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.
119: While proceeding along the Mediterranean coast of Spain, you sight the black and yellow buoy shown. Your course is 039°T, and the buoy bears 053°T. What action should you take? (D020NG )
N a. Alter course to 053°T and pass the buoy close aboard on either side N b. Alter course to 060° and ensure that the bearings decrease Y c. Maintain course and ensure that the bearings increase N d. Alter course towards the buoy and leave the buoy well clear on either side 131: A vertically-striped buoy may be __________.
N a. striped black and green N b. striped black and yellow N c. lighted with a red light Y d. lighted with a white light 230: If the LORAN-C ground wave does NOT extend out as far as the skywave skip distance, there will be a skip zone in which __________.
Y a. no LORAN-C signal is received N b. only ground waves are received N c. only skywaves are received N d. both ground waves and skywaves are received 262: Which of the buoy symbols shown indicates a safe water mark? (D032NG )
N a. A N b. B N c. C Y d. D 267: You are inbound in a channel marked by a range. The range line is 309°T. You are steering 306°T and have the range in sight as shown. The range continues to open. What action should you take? (D047NG )
N a. Alter course to the right to 309°T or more to bring the range in line. Y b. Alter course to the left until the range closes, then steer to the left of 306°T. N c. Alter course to the left to close the range, then alter course to 309°T. N d. Maintain course as it is normal for the range to open as you get close. 280: Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System, a lighted buoy with a spherical topmark marks __________.
N a. the port side of the channel Y b. safe water N c. a hazard to navigation N d. the position of underwater cables 346: If your weather bulletin shows the center of a low pressure area to be 100 miles due east of your position, what winds can you expect in the Northern Hemisphere?
N a. East to northeast N b. East to southeast Y c. North to northwest N d. South to southeast 357: On 10 August 1983 you will dock near Days Point, Weehawken, on the Hudson River, at 1800 DST (ZD +4). The charted depth alongside the pier is 24 feet (7.3 meters). What will be the depth of water when you dock?
N a. 23.5 feet (7.1 m) Y b. 23.9 feet (7.2 m) N c. 24.9 feet (7.5 m) N d. 26.3 feet (8.0 m) 364: What causes the error of collimation with regards to the four adjustments to a sextant?
Y a. Telescope not parallel to the frame N b. Personal error N c. The frame and index mirror not perpendicular N d. The frame and horizon glass not perpendicular 379: The steady current circling the globe at about 60°S is the __________.
N a. Prevailing Westerly N b. Sub-Polar Flow Y c. West Wind Drift N d. Humboldt Current 382: Which would you consult for information about the general current circulation in the North Atlantic Ocean?
Y a. Pilot chart N b. Coast Pilot N c. Current Table N d. Climatological Atlas 405: At upper transit, if the zenith distance is 34°, the geographical distance from the observer to a body's GP is __________.
N a. 510 miles N b. 1220 miles Y c. 2040 miles N d. 2260 miles 459: A buoy bears 178°T at 3000 yards (2700 meters). What is the course to make good to leave the buoy 100 yards (90 meters) to port?
N a. 174°T N b. 176°T N c. 178°T Y d. 180°T 464: Prior to reading an aneroid barometer, you should tap the face lightly with your finger to __________.
N a. expose any loose connections N b. demagnetize the metal elements Y c. bring the pointer to its true position N d. contract and expand the glass face 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 554: A sling psychrometer is a(n) __________.
N a. type of cargo gear N b. instrument used in celestial navigation Y c. instrument used to measure relative humidity N d. instrument used to measure specific gravity 559: A great circle crosses the equator at 162°E. It will also cross the equator at what other longitude?
N a. 62°E N b. 126°W N c. 162°W Y d. 18°W 772: You are hove to in a hurricane on a heading of 328°T. The wind is from 030° true at 119 knots. How should this be encoded on the weather report form under Nddff. (D041NG )
N a. 80312 N b. 83011 N c. 83099 Y d. 80399 803: Which buoy will NOT display white retroreflective material?
