noon sight for your latitude, you subtract the Ho from 90°. The 90° represents the angular distance from __________.
N a. the equator to the elevated pole Y b. your horizon to your zenith N c. your zenith to the elevated pole N d. the geographical position of the Sun to the elevated pole 264: Which of the four adjustable errors in the sextant is the principle cause of index error?
N a. Telescope not being parallel to the frame Y b. Index mirror and horizon glass not being parallel N c. Index mirror not being perpendicular to the frame N d. Horizon glass not being perpendicular to the frame 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° 369: You are underway on course 050°T and your maximum speed is 11 knots. The eye of a hurricane bears 070°T, 80 miles from your position. The hurricane is moving towards 270°T at 19 knots. What course should you steer at 11 knots to have the maximum CPA?
N a. 250° N b. 234° N c. 227° Y d. 215 ° 491: A special purpose buoy shall be __________.
N a. lighted with a white light N b. striped black and red N c. lighted with a red light Y d. yellow 515: The small circle of the celestial sphere parallel to the celestial equator, and transcribed by the daily motion of the body, is called the __________.
N a. hour circle of the body Y b. parallel of declination N c. vertical circle of the body N d. parallel of altitude 598: A great circle crosses the equator at 141°E. It will also cross the equator at what other longitude?
N a. 180°E N b. 41°E N c. 141°W Y d. 39°W 661: Under the IALA Buoyage Systems, safe water marks may show a __________.
N a. composite group-flashing, Fl(2 + 1), red light N b. composite group-flashing, Fl(2 + 1), green light N c. quick-flashing, Q(9)15s, white light Y d. white Morse (A) light 676: If you are caught in the left semicircle of a tropical storm, in the Southern Hemisphere, you should bring the wind __________.
N a. on the starboard quarter, hold course and make as much way as possible N b. 2 points on the port quarter, and make as much way as possible Y c. on the port bow, and make as much way as possible N d. dead ahead and heave to 776: You are navigating in pilotage waters using running fixes. The maximum time between fixes should be about __________.
N a. 4 hours N b. 1 hour Y c. 30 minutes N d. 5 minutes 816: Cyclones that have warm sectors usually move __________.
N a. westerly Y b. parallel to the isobars in the warm sector N c. toward the nearest high pressure area N d. faster than the accompanying cold front 825: While steering a course of 150°T, you wish to observe the Sun for a speed check. What would the azimuth have to be?
N a. 000°T N b. 090°T Y c. 150°T N d. 240°T 888: Recurvature of a hurricane's track usually results in the forward speed __________.
Y a. increasing N b. decreasing N c. remaining the same N d. varying during the day 938: If within 500 yards (460m) of a Northern Right Whale you are lawfully obligated to __________.
N a. turn away from the whale and leave at full speed Y b. turn away from the whale and leave at slow speed N c. slow to bare steerageway until the whale swims away N d. stop the vessel and sound repeated blasts on the ship's whistle to scare the whale away 952: What is TRUE concerning new editions of Light Lists?
N a. Supplements to new editions are issued monthly by the U.S. Coast Guard. N b. New editions are published by the National Ocean Service. Y c. New editions are corrected through the date shown on the title page. N d. None of the above 962: Chart legends which indicate a conspicuous landmark are printed in __________.
N a. underlined letters N b. boldfaced print N c. italics Y d. capital letters 991: You are underway in the North Sea on course 328°T when you sight a buoy broad on your port bow. You are in the best navigable water if the buoy __________.
N a. has a topmark of two cones with points down N b. is a western quadrant buoy N c. is painted yellow on the top half and black on the bottom Y d. exhibits a light with the characteristic of VQ(3)5s 1090: What weather conditions would you expect to find at position A? (D049NG )
Y a. Winds NW-W at 15 knots, partly cloudy, and slight seas N b. winds SW-S at 20 knots, heavy rain, and rough seas N c. Winds calm, light rain, and calm seas N d. Winds NE-E at 20 knots, heavy rain, and rough seas 1092: The wind velocity is higher in the dangerous semicircle of a tropical cyclone because of the __________.
N a. extension of the low pressure ridge Y b. wind circulation and forward motion of the storm N c. recurvature effect N d. direction of circulation and pressure gradient 1110: To make sure of getting the full advantage of a favorable current, you should reach an entrance or strait at what time in relation to the predicted time of the favorable current?
