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.

67: The Gage at Red River Landing reads 22.2 feet. The LWRP for Red River is 10.6 feet. What is the water level in relation to the low water reference plane?
126: What is your clearance as you pass under the Vicksburg Highway 80 Bridge (mile 437.8 AHP). if the Vicksburg Gage reads 14.8 feet and the highest point on your tow boat is 44.5 feet?
165: Which company does NOT have a marine facility along the river bank in Helena (mile 661 to 665 AHP)?
171: At 2015, your vessel is at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel midway between buoys "13" and "14". If the height of tide is -1 foot (-0.3 meters), what is the approximate depth of water? 

    N a. 35 feet (10.6 meters)
    N b. 43 feet (13.1 meters)
    N c. 46 feet (13.9 meters)
    Y d. 53 feet (15.5 meters)
202: Which statement concerning Montauk Point Light is TRUE? 

    N a. The light comes on at sunset.
    Y b. There is an emergency light if the main light is extinguished.
    N c. The height of the light is 24 feet.
    N d. The tower is painted with black and white stripes.
240: At 1100, your position is LAT 41°11.3'N, LONG 72°28.0'W. You are steering a course of 069°T to leave Black Point one mile off your port beam. It has been reported that the Long Sand Shoal Buoys and Hatchett Reef Buoys are off station. Which of the following will serve as a line marking the hazards and keep your vessel in safe water? 

    N a. A bearing to Little Gull Island Light of not less than 090°
    N b. Maintaining a 7nm range off Orient point
    Y c. Danger bearing to Black Point of not more than 064°T
    N d. A distance to Saybrook Breakwater Light of not less than 1.3 miles
278: The National Weather Service provides 24 hour weather broadcasts to vessels transiting the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel area on which frequency? 

    Y a. 162.55 MHz
    N b. 162.85 MHz
    N c. 181.15 MHz
    N d. 202.35 MHz
551: You are on course 092°T, and the engines are turning for 8 knots. At 0452, you take the following bearings:
Stratford Point Light 020°pgc Stratford Shoal (Middle Ground) Light 141°pgc

What is your 0452 position? 

    Y a. LAT 41°05.2'N, LONG 73°07.8'W
    N b. LAT 41°05.0'N, LONG 73°07.5'W
    N c. LAT 41°05.0'N, LONG 73°07.3'W
    N d. LAT 41°04.8'N, LONG 73°07.3'W
609: At 0915 zone time, on 7 April , you depart San Francisco, LAT 37°48.5'N, LONG 122°24.0'W (ZD +8). You are bound for Kobe, LAT 34°40.0'N, LONG 135°12.0'E, and you estimate your speed of advance at 17 knots. The distance is 4,819 miles. What is your estimated zone time of arrival at Kobe? 

    N a. 0343, 18 April
    N b. 1243, 19 April
    Y c. 2143, 19 April
    N d. 0443, 20 April
733: On 12 March , your 1846 zone time DR position is LONG 129°16.5'W. At that time you observe Polaris with a sextant altitude (hs) of 28°01.5'. The chronometer time of the sight is 03h 44m 10s, and the chronometer error is 01m 55s slow. The index error is 2.2' off the arc, and the height of eye is 59.8 feet (18.2 m). What is your latitude by Polaris? 

    Y a. 27°33.7'N
    N b. 27°40.9'N
    N c. 27°54.4'N
    N d. 28°06.9'N
993: Your 0745 ZT, 15 July , position is LAT 29°04.0'N, LONG 71°17.5'W. You are on course 165°T, and your speed is 8.0 knots. You observed 3 morning sun lines. Determine the latitude and longitude of your 1130 running fix? NP-0003

    Y a. LAT 28°35.0'N, LONG 71°08.5'W
    N b. LAT 28°39.8'N, LONG 71°04.0'W
    N c. LAT 28°40.5'N, LONG 71°13.0'W
    N d. LAT 28°43.3'N, LONG 71°02.5'W
1093: On 22 Nov. , your vessel is enroute from Accra, Ghana to Montevideo, Uruguay. You are on course 240°T and making a speed of 15.0 knots. Your 1129 DR position is LAT 28°25.0'S, LONG 42°40.0'W. You observed 3 celestial bodies. Determine the latitude and longitude of your 1137 running fix. NP-0023

    Y a. LAT 28°27.0'S, LONG 42°38.0'W
    N b. LAT 28°25.2'S, LONG 42°40.0'W
    N c. LAT 28°25.0'S, LONG 42°36.0'W
    N d. LAT 28°23.4'S, LONG 42°42.0'W
1119: At 2142, on January 3, you pass Sebastapol Light (mile 283.3 AHP). At 0137, January 4, you pass Fort Adams Light(311.4 AHP). You have been turning for 9.0 mph. What was the current? 

