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.
12: Lines on a chart which connect points of equal magnetic variation are called __________.
N a. magnetic latitudes N b. magnetic declinations N c. dip Y d. isogonic lines 57: The height of tide is the __________.
N a. depth of water at a specific time due to tidal effect Y b. difference between the depth of the water and the area's tidal datum N c. difference between the depth of the water and the high water tidal level N d. difference between the depth of the water at high tide and the depth of the water at low tide 190: 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 __________.
Y a. steeper waves, closer together N b. long swells N c. cirrus clouds N d. smoother seas and warmer water 231: You are outbound in a buoyed channel on course 015°T. You sight a white light showing a Morse (A) characteristic bearing 359° relative. For safety, you should __________.
N a. change course to 359°T to pass near to the buoy Y b. stay in the channel and leave the buoy to port N c. alter course to 000°T and leave the buoy well clear to starboard N d. check the chart to see where the marked danger lies in relation to the buoy 248: What is the index error of sextant A in illustration D050NG? (D050NG )
N a. 0° 10' off the arc N b. 0° 10' on the arc N c. 3° 00' off the arc Y d. 4° 20' off the arc 282: The symbol which appears beside a light on a chart reads "Gp Fl R (2) 10 sec 160 ft 19M". Which characteristic describes the light?
N a. It is visible 10 miles. N b. Its distinguishing number is "19M". N c. It has a radar reflector. Y d. None of the above 321: Which buoy may be even numbered?
N a. Mid-channel buoy Y b. Unlighted nun buoy N c. Lighted green buoy N d. All of the above 337: To predict the actual depth of water using the Tide Tables, the number obtained from the Tide Tables is __________.
N a. the actual depth Y b. added to or subtracted from the charted depth N c. multiplied by the charted depth N d. divided by the charted depth 349: The direction of the southeast trade winds is a result of the __________.
N a. equatorial current N b. humidity Y c. rotation of the earth N d. change of seasons 392: A pilot chart does NOT contain information about __________.
N a. average wind conditions Y b. tidal currents N c. magnetic variation N d. average limits of field ice 427: On 23 March 1983, at Kingston Point, NY, what is the earliest time after 1700 EST (ZD +5) that the predicted tide will be +2.0 feet?
N a. 1730 N b. 1800 Y c. 1854 N d. 2030 564: A hygrometer is a device used for determining __________.
N a. the absolute temperature N b. atmospheric pressure N c. wind velocity Y d. relative humidity 624: When using a mechanical (windup type) marine chronometer, how often should it be reset?
Y a. Only when it is overhauled N b. Whenever the chronometer error exceeds approximately four minutes N c. At the start of each voyage N d. If the chronometer rate changes from gaining to losing or vice versa 687: The drift and set of tidal, river, and ocean currents refer to the __________.
N a. position and area of the current Y b. speed and direction toward which the current flows N c. type and characteristic of the current's flow N d. None of the above 692: Which publication should you check for complete information on Puget Sound weather conditions?
N a. Sailing Directions N b. Light List Y c. Coast Pilot N d. Chart of the area 735: The period of the Earth's revolution from perihelion to perihelion is the __________.
N a. astronomical year Y b. anomalistic year N c. solar year N d. sidereal year 746: Lines drawn through points on the Earth having the same atmospheric pressure are known as __________.
N a. isothermal N b. millibars Y c. isobars N d. seismics 754: Deviation in a compass is caused by the __________.
N a. vessel's geographic position N b. vessel's heading N c. earth's magnetic field Y d. influence of the magnetic materials of the vessel 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 792: Information about temporary, short term changes affecting the safety of navigation in U.S. waters is distributed to navigational interests by the __________.
N a. Daily Memorandum N b. HYDROLANT or HYDROPAC broadcasts Y c. Local Notice to Mariners N d. Summary of Corrections 862: The U.S. Coast Guard publishes __________.
Y a. Light Lists N b. U.S. Coast Pilots N c. Radio Navigational Aids N d. All of the above 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 978: The wind velocity is higher in the dangerous semicircle of a tropical cyclone because of the __________.
N a. recurvature effect N b. extension of the low pressure ridge Y c. wind circulation and forward motion of the storm N d. direction of circulation and pressure gradient 992: Which publication contains information on Naval Control of Shipping (NCS) in time of emergency or war?
