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.


88: Which position includes the effects of wind and current?


136: Which Beaufort force indicates a wind speed of 65 knots?


141: You are enroute to assist vessel A. Vessel A is underway at 6 knots on course 133°T, and bears 042°T, 105 miles from you. What is the time to intercept if you make 10 knots?


238: The predicted time that the flood begins at the entrance to Delaware Bay is 1526. You are anchored off Chestnut St. in Philadelphia. If you get underway bound for sea at 1430 and turn for 11 knots, at what point will you lose the ebb current?

    N a. New Castle
    Y b. Liston Pt.
    N c. Arnold Pt.
    N d. Ship John Shoal Lt.

288: When using a radar in a unstabilized mode, fixes are determined most easily from __________.

    N a. center bearings
    N b. tangent bearings
    Y c. ranges
    N d. objects that are close aboard

289: A position obtained by crossing lines of position taken at different times and advanced to a common time is a(n) __________.

    Y a. running fix
    N b. dead-reckoning position
    N c. fix
    N d. estimated position

358: What will be the set of the rotary current at Nantucket Shoals at 1245 (ZD +5) 14 January 1983?

    N a. 015°
    Y b. 125°
    N c. 162°
    N d. 225°

484: The needle of an aneroid barometer points to 30.05 on the dial. This indicates that the barometric pressure is __________.

    Y a. 30.05 inches of mercury
    N b. 30.05 millimeters of mercury
    N c. 30.05 millibars
    N d. falling

501: Which of the buoys listed below could be used to mark an anchorage?

    N a. White buoy numbered "3"
    N b. White buoy with a green top
    N c. White buoy with orange bands
    Y d. Yellow buoy lettered "N"

592: To measure distance on a Mercator chart between the parallels of LAT 34°30'N and LAT 31°30'N, which 30 mile scale should be used?

    N a. 33°00'N to 33°30'N
    N b. 32°30'N to 33°00'N
    Y c. 32°45'N to 33°15'N
    N d. 32°15'N to 32°45'N

594: Barometers are calibrated at a standard temperature of __________.

    N a. 0°F
    Y b. 32°F
    N c. 60°F
    N d. 70°F

689: What is the index error of sextant C? (D050NG )

    Y a. 0'20" on the arc
    N b. 1'00" on the arc
    N c. 2'00" on the arc
    N d. 5'10" on the arc

722: Which publication would describe the explosive anchorages in the ports on the east coast of the United States?

    N a. Sailing Directions
    N b. Pilot Rules for Inland Waters
    Y c. Coast Pilot
    N d. Notice to Mariners

766: Which position includes the effects of wind and current?

    N a. Dead reckoning position
    N b. Leeway position
    N c. Set position
    Y d. Estimated position

789: The dangerous semicircle of a hurricane in the Northern Hemisphere is that area of the storm __________.

    Y a. to the right of the storm's track
    N b. measured from true north clockwise to 180°T
    N c. measured from true north counterclockwise to 180°T
    N d. between the ship's heading and the bearing to the eye

904: All of the following are associated with cumulonimbus clouds EXCEPT __________.

    Y a. steady rainfall
    N b. hail storms
    N c. thunderstorms
    N d. tornadoes or waterspouts

933: How many degrees are there on a compass card?

    Y a. 360°
    N b. 380°
    N c. 390°
    N d. 420°

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

1017: Which statement(s) concerning the effect of Coriolis force on ocean currents is(are) correct?

    N a. The deflection of the current is to the left in the Northern Hemisphere.
    N b. The Coriolis force is greater in the lower latitudes.
    Y c. The Coriolis force is more effective in deep water.
    N d. All of the above

1026: An air mass that has moved down from Canada would most likely have the symbols __________.

    N a. mPk
    Y b. cPk
    N c. cTk
    N d. cTw

1166: A series of brief showers accompanied by strong, shifting winds may occur along or some distance ahead of a(n) __________.

    N a. upper front aloft
    N b. cyclone
    N c. occluded front
    Y d. cold front

1192: You are enroute to assist vessel A. Vessel A is underway at 5.5 knots on course 033°T, and bears 284°T at 43 miles from you. What is the course to steer at 16 knots to intercept vessel A?