    N a. 4.2 mph
    N b. 3.3 mph
    N c. 2.7 mph
    Y d. 1.8 mph
1145: The Memphis Gage reads 18.4 feet. The high point of your towboat is 48 feet above water. What is the vertical clearance as you pass under the Memphis Highway Bridge? 

    N a. 75.4 feet
    N b. 66.4 feet
    N c. 53.8 feet
    Y d. 46.4 feet
1175: On 12 February , your 0900 zone time DR position is LAT 16°43.0'N, LONG 51°42.0'W. Your vessel is on course 093°T at a speed of 18.5 knots. What is the zone time of local apparent noon (LAN)? 

    Y a. 1237
    N b. 1233
    N c. 1230
    N d. 1226
1306: What is your clearance as you pass under the Vicksburg Highway 80 Bridge (mile 437.8 AHP). if the Vicksburg Gage reads 14.8 feet and the highest point on your tow boat is 44.5 feet? 

    N a. 36 feet
    N b. 42 feet
    N c. 48 feet
    Y d. 57 feet
1702: You are upbound approaching Springfield Bend Lt. (mile 244.8 AHP) downriver from Profit Island. Which of the following statements is TRUE? 

    Y a. Profit Island Chute is closed to navigation.
    N b. Tow length must not exceed 600 feet to use Profit Island Chute.
    N c. Tows must navigate toward left ascending bank when passing Profit Island Chute.
    N d. Profit Island Chute is open to navigation and is a shortcut for single barge tows.
1783: At 2048 ZT, on 13 October , in DR position LAT 44°02.8'S, LONG 146°58.3'E, you observe an amplitude of Venus. The planet is about one Sun's diameter above the visible horizon and bears 222.2°psc. The variation is 15°E. What is the deviation? 

    N a. 0.0°
    N b. 1.1°E
    Y c. 1.0°W
    N d. 1.5°W
1855: On 22 July , your 0442 ZT DR position is LAT 26°35.6'N, LONG 22°16.7'W. You observe an unidentified star bearing 112°T, at an observed altitude (Ho) of 44°16.0'. The chronometer reads 05h 39m 03s and is 03m 14s slow. What star did you observe? 

    N a. Hamal
    N b. Rigel
    Y c. Menkar
    N d. Acamar
1920: On 17 March , your 0520 Dr position is LAT 27°23.0'N, LONG 39°42.0'W. You observe an unidentified star bearing 313°T at an observed altitude (Ho) of 43°03.8'. The chronometer reads 08h 22m 15s and is 01m 45s fast. What star did you observe? 

    N a. Altair
    Y b. Alkaid
    N c. Arcturus
    N d. Deneb
1950: The Greenville Gage reads 10.6 feet. The high point of your towboat is 54 feet above water. What is the vertical
clearance as you pass under the Greenville Highway Bridge? 

    N a. 44.4 feet
    N b. 54.2 feet
    Y c. 65.4 feet
    N d. 75.4 feet
2088: At your current speed of 19 knots you only have enough fuel remaining to travel 265 miles. You must travel 731 miles to reach your destination. What should you reduce your speed (knots) to in order to reach your destination? 

    N a. 13.8
    N b. 12.6
    Y c. 11.4
    N d. 10.2
2106: At 0005, on 26 January, your position is LAT 41°11.8'N,
LONG 72°20.5'W. From this position, you plot a course to steer to a point one half mile north of Mattituck Breakwater Light "MI" with an engine speed of 9.0 knots. If there are no set and drift, what course should you steer? 

    N a. 207°psc
    N b. 213°psc
    N c. 220°psc
    Y d. 235°psc
2123: At 0410, you take the following bearings:
New Point Comfort Light "2" 244°pgc Wolf Trap Light 315°pgc What is your 0410 position? 

    N a. LAT 37°21.2'N, LONG 76°08.3'W
    N b. LAT 37°21.1'N, LONG 76°08.8'W
    N c. LAT 37°21.1'N, LONG 76°07.9'W
    Y d. LAT 37°21.0'N, LONG 76°08.1'W
2281: You observe the lower limb of the Sun at a sextant altitude (hs) of 62°22.2' on 6 June . The index error is 1.2' on the arc. The height of eye is 28 feet (8.5 meters). What is the observed altitude (Ho)? 

