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.


44: The highest point on your towboat is 52 feet above the water, and the Helena Gage reads +9.6 feet. What is the vertical clearance when you pass under the A-span of the Helena Highway Bridge?


65: What are the dimensions of the Old River Lock on the Lower Old River (mile 304 AHP)?


89: In high water conditions, which publication would you consult for the latest information on buoys between Baton Rouge and Cairo?


228: Your height of eye is 25 feet (7.6 meters). If the visibility is 5.5 nautical miles, what is the luminous range of Wolf Trap Light?

    N a. 17.0 miles
    N b. 16.0 miles
    N c. 12.0 miles
    Y d. 7.5 miles

232: At 0700, Stratford Shoal Middle Ground Light bears 137°pgc. From your radar, you get a bearing of 007°pgc to the south tip of Stratford Point with a range of 4.5 miles. What is your 0700 position?

    N a. LAT 41°04.6'N, LONG 73°07.0'W
    N b. LAT 41°04.6'N, LONG 73°06.6'W
    N c. LAT 41°04.6'N, LONG 73°07.4'W
    Y d. LAT 41°04.6'N, LONG 73°07.2'W

283: At 1810, you sight a buoy on your starboard side labeled "19". This buoy marks __________.

    Y a. the side of York Spit Channel
    N b. the visibility limit of the red sector of Cape Henry Light
    N c. the end of York Spit Channel
    N d. the junction of the York Spit and York River Entrance Channels

350: By 0430, the wind has increased, and the visibility cleared due to passage of a front. You estimate 3° leeway due to NW'ly winds. What is the course per gyrocompass to pass 1.2 miles due south of Twenty-eight Foot Shoal Lighted Buoy "TE"?

    N a. 090°
    N b. 086°
    N c. 083°
    Y d. 080°

601: At 1210 zone time, on 1 December , you depart Seattle, LAT 47°36.0'N, LONG 122°22.0'W (ZD +8). You are bound for Guam, LAT 13°27.0'N, LONG 144°37.0'E, and you estimate your speed of advance at 20 knots. The distance is 4,948 miles. What is your estimated zone time of arrival at Guam?

    N a. 1734, 11 December
    N b. 1934, 11 December
    N c. 0334, 12 December
    Y d. 1334, 12 December

602: At 1845 zone time, on 24 October , you depart Bimini Island, LAT 25°50.0'N, LONG 77°00.0'W (ZD +5). You are bound for Bishop Rock, LAT 49°40.0'N, LONG 6°34.0'W, and you estimate your speed of advance at 13.6 knots. The distance is 3,491 miles. What is your estimated zone time of arrival at Bishop Rock?

    N a. 0627, 3 November
    N b. 1642, 3 November
    N c. 0939, 4 November
    Y d. 1627, 4 November

614: Your vessel departs Arkhangel'sk, from position LAT 64°32'N, LONG 40°31'E at 0236 zone time, on 19 August. It is bound for New York, at position LAT 40°42'N, LONG 74°01'W. The distance is determined to be 4,216 miles, and you estimate that you will average 13.0 knots. What is your estimated zone time of arrival?

    N a. 1155, 31 August
    N b. 1755, 31 August
    Y c. 0655, 1 September
    N d. 1155, 1 September

998: On 23 May , your 0628 zone time position was LAT 28°18.0'S, LONG 102°42.0'E. Your vessel was steaming on course 040°T at a speed of 20.0 knots. An observation of the Sun's lower limb was made at 0758 ZT. The chronometer read 01h 02m 06s and was fast 04m 04s. The observed altitude (Ho) was 13°16.7'. LAN occurred at 1201 zone time. The observed altitude (Ho) was 42°32.0'. What was the longitude of your 1201 zone time running fix?

    N a. 103°57.9'E
    N b. 104°00.4'E
    Y c. 104°03.5'E
    N d. 104°06.3'E

1137: What is the length of the trip?

