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.
26: Wind direction may be determined by observing all of the following EXCEPT __________.
N a. low clouds N b. waves N c. whitecaps Y d. swells 71: A preferred-channel buoy may be __________.
Y a. lettered N b. spherical N c. showing a white light N d. All of the above 84: When using an echo sounder in deep water, it is NOT unusual to __________.
Y a. receive a strong return at about 200 fathoms (366 meters) during the day, and one nearer the surface at night N b. receive a first return near the surface during the day, and a strong return at about 200 fathoms (366 meters) at night N c. receive false echoes at a constant depth day and night N d. have to recalibrate every couple of days due to inaccurate readings 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 151: Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System, spherical buoys may be __________.
N a. numbered Y b. lettered N c. lighted N d. All of the above 152: A chart with a natural scale of 1:160,000 is classified as a __________.
N a. sailing chart Y b. general chart N c. coast chart N d. harbor chart 209: The West Wind Drift is located __________.
Y a. near 60°S N b. on each side of the Equatorial Current N c. in the North Atlantic between Greenland and Europe N d. in the South Pacific near 5°S 256: The belt of light and variable winds between the westerly wind belt and the northeast trade winds is called the __________.
Y a. subtropical high pressure belt N b. intertropical convergence zone N c. doldrum belt N d. polar frontal zone 279: As a vessel changes course to starboard, the compass card in a magnetic compass __________.
Y a. remains aligned with compass north N b. also turns to starboard N c. first turns to starboard then counterclockwise to port N d. turns counterclockwise to port 281: A lighted buoy to be left to starboard, when entering a U.S. port from seaward, shall have a __________.
N a. white light Y b. red light N c. green light N d. light characteristic of Morse (A) 291: A buoy marking a wreck will show a(n) __________.
Y a. white light FL (2) and a topmark of 2 black spheres N b. occulting green light and may be lettered N c. yellow light and will be numbered N d. continuous quick white light and may be numbered 299: Steady precipitation is typical of __________.
N a. coming cold weather conditions Y b. a warm front weather condition N c. high pressure conditions N d. scattered cumulus clouds 347: The illustration shows the symbols used on radio facsimile weather charts. Which of these symbols indicates rain? (D042NG )
Y a. N N b. M N c. I N d. G 447: On 27 April 1983, at 1105 DST (ZD +4), what will be the predicted height of tide at Falkner Island, CT?
Y a. 5.3 feet (1.6 m) N b. 5.6 feet (1.7 m) N c. 6.2 feet (1.9 m) N d. 6.8 feet (2.7 m) 489: You are anchored in the Aleutian Island chain and receive word that a tsunami is expected to strike the islands in six hours. What is the safest action?
Y a. Get underway and be in deep, open-ocean water when the tsunami arrives. N b. Increase the scope of the anchor cable and drop the second anchor underfoot at short stay. N c. Get underway and be close inshore on the side of the island away from the tsunami. N d. Plant both anchors with about a 60° angle between them, and let out a long scope to each anchor. 496: Severe tropical cyclones (hurricanes, typhoons) occur in all warm-water oceans except the __________.
N a. Indian Ocean N b. North Pacific Ocean N c. South Pacific Ocean Y d. South Atlantic Ocean 525: In the celestial equator system of coordinates, what is comparable to latitude on the terrestrial sphere?
N a. Altitude N b. Right ascension N c. Celestial meridians Y d. Declination 627: You are on a coastwise voyage bound for Marcus Hook, PA. Your speed is 15 knots. You wish to use the flood tide to facilitate docking starboard side to, heading seaward. To have the most favorable tide throughout, you should time your arrival at the entrance to Delaware Bay __________.
N a. for 1 hour before flood begins N b. for 1 hour after flood begins Y c. for 3 hours after flood begins N d. for 1 hour before ebb begins 631: A light characteristic of composite group flashing indicates that there is a(n) __________.
N a. sharp turn in the channel N b. narrowing in the channel at that point Y c. junction in the channel N d. obstruction that must be left to port 656: In the Northern Hemisphere you are caught in the dangerous semicircle with plenty of sea room available. The best course of action is to bring the wind on the __________.
Y a. starboard bow and make as much headway as possible N b. starboard quarter, and make as much headway as possible N c. port quarter, and make as much headway as possible N d. port bow, and make as much headway as possible 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 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 812: You are informed of defects or changes in aids to navigation by __________.
N a. Local Notice to Mariners N b. Weekly Notice to Mariners N c. marine broadcasts Y d. All of the above 814: Steam smoke will occur when __________.
Y a. extremely cold air from shore passes over warmer water N b. warm dry air from shore passes over cooler water N c. cold ocean water evaporates into warm air N d. cool rain passes through a warm air mass 865: The radius of a circle of equal altitude of a body is equal to the __________.
Y a. coaltitude of the body N b. altitude of the body N c. codeclination of the body N d. polar distance 960: The Light List shows that a navigational light has a nominal range of 15 miles and a height above water of 29 feet (8.8 meters). Your height of eye is 52 feet (15.8 meters) and visibility is 6.0 miles. At which approximate range will you first sight the light?
N a. 8.0 miles Y b. 11.0 miles N c. 14.5 miles N d. 16.0 miles 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 1051: Under the IALA Buoyage Systems, a cardinal mark may NOT be used to __________.
