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.


48: The Clinch River empties into which river?


52: You are downbound when you observe on your Mississippi River map a white square with a number inside located on either bank. This indicates __________.


70: What is the vertical clearance of the Natchez-Vidalia Highway Bridge (westbound) when the river level is the same as the Low Water Reference Plane (6.5 feet)?


101: At 1430 on 13 August, you pass Carolina Landing Light (mile 508.8 AHP). What has been the average current since 0230, 13 August if you have been making turns for 8.0 mph?

    N a. 8.5 mph
    N b. 5.7 mph
    N c. 1.5 mph
    Y d. 0.5 mph

122: From Baton Rouge to Cairo, what is the maintained minimum channel depth during low water?

    N a. 6 feet
    Y b. 9 feet
    N c. 12 feet
    N d. 30 feet

182: What course should you steer using the standard magnetic compass (psc) to make good the course of 192°pgc?

    N a. 188°psc
    Y b. 203°psc
    N c. 205°psc
    N d. 208°psc

199: You are underway in the vicinity of Block Island and obtain the following lines of position:

Montauk Point Light 263°pgc
Block Island Southeast Light 026°pgc
Radar Bearing to Block Island Southwest Point 348°pgc

What is your position at the time of these sightings?

    N a. LAT 41°05.0'N, LONG 71°36.2'W
    Y b. LAT 41°05.3'N, LONG 71°35.8'W
    N c. LAT 41°05.3'N, LONG 71°35.1'W
    N d. LAT 41°05.4'N, LONG 71°35.0'W

238: At 0910, your DR position is LAT 41°11.9'N, LONG 72°47.8'W. Your vessel is on course 097°T at 9.5 knots, and the weather is foggy. At 0915, Branford Reef Light is sighted through a break in the fog bearing 318°T. At 0945, Falkner Island Light is sighted bearing 042°T. What is your 0945 running fix position?

    N a. LAT 41°11.1'N, LONG 72°41.2'W
    N b. LAT 41°11.3'N, LONG 72°41.3'W
    Y c. LAT 41°11.5'N, LONG 72°40.7'W
    N d. LAT 41°11.8'N, LONG 72°40.2'W

271: At 0844, the range to the north end of Falkner Island is 2.0 miles and the left tangent bearing is 102°T. What is the approximate charted depth of the water?

    Y a. 29 ft (8.8 meters)
    N b. 22 ft (6.7 meters)
    N c. 19 ft (5.8 meters)
    N d. 14 ft (4.2 meters)

276: At 1200, your position is 2.0 miles southwest of Bartlett Reef Light. Your heading is 075°T. Visibility is less than 0.2 mile in fog and rain. Which of the following signals is most likely to be from another vessel?

    N a. Whistle from 125° relative
    N b. Bell from 350° relative
    Y c. Whistle from 075° relative
    N d. Horn from 330° relative

391: A vessel at LAT 40°42.0'N, LONG 74°01.0'W, heads for a destination at LAT 14°41.0'N, LONG 17°26.0'W. Determine the true course and distance by Mercator sailing.

    N a. 123°T, 3066.5 miles
    N b. 123°T, 3065.6 miles
    N c. 118°T, 3066.5 miles
    Y d. 118°T, 3365.0 miles

443: At 1104, Watch Hill Point Light is in line with Stonington Outer Breakwater Light, the range to the south tip of Watch Hill Point is 2.6 miles and the range to the beach is 1.9 miles. You are steering to make good 075°T, speed 10.0 knots. At 1110, you change course to head for a position of LAT 41°05.0'N, LONG 71°50.0'W. What is the true course?

    N a. 193°
    Y b. 190°
    N c. 187°
    N d. 185°

478: The great circle distance from LAT 38°17'N, LONG 123°16'W to LAT 35°01'N, LONG 142°21'E is 4330 miles, and the initial course is 300.9°T. Determine the latitude of the vertex.

    N a. 46°54.8'N
    N b. 47°24.7'N
    N c. 47°35.2'N
    Y d. 47°40.5'N

677: Which statement about a great circle track between Cape Flattery (LAT 48°30'N, LONG 125°00'W) and Guam (LAT 14°00'N, LONG 145°00'E) is TRUE? (Use gnomonic tracking chart WOXZC 5270)

    N a. The entire track line is to the west of the Northern Hemisphere vertex.
    Y b. Military exercises being carried out within a 150 mile radius of LAT 47°10'N, LONG 137°30'W will interfere with the proposed track line.
    N c. Distance is measured by determining the length of a line in minutes of arc from the midpoint of the track to the point of tangency.
    N d. When plotted on a Mercator chart the great circle track will appear as an S curve with the curve reversing at the latitude of the point of tangency (30°N).

