USCG Navigation Problems: 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.


73: The area between Island 67 Upper Light (mile 623.1 AHP) and Sunflower Cut-off Foot Light (mile 624.8 AHP) is known as a __________.


150: Which dayboard would you see on Puntney Light (mile 943.6 AHP)?


172: If you steer 143°pgc from your 2015 position at an engine speed of 8.0 knots, at what time would you reach a point midway between buoys "11" and "12" (ignore set and drift)?


176: What is your 2118 position?

    N a. LAT 36°56.6'N, LONG 76°01.0'W
    N b. LAT 36°57.0'N, LONG 76°01.5'W
    Y c. LAT 36°57.4'N, LONG 76°01.9'W
    N d. LAT 36°58.0'N, LONG 76°02.4'W

186: Assume set and drift have no effect on your vessel. If you change course to 187°pgc from your 1950 position, how close will you pass Cape Charles Lighted Bell Buoy "14"?

    N a. 0.1 mile
    N b. 0.5 mile
    N c. 0.8 mile
    Y d. 1.1 miles

220: From your 1715 fix, you steer 214°T at 12 knots. At 1800,
you take the following bearings:

Chesapeake Light bearing 175°pgc
Cape Henry Light bearing 239°pgc
Cape Charles Light bearing 293°pgc

Your 1800 position is __________.

    N a. LAT 37°02.7'N, LONG 75°42.7'W
    Y b. LAT 37°02.9'N, LONG 75°43.1'W
    N c. LAT 37°03.0'N, LONG 75°43.3'W
    N d. LAT 37°03.1'N, LONG 75°42.8'W

246: The red sector of New London Harbor Light covers from __________.

    N a. 040° - 310°
    N b. 000° - 031°
    N c. 208° - 220°
    Y d. 000° - 041°

352: What is the approximate distance to New Bedford, MA, from your 0530 DR position, if your 0352 position was 7 miles from Bridgeport, CT?

    N a. 122 miles
    N b. 115 miles
    Y c. 104 miles
    N d. 95 miles

468: Determine the great circle initial course from LAT 07°05.0'N, LONG 81°45.0'W to LAT 21°15.0'N, LONG 157°40.0'W.

    N a. 128°T
    N b. 217°T
    Y c. 290°T
    N d. 326°T

672: What is the total length of the trip?

    Y a. 922.3 miles
    N b. 985.3 miles
    N c. 1155.8 miles
    N d. 1187.3 miles

839: On 22 August , in DR position LAT 29°41.8'N, LONG 33°15.5'W, you take an ex-meridian observation of the Moon's upper limb at upper transit. The chronometer time of the sight is 08h 00m 02s, and the chronometer error is 02m 20s slow. The sextant altitude (hs) is 74°32.4'. The index error is 1.5' off the arc, and your height of eye is 48 feet. What is the latitude at meridian transit?

    N a. LAT 29°39.3'N
    N b. LAT 29°41.3'N
    Y c. LAT 29°47.8'N
    N d. LAT 29°49.7'N

1081: On 14 Sept , your 1810 ZT DR position is LAT 27°12.0'S, LONG 71°10.0'E. You are on course 060°T at a speed of 15.0 knots. You observed 3 celestial bodies. Determine the latitude and longitude of your 1822 running fix. NP-0011

    N a. LAT 27°04.5'S, LONG 71°22.4'E
    N b. LAT 27°07.5'S, LONG 71°18.6'E
    N c. LAT 27°09.2'S, LONG 71°11.3'E
    Y d. LAT 27°11.0'S, LONG 71°14.5'E

1266: On 1 December , your 1600 ZT DR position is LAT 22°48.0'S, LONG 91°26.0'E. You are on course 327°T at a speed of 16 knots. What will be the zone time of sunset at your vessel?

    N a. 1823
    Y b. 1827
    N c. 1831
    N d. 1847

1686: Which light characteristics does Ben Burman Lt. (mile 235.0 AHP) have?

