USCG General Navigation: Master's License

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.


6: Wind velocity varies __________.


46: What wind reverses directions seasonally?


103: In Loran-C the high accuracy of atomic time and frequency controls allows each station to operate __________.


121: A safe water mark may be __________.

    N a. vertically striped
    N b. spherical
    N c. showing a white light
    Y d. All of the above

142: Which nautical charts are intended for coastwise navigation outside of outlying reefs and shoals?

    N a. Approach charts
    Y b. General charts
    N c. Sailing charts
    N d. Coastal charts

170: Which of the buoy symbols in illustration D032NG indicates a safe water mark?

    Y a. D
    N b. C
    N c. B
    N d. A

350: When making landfall at night, the light from a powerful lighthouse may sometimes be seen before the lantern breaks the horizon. This light is called the __________.

    N a. diffusion
    N b. backscatter
    Y c. loom
    N d. elevation

396: Your vessel is on course 150°T, speed 17 knots. The apparent wind is from 40° off the starboard bow, speed 15 knots. What is the speed of the true wind?

    N a. 9.0 knots
    N b. 10.2 knots
    Y c. 11.0 knots
    N d. 12.0 knots

397: The mean tide level at Peaks Island, ME, is __________.

    N a. 1.8 feet (0.5 meters)
    N b. 2.5 feet (0.8 meters)
    N c. 3.2 feet (1.0 meters)
    Y d. 4.5 feet (1.4 meters)

426: The wind speed and direction observed from a moving vessel is known as __________.

    N a. coordinate wind
    N b. true wind
    Y c. apparent wind
    N d. anemometer wind

506: You are to sail from Elizabethport, N.J., on 22 May 1983, with a maximum draft of 28 feet. You will pass over an obstruction in the channel near Sandy Hook that has a depth of 26.5 feet. The steaming time from Elizabethport to the obstruction is 1h 40m. What is the earliest time (ZD + 4) you can sail on the afternoon of 22 May and pass over the obstruction with 2 feet of clearance?

    N a. 1454
    N b. 1424
    N c. 1405
    Y d. 1342

513: You are radar scanning for a buoy fitted with a racon. Which radar screen represents the presentation you should expect on the PPI? (D017NG )

    N a. A
    Y b. B
    N c. C
    N d. D

642: Which government agency publishes the U.S. Coast Pilot?

    N a. Army Corps of Engineers
    N b. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
    Y c. National Ocean Service
    N d. U.S. Coast Guard

728: In the Bay of Fundy, during twilight, you a take sight of Mars. The sextant altitude (hs) is 03°35.5'. Your height of eye is 32 feet and there is no index error. The air temperature is -10°C and the barometer reads 1010 millibars. What is the observed altitude (Ho)?

    N a. 03°14.5'
    Y b. 03°15.8'
    N c. 03°16.2'
    N d. 03°28.8'

871: Under the IALA-A Buoyage System, a buoy marking the starboard side of the channel when approaching from seaward must have a(n) __________.

    N a. pillar shape
    Y b. green color
    N c. square topmark
    N d. even number

912: The Light List Does NOT contain information on __________.

    N a. the Global Positioning System (GPS)
    Y b. aeronautical lights useful for marine navigation
    N c. radio beacon systems
    N d. radio direction finder calibration stations

928: The position labeled "D" was plotted because __________. (D051NG )

    Y a. a dead reckoning position is plotted for each course change
    N b. a dead reckoning position is plotted within 30 minutes of a running fix
    N c. the vessel's speed changed at 1125
    N d. All of the above

946: The wind circulation around a high pressure center in the Northern Hemisphere is __________.

    N a. counterclockwise and moving towards the high
    N b. counterclockwise and moving outward from the high
    N c. clockwise and moving towards the high
    Y d. clockwise and moving outward from the high

967: On an Atlantic Ocean voyage from New York to Durban, South Africa, you should expect the Agulhas Current to present a strong __________.

    N a. offshore set
    N b. onshore set
    Y c. head current
    N d. fair or following current

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.

1029: Which would be the subject of a NAVAREA warning?

