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.


9: When displayed under a single-span fixed bridge, red lights indicate __________.


124: An electronic depth finder operates on the principle that __________.


237: Neap tides occur when the __________.


266: The horse latitudes are characterized by __________.

    Y a. weak pressure gradients and light, variable winds
    N b. the formation of typhoons or hurricanes in certain seasons
    N c. steady winds in one direction for six months followed by wind reversal for the next six months
    N d. steady winds generally from the southeast in the Southern Hemisphere

270: 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 )

    N a. drop the anchor immediately as the range lights mark an area free of obstructions
    N b. drop the anchor immediately as a change in the position of the range lights will be an indication of dragging anchor
    Y c. ensure your ship will NOT block the channel or obstruct the range while at anchor
    N d. NOT drop the anchor until the lights are in line

270: 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 )

    N a. drop the anchor immediately as the range lights mark an area free of obstructions
    N b. drop the anchor immediately as a change in the position of the range lights will be an indication of dragging anchor
    Y c. ensure your ship will NOT block the channel or obstruct the range while at anchor
    N d. NOT drop the anchor until the lights are in line

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

325: What is the longitude of the geographical position of a body whose Greenwich hour angle is 210°30'?

    N a. 30°30'E
    N b. 59°30'W
    N c. 120°30'W
    Y d. 149°30'E

429: A great circle crosses the equator at 127°W. It will also cross the equator at what other longitude?

    N a. 127°E
    Y b. 53°E
    N c. 27°E
    N d. 27°W

479: You are enroute to assist vessel A. Vessel A is underway at 5 knots on course 063°T, and bears 136°T at 78 miles from you. What is the course to steer at 13 knots to intercept vessel A?

    Y a. 114°
    N b. 158°
    N c. 295°
    N d. 340°

646: You have determined that you are in the right semicircle of a tropical cyclone in the Northern Hemisphere. What action should you take to avoid the storm?

    N a. Place the wind on the starboard quarter and hold that course.
    N b. Place the wind on the port quarter and hold that course.
    N c. Place the wind on the port bow and hold that course.
    Y d. Place the wind on the starboard bow and hold that course.

648: Weather systems in the middle latitudes generally travel from __________.

    N a. north to south
    Y b. west to east
    N c. east to west
    N d. None of the above

672: You are planning to enter an unfamiliar U.S. port. Which publication provides information about channel depths, dangers, obstructions, anchorages, and marine facilities available in that port?

    N a. American Practical Navigator
    N b. Notice to Mariners
    Y c. Coast Pilot
    N d. Sailing Directions

697: The set of the current is the __________.

    N a. speed of the current at a particular time
    N b. maximum speed of the current
    N c. direction from which the current flows
    Y d. direction in which the current flows

721: Under the IALA Buoyage System, a red and white vertically-striped buoy would NOT indicate __________.

    N a. a landfall
    Y b. the extreme end of an islet
    N c. a mid-channel
    N d. a center line

745: Retrograde motion is the __________.

    N a. movement of the points of intersection of the planes of the ecliptic and the equator
    Y b. apparent westerly motion of a planet with respect to stars
    N c. movement of a superior planet in its orbit about the Sun
    N d. movement of the celestial north pole in an elliptical pattern in space

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

1180: You are on course 238°T. To check the course of your vessel you should observe a celestial body on which bearing?

    N a. 180°
    N b. 238°
    Y c. 328°
    N d. 090°

1189: Concerning a celestial observation, the azimuth angle is measured from the principal vertical circle to the ____________ .

    N a. Greenwich celestial meridian
    N b. hour circle of the body
    N c. local celestial meridian
    Y d. vertical circle of the body

1211: Red sectors of navigation lights warn mariners of __________.

    N a. floating debris
    N b. heavily trafficked areas
    N c. recently sunken vessels
    Y d. shoals or nearby land

1252: Port side daymarks may be __________.

    Y a. numbered
    N b. octagonal
    N c. black and white
    N d. of any shape

1263: The compass deviation changes as the vessel changes __________.

    N a. geographical position
    N b. speed
    Y c. heading
    N d. longitude

1355: The parallax of the Moon is greatest when the Moon is __________.

    N a. in the zenith at perigee
    N b. on the horizon at apogee
    N c. at its maximum altitude at apogee
    Y d. on the horizon at perigee

1372: 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 __________.

    N a. cirrus clouds
    N b. long swells
    N c. smoother seas and warmer water
    Y d. steeper waves, closer together

1410: A white buoy marked with an orange rectangle indicates __________.

    N a. a fish net area
    Y b. general information
    N c. an anchorage
    N d. mid-channel

1429: A celestial body will cross the prime vertical circle when the latitude is numerically __________.

    Y a. greater than the declination and both are of the same name
    N b. less than the declination and both are of the same name
    N c. greater than the declination and both are of contrary name
    N d. less than the declination and both are of contrary name

1616: Which picture in illustration D034NG shows a Morse (A) light? (D034NG )

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

1641: The low, dark, sheet-like cloud which is associated with continuous precipitation for many hours is a __________.

    N a. cirrus cloud
    N b. cumulus cloud
    N c. cumulonimbus cloud
    Y d. nimbostratus cloud

1673: Information about currents on the Pacific Coast of the U. S. is found in the __________.

    N a. Nautical Almanac
    Y b. Tidal Current Tables
    N c. Ocean Current Tables
    N d. Tide Tables

1680: A weather front exists when __________.

    N a. air masses of the same temperature meet
    Y b. air masses of different temperatures meet
    N c. many clouds create a differential in air density
    N d. two lows are separated by a ridge of higher pressure

1713: When a tornado moves over the water from land it is called a __________.