    N a. 1 red flash every 5 seconds
    N b. 2 white flashes every 5 seconds
    N c. 2 green flashes every 5 seconds
    Y d. 2 red flashes every 5 seconds

1728: As you approach Canon Point Light (mile 418.3 AHP), what daymark will you see on the light structure?

    N a. Green square
    N b. Green diamond
    Y c. Red diamond
    N d. Red triangle

1831: You pass Warnicott Bar Lt. at 1146, 24 May. What is your ETA off the Mhoon Landing Gage if you average 6.5 mph?

    N a. 0152, 26 May
    N b. 0426, 26 May
    Y c. 1528, 26 May
    N d. 0909, 27 May

1922: On 17 March , your 1845 DR position is LAT 25°10.0'N, LONG 66°48.0'W. You observe an unidentified star bearing 320°T at an observed altitude (Ho) of 50°02.9'. The chronometer reads 10h 47m 49s, and is 1m 54s fast. What star did you observe?

    N a. Capella
    Y b. Mirfak
    N c. Pollux
    N d. Rigel

2459: You have steamed 432 miles at 18 knots and burning 406 barrels of fuel per day. You must decrease your consumption to 221 barrels per day with 190 miles left in your voyage. What must you reduce your speed (kts) to in order to burn this amount of fuel?

    N a. 10.6
    N b. 12.8
    Y c. 16.5
    N d. 17.7

2668: Your vessel is on a course of 255°T, at 14 knots. At 2116 a lighthouse is sighted dead ahead at a distance of 11 miles. You change course at this time to pass the lighthouse 3 miles abeam to port. What will be your ETA at this position off the lighthouse?

    N a. 2149
    Y b. 2201
    N c. 2212
    N d. 2228

2857: Your vessel is on a course of 253°T at 18 knots. At 2027 a light bears 275.5°T, and at 2055 the light bears 298°T.
At what time and at what distance off will your vessel be when abeam of the light?

    Y a. 2115, 5.9 miles
    N b. 2109, 6.4 miles
    N c. 2123, 7.3 miles
    N d. 2104, 7.7 miles

2877: Your vessel is steering 263°T at 22 knots. At 0413 a light bears 294°T, and at 0421 the same light bears 312°T. What will be your distance off abeam?

    N a. 3.4 miles
    Y b. 3.7 miles
    N c. 4.3 miles
    N d. 4.9 miles

2881: Your vessel is steering 049°T at 15 knots. At 1914 a light bears 078°T, and at 1951 the same light bears 116°T. What will be your distance off abeam?

    Y a. 6.7 miles
    N b. 7.1 miles
    N c. 7.5 miles
    N d. 8.3 miles

3050: The propeller on a vessel has a diameter of 23.7 feet and a pitch of 24.8 feet. What would be the apparent slip if the vessel cruised 442 miles in a 23 hour day (observed distance) at an average RPM of 89?

    N a. -7.6%
    N b. +7.6%
    N c. -11.8%
    Y d. +11.8%

3074: If the speed necessary for reaching port at a designated time is 19.2 knots and the pitch of the propeller is 22.7 feet, how many revolutions per minute will the shaft have to turn, assuming a 4% positive slip?

    N a. 82
    Y b. 89
    N c. 96
    N d. 103

3079: If the speed necessary for reaching port at a designated time is 18.2 knots and the pitch of the propeller is 23.9 feet, how many revolutions per minute will the shaft have to turn, assuming a 2% negative slip?

    N a. 70
    N b. 73
    Y c. 76
    N d. 79

3293: Your vessel consumes 274 barrels of fuel per day at a speed of 17.5 knots. What will be the fuel consumption of your vessel at 13.5 knots?

    Y a. 126 bbls
    N b. 163 bbls
    N c. 211 bbls
    N d. 253 bbls

3299: You have steamed 174 miles and consumed 18 tons of fuel. If you maintain the same speed, how many tons of fuel will you consume while steaming 416 miles?

    N a. 34.9 tons
    N b. 38.4 tons
    Y c. 43.0 tons
    N d. 46.2 tons

3313: You have steamed 300 miles and consumed 34 tons of fuel. If you maintain the same speed, how many tons of fuel will you consume while steaming 700 miles?