    N a. A drifting buoy sighted in mid-ocean
    N b. Extinguishment of Wolf Trap Light located inside Chesapeake Bay
    N c. All military exercises on the high seas involving four or more vessels
    Y d. Off-air times of radio beacons when scheduled for routine maintenance

1074: As the temperature for a given mass of air increases, the __________.

    N a. dew point increases
    N b. dew point decreases
    N c. relative humidity increases
    Y d. relative humidity decreases

1153: Heeling error is defined as the change of deviation for a heel of __________.

    N a. 2°While the vessel is on an intercardinal heading
    Y b. 1°While the vessel is on a compass heading of 000°
    N c. 2° and is constant on all headings
    N d. 1° while the vessel is on a compass heading of 180°

1173: When adjusting a magnetic compass for error, a deviation table should be made __________.

    N a. before correcting for any deviation
    N b. after correcting for variation
    Y c. after adjusting the fore-and-aft and athwartships permanent magnets
    N d. before the quadrantal correctors are placed on the compass

1209: You are on course 201°T. To check the speed of your vessel you should observe a celestial body on which bearing?

    N a. 090°
    N b. 111°
    N c. 180°
    Y d. 201°

1281: The time required for a lighted aid to complete a full cycle of light changes is listed in the Light List as the __________.

    N a. set
    N b. frequency
    Y c. period
    N d. function

1288: Your vessel will be docking at Chester, PA, during the evening of 22 April 1983. The chart shows a depth of 20 feet (6.1 meters) at the pier. What will be the depth of water available at 2310 EST (ZD +5)?

    N a. 19.2 feet (5.9 meters)
    N b. 20.8 feet (6.3 meters)
    Y c. 24.7 feet (7.5 meters)
    N d. 25.8 feet (7.9 meters).

1397: What will be the velocity of the tidal current at Port Jefferson Harbor Entrance, NY, at 1600 EST (ZD +5) on 23 December 1983?

    N a. 0.9 knot
    Y b. 1.1 knots
    N c. 1.6 knots
    N d. 2.0 knots

1515: An aneroid barometer on a boat should always be __________.

    N a. located in an air-conditioned area
    N b. mounted in the passenger compartment
    N c. protected by a collision bulkhead
    Y d. permanently mounted

1527: Your vessel is on course 270°T, speed 10 knots. The apparent wind is from 10° off the port bow, speed 30 knots. From which direction is the true wind?

    N a. 345°T
    Y b. 255°T
    N c. 165°T
    N d. 075°T

1674: The letter D in illustration D006NG represents the __________.

    N a. visible horizon
    Y b. geometrical horizon
    N c. celestial horizon
    N d. geoidal horizon

1715: The hurricane season generally occurs from __________.

    N a. August to January
    N b. July to December
    Y c. June to November
    N d. January to June

1727: What enables you to estimate the bearing of a storm's center?

    Y a. Buys Ballot's Law
    N b. An educated guess
    N c. Pascal's Law
    N d. The left-hand rule

1755: Which weather system produces strong cold winds called "Northers" during the winter months in the Gulf of Mexico?

    N a. An anticyclone
    N b. A high pressure system
    N c. A cyclone
    Y d. Both A and B

1815: Which weather system produces strong cold winds called "Northers" during the winter months in the Gulf of Mexico?

    Y a. An anticyclone
    N b. A polar maritime air mass
    N c. A cyclone
    N d. A low pressure system

1844: What is the relative bearing of an object sighted dead ahead?

    N a. 180°
    N b. 090°
    N c. 015°
    Y d. 000°

1890: A vessel heading SSE is on a course of __________.

    N a. 112.5°
    N b. 135.0°
    Y c. 157.5°
    N d. 180.0°

1940: The diameter of the Sun and Moon as seen from the Earth varies slightly but averages about __________.

    N a. 1'
    N b. 52'
    Y c. 32'
    N d. 15.5'

2048: You are upbound approaching a lock and dam and see two green lights in a vertical line. This indicates __________.