    N a. tornado
    Y b. waterspout
    N c. hurricane
    N d. cyclone

1754: The dumping of refuse in a lock is permitted __________.

    N a. when approved by the lockmaster
    N b. when locking downbound
    Y c. at no time
    N d. during high water only

1761: Chart legends which indicate a conspicuous landmark are printed in __________.

    N a. italics
    N b. underlined letters
    Y c. capital letters
    N d. boldfaced print

1766: You are approaching a lock and see a flashing amber light located on the lock wall. You should __________.

    N a. stand clear of the lock entrance
    Y b. approach the lock under full control
    N c. enter the lock as quickly as possible
    N d. hang off your tow on the lock wall

1818: In order to utilize the capacity of a lock to its maximum, pleasure craft are locked through with all of the following EXCEPT __________.

    N a. coal barges
    Y b. oil barges
    N c. sand barges
    N d. cement barges

1826: 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 D in the illustration? (D036NG )

    N a. One red light
    Y b. Two green lights
    N c. Three green lights
    N d. No light

1869: 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 B in the illustration? (D036NG )

    N a. One red light
    N b. Two green lights
    N c. Three green lights
    Y d. No light

2050: The point where the vertical rise or fall of tide has stopped is referred to as __________.

    N a. slack water
    N b. the rip tide
    Y c. the stand of the tide
    N d. the reverse of the tide

2061: Fog is likely to occur when there is little difference between the dew point and the __________.

    N a. relative humidity
    Y b. air temperature
    N c. barometric pressure
    N d. absolute humidity

2098: Which magnetic compass corrector(s) can be set while the vessel is on a heading of magnetic east or magnetic west?

    N a. Quadrantal spheres
    N b. Heeling magnets
    Y c. Fore-and-aft magnets
    N d. Athwartships magnets

2159: Induced magnetism is found in __________.

    N a. hard iron
    Y b. soft iron
    N c. vertical iron only
    N d. horizontal iron only

2176: 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 )

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

2246: The speed of an ocean current is dependent on __________.

    Y a. the density of the water
    N b. the air temperature
    N c. the presence of a high pressure area near it
    N d. underwater soil conditions

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

2348: Under the IALA cardinal system, a mark with a quick light showing 9 flashes every 15 seconds indicates that the safest water is on the __________.

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

2386: The path that the Sun appears to take among the stars is the __________.

    N a. zodiac
    N b. Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere
    Y c. ecliptic
    N d. line of apsides

2452: The permanent magnetism of a vessel may change in strength due to __________.

    N a. the nature of the cargo being carried
    N b. changes in heading
    Y c. major structural repair
    N d. All of the above

2569: The mean sun used to measure time moves __________.

    N a. along the ecliptic at 15° per hour
    N b. along the celestial equator at 15° per day
    N c. along the ecliptic at 15° per day
    Y d. along the celestial equator at 15° per hour

2651: Low pressure disturbances which travel along the intertropical convergence zone are called __________.

    Y a. tropical waves
    N b. tropical disturbances
    N c. permanent waves
    N d. tidal waves

2664: The Light List shows a lighted aid to navigation on the right bank. This means that the light can be seen on the port side of a vessel __________.

    N a. crossing the river
    N b. descending the river
    Y c. ascending the river
    N d. proceeding towards sea

2672: When you are steering on a pair of range lights and find the upper light is in line above the lower light, you should __________.

    Y a. continue on the present course
    N b. come left
    N c. come right
    N d. wait until the lights are no longer in a vertical line

2672: When you are steering on a pair of range lights and find the upper light is in line above the lower light, you should __________.

    Y a. continue on the present course
    N b. come left
    N c. come right
    N d. wait until the lights are no longer in a vertical line

2696: You must draw a plotting sheet covering latitudes 52°S to 56°S and longitudes 179°W to 175°E. If the distance between latitude 52°S to 56°S is 24 inches, what is the distance between the meridians of 1° of longitude?

    N a. 3.2 inches
    Y b. 3.5 inches
    N c. 4.0 inches
    N d. 4.2 inches

2777: A sailing chart could have a scale of __________.

    N a. not more than 1:25,000
    N b. 1:35,000
    N c. 1:100,000
    Y d. 1:700,000

2882: While upbound through Memphis, the weather report on TV news indicates that a warm front is stationary over the Kentucky - Missouri - Tennessee areas. What weather conditions should you expect?

    N a. Strong, gusting winds from the NW with thundershowers
    N b. Light winds from the northeast with clear skies
    N c. A "blue norther"
    Y d. Southerly winds with steady rain; fog or overcast

2894: Fetch is the __________.

    N a. distance a wave travels between formation and decay
    Y b. stretch of water over which a wave-forming wind blows
    N c. time in seconds required for two crests to pass a given point
    N d. measurement of a wave's steepness

3009: "Proceeding from seaward" for the purpose of the direction of buoying offshore, lateral system buoys would be proceeding __________.

    N a. northerly on the Atlantic Coast
    N b. easterly on the Gulf Coast
    Y c. northerly on the Pacific Coast
    N d. None of the above

3084: An ECDIS is required to display which information?

    Y a. Soundings
    N b. Waypoints
    N c. Meteorological data
    N d. Radar targets

3084: An ECDIS is required to display which information?

    Y a. Soundings
    N b. Waypoints
    N c. Meteorological data
    N d. Radar targets

3090: NOAA VHF weather reports are continuously broadcast on VHF channels WX-1, WX-2 and WX-3 on a frequency of __________.

    N a. 156.8, 157.1, 162.55 MHz
    N b. 162.55, 162.00, 171.5 KHz
    Y c. 162.55, 162.40, 162.475 MHz
    N d. 2182, 2638, 2670 KHz