Y a. Pub. 117, Radio Navigational Aids N b. Appropriate volume of the Sailing Directions N c. Pub. 102, International Code of Signals N d. Light List 1023: Which compensates for induced magnetism in the horizontal soft iron of a vessel?
Y a. Iron spheres mounted on the binnacle N b. A single vertical magnet under the compass N c. The Flinders bar N d. Magnets in trays inside the binnacle 1138: On approaching the English Channel on course 080°T, you note the symbol YBY near a charted buoy. You must pass __________.
N a. northward of the buoy N b. southward of the buoy N c. eastward of the buoy Y d. westward of the buoy 1149: You are entering port and have been instructed to anchor, as your berth is not yet available. You are on a SW'ly heading, preparing to drop anchor, when you observe the range lights, as shown, on your starboard beam. You should __________. (D047NG )
Y a. ensure your ship will NOT block the channel or obstruct the range while at anchor N b. drop the anchor immediately as the range lights mark an area free of obstructions N c. drop the anchor immediately as a change in the position of the range lights will be an indication of dragging anchor N d. NOT drop the anchor until the lights are in line 1165: Which statement concerning the chartlet is TRUE? (Soundings and heights are in meters) (D010NG )
N a. Maury lightship is visible for 17 miles. Y b. There is a dangerous eddy southeast of Beito Island. N c. There is a 12-meter deep west of Beito Island and inside the 5-meter line. N d. The bottom to the south-southeast of the lightship is soft coral. 1197: Off Fire Island, NY with winds from the southwest, the average wind-driven current flows in a direction of __________.
N a. 014° Y b. 076° N c. 170° N d. 256° 1269: The Light List indicates that a light has a nominal range of 14 miles and is 42 feet (12.7 m) high. If the visibility is 16 miles and your height of eye is 20 feet (6.1 m), at which approximate distance will you sight the light?
N a. 20.1 miles N b. 16.0 miles Y c. 12.8 miles N d. 7.6 miles 1318: You are to sail from Elizabethport, N.J., on 17 November 1983 with a maximum draft of 27 feet. You will pass over an obstruction in the channel near Sandy Hook that has a charted depth of 25.5 feet. The steaming time from Elizabethport to the obstruction is 1h 50m. What is the earliest time (ZD +5) you can sail on 17 November and pass over the obstruction with 2 feet of clearance?
N a. 0059 Y b. 0121 N c. 0159 N d. 0221 1337: What will be the time of maximum flood current at Sagamore Bridge on the Cape Cod Canal during the morning of 6 December 1983 (ZD +5)?
Y a. 0708 N b. 0712 N c. 0716 N d. 1020 1439: The symbols shown are used on radio facsimile weather charts. The symbol indicated at letter "G" represents a __________. (D042NG )
N a. weather boundary N b. thunderstorm N c. wide spread sandstorm Y d. severe, line squall 1468: What is NOT an advantage of the rhumb line track over a great circle track?
N a. Easily plotted on a Mercator chart N b. Negligible increase in distance on east-west courses near the equator N c. Does not require constant course changes Y d. Plots as a straight line on Lambert conformal charts 1519: You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. Your position is LAT 10°38'S, LONG 00°14'E. How would this be encoded? (D041NG )
N a. LAT 10.6°S, LONG 00.2°E N b. L106S, 30002 N c. 10385, 0014E Y d. 99106, 30002 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 1617: The inner cloud bands of a hurricane, when viewed from a distance, form a mass of dense, black cumulonimbus clouds called the __________.
Y a. bar of the storm N b. eye of the storm N c. funnel N d. front 1752: What is the major limitation in using the Sight Reduction Tables for Air Navigation Volume I (Pub. No. 249) for star sights?
N a. More accuracy is needed for celestial observations on board ship than what is tabulated. N b. Sights must be made at even time increments to benefit from the tables. Y c. Only certain stars are included and sights must be limited to those stars. N d. Only first magnitude stars are tabulated. 1798: The climate of the northern Gulf coast __________.
N a. is humid and subtropical throughout the year N b. has an east coast marine type of climate Y c. is a warm marine type of climate N d. varies from warm to subtropical 1887: The Light List indicates that a light has a nominal range of 10 miles and is 11 feet high. If the visibility is 15 miles and your height of eye is 20 feet, at what approximate distance will you sight the light?
