USCG Rules of the Road: 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.


35: INLAND ONLY You are on vessel "B" and vessel "A" desires to overtake you on your starboard side as shown. After the vessels have exchanged one blast signals, you should __________. (DIAGRAM 9 )


86: INLAND ONLY What is the whistle signal used to indicate a power-driven vessel leaving a dock?


97: INLAND ONLY Which statement is TRUE concerning a passing agreement made by radiotelephone?


134: INLAND ONLY Which is TRUE of a vessel downbound with a following current when meeting an upbound vessel on the Western Rivers?

    N a. Neither vessel has the right-of-way.
    Y b. She has the right-of-way only if she is power-driven.
    N c. She does not have the right-of-way, since the other vessel is not crossing the river.
    N d. She must wait for a whistle signal from the upbound vessel.

195: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND At night, you see the lights shown. This would indicate a vessel __________. (DIAGRAM 78 )

    N a. restricted in her ability to maneuver
    N b. engaged in fishing and making way
    Y c. on pilotage duty and underway
    N d. not under command

297: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND The display of lights shown could represent a __________. (DIAGRAM 48 )

    Y a. tug and a barge being towed astern
    N b. vessel constrained by her draft
    N c. vessel in the nondisplacement mode
    N d. vessel not under command

324: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND Which diagram shows the arc of visibility of a green sidelight? (DIAGRAM 23 )

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

728: INLAND ONLY A vessel engaged in public safety activities may display an alternately flashing red and yellow light. This special light may be used by a vessel engaged in __________.

    N a. river bank protection
    N b. conducting submarine operations
    Y c. firefighting
    N d. law enforcement

4108: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND At specified intervals, a vessel towing in fog shall sound __________.

    N a. one prolonged blast
    N b. two prolonged blasts
    Y c. one prolonged and two short blasts in succession
    N d. one prolonged and three short blasts in succession

4122: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND Which vessel may sound the danger signal?

    N a. The stand-on vessel in a crossing situation
    N b. The give-way vessel in a crossing situation
    N c. A vessel at anchor
    Y d. All of the above

4146: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND When taking action to avoid collision, you should __________.

    Y a. make sure the action is taken in enough time
    N b. not make any large course changes
    N c. not make any large speed changes
    N d. All of the above

4158: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND A 25-meter vessel trawling will show the dayshape(s) consisting of __________.

    N a. a basket
    N b. two balls
    Y c. two cones, apexes together
    N d. a cone, apex downward

4160: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND A fog signal of one short, one prolonged, and one short blast may be sounded by a __________.

    Y a. vessel at anchor
    N b. vessel not under command
    N c. vessel towing
    N d. All of the above

4224: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND A power-driven vessel has on her port side a sailing vessel which is on a collision course. The power-driven vessel is required to __________.

    N a. maintain course and speed
    Y b. keep clear
    N c. sound one blast and turn to starboard
    N d. stop her engines

4245: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND Underway at night, a vessel displaying the lights shown is __________. (DIAGRAM 62 )

    N a. engaged in fishing
    N b. mine sweeping
    N c. a pilot boat
    Y d. under sail

4286: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND A vessel which is underway at night and displaying the lights shown is __________. (DIAGRAM 69 )

    Y a. engaged in trawling
    N b. minesweeping
    N c. under sail
    N d. a pilot boat

4319: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND Which statement about a 25-meter auxiliary sailboat is TRUE?

    N a. The sidelights and stern light may be combined in one lantern.
    N b. When operating under sail, her fog signal would consist of one prolonged blast.
    N c. She may show a green light over a red light at the masthead.
    Y d. She must show fixed sidelights.

4375: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND You are underway in fog when you hear a signal of three strokes of a bell, a rapid ringing of the bell, and three more strokes of the bell. This signal indicates a vessel __________.

    N a. at anchor, giving warning
    Y b. aground
    N c. at anchor, greater than 100 meters
    N d. not under command at anchor

4447: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND A rigid replica of the International Code flag "A" may be shown by a vessel __________.

    N a. pulling a submarine cable
    Y b. engaged in diving operations
    N c. engaged in underway replenishment
    N d. transferring explosives

4509: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND A vessel nearing a bend or an area of a channel or fairway where other vessels may be hidden by an obstruction shall __________.

    N a. sound the danger signal
    Y b. sound a prolonged blast
    N c. take all way off
    N d. post a look-out

4516: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND Which vessel is, by definition, unable to keep out of the way of another vessel?

    N a. Vessel engaged in fishing
    Y b. Vessel restricted in her ability to maneuver
    N c. Sailing vessel
    N d. Vessel towing

4544: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND You are approaching another vessel on crossing courses. She is approximately half a mile distant and is presently on your starboard bow. You believe she will cross ahead of you. She then sounds a whistle signal of five short blasts. You should __________.

    N a. answer the signal and hold course and speed
    N b. reduce speed slightly to make sure she will have room to pass
    Y c. make a large course change, accompanied by the appropriate whistle signal, and slow down if necessary
    N d. wait for another whistle signal from the other vessel

4555: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND A sailing vessel is proceeding along a narrow channel and can safely navigate ONLY inside the channel. The sailing vessel approaches a vessel engaged in fishing. Which statement is TRUE?

    Y a. The fishing vessel is directed not to impede the passage of the sailing vessel.
    N b. The sailing vessel must keep out of the way of the fishing vessel.
    N c. Each vessel should move to the edge of the channel on her port side.
    N d. Each vessel should be displaying signals for a vessel constrained by her draft.

4601: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND A vessel towing a barge astern would show, at the stern __________.

    N a. only a stern light
    Y b. a towing light above the stern light
    N c. two towing lights in a vertical line
    N d. two white lights in a vertical line

4640: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND When two power-driven vessels are crossing, which vessel is the stand-on vessel?

    Y a. The vessel which is to starboard of the other vessel
    N b. The vessel which is to port of the other vessel
    N c. The larger vessel
    N d. The vessel that sounds the first whistle signal

4651: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND Which vessel is the stand-on vessel when two vessels crossing in fog are NOT in sight of one another?

    N a. The vessel which has the other on her own starboard side
    N b. The vessel which has the other on her own port side
    N c. The one which hears the other's fog signal first
    Y d. Neither vessel is the stand-on vessel.

4652: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND A vessel displaying the day-shapes shown is __________. (DIAGRAM 18 )

    N a. towing astern with a tow greater than 200 meters in length
    N b. not under command
    Y c. dredging
    N d. carrying dangerous cargo

4681: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND A vessel may exhibit lights other than those prescribed by the Rules as long as the additional lights __________.

    N a. are not the same color as either side light
    N b. have a lesser range of visibility than the prescribed lights
    Y c. do not impair the visibility or distinctive character of the prescribed lights
    N d. All of the above

4829: BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND The term "restricted visibility", when used in the Rules, refers to __________.

    N a. situations when you can see vessels on radar that you cannot see visually
    N b. visibility of less than half a mile
    Y c. any condition where visibility is restricted
    N d. visibility where you cannot see shore

8039: INTERNATIONAL ONLY When vessels are in sight of one another, two short blasts from one of the vessels means __________.

    N a. "I am altering my course to starboard"
    Y b. "I am altering my course to port"
    N c. "I intend to change course to starboard"
    N d. "I intend to change course to port"