N a. Safe water mark N b. Isolated danger mark Y c. Preferred channel mark N d. Daymark of no lateral significance 929: Which error is NOT included in the term "current" when used in relation to a fix?
N a. Poor steering N b. Leeway Y c. Known compass error N d. Ocean currents 969: The population of northern right whales, an endangered species, numbers approximately __________.
Y a. 300 N b. 5000 N c. 100,000 N d. 1,000,000 988: You are preparing a weather report form, WS Form B-80. One-half of the sky is covered with clouds, and the anemometer indicates that the apparent wind is from 340° relative at 14 knots. You are on course 307°T at 12.6 knots. How should you encode group Nddff? (D041NG )
N a. 53414 N b. 54013 Y c. 42205 N d. 43013 1035: The approximate positions of the stars are based on sidereal time, which is based upon rotation of the Earth relative to __________.
N a. winter solstice N b. autumnal equinox N c. summer solstice Y d. vernal equinox 1157: How many slack tidal currents usually occur each day on the east coast of the United States?
N a. One N b. Two N c. Three Y d. Four 1376: What is typical of warm front weather conditions?
N a. An increase in pressure N b. A wind shift from southwest to northwest N c. Scattered cumulus clouds Y d. Steady precipitation 1425: Which is an inferior planet?
N a. Mars Y b. Venus N c. Neptune N d. Pluto 1530: In shallow water, waves that are too steep to be stable, causing the crests to move forward faster than the rest of the wave, are called __________.
N a. rollers Y b. breakers N c. white caps N d. surfers 1554: A slow rise in the barometric pressure forecasts __________.
N a. rainy weather for the next 48 hours N b. high seas Y c. improving weather conditions N d. deteriorating weather conditions 1700: Generally speaking, you should expect to find low atmospheric pressure prevailing in the earth's __________.
Y a. equatorial area N b. polar regions N c. mid-latitudes N d. All of the above 1705: Two well-developed low pressure areas may be separated by a __________.
N a. trough of higher pressure N b. hill of higher pressure Y c. ridge of higher pressure N d. valley of higher pressure 1728: If a hurricane several hundred miles away is moving in your general direction your barometer would __________.
N a. start to rise rapidly Y b. start to fall gradually N c. rise slowly, begin "pumping" and then start a slow, steady fall N d. remain steady 1736: Which statement is FALSE concerning the dangerous semicircle of a hurricane?
N a. The actual wind speed is increased by the forward movement of the storm along its track N b. the direction of the wind and the sea might carry a vessel directly into the storm's path N c. The seas are higher Y d. The rain is heavier 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 1767: Which statement describes the prevailing wind direction in mid-winter in the Gulf Coast area?
Y a. 30% to 40% of mid-winter winds are from a northern quadrant. N b. 40% to 50% of mid-winter winds are from a southern quadrant. N c. the winds are variable in speed, but strongest in March. N d. None of the above 1804: Magnetic information on a chart may be __________.
N a. found in the center(s) of the compass rose(s) N b. indicated by isogonic lines N c. found in a note on the chart Y d. All of the above 1888: What is the relative bearing of an object broad on the starboard bow?
N a. 030° Y b. 045° N c. 060° N d. 075° 1899: What is the relative bearing of an object broad on the starboard beam?
N a. 045° N b. 060° N c. 075° Y d. 090° 2062: The Illustration represents a fixed C of E lock and dam. What navigational light(s) is(are) exhibited at the position indicated by the letter F in the illustration? (D038NG )
Y a. One red light N b. Two red lights N c. Two green lights N d. Three green lights 2073: Chart legends printed in capital letters show that the associated landmark is __________.
N a. a radio transmitter N b. a government facility or station N c. inconspicuous Y d. conspicuous 2074: When approaching a lock and at a distance of not more than a mile, vessels desiring a single lockage shall sound which signal?