N a. At the predicted time Y b. 30 minutes before the predicted time N c. One hour after the predicted time N d. 30 minutes before flood, one hour after an ebb 1171: A light that has a light period shorter than its dark period is described as __________.
Y a. flashing N b. pulsating N c. occulting N d. alternating 1246: What weather change accompanies the passage of a cold front in the Northern Hemisphere?
N a. Wind shift from northeast clockwise to southwest N b. Steady dropping of barometric pressure N c. Steady precipitation, gradually increasing in intensity Y d. A line of cumulonimbus clouds 1279: For 3 November 1983, at 0830 EST (ZD +5) at Catskill, NY, what is the predicted height of tide?
N a. +0.1 foot (+0.0 m) Y b. -0.6 foot (-0.2 m) N c. +0.9 foot (+0.3 m) N d. -1.3 feet (-0.4 m) 1341: The height of a light is measured from which reference plane?
N a. Mean low water Y b. Mean high water N c. Average water level N d. Geographical sea level 1352: Weather observations provided by each weather station include all of the following except __________.
N a. temperature N b. visibility Y c. predicted weather for the next twelve hours N d. barometric pressure and change in the last three hours 1370: Which type of cloud is indicated by the number 8? (D039NG )
N a. Cumulonimbus N b. Altostratus N c. Cirrostratus Y d. Nimbostratus 1382: The chart indicates the variation was 3°45'W in 1988, and the annual change is increasing 6'. If you use the chart in 1991 how much variation should you apply?
N a. 3°27'W N b. 3°27'E Y c. 4°03'W N d. 4°03'E 1517: When determining compass error by an azimuth of Polaris, you enter the Nautical Almanac with the __________.
N a. GHA Aries Y b. LHA Aries N c. LHA Polaris N d. GHA Polaris 1521: To avoid error you should read the scale of an aneroid barometer with your eye placed __________.
N a. to the right of the pointer N b. to the left of the pointer Y c. directly in front of the pointer N d. slightly above the meniscus 1545: The change in the length of day becomes greater as latitude increases because of the __________.
N a. inclination of the diurnal circle to the equator N b. decreasing distance between the terrestrial meridians Y c. increased obliquity of the celestial sphere N d. changing distance between the earth and the sun 1604: The Illustration shows the symbols used on radio facsimile weather charts. Which of these symbols indicates freezing rain? (D042NG )
N a. M N b. N N c. O Y d. P 1634: A lighted buoy to be left to starboard, when entering a U.S. port from seaward, shall have a __________.
Y a. red light N b. white light N c. green light N d. light characteristic of Morse (A) 1659: The type of fog that occurs on clear nights with very light breezes and forms when the earth cools rapidly by radiation is known as __________.
Y a. radiation fog N b. frontal fog N c. convection fog N d. advection fog 1723: The intensity of a hurricane as it reaches higher latitudes and cooler waters __________.
N a. Increases N b. remains the same Y c. decreases N d. None of the above 1766: You are approaching a lock and see a flashing amber light located on the lock wall. You should __________.
N a. stand clear of the lock entrance Y b. approach the lock under full control N c. enter the lock as quickly as possible N d. hang off your tow on the lock wall 1783: You can follow the approach of a dangerous cyclonic storm by inspecting __________.
N a. the National Weather Service Observing Handbook No.1, Marine Surface Observations Y b. a weather fax N c. the Coast Pilot or Sailing Directions N d. the sky overhead 1805: A phenomenon where the atmospheric pressure is higher than that of other surrounding regions is called __________.
N a. the "trade winds" N b. a low front or an occluded front N c. the doldrums Y d. a "high" 1986: The Moon is farthest from the Earth at __________.
N a. the full Moon Y b. apogee N c. the lunar solstice N d. quadrature 2066: 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 B if the lock walls and piers are not awash?
N a. One red light N b. Two red lights Y c. Three red lights N d. No lights 2101: Information about major breakdowns, repairs, or other emergency operations with regard to weirs and (or) wicket dams, on the western rivers, may be obtained by consulting the __________.
Y a. Broadcast Notice to Mariners N b. Light List Vol. V N c. U.S. Coast Pilot N d. All of the above 2127: 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 B if the lock walls and piers are not awash?
N a. No lights N b. One red light N c. Two red lights Y d. Three red lights 2189: A vessel is heading magnetic north and its magnetic compass indicates a heading of 003°. What action should be taken to remove this error during compass adjustment?