    N a. 1195.4 miles
    N b. 1223.1 miles
    N c. 1464.8 miles
    Y d. 1520.1 miles

1237: At 1118, on 24 May, you pass Natchez Gage and estimate the current will average 3.0 mph for the remainder of the time on the Mississippi River. What is your ETA at Cairo, IL if you continue to turn for 10 mph?

    N a. 0840, 26 May
    N b. 2218, 26 May
    Y c. 2339, 27 May
    N d. 0339, 28 May

1242: The solid lines extending into the channel at mile 948 AHP are __________.

    Y a. dikes
    N b. revetments
    N c. spoil areas
    N d. Westvaco Service Facilities

1268: On 25 December , your 0330 ZT DR position is LAT 25°15.0'N, LONG 32°16.0'W. You are on course 145°T at a speed of 20 knots. What will be the zone time of sunrise at your vessel?

    N a. 0623
    N b. 0635
    N c. 0641
    Y d. 0647

1276: Your 0000 zone time position on 13 June is LAT 24°35'N, LONG 142°26'E. Your vessel is on course 245°T, speed is 13.5 knots. What is the zone time of sunrise?

    N a. 0440
    Y b. 0445
    N c. 0503
    N d. 0528

1457: On 25 August , your 1926 zone time DR position is LAT 24°17.0'S, LONG 05°47.0'W. At that time, you observe Fomalhaut bearing 117°psc. The chronometer reads 07h 26m 52s, and the chronometer error is 00m 15s fast. The variation is 1.5°E. What is the deviation of the standard magnetic compass?

    N a. 0.2°W
    N b. 0.4°E
    N c. 1.3°W
    Y d. 2.8°W

1485: On 6 October , your 0416 zone time DR position is LAT 25°16.0'N, LONG 130°25.0'E. At that time, you observe Mars bearing 083°psc. The chronometer reads 07h 16m 22s, and the chronometer error is 00m 10s fast. The variation is 1.5°E. What is the deviation of the standard compass?

    N a. 0.4°E
    Y b. 1.2°W
    N c. 3.5°E
    N d. 19.0°E

1642: From your 2129 position you reduce engine speed to 14 knots. What is the course to make good from your 2129 position to arrive 0.3 mile north of Lighted Whistle Buoy "NCA" (LL#375) assuming no set and drift?

    N a. 216°T
    N b. 219°T
    Y c. 222°T
    N d. 225°T

1770: What are the light characteriditcs of the Bunge Corporation Terminal Lights (2) at mile 570.6 AHP?

    N a. a group flashing white light every five seconds
    N b. a flashing green light every 4 seconds
    Y c. a flashing green light every 6 seconds
    N d. a flashing red light every 4 seconds

2121: At 1337 ZT, on July 17, , in DR position LAT 30° 56.8' S, LONG 039° 36.5' W, you observe an amplitude of the Moon. The upper limb of the moon is on the visible horizon, bearing 263.0°psc. The variation is 20°W. What is the deviation?

    N a. 2.6°E
    N b. 2.6°W
    Y c. 3.6°E
    N d. 3.6°W

2248: Which company does NOT have a marine facility in Rosedale Harbor (mile 585 AHP)?

    Y a. T.L. James
    N b. Rosedale-Boliver County Port Commission
    N c. Cives Steel Company
    N d. Sanders Elevator Corp

2371: Which of the following statements are TRUE?

    N a. Oil well structures are listed in the Light List.
    N b. All aids to navigation with lights have lateral significance.
    Y c. On the Western Rivers, crossing marks may exhibit white lights.
    N d. None of the above.

2657: You are steering 349°T, and a light is picked up dead ahead at a distance of 17.2 miles at 2122. You change course to pass the light 4.5 miles off abeam to port. If you are making 19.5 knots, what is your ETA at the position 4.5 miles off the light?

    N a. 2207
    N b. 2210
    Y c. 2213
    N d. 2216

2674: You are steaming on course 126°T at 14.8 knots. At 1022 you sight a buoy bearing 128°T, at a range of 4.8 miles. If you change course at 1026, what true course will you steer to leave the buoy 0.5 mile abeam to port?