    N a. 284°
    Y b. 303°
    N c. 329°
    N d. 342°

1235: Weather information provided by the National Weather Service (NWS) advisories should be used along with __________.

    N a. the Tide Tables and Tidal Current Tables
    N b. the local Notice to Mariners
    Y c. weather maps and local knowledge
    N d. any U.S. Coast Pilot

1260: On 26 February 1983, at 1750 EST (ZD +5) what will be the predicted height of tide at New Haven (city dock), CT?

    N a. -.3 foot (-0.1 meter)
    Y b. -.6 foot (-0.2 meter)
    N c. 1.3 feet (0.4 meter)
    N d. 1.6 feet (0.5 meter)

1348: Vessel required to have an Automatic Radar Plotting Aid must have a device to indicate the __________.

    Y a. speed of the vessel over the ground or through the water
    N b. distance to the next port
    N c. time of the next navigational satellite pass
    N d. None of the above

1384: Which type of cloud is indicated by number 9? (D039NG )

    N a. Cumulus
    Y b. Cumulonimbus
    N c. Altostratus
    N d. Stratocumulus

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

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

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.

1475: Which type of cloud is the classic "thunderhead"?

    Y a. Cumulonimbus
    N b. Stratus
    N c. Cirrus
    N d. Altostratus

1495: A great circle crosses the equator at 157°W. It will also cross the equator at what other longitude?

    N a. 157°E
    N b. 57°E
    Y c. 23°E
    N d. 57°W

1499: You are scanning the radar screen for a buoy fitted with racon. How should this signal appear on the PPI display?

    Y a. Starting with a dash and extending radially outward from the target
    N b. As a broken line from center of PPI to the target
    N c. Starting with a dot and extending radially inward from the target
    N d. Starting with a dash and extending to the right of the target

1511: When within 300 miles of a named tropical storm or hurricane, it is standard practice to send weather reports every __________.

    N a. 8 hours
    N b. 6 hours
    Y c. 3 hours
    N d. hour

1511: When within 300 miles of a named tropical storm or hurricane, it is standard practice to send weather reports every __________.

    N a. 8 hours
    N b. 6 hours
    Y c. 3 hours
    N d. hour

1642: Which type of cloud formation should be of immediate concern to small craft operators?

    N a. cirrus
    N b. altostratus
    N c. nimbostratus
    Y d. cumulonimbus

1671: Cirrus clouds are composed primarily of __________.

    Y a. ice crystals
    N b. water droplets
    N c. snow crystals
    N d. nitrogen

1739: Which condition indicates that you are in a hurricane's dangerous semicircle in the Northern hemisphere?

    N a. A backing wind
    Y b. A veering wind
    N c. A norther
    N d. A strong, gusty wind

1776: A vessel operating on the Great Lakes, and whose position is southeast of an eastward-moving storm center, would NOT experience __________.

    N a. a falling barometer
    N b. lowering clouds and drizzle
    Y c. a northeast wind
    N d. rain or snow

2068: The illustration 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? (D037NG )

    Y a. One red light
    N b. Two red lights
    N c. Three red lights
    N d. One amber light

2111: Vessels regularly navigating Ohio and Mississippi rivers above Cairo, Illinois, and their tributaries, shall at all times have on board a copy of __________.

    N a. Tide Tables
    N b. U.S. Coast Pilot
    Y c. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Navigation Regulations (Blue Book)
    N d. Sailing Directions

2212: Which information is found in the chart title?

    N a. Number of the chart
    N b. Edition date
    N c. Variation information
    Y d. Survey information

2251: Which statement concerning the chartlet shown is TRUE? (Soundings and heights are in meters) (D010NG )

    N a. Maury lightship is visible for 17 miles.
    N b. The bottom to the south-southeast of the lightship is soft coral.
    Y c. There is a dangerous eddy southeast of Beito Island.
    N d. There is a 12-meter deep west of Beito Island and inside the 5-meter line.

2268: What condition exists at perigee?

    N a. The Earth is farthest from the Sun.
    N b. The Earth, Sun, and Moon are in line.
    N c. The Earth, Sun, and Moon are at right angles.
    Y d. The Moon is closest to the Earth.

2269: One of the factors which affects the circulation of ocean currents is __________.