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

1098: On 19 September , your 0300 zone time DR position is LAT 24°35'N, LONG 88°40'W. You are on course 288°T at a speed of 14 knots. You observed 3 celestial bodies. Determine the latitude and longitude of your 0600 running fix. NP-0028

    N a. LAT 24°47.4'N, LONG 89°15.0'W
    Y b. LAT 24°52.5'N, LONG 89°22.4'W
    N c. LAT 24°59.5'N, LONG 89°28.6'W
    N d. LAT 25°06.0'N, LONG 90°37.0'W

1107: On 16 April , your 0200 zone time DR position is LAT 17°18'S, LONG 168°46'E. You are on course 236°T at a speed of 16 knots. You observed 3 celestial bodies. Determine the latitude and longitude of your 0600 running fix.

    N a. LAT 17°54.9'S, LONG 167°48.7'E
    N b. LAT 17°55.6'S, LONG 167°45.1'E
    N c. LAT 17°56.8'S, LONG 167°52.4'E
    Y d. LAT 18°00.4'S, LONG 167°49.2'E

1232: The Vaucluse Trench fill revetment on the LMR extends from mile __________.

    N a. 524.3 - 522.6 RDB
    Y b. 535.6 - 532.9 RDB
    N c. 535.9 - 534.3 LDB
    N d. 534.3 - 532.6 LDB

1248: What is the distance in river miles, from the new mouth of the White River to the Petroleum Fuel & Terminal Co. (mile 144.6 AHP)?

    Y a. 454 miles
    N b. 427 miles
    N c. 384 miles
    N d. 370 miles

1271: At 0400 zone time, on 24 June , your DR position is LAT 23°10.0'N, LONG 085°33'W. You are steering 295°T at a speed of 10.0 knots. What is the zone time of sunrise?

    N a. 0452
    Y b. 0458
    N c. 0504
    N d. 0510

1540: You estimate the current at 2.0 mph. What is the speed over the ground?

    N a. 9.5 mph
    Y b. 5.5 mph
    N c. 5.0 mph
    N d. 4.5 mph

1643: Which facility is located on the right descending bank at mile 363.6 AHP?

    N a. River Cement Corps..
    N b. Bunge Corps..
    N c. T.L. James
    Y d. Vidalia Dock and Storage Co.

1750: In addition to the Army Corps. of Engineers maps, data on bridge clearances may be found in the __________.

    N a. Army Corps. of Engineers Regulations
    Y b. Light List
    N c. Waterways Journal
    N d. Channel Report

1854: On 22 July , your 1759 ZT DR position is LAT 24°50.2'S, LONG 05°16.0'E. You observe an unidentified star bearing 231°T, at an observed altitude (Ho) of 26°10.0'. The chronometer reads 06h 01m 31s and is 02m 15s fast. What star did you observe?

    N a. Acamar
    N b. Capella
    N c. Miaplacidus
    Y d. Suhail

1955: At 1814, on 11 September, you pass under the Greenville Highway Bridge (mile 531.3 AHP). What speed must you average to arrive at Jimmy Hawken Light (mile 663.5 AHP) at 0930 the following day?

    Y a. 8.7 mph
    N b. 7.7 mph
    N c. 6.3 mph
    N d. 5.6 mph

1957: At 1923, on September 21, you pass Bixby Towhead Light (mile 873.7 AHP). What was your average speed since leaving Cairo?

    N a. 9.2 mph
    N b. 8.8 mph
    Y c. 8.5 mph
    N d. 7.2 mph

2119: At 1622 ZT, on 15 June , in DR position LAT 10° 15.2' N, LONG 135° 10' W, you observe an amplitude of the Moon. The center of the Moon is on the visible horizon, bearing 101.2°psc. The variation is 5° E. What is the deviation?

    Y a. 1.5°E
    N b. 1.5°W
    N c. 0.5°E
    N d. 0.5°W

2244: At 1435 ZT, on 27 April , in DR position LAT 51° 56.8' N, LONG 150° 37.7' E, the Moon’s upper limb is observed on the visible horizon, bearing 242.2° psc. Variation is 2° W. What is the deviation?

    Y a. 2.2°W
    N b. 2.2°E
    N c. 6.2°E
    N d. 6.2°W

2289: You observe the lower limb of the Sun at a sextant altitude (hs) of 38°07.5' on 8 August . The index error is 5.2' off the arc. The height of eye is 72 feet (22 meters). What is the observed altitude (Ho)?

    N a. 38°08.4'
    N b. 38°13.3'
    Y c. 38°19.2'
    N d. 38°23.4'

2322: At 1032 on 24 June, you pass Carolina Landing Light (mile 508.8 AHP). What has been the average current since 2350, 23 June, if you have been making turns for 9.0 mph?

    Y a. 0.5 mph
    N b. 1.5 mph
    N c. 5.7 mph
    N d. 8.5 mph

2779: If the Fair Landing, AR. Gage reads -1.2 feet, what is the water level in relation to the low water reference plane? The low water reference plane (LWRP) for Fair Landing, AR. is -0.9 feet.

    N a. 2.1 foot above the plane
    N b. 0.3 foot above the plane
    Y c. 0.3 feet below the plane
    N d. 1.2 feet below the plane

2853: Your vessel is on a course of 343°T at 14 knots. At 2156 a light bears 320.5°T, and at 2217 the light bears 298°T.
At what time and at what distance off will your vessel be when abeam of the light?