    N a. 62°24.8'
    N b. 62°26.9'
    Y c. 62°31.4'
    N d. 62°36.7'
2330: At 0731, what is the approximate depth of water? 

    N a. 31 feet (9.4 meters)
    Y b. 41 feet (12.5 meters)
    N c. 52 feet (15.7 meters)
    N d. 58 feet (17.6 meters)
2654: You are steering 231°T, and a light is picked up dead ahead at a distance of 12.3 miles at 0338. You change course to pass the light 4 miles off abeam to starboard. If you are making 16.5 knots, what is your ETA at the position 4 miles off the light? 

    Y a. 0420
    N b. 0423
    N c. 0426
    N d. 0429
2676: While on a course of 019°pgc, a light bears 14° on the port bow at a distance of 15.3 miles. What course should you steer to pass 1.5 miles abeam of the light, leaving it to port? 

    N a. 006°pgc
    Y b. 011°pgc
    N c. 013°pgc
    N d. 015°pgc
3064: The propeller of a vessel has a pitch of 19.0 feet. If the vessel traveled 183.5 miles (observed distance) in 24 hours at an average of 44 RPM, what was the slip? 

    Y a. +7.4%
    N b. -7.4%
    N c. +11.6%
    N d. -11.6%
3087: If the pitch of the propeller is 20.6 feet, and the revolutions per day are 107,341, calculate the day's run allowing 3% positive slip. 

    Y a. 352.7 miles
    N b. 363.6 miles
    N c. 374.5 miles
    N d. 389.1 miles
3272: Your vessel arrives in port with sufficient fuel to steam 775 miles at 17 knots. If you are unable to take on bunkers, at what speed must you proceed to reach your next port, 977 miles distant? 

    Y a. 15.1 knots
    N b. 15.8 knots
    N c. 17.2 knots
    N d. 17.7 knots
3301: You have steamed 217 miles and consumed 23.0 tons of fuel. If you maintain the same speed, how many tons of fuel will you consume while steaming 362 miles? 

    N a. 33.8 tons
    Y b. 38.4 tons
    N c. 42.6 tons
    N d. 45.7 tons
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
3623: Your vessel is steering course 166°psc, variation for the area is 8°W, and deviation is 3°W. The wind is from the west-southwest, producing a 2° leeway. What true course are you making good? 

    Y a. 153°T
    N b. 157°T
    N c. 175°T
    N d. 179°T
3755: 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 186°T, and the variation is 11°W. If the heading of your vessel at the time of the sighting is 193° per standard magnetic compass, what is the correct deviation? 

    Y a. 4°E
    N b. 4°W
    N c. 7°E
    N d. 7°W
6844: At 1010 your vessel passes close abeam to Buoy "NCB" in the inbound traffic lane. At this time the Chesapeake Bay Pilot informs you that he will not board your vessel until 1100. The pilot boat is located 1.5 miles northeast of Cape Henry Light. What should you reduce your speed to in order to arrive at the pilot boat at this time? 

    N a. 5.9 knots
    N b. 7.5 knots
    Y c. 8.2 knots
    N d. 9.8 knots
10600: At 1620 your GPS indicates a position of LAT 41°09.0'N, LONG 72°40.0'W. You are on course 134° per standard magnetic compass at a speed of 10 knots. At 1700 your GPS indicates your position as LAT 41°05.3'N, LONG 72°33.7'W. What were the set and drift? 

    N a. 067°T at 1.7 knots
    N b. 078°T at 1.1 knots
    N c. 243°T at 1.0 knot
    Y d. 249°T at 1.6 knots
12210: You sight New Haven Outer Channel Range Rear Light in line with the Outer Channel Range Front Light bearing 343° per standard magnetic compass. What is your compass error? 

    N a. 5°E
    N b. 5°W
    N c. 9°E
    Y d. 9°W
13003: At 2102 your position is LAT 41°02.9'N, LONG 72°57.4'W. You are making turns for 16 knots. What is your ETA at a position 5 miles due south of Falkner Island Light? 

    N a. 2149
    Y b. 2155
    N c. 2159
    N d. 2204
13300: The soundings on this chart are measured in __________. 

    Y a. feet
    N b. yards
    N c. fathoms
    N d. meters
14403: You are underway and steaming in an easterly direction on the Columbia River. After bringing Fisher Quarry Channel Range in line over your bow, you move to the left outside quarter of the channel. What should your fathometer read at this position, if the staff gauge at Portland reads +12.5 feet? 