    N a. humidity
    Y b. varying densities of water
    N c. vessel traffic
    N d. the jet stream

2276: A vessel is heading magnetic east and its magnetic compass indicates a heading of 086°. Which action should be taken to remove this error during compass adjustment?

    Y a. If the blue ends of the magnets are aft, and the fore-and-aft tray is at the top, you should add some magnets.
    N b. If the blue ends of the magnets are aft you should lower the fore-and-aft tray.
    N c. If the blue ends of the magnets are aft, and the fore-and-aft tray is at the top, you should reverse the magnets.
    N d. If the blue ends of the magnets are forward, and the fore-and-aft tray is at the bottom, you should add some magnets.

2298: The period of rotation of the Moon on its axis is __________.

    N a. about 19 years
    N b. 365 days
    Y c. about 27.3 days
    N d. 24 hours

2390: You are in a channel in U.S. waters near an industrial plant with a load/discharge facility for barges. You hear a siren being sounded at the facility. What does this indicate?

    Y a. There is danger at the facility due to a fire or cargo release.
    N b. A towboat with a hazardous cargo barge is being moved to or from the facility.
    N c. The facility is warning a barge to shut down transfer operations due to weather conditions (electrical storms, tornado, etc.).
    N d. A barge at the facility has commenced loading or discharging operations.

2418: While proceeding downriver, you sight a red triangular-shaped daymark on the left bank. Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers this is a __________.

    N a. special purpose signal
    Y b. passing daymark
    N c. mark with no lateral significance
    N d. crossing daymark

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

2458: In the U.S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers, the light characteristic of group flashing (2) is used for lights on __________.

    N a. the right descending bank
    Y b. the left descending bank
    N c. preferred channel buoys
    N d. daymarks with no lateral significant

2478: On 23 August 1981 you observe a back sight of the lower limb of the Sun. The sextant altitude (hs) is 116°42.8'. The height of eye is 56 feet and the index error is 2.0' on the arc. What is the observed altitude (Ho)?

    Y a. 63°42.0'
    N b. 63°38.0'
    N c. 63°19.4'
    N d. 62°49.6'

2644: The sidereal day begins __________.

    N a. when the sun is over the first point of Aries
    N b. when the first point of Aries is over 180° longitude
    Y c. when the first point of Aries is over the upper branch of the reference meridian
    N d. at 0000 on 1 January (Sidereal Date)

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

2776: For a well made and well maintained sextant, the maximum value of which correction is usually so small that it can be ignored?

    N a. Personal correction
    Y b. Instrument correction
    N c. Phase
    N d. Dip correction

2782: Your radar is set on a true motion display. Which of the following will appear to move across the PPI scope.

    Y a. Own ship's marker
    N b. Echo from a ship at anchor
    N c. Echoes from land masses
    N d. All of the above

2886: On mid-ocean waters, the height of a wind-generated wave is not affected by the __________.

    Y a. water depth exceeding 100 feet
    N b. fetch
    N c. wind's velocity
    N d. duration of the wind

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°

3005: The agonic line on an isomagnetic chart indicates the __________.

    N a. magnetic equator
    N b. magnetic longitude reference line
    Y c. points where there is no variation
    N d. points where there is no annual change in variation

3081: The highest level of commercial navigational accuracy is provided by __________.

    Y a. DGPS, within a coverage area
    N b. SPS, without selective availability
    N c. PPS, without selective availability
    N d. NAVSAT, using the Doppler-shift

3123: Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding automatic identification systems (AIS)?

    N a. AIS is a global tracking system that relies upon INMARSAT C service to communicate vessel position and other safety related information to similarly equipped vessels, aircraft and shore stations within the area.
    N b. AIS is a short-range 3 cm X-band radar system that automatically sends a vessel's position and other safety related information to similarly equipped vessels, aircraft and shore stations within the area.
    Y c. AIS is a short-range VHF-FM system that automatically broadcasts a vessel's position and other safety related information frequently to similarly equipped vessels, aircraft and shore stations within the area.
    N d. AIS is a one-way centrally managed system that requires the local VTS to send commands to instruct each vessel to broadcast position and other safety related information to similarly equipped vessels, aircraft and shore stations within the area.