    Y a. 2232, 3.4 miles
    N b. 2235, 4.3 miles
    N c. 2228, 4.9 miles
    N d. 2241, 6.9 miles

2893: You are steaming on a course of 253°T at 14 knots. At 2329 you observe a lighthouse bearing 282°T. At 2345 the lighthouse bears 300°T. What is your distance off at the second bearing?

    N a. 3.7 miles
    N b. 4.3 miles
    N c. 5.2 miles
    Y d. 5.9 miles

3294: Your vessel consumes 268 barrels of fuel per day at a speed of 19.0 knots. What will be the fuel consumption of your vessel at 15.0 knots?

    Y a. 132 bbls
    N b. 167 bbls
    N c. 212 bbls
    N d. 243 bbls

3756: Your vessel is proceeding up a channel, and you see a pair of range lights that are in line dead ahead. The chart indicates that the direction of this pair of lights is 093°T, and the variation is 6°E. If the heading of your vessel at the time of the sighting is 097° per standard magnetic compass, what is the correct deviation?

    N a. 5°E
    N b. 5°W
    N c. 10°E
    Y d. 10°W

10105: What is the course psc from Chesapeake Light to North Chesapeake Entrance Buoy NCA?

    N a. 313°psc
    N b. 317°psc
    Y c. 321°psc
    N d. 325°psc

11105: What is the height of the tide at Great Salt Pond on Block Island at the afternoon high water (daylight savings time) on 1 July 1983?

    N a. 3.9 feet
    N b. 3.0 feet
    N c. 2.4 feet
    Y d. 2.1 feet

12206: You sight Bartlett Reef Light (LAT 41°16.5'N, LONG 72°08.2'W) in line with New London Harbor Light (LAT 41°19.0'N, LONG 72°05.4'W) and bearing 059° per standard magnetic compass. What is the compass deviation?

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

13302: The shoal spanned by Trestle B of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel is __________.

    N a. Chesapeake shoal
    N b. the Middle ground
    N c. Lynnhaven roads
    Y d. the Tail of the Horseshoe

14202: What is the minimum clearance for the bridge across the entrance to the Wind River at Home Valley, WA.?

    N a. 14 feet
    Y b. 26 feet
    N c. 34 feet
    N d. 38 feet

14300: What is the height above the water of Government Island Upper Range, lower light?

    Y a. 20 feet
    N b. 24 feet
    N c. 38 feet
    N d. 42 feet

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

15022: You are upbound approaching Springfield Bend Lt. (mile 244.8 AHP) downriver from Profit Island. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

    N a. Profit Island Chute is open to navigation and is a shortcut for single-barge tows.
    N b. Tow length must not exceed 600 feet to use Profit Island Chute.
    Y c. Profit Island Chute is closed to navigation.
    N d. Tows must navigate towards right descending bank when passing Profit Island Chute.

15262: At 0910, your DR position is LAT 41°11.9'N, LONG 72°47.8'W. Your vessel is on course 097°T at 9.5 knots, and the weather is foggy. At 0915, Branford Reef Light is sighted through a break in the fog bearing 318°T. At 0945,
Falkner Island Light is sighted bearing 042°T. What is your 0945 running fix position?

    N a. LAT 41°11.3'N, LONG 72°41.2'W
    N b. LAT 41°11.3'N, LONG 72°41.0'W
    Y c. LAT 41°11.5'N, LONG 72°40.7'W
    N d. LAT 41°11.6'N, LONG 72°41.0'W

15459: At 0823, Old Point Comfort Light bears 000°T at 0.6 mile. What is your 0823 position?

    Y a. LAT 36°59.5'N, LONG 76°18.4'W
    N b. LAT 36°59.0'N, LONG 76°21.6'W
    N c. LAT 36°59.0'N, LONG 76°19.6'W
    N d. LAT 36°55.5'N, LONG 76°18.6'W

15460: At 0845, you are approaching the entrances to Thimble Shoal Channel. What channel must you use?

    Y a. The South Auxiliary Channel since your draft is less than 25 feet (7.6 meters), and you are not a passenger vessel.
    N b. The South Auxiliary Channel or Thimble Shoal Channel, but you must remain on the right hand side of the main channel.
    N c. The North Auxiliary Channel since you are going to turn to a northerly heading near buoy "12".
    N d. You are not permitted to use any of the channels, but must remain outside the buoyed channel line.

15864: At 0200, you take the following bearingss:

Mattituck Inlet Light bearing 125°pgc
Falkner Island Light bearing 355°pgc

What is the position of your 0200 fix?

    Y a. LAT 41°03.9'N, LONG 72°38.9'W
    N b. LAT 41°03.8'N, LONG 72°39.1'W
    N c. LAT 41°03.7'N, LONG 72°38.5'W
    N d. LAT 41°03.5'N, LONG 72°38.8'W

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

16711: At what time will you cross the 60 foot curve if you make good 12 knots?

    Y a. 0528
    N b. 0534
    N c. 0541
    N d. 0544