    Y a. 136°
    N b. 133°
    N c. 122°
    N d. 119°

2865: You are steering a course of 240°T, and a lighthouse bears 025° on the starboard bow at 2116. At 2144 the same lighthouse bears 050° on the starboard bow, and you have run 6 miles since the first bearing. What is the ETA when the lighthouse is abeam?

    N a. 2156
    N b. 2159
    Y c. 2202
    N d. 2205

2868: Your vessel is on a course of 358°T at 19 knots. At 0316 a light bears 024.5°T, and at 0334 the light bears 043°T.
At what time and at what distance off will your vessel be when abeam of the light?

    Y a. 0352, 5.7 miles
    N b. 0355, 6.2 miles
    N c. 0359, 7.1 miles
    N d. 0403, 8.0 miles

3071: If the speed necessary for reaching port at a designated time is 20.7 knots and the pitch of the propeller is 23.8 feet, how many revolutions per minute will the shaft have to turn, assuming a 3% negative slip?

    N a. 74
    N b. 79
    Y c. 86
    N d. 98

3618: Your vessel is steering course 027° per standard magnetic compass (psc), variation for the area is 19°W, and deviation is 2°E. The wind is from the north-northwest, producing a 5° leeway. What true course are you making good?

    N a. 005°T
    Y b. 015°T
    N c. 044°T
    N d. 049°T

3765: Your vessel is proceeding up a channel steering on a pair of range lights that are in line ahead. The chart indicates that the direction of this pair of lights is 249°T, and the variation is 14°E. If the heading of your vessel at the time of the sighting is 226° per standard magnetic compass, what is the correct deviation?

    N a. 5°E
    N b. 5°W
    Y c. 9°E
    N d. 9°W

3767: You are on course 251°pgc and 241° per magnetic compass, when you observe a range in line bearing 192°pgc. The chart indicates that the range is in line on a bearing of 194°T. The variation is 16°E. What is the deviation of the magnetic compass?

    N a. 2°E
    N b. 2°W
    Y c. 4°W
    N d. 10°W

4017: You swung ship and compared the magnetic compass against the gyro compass to find deviation. Gyro error is 2°E. The variation is 8°W. Find the deviation on a gyro heading of 196°.
HEADING HEADING HEADING
PSC PGC PSC PGC PSC PGC
358.5° - 350° 122.5° - 110° 239.5° - 230°
030.5° - 020° 152.0° - 140° 269.0° - 260°
061.5° - 050° 181.0° - 170° 298.0° - 290°
092.0° - 080° 210.0° - 200° 327.5° - 320°

    N a. 2.0°E
    N b. 2.0°W
    N c. 1.0°W
    Y d. 0.0°

10102: Your GPS position is LAT 37°07.5'N, LONG 75°39.1'W. What is the course per standard magnetic compass (psc) to a position 0.3 mile due north of North Chesapeake Entrance Buoy NCA (LL #375)?

    N a. 222°psc
    N b. 228°psc
    N c. 231°psc
    Y d. 234°psc

10904: What is the distance from Chesapeake Bay entrance to Baltimore?

    Y a. 150 nm
    N b. 162 nm
    N c. 173 nm
    N d. 247 nm

11001: What time will high water occur at Saybrook Jetty on the morning of 29 October 1983?

    N a. 0145
    N b. 0255
    Y c. 0405
    N d. 0920

11010: What is the maximum speed permitted in Clinton Harbor?

    Y a. 6 mph
    N b. 8 mph
    N c. 10 mph
    N d. 12 mph

12203: Your vessel is steady on a heading of 310° per standard magnetic compass when you sight Stratford Point Light and Igor I. Sikorsky Airport Aero Beacon in line dead ahead. This information indicates that the __________.

    N a. existing deviation table is correct for this heading
    N b. deviation is 1°E
    N c. variation is 18°W for this area
    Y d. compass error is 10°W

13104: At 0242 your position is LAT 41°16.8'N, LONG 71°39.9'W. You are turning for 9.3 knots. What is your ETA at the West Gap of Pt. Judith Harbor of Refuge?