    Y a. 79.3 tons
    N b. 74.3 tons
    N c. 68.4 tons
    N d. 66.2 tons

3602: You are heading 328°pgc to make good a course of 332°T, allowing 3° leeway for westerly winds and 1°E gyro error. The variation is 17°E. What should your heading be by standard magnetic compass to make good 332°T.
DEVIATION TABLE
MAGNETIC HEADING DEV.
345° 1°E
330° 1°W
315° 3°W

    Y a. 315°psc
    N b. 318°psc
    N c. 343°psc
    N d. 345°psc

3605: The true course from point A to point B is 317°. A SSW wind causes a 4° leeway, variation is 6°W and deviation is 1°E. What is the magnetic compass course to steer to make good the true course?

    N a. 326°psc
    Y b. 318°psc
    N c. 313°psc
    N d. 308°psc

3609: Enroute from Rio to Montevideo, the true course is 215°; the gyro error is 2° west. A north wind causes 3° leeway. What course would you steer per gyrocompass to make good the true course?

    Y a. 220°pgc
    N b. 214°pgc
    N c. 216°pgc
    N d. 210°pgc

3754: Your vessel is proceeding up a channel, and you see a pair of range lights that are in line ahead. The chart indicates that the direction of this pair of lights is 014°T, and the variation is 11°E. If the heading of your vessel at the time of the sighting is 009° per standard magnetic compass, what is the correct deviation?

    N a. 5°E
    N b. 5°W
    N c. 6°E
    Y d. 6°W

3764: Your vessel is proceeding up a channel, and you see a pair of range lights that are in line ahead. The chart indicates that the direction of this pair of lights is 064°T, and the variation is 17°W. If the heading of your vessel at the time of the sighting is 094° per standard magnetic compass, what is the correct deviation?

    N a. 4°E
    N b. 4°W
    N c. 13°E
    Y d. 13°W

3768: While entering a harbor on a course of 225° per gyrocompass, you take a bearing on a pair of range lights and get 220° per gyrocompass. The bearing on the chart is 217°T. The variation for the area is 6°W, and deviation is 2°W. What course would you steer per gyrocompass to make good a true course of 232°?

    N a. 229°pgc
    N b. 231°pgc
    N c. 233°pgc
    Y d. 235°pgc

12308: You sight North Dumpling Island Light in line with Latimer Reef Light (LAT 41°18.2'N, LONG 71°56.0'W) bearing 094° per standard magnetic compass. If your vessel was heading 207° per standard magnetic compass at the time, which of the following is TRUE?

    Y a. The deviation table is correct for that heading.
    N b. The deviation by observation is 3°E.
    N c. The compass error is 12°W.
    N d. You should subtract 18° from all bearings of 094°.

12612: You are on course 242° per standard magnetic compass (psc) when you take the following bearings: Stratford Point Light 325°psc Old Field Point Light 239°psc Middle Ground Light 270°psc What is your position?

    N a. LAT 41°04.4'N, LONG 72°59.5'W
    Y b. LAT 41°05.1'N, LONG 72°59.3'W
    N c. LAT 41°05.4'N, LONG 73°00.1'W
    N d. LAT 41°04.8'N, LONG 73°59.3'W

13507: Areas enclosed by a long and short dashed magenta line indicate __________.

    N a. cable areas
    N b. dumping grounds
    Y c. fish trap areas
    N d. precautionary areas

14501: You are proceeding in an easterly direction on the Columbia River. The pool level of the Bonneville Reservoir stands at 65 feet above MSL. If the highest point on your vessel is 54 feet above the water, what will be the vertical clearance as you pass under the overhead power cables at mile 186.2?

    N a. 94 feet
    N b. 101 feet
    Y c. 108 feet
    N d. 117 feet

15313: From your noon position, if there is no set and drift, what is your course per standard magnetic compass to the "NCA"
(LL #375) buoy?