N a. indicate that the deepest water in an area is on the named side of the mark N b. indicate the safe side on which to pass a danger N c. draw attention to a feature in the channel such as a bend, junction, bifurcation, or end of a shoal Y d. indicate the port and starboard sides of well-defined channels 1084: As the temperature of an air mass decreases, the __________.
N a. absolute humidity decreases Y b. relative humidity increases N c. specific humidity decreases N d. dew point rises 1132: On charts of U.S. waters, a magenta marking is NOT used for marking a __________.
N a. radio beacon Y b. 5-fathom curve N c. prohibited area N d. lighted buoy 1200: You want to transit Pollock Rip Channel, MA, on 6 April 1983. What is the period of time around the 0955 (ZD +5) slack in which the current does not exceed 0.3 knot?
N a. 0911 to 0955 N b. 0940 to 1010 N c. 0955 to 1044 Y d. 0935 to 1017 1224: NGA (NIMA) charts are adopting the metric system. In order to change a charted depth in meters to feet you may use the conversion table found __________.
N a. in the Light List N b. in Bowditch Vol. II N c. on the chart Y d. All of the above 1316: When a warm air mass overtakes a cold air mass, the contact surface is called a __________.
N a. line squall N b. water spout N c. cold front Y d. warm front 1331: When trying to sight a lighthouse you notice a glare from a town in the background. The range at which the light may be sighted due to this glare is __________.
Y a. considerably reduced N b. increased slightly due to extra lighting N c. unchanged N d. increased if the light is red or green due to contrast with the glare 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 1443: At the master gyrocompass, the compass card is attached to the __________.
N a. spider element Y b. sensitive element N c. link arm N d. pickup transformer 1482: Which statement concerning current is TRUE?
N a. Current can be determined by measuring the direction and distance between simultaneous EP and DR positions. Y b. The drift of the current should be averaged out on a one hour basis. N c. After the current is determined, it should not be used for further plotting because it is an unknown variable. N d. The distance between a simultaneous DR position and fix is equal to the drift of the current. 1508: A line of position is __________.
N a. a line connecting two charted objects Y b. a line on some point of which the vessel may be presumed to be located N c. the position of your vessel N d. not used in a running fix 1523: Which is a characteristic of the weather preceding an approaching warm front?
N a. Gusty winds Y b. Steadily falling barometric pressure N c. Decreasing relative humidity N d. Clearing skies 1526: A single barometric pressure reading of 28.60 indicates __________.
N a. rapidly improving weather N b. deteriorating weather Y c. a severe low pressure system N d. fair weather and calm 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 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 1651: From which type of cloud can a tornado or waterspout develop?
N a. Nimbostratus N b. Altostratus Y c. Cumulonimbus N d. Cirrus 1756: Where would you expect to find climatological and meteorological tables for the Gulf Coast area?
N a. In the publication entitled Radio Aids to Navigation Y b. In the back of Coast Pilot #5 N c. In any Coast Pilot volume N d. Only at the National Weather Service office 1806: Sometimes foreign charts are reproduced by NGA (NIMA). On such a chart a wire dragged (swept) area may be shown in purple or __________.
Y a. green N b. red N c. magenta N d. yellow 1883: Pressure gradient is a measure of __________.
N a. a high-pressure area Y b. pressure difference over horizontal distance N c. pressure difference over time N d. vertical pressure variation 1968: The Earth has the shape of a(n) __________.
N a. sphere Y b. oblate spheroid N c. spheroid of revolution N d. oblate eggoid 1972: The point on the celestial sphere that is directly over the observer is the __________.
N a. node N b. pole Y c. zenith N d. nadir 1994: Fomalhaut is found in what constellation?
N a. Leo N b. Taurus Y c. Pisces N d. Canis Major 2207: Yesterday your chronometer read 11h 59m 58s at the 1200 GMT time tick. Today your chronometer reads 12h 00m 00s at the 1200 time tick. What is the chronometer rate?
N a. Nil N b. 12h Y c. +2s N d. -2s 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 2229: 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?
Y a. If the red ends are to port the athwartships magnets should be raised. N b. If the blue ends are to port the athwartships magnets should be raised. N c. If the red ends are forward the fore-and-aft magnets should be lowered. N d. If the blue ends are forward the fore-and-aft magnets should be raised. 2254: A rock and sand structure extending from the bank of the river toward the channel is known as a __________.
Y a. wingdam N b. towhead N c. cutoff N d. landwall 2424: Under the IALA-B Buoyage System, when entering from seaward a lateral system buoy to be left to starboard may display which of the topmarks shown? (D046NG )
Y a. A N b. B N c. C N d. D 2509: All persons or vessels within the lock area, including the lock approach channels, come under the authority of the __________.
N a. dockmaster N b. dock captain Y c. lockmaster N d. lock foreman 2604: A sidereal day is approximately how much shorter than a solar day?
Y a. 4 minutes N b. 8 minutes N c. 12 minutes N d. 16 minutes 2610: A line on the Earth parallel to the equator is a __________.
N a. gnomonic curve Y b. small circle N c. meridian N d. great circle 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 2877: Class I and II private aids to navigation in or along navigable waters of the United States are listed in the __________.
N a. Sailing Directions Y b. Light List N c. List of Private Aids N d. Aids to Navigation Manual 3087: With respect to failure warnings and status indications, GPS receivers should provide, at a minimum, __________.
Y a. a warning of loss of position N b. a cross-track error alarm N c. an indication of a change in satellite configuration N d. an alarm if engine speed is suddenly reduced