    N a. 0319
    N b. 0325
    N c. 0329
    Y d. 0336

13902: A vessel enroute to Long Island Sound from sea will enter waters governed by the Inland Rules of the Road __________.

    N a. when crossing the Territorial Sea boundary
    N b. between Montauk Point and Block Island
    N c. when north of latitude 41°10.0'N
    Y d. when passing through The Race

14200: What is the length of the city wharf at The Dalles on the Columbia River?

    N a. 20 feet
    Y b. over 1000 feet
    N c. 800 feet
    N d. 600 feet

14503: You have just cleared Bonneville Lock and are proceeding in an easterly direction on the Columbia River. The pool level of the Bonneville reservoir stands at 78 feet above MSL. If the highest point on your vessel is 46 feet above the water, what will be the vertical clearance when you pass under the overhead power cables at mile 146.5?

    N a. 134 feet
    Y b. 138 feet
    N c. 144 feet
    N d. 150 feet

14602: Where would you tune your radio to receive a VHF-FM weather broadcast for the Columbia River in the vicinity of Government Island?

    N a. KIH-32 - 162.40 MHz
    N b. KBA-99 - 162.40 MHz
    Y c. KEB-97 - 162.55 MHz
    N d. KEC-62 - 162.55 MHz

15015: At 2100, Cape Charles Light bears 321°pgc, and Cape Henry Light bears 247°pgc. Your latitude is __________.

    N a. 37°00.0'N
    N b. 36°59.7'N
    Y c. 36°59.4'N
    N d. 36°59.1'N

15267: From your 1210 position, you are making good a course of 083°
T. Your engines are turning RPMs for 10 knots. The set and drift of the current are 310° at 1.7 knots. At what time should you expect to enter the red sector of New London Harbor Light?

    Y a. 1243
    N b. 1249
    N c. 1253
    N d. 1301

15340: At 1718, Bartlett Reef Light bears 050°T at a distance of 1.5 miles. From this position, you change course to 128°
T. At 1750 Race Rock Light bears 336°T, Little Gull Island Light bears 285°T, and Montauk Point Light bears 134°T. What were the set and drift of the current you encountered since 1718?

    N a. 245°T at 0.9 knots
    N b. 245°T at 1.7 knots
    Y c. 065°T at 1.7 knots
    N d. 065°T at 0.9 knots

15663: At 0748, you change course to 160°T. Which loran reading will insure you clear Great Eastern Rock?

    Y a. Nothing more than 9960-W-14645
    N b. Nothing more than 9960-X-25970
    N c. Nothing more than 9960-Y-43850
    N d. Nothing more than 9960-Y-43960

15806: What type of bottom is found at Long Sand Shoal?

    N a. Rocky
    N b. Muddy
    N c. Sandy
    Y d. Hard

15828: At 0305 on 18 April, you pass under the Greenville Bridge (mile 531.3 AHP). What was your average speed since departing Amoco Pipeline Co. Docks (mile 253.6 AHP)?

    N a. 6.2 mph
    N b. 6.5 mph
    Y c. 6.8 mph
    N d. 7.2 mph

15907: At 0720, you are in the outer channel between buoy "1" and buoy "2" and change course to pass Townshend Ledge Lighted Gong Buoy "10A" abeam to port at 200 yards. What is your ETA off the buoy?

    N a. 0734
    Y b. 0738
    N c. 0741
    N d. 0745

16442: The area bounded by the buoys "C51" to "C47A" to "M6" to "M14", west of your anchorage, is __________.

    N a. a training area for naval small craft
    N b. restricted to oil and mineral exploration
    N c. an anchorage for ammunition barges
    Y d. a fish trap area

16612: At 0112, what is the approximate depth under the keel?

    Y a. 38 feet (11.5 meters)
    N b. 47 feet (14.2 meters)
    N c. 51 feet (15.5 meters)
    N d. 57 feet (17.3 meters)

16744: You continue to steer 285°pgc from your 0052 fix. Your speed is 9.2 knots. What is the course per standard magnetic compass?

    N a. 273.5°
    N b. 276.0°
    N c. 298.0°
    Y d. 302.0°