Y a. One long blast followed by one short blast N b. One short blast followed by one long blast N c. Two short blasts N d. Two long blasts 2104: A white buoy marked with an orange rectangle indicates __________.
N a. mid-channel N b. a fish net area Y c. general information N d. an anchorage 2113: 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. Nautical Almanac for the year N c. Sailing Directions N d. Light List Vol. V 2120: If a chart indicates the depth of water to be 6 fathoms and your draft is 6.0 feet, what is the depth of the water under your keel? (Assume the actual depth and charted depth to be the same)
N a. 6.0 feet N b. 26.5 feet Y c. 30.0 feet N d. 56.5 feet 2222: By convention, the south pole of a magnet is painted __________.
N a. red Y b. blue N c. white N d. black 2286: Which light signal indicates that you have permission to enter a lock on the Ohio River?
N a. Steady red N b. Flashing amber N c. Steady green Y d. Flashing green 2340: What is a "Special Warning"?
N a. An urgent message concerning a vessel in distress N b. A weather advisory about unusual meteorological or oceanographic phenomena hazardous to vessels Y c. A broadcast disseminating an official government proclamation affecting shipping N d. A radio navigational warning concerning a particularly hazardous condition affecting navigation 2516: Apparent time is based on __________.
N a. a fictitious sun moving along the celestial equator Y b. the visible sun moving along the ecliptic N c. the Moon's motion in relation to the Sun N d. the movement of the first point of Aries 2583: You are in the Northern Hemisphere and a tropical wave is located 200 miles due west of your position. Where will the wave be located 24 hours later?
N a. In the same place N b. Closer and to the west N c. Closer and to the east Y d. Farther away to the west 2626: What information is found in the chart title?
N a. Date of the first edition N b. Date of the edition and, if applicable, the revision Y c. Information on the sounding datum N d. Information on which IALA buoyage system applies 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) 2718: A power-driven vessel operating in a narrow channel with a following current, on the Western Rivers, is meeting an upbound vessel. Which statement is TRUE?
N a. The downbound vessel has the right-of-way. N b. The downbound vessel must initiate the required maneuvering signals. N c. The downbound vessel must propose the manner and place of passage. Y d. All of the above 2778: A special daymark is a __________.
N a. red-and-white octagon N b. daymark with a yellow stripe on it N c. green square Y d. yellow diamond 2820: A towboat is pushing barges ahead at a dangerously fast speed when __________.
N a. the towboat vibrates when backing down N b. the roostertail exceeds the height of the main deck N c. a strain is placed on the face wires Y d. water comes over the foredeck of the lead barges 2860: On the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, there is a special type of fog known as steam fog. It is caused by __________.
N a. warm air passing over much colder water Y b. cold air passing over much warmer water N c. a rapid cooling of the ground on a clear night N d. rain coming out of a warm air mass aloft 2891: Twenty-three meters equals __________.
N a. 17.50 feet Y b. 75.46 feet N c. 96.00 feet N d. 104.99 feet 2892: The Light List indicates that a dayboard is a type NB. You should __________.
N a. see a black triangle N b. look for another daymark forming a range Y c. expect a daymark of no lateral significance N d. check to enter the correct channel at the junction daymark 2914: A daymark with red and green bands, with red uppermost, will have the shape indicated by which letter in illustration D045NG?
N a. A N b. B N c. C Y d. D 2927: The position labeled C, as shown, was plotted because __________. (D051NG )
N a. the vessel's course changed from due North to due East Y b. running fixes are better estimates of true position than dead-reckoning positions N c. the vessel's speed changed N d. All of the above are correct 2990: In which source could you find the vertical clearance of a bridge on the Ohio River?
N a. Notice to Mariners Y b. Light List of the Mississippi River System N c. Great Lakes Pilot N d. Coast Pilot of the Gulf of Mexico 3040: Which instrument is used to predict the approach of a low pressure system?
N a. Anemometer N b. Fathometer Y c. Barometer N d. Thermometer