N a. 12.0 miles N b. 11.0 miles N c. 10.0 miles Y d. 9.0 miles 2001: You have changed course and steadied up on a range. Your heading is 285°T, same as the charted range, and it appears as in illustration D048NG. After several minutes the range appears as in illustration D047NG and your heading is still 285°T. This indicates a __________. (D047NG )
N a. south-setting current Y b. north-setting current N c. leeway caused by a NE'ly wind N d. course made good to the left of the DR track 2028: Which stock number indicates an NGA (NIMA) chart designed for navigation and anchorage in a small waterway?
N a. WOAZC17 N b. LCORR5876 Y c. 15XHA15883 N d. PILOT55 2042: At morning stars, the last stars that should be observed are those with an azimuth in which quadrant?
N a. Eastern N b. Southern Y c. Western N d. Northern 2090: You are underway in an area where the charted depth is 8 fathoms. You compute the height of tide to be -4.0 feet. The draft of your vessel is 5.0 feet (1.52 meters). You determine the depth of the water beneath your keel to be __________.
Y a. 39 feet (11.9 meters) N b. 43 feet (13.1 meters) N c. 47 feet (14.3 meters) N d. 57 feet (17.4 meters) 2164: The line connecting the points of the earth's surface where there is no dip is the __________.
N a. agonic line Y b. magnetic equator N c. isodynamic N d. isopor 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 2222: By convention, the south pole of a magnet is painted __________.
N a. red Y b. blue N c. white N d. black 2266: It is difficult to determine which limb of the Moon is fully illuminated __________.
N a. when the Moon is low in the sky at rising or setting N b. at the new Moon phase N c. when taking Moon sights during daylight Y d. when the terminator is nearly vertical 2419: A backlash below a lock is defined as a __________.
N a. current setting your vessel on the wall N b. current setting into the lock chamber Y c. an eddy working along the lower guide wall N d. current setting counterclockwise 2435: What is a lighted safe water mark fitted with to aid in its identification?
N a. A red and white octagon N b. Red and white retroreflective material N c. A sequential number Y d. A spherical topmark 2436: Aphelion is the point where the Sun __________.
N a. and Moon and Earth form a right angle N b. and Moon and Earth are in line N c. crosses the celestial equator Y d. is farthest from the Earth 2470: You are on course 344°T and take a relative bearing of a lighthouse of 090°. What is the true bearing to the lighthouse?
N a. 016° Y b. 074° N c. 254° N d. 270° 2609: The letter A in illustration D006NG represents the __________. (D006NG )
N a. geoidal horizon N b. celestial horizon N c. visible horizon Y d. sensible horizon 2628: A drawbridge may use visual signals to acknowledge a vessel's request to open the draw. Which signal indicates that the draw will NOT be opened immediately?
N a. A flashing amber light Y b. A fixed red light N c. A white flag raised and lowered vertically N d. A flashing white light 2674: In the U.S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers, a preferred channel buoy to be left to port while proceeding downstream will __________.
N a. have the upper band red N b. show a red light if lighted N c. have a characteristic of composite group flashing if lighted Y d. All of the above 2770: What is most likely to happen when you push a multiple tow into a countercurrent?
N a. Going upstream you will make better speed with no danger involved. N b. Going downstream you will be slowed down but will keep control of the tow. Y c. There is a good chance you will break up the tow. N d. No danger exists as long as you steer a straight course through the eddy. 2954: 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 )
N a. Continue on the present heading until the range is in line then alter course to the left. N b. Immediately alter course to the right to bring the range in line. Y c. Continue on course until the range is closed, then alter course to the right. N d. Immediately alter course to 309°T. 2989: On 13 November 1981 you observe a back sight of the lower limb of the Moon. The sextant altitude (hs) is 110°31.2'. The height of eye is 46 feet and the index error is 2.0' off the arc. The horizontal parallax is 61.3'. What is the observed altitude (Ho)?
N a. 70°41.4 N b. 70°15.4' Y c. 70°11.4' N d. 70°02.2 3007: A rotary current sets through all directions of the compass. The time it takes to complete one of these cycles, in a locale off the East coast of the US, is approximately __________.
N a. 2 1/2 hours N b. 3 1/2 hours N c. 6 1/4 hours Y d. 12 1/2 hours 3032: The direction in which a vessel is steered is the course. The path actually followed is the __________.
N a. route N b. track N c. heading Y d. course over the ground