    Y a. the downstream end of an intermediate wall
    N b. that a double lockage is in progress
    N c. the downstream end of the land wall
    N d. the navigable pass of a fixed weir dam

2072: The Illustration represents a movable dam. If a bear trap is open what will be displayed at the lock to indicate this condition? (D037NG )

    Y a. An amber light under a red light
    N b. A white square
    N c. A green triangle
    N d. A yellow pentagon

2167: 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. One amber light

2224: By convention, the north seeking ends of a compass' magnets are colored __________.

    N a. black
    N b. blue
    Y c. red
    N d. white

2274: A vessel is heading magnetic east and its magnetic compass indicates a heading of 086°. What action should be taken to remove this error during compass adjustment?

    N a. If the red ends of the magnets are to port you should lower the athwartships tray.
    N b. If the blue ends of the magnets are to port, and the athwartships tray is at the top, you should reverse the magnets.
    N c. If the red ends of the magnet are aft, and the fore-and-aft tray is at the top, you should add some more magnets.
    Y d. If the red ends of the magnets are aft you should lower the fore-and-aft tray.

2296: A variable star is one that __________.

    Y a. exhibits a change in magnitude
    N b. has a changing declination
    N c. is increasing in SHA
    N d. is also known as a red giant

2308: The points where the Sun is at 0° declination are known as __________.

    N a. solstices
    Y b. equinoxes
    N c. perigee
    N d. apogee

2379: The winter solstice is the point where the Sun is at __________.

    N a. maximum declination north
    Y b. maximum declination south
    N c. 0° declination going to northerly declinations
    N d. 0° declination going to southerly declinations

2412: The permanent magnetism of a vessel may change in polarity due to __________.

    N a. being moored for a long time on one heading
    Y b. being struck by lighting
    N c. steaming from the north magnetic hemisphere to the south magnetic hemisphere
    N d. loading a homogenous magnetic cargo such as steel plate, iron bars, etc.

2505: At the approaches to Savannah, GA, with the wind coming out of the west, the wind-driven current will be flowing approximately __________.

    N a. 280°
    N b. 260°
    N c. 100°
    Y d. 080°

2539: Under the IALA cardinal system, a mark with quick white light showing 3 flashes every 10 seconds indicates that the safest water in the area is on the __________.

    N a. north side of the mark
    N b. west side of the mark
    Y c. east side of the mark
    N d. south side of the mark

2546: A structure, usually made of stone, or cement pilings, which extends from the bank at approximately right angles to the current is called a __________.

    Y a. dike
    N b. revetment
    N c. cutoff
    N d. crib

2673: A bluff bar is a bar __________.

    N a. extending out from a bluff alongside the river
    N b. that tends to give a false indication of its position
    Y c. that has a sharp drop off into deep water
    N d. that is perpendicular to the current

2692: The dividing meridian between zone descriptions -2 and -3 is __________.

    N a. 15°30'E
    N b. 30°00'E
    Y c. 37°30'E
    N d. 45°00'E

2704: The Light List shows a lighted aid to navigation on the right bank. This means that the light can be seen on the starboard side of a vessel __________.

    N a. proceeding from seaward
    N b. crossing the river
    N c. ascending the river
    Y d. descending the river

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

2716: Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers, passing daymarks on the left descending bank are __________.

    N a. green squares
    N b. green diamonds
    N c. red diamonds
    Y d. red triangles

2752: A daymark used to indicate the safe water in a channel will have which of the shapes shown? (D045NG )

    N a. A
    N b. B
    Y c. C
    N d. D

2980: What volume of the Coast Guard Light List is used for the Mississippi River system?

    N a. I
    N b. II
    N c. IV
    Y d. V

2988: The buoy indicated by the letter A is a __________. (D044NG )

    N a. nun
    Y b. can
    N c. spar
    N d. pillar

3080: Which feature, when set to zero, might allow a GPS unit to have an accuracy equivalent to Precise Positioning Service receiver capability?

    N a. Transit
    Y b. Selective Availability
    N c. Auto-correlation
    N d. Anti-spoofing

3130: When may the automatic identification system (AIS) be switched off?

    N a. At anytime as long as it is properly logged.
    Y b. At the Master's professional judgment.
    N c. Only when the vessel is at anchor or in port.
    N d. Under no circumstance.