    N a. 215°psc
    Y b. 217°psc
    N c. 219°psc
    N d. 221°psc

15446: You are abeam of buoy "18" at 2325. What is your ETA at Baltimore if you average 9.5 knots?

    N a. 1342
    Y b. 1400
    N c. 1424
    N d. 1456

15466: At 1015, you estimate you have 139 miles to complete the voyage. If you average 9.5 knots, you will complete the voyage in __________.

    N a. 14 hours 22 minutes
    N b. 14 hours 30 minutes
    Y c. 14 hours 38 minutes
    N d. 14 hours 44 minutes

15562: The two wavy magenta lines running to Green Hill Point represent __________.

    N a. recommended approaches to Green Hill Point
    Y b. submarine cables
    N c. prohibited fishing areas
    N d. fish trap areas

15630: The area between Island 67 Upper Light (mile 623.1 AHP) and Sunflower Cut-off Foot Light (mile 624.8 AHP) is known as a __________.

    N a. transit
    N b. chute
    Y c. crossing
    N d. slough

15769: At 0900, you take the following radar ranges:

Watch Hill Point 5.4 miles
Block Island Grace Point 8.3 miles

Which statement is TRUE?

    N a. You are to the right of the track line.
    N b. The bottom in the area is sand and gravel.
    N c. You are inside of the Territorial Sea.
    Y d. The fix is indeterminate.

16012: If you change course at 0420, what is the course to make good to leave Twenty Eight Foot Shoal Lighted Buoy abeam to port at 1 mile?

    N a. 079°T
    N b. 082°T
    Y c. 084°T
    N d. 086°T

16018: At 0550, engineering repairs are complete and speed is increased to 9.6 knots. At 0630, Falkner Island Light bears 023°pgc and Horton Point Light bears 097°pgc. From your 0630 fix you steer to make good a course of 086°T while turning for 9.6 knots. At 0700, Falkner Island Light bears 336.0°pgc and Horton Point Light bears 105.5°pgc. The radar range to the south tip of Falkner Island is 5.7 miles. Which statement is TRUE?

    N a. Your course made good from 0630 to 0700 was 082°T.
    N b. The speed made good from 0630 to 0700 was 10.1 knots.
    N c. The current from 0630 to 0700 was 279°T at 0.6 knot.
    Y d. You are making good your intended speed.

16061: You have just passed York River Entrance Channel Lighted Buoys "13" and "14". The chart shows a light approximately 1.0 mile off your port beam with a light characteristic "Fl 6 sec". What is the name of this light?

    N a. Mobjack Bay Entrance Light
    Y b. York Spit Light
    N c. New Point Comfort Light
    N d. York River Entrance Channel Light "1"

16065: If you steer 143°pgc at an engine speed of 8.0 knots from your 2015 position, at what time would you reach a point midway between buoys "11" and "12" (ignore set and drift)?

    N a. 2020
    Y b. 2029
    N c. 2032
    N d. 2039

16065: If you steer 143°pgc at an engine speed of 8.0 knots from your 2015 position, at what time would you reach a point midway between buoys "11" and "12" (ignore set and drift)?

    N a. 2020
    Y b. 2029
    N c. 2032
    N d. 2039

16209: You calculate that the current will be ebbing at the Race at 0700. You should expect to be set in which general direction at the Race?

    N a. West
    N b. North
    N c. Northeast
    Y d. East

16215: The wind is southerly, and you estimate 3° leeway. Allowing for leeway, what is the course to steer from your 0745 position to pass 1 mile south of Watch Hill Buoy "WH"?

    N a. 079°pgc
    N b. 081°pgc
    N c. 085°pgc
    Y d. 087°pgc

16565: You decide to use the 9960-Y and 9960-W rates. At 1915,
you obtain the following readings:

9960-Y-43937.5
9960-W-14651.2

What is your 1915 position?

    N a. LAT 41°13.6'N, LONG 71°54.0'W
    Y b. LAT 41°13.5'N, LONG 71°53.4'W
    N c. LAT 41°13.4'N, LONG 71°53.1'W
    N d. LAT 41°14.4'N, LONG 71°53.7'W