    N a. 7.5 feet
    Y b. 32.5 feet
    N c. 41.5 feet
    N d. 51.5 feet
15011: 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
    Y c. 1.1 mile
    N d. 1.7 miles
15025: What is the mile point of the Arkansas City Gage? 

    Y a. 554.1 AHP
    N b. 556.8 AHP
    N c. 560.0 AHP
    N d. 562.8 AHP
15064: At 0844, the range to the north end of Falkner Island is 2.0 miles and the left tangent bearing is 102°T. If the height of the tide is +1.0 foot, what is the approximate depth of the water under the keel? 

    N a. 14 ft (4.2 meters)
    Y b. 19 ft (5.8 meters)
    N c. 22 ft (6.7 meters)
    N d. 29 ft (8.8 meters)
15310: Which chart could you use for greater detail of the area at the south end of York Spit Channel? 

    Y a. 12222
    N b. 12224
    N c. 12226
    N d. 12254
15320: Inbound, the color of Cape Henry Light will __________. 

    Y a. change before you reach Chesapeake Channel Lighted Bell Buoy "2C"
    N b. change after you reach Chesapeake Channel Lighted Bell Buoy "2C"
    N c. remain the same
    N d. alternate regardless of your position
15358: At 0507, Stratford Shoal Middle Ground Light bears 208°pgc. What is the position of your 0507 running fix? 

    N a. LAT 41°04.8'N, LONG 73°05.0'W
    N b. LAT 41°04.9'N, LONG 73°04.8'W
    Y c. LAT 41°05.1'N, LONG 73°05.1'W
    N d. LAT 41°05.3'N, LONG 73°04.8'W
15360: Your 0507 position is about 7 miles from Bridgeport, CT. What is the distance from this position to Newport, RI? 

    Y a. 88 miles
    N b. 95 miles
    N c. 101 miles
    N d. 114 miles
15517: From your 1915 position, you come left and set a course for Gardiners Point. At 1930, your position is LAT 41°12.7'N,
LONG 71°56.8'W. What type of bottom is charted at this position? 

    N a. Blue mud, gritty shells
    N b. Buried mussels, gritty shells
    Y c. Blue mud, gray sand
    N d. Bumpy muck with grainy surface
15618: If you want a more detailed chart of the area at your 2115 DR position, which chart should you use? 

    N a. 12222
    Y b. 12224
    N c. 12225
    N d. 12238
15707: At 0725, you are heading 054°T, and Stratford Point Light is abeam to port at 3.1 miles. The current is 135°T at 1.8 knots. If you make turns for an engine speed of 8 knots, which course must you steer to make good 048°T? 

    Y a. 035°T
    N b. 042°T
    N c. 047°T
    N d. 055°T
15941: From your 1934 position, you change course to pass 2.0 miles due north of Block Island Sound South Entrance Obstruction Lighted "BIS" Buoy. If you adjust your course only (while maintaining an engine speed of 14 knots) for a set and drift of 230°T at 3.5 knots, what is your ETA and distance off when abeam of Shagwong Reef Lighted Bell Buoy "7SR"? 

    N a. 2003, 4.2 miles
    N b. 2009, 4.2 miles
    N c. 2003, 3.7 miles
    Y d. 2009, 3.7 miles
16008: While on a heading of 082°T, you sight Middle Ground Light in line with Old Field Point Light bearing 206° per standard magnetic compass. From this you can determine the __________. 

    N a. variation
    Y b. deviation table is correct for that heading
    N c. compass error is 17.5°E
    N d. deviation is 3.5°E for a bearing of 206° per standard magnetic compass
16206: You are steering 087°pgc and turning for 6.8 knots. At 0600, you take the following bearings:

Little Gull Island Light bearing 089.5° pgc
Bartlett Reef Light bearing 047° pgc

What is your 0600 position? 

    N a. LAT 41°11.2'N, LONG 72°14.6'W
    Y b. LAT 41°12.1'N, LONG 72°13.8'W
    N c. LAT 41°12.3'N, LONG 72°14.7'W
    N d. LAT 41°12.5'N, LONG 71°14.9'W
16646: The Tidal Current Tables indicate the following for the Race:
SLACK WATER MAXIMUM CURRENT
0328 0642 3.9 F
0947 1301 3.2 E

What current should you expect when transiting the Race? 

    N a. 3.9 knots, flooding
    Y b. 3.5 knots, flooding
    N c. 3.3 knots, flooding
    N d. 3.0 knots, flooding