N a. If the blue ends are to port and the athwartships tray is at the bottom, you should add some more magnets. N b. If the blue ends are to port and the athwartships tray is at the top, you should add some more magnets. N c. If the red ends are to port, you should lower the athwartships tray. Y d. If the red ends are to port and the tray is at the bottom, you should raise the tray. 2252: The vertical angle between the horizontal and the magnetic line of force is the __________.
N a. elevation N b. magnetic angle N c. vertical angle Y d. dip 2312: Mars is only seen at two phases, one of which __________.
Y a. is the full phase N b. is conjunction N c. occurs only at sunset or sunrise N d. occurs at or near 0° elongation 2345: You should plot your dead reckoning position __________.
N a. from every estimated position N b. every three minutes in pilotage waters N c. only in pilotage waters Y d. from every fix or running fix 2350: The principal advantage of NAVTEX radio warnings is that __________.
Y a. they can be used by mariners who do not know Morse code N b. only an ordinary FM radio is necessary to receive these warnings N c. information on a given topic is only broadcast at specified times N d. they cover a broad spectrum of the radio band allowing reception on almost any type of receiver 2374: The largest of the navigational planets is __________.
N a. Mars N b. Venus Y c. Jupiter N d. Saturn 2394: 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, and the fore-and-aft tray is at the top, you should remove some magnets. N b. If the red ends of the magnet are aft, and the fore-and-aft tray is at the bottom, you should reverse the magnets. Y c. If the red ends of the magnets are aft you should raise the fore-and-aft tray. N d. If the blue ends of the magnets are forward you should remove some magnets from the fore-and-aft tray. 2409: You are approaching the first of two drawbridges that span a narrow channel. The second drawbridge is close to the first. Which signals should you sound?
N a. Sound the request-for-opening signal for the first bridge only, who will notify the second bridge of your approach N b. Sound the request-for-opening signal twice in succession to indicate you must pass through both bridges N c. Sound the request-for-opening signal, pause for about 10 seconds, then sound two prolonged blasts. Y d. Sound the request-for-opening signal and, after the bridge acknowledges it, sound the request-for-opening signal for the second bridge. 2432: A time diagram is a diagram of the celestial sphere as observed from above the __________.
Y a. south celestial pole N b. north celestial pole N c. observer's meridian N d. Greenwich meridian 2456: An orange and white buoy marking an area where operating restrictions are in effect will be marked with which symbol?
N a. Open-faced diamond N b. Diamond with a cross Y c. Circle N d. Rectangle 2459: The controlling depth of the river is __________.
N a. the minimum depth of the river prescribed in the channel maintenance program N b. the edge of a dredged channel N c. the highest level to which the river may rise without flooding Y d. the least available water in a channel which limits the draft of boats and tows 2567: When outbound from a U.S. port, a buoy displaying a flashing red light indicates __________.
N a. a sharp turn in the channel to the right N b. a wreck to be left on the vessel's starboard side N c. a junction with the preferred channel to the left Y d. the port side of the channel 2578: You must draw a plotting sheet covering latitudes 49°N to 53°N and longitudes 179°E to 178°W. If the distance between latitude 49°N to 53°N is 16 inches, what is the distance between the meridians of 1° of longitude?
N a. 2.12 inches N b. 2.33 inches Y c. 2.56 inches N d. 2.81 inches 2625: Stormy weather is usually associated with regions of __________.
N a. high barometric pressure N b. changing barometric pressure Y c. low barometric pressure N d. steady barometric pressure 2740: When one upbound vessel is overtaking another vessel and both are pushing a tow ahead, what reaction may you expect?
N a. Both towheads will tend to drift apart, and the overtaking vessel will be slowed down. N b. Both towheads will tend to drift together, and the overtaking vessel will be slowed down. Y c. Both towheads will tend to drift apart, and the overtaken vessel will be slowed down. N d. Both towheads will tend to drift together, and the overtaken vessel will be slowed down. 2810: When steering a tow downstream around the shape of a sand bar, and staying on the proper side of the buoys, an operator should be cautious of __________.
Y a. eddies under the bar N b. swift current under the bar causing loss of control N c. cross-currents pushing the tow away from the bar N d. cross-currents pushing the tow into the bar 3031: Which symbol would indicate a large automated navigational buoy, such as those that have replaced some lightships? (D015NG )
N a. A Y b. B N c. C N d. D