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.


64: What is the length of the trip?


124: At 1000, on May 11th, you are passing George Prince Lt. (mile 364.1 AHP) in Natchez, Mississippi and must send an ETA to the Monsanto Terminal in St. Louis (mile 178.0 UMR). Your engines are still turning for 8.5 mph and you estimate the current at 2.5 mph. What will be your arrival time in St. Louis?


140: If the highest point on your towboat is 52 feet and the West Memphis Gage reads 26 feet what is the vertical clearance when you pass under the Hernando Desoto Bridge (mile 736.6 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)

219: At 1630, you reach point A and come right to 204°T. Your engine speed is 12 knots. Your 1715, position is LAT 37°09.8'N, LONG 75°37.4'W. The current was __________.

    Y a. 067°T at 1.4 knots
    N b. 246°T at 1.0 knots
    N c. 067°T at 1.0 knots
    N d. 246°T at 1.4 knots

248: You are southeast of Saybrook Breakwater Light passing Saybrook Bar Lighted Bell Buoy "8". This buoy marks __________.

    N a. a sunken wreck
    N b. a bifurcation
    N c. the junction with the Connecticut River
    Y d. shoal water

256: At 0209, your position is LAT 41°01.8'N, LONG 72°40.8'W. What course should you steer per standard magnetic compass to make good 278° magnetic? (assume no set and drift)

    N a. 262.0°psc
    N b. 265.0°psc
    N c. 270.5°psc
    Y d. 275.5°psc

334: Your gyro and electronic gear are again operating. At 1710, Chesapeake Light bears 137°pgc at 6.6 miles. The current is setting 160°T at 2 knots. At your speed of 6 knots, what is your true course to steer to remain in the inbound traffic lane?

    N a. 250°
    N b. 261°
    N c. 265°
    Y d. 269°

394: A vessel at LAT 38°03.0'S, LONG 49°38.0'W, heads for a destination at LAT 41°26.0'S, LONG 38°32.0'W. Determine the true course by Mercator sailing.

    Y a. 111.5°T
    N b. 113.5°T
    N c. 158.5°T
    N d. 160.5°T

437: At 0227, you are on course 087°T at 10 knots. What course per standard magnetic compass should you steer to make good your true course?

    N a. 109°psc
    Y b. 105°psc
    N c. 102°psc
    N d. 099°psc

438: You estimate that you are making 9.3 knots over the ground. At what time will you enter waters governed by the COLREGS?

    N a. 0258
    N b. 0255
    Y c. 0251
    N d. 0247

558: At 0530, you change course to 090°T and increase speed to 8.5 knots. What is the course to steer per gyro compass if northerly winds are causing 2° of leeway?

    N a. 094°pgc
    N b. 092°pgc
    Y c. 090°pgc
    N d. 088°pgc

743: On 7 March , at 1838 ZT, in DR position LAT 34°26.9'N, LONG 58°16.2'W, you observe Polaris for latitude. The sextant altitude (hs) is 35°08.4'. The index error is 2.5' off the arc. The height of eye is 54 feet. What is the latitude at the time of the sight?

    N a. 34°29.8'N
    Y b. 34°33.4'N
    N c. 34°34.8'N
    N d. 34°36.8'N

750: On 28 October , at 1754 ZT, your vessel's DR position is LAT 28°30'N, LONG 63°24'W. At this time, you obtain a sextant altitude (hs) of Polaris reading 28°42.6', with an index error of 2.4' on the arc. Your chronometer reads 09h 50m 00s, and is 4m 14s slow. What is your latitude by Polaris, given a height of eye of 28 feet (8.5 meters)?

    N a. 28°25.2'N
    N b. 28°30.6'N
    Y c. 28°34.9'N
    N d. 28°41.3'N

822: On 10 March , in DR position LAT 21°42.0'S, LONG 57°28.0'E, you take an ex-meridian observation of the Sun's lower limb. The chronometer time of the sight is 08h 28m 17s, and the chronometer error is 00m 00s. The sextant altitude (hs) is 72°08.0'. The index error is 3.4' on the arc, and your height of eye is 52.7 feet. What is the latitude at meridian transit?

    N a. LAT 21°32.5'S
    N b. LAT 21°40.6'S
    Y c. LAT 21°45.5'S
    N d. LAT 21°50.2'S

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

1164: At 2350 on 23 June, you are at mile 610.5 AHP when you see about a mile ahead lights on the water near the left bank. What might you see when you come abreast of these lights?

    N a. Privately maintained buoys at a yacht club
    N b. Government buoys marking the Hurricane Point dikes
    Y c. Barges moored at the Dennis Landing Terminal
    N d. A pipeline discharging dredge spoil

1202: Your 0830 DR position is LAT 27°33'S, LONG 79°17'E. Your vessel is on a course of 066°T, at a speed of 19.5 knots. Determine the time of LAN on 10 December .

    Y a. 1131
    N b. 1136
    N c. 1153
    N d. 1215

1208: On 12 July , your 0800 ZT DR position is LAT 24°15.0'N, LONG 132°30.0'W. Your vessel is on course 045°T at a speed of 15.0 knots. What is the ZT of local apparent noon (LAN)?

    N a. 1146
    N b. 1148
    Y c. 1152
    N d. 1159

1233: What is the distance from Greenville, MS, to Tiptonville, TN on the Mississippi River System?

    N a. 95 miles
    N b. 136 miles
    Y c. 341 miles
    N d. 520 miles

1253: On 8 August , your 0400 ZT DR position is LAT 23°16.0'S, LONG 105°33.0'W. You are on course 295°T at a speed of 25 knots. What will be the zone time of sunrise at your vessel?

    N a. 0623
    N b. 0629
    Y c. 0636
    N d. 0654

1308: At Filter Point Light (mile 475 AHP) there are 2 close straight dashed lines on the map passing through the black dots. What do these lines represent?

    N a. Submerged oil pipelines
    N b. Submerged gas pipelines
    N c. Submerged telephone cables
    Y d. Aerial power cables

1703: At 1218, on 16 March, you are passing the Vicksburg Gage (mile 437.0 AHP). What has been the average current since 0630, 15 March, if you have been making turns for 8.0 mph?

    N a. 0.2 mph
    N b. 0.5 mph
    N c. 0.8 mph
    Y d. 1.2 mph

1780: At 1523 ZT, on 14 June , in DR position LAT 31°58'S, LONG 48°42'W you observe an amplitude of the Moon. The center of the Moon is on the visible horizon and bears 118.0°psc. The variation is 10°W. What is the deviation?

    N a. 2.5°W
    Y b. 2.1°W
    N c. 1.7°W
    N d. 1.7°E

1860: On 22 March , your 1834 ZT DR position is LAT 26°13.5'S, LONG 108°36.5'W. You observe an unidentified star bearing 077°T, at an observed altitude (Ho) of 43°10.5'. The chronometer reads 01h 32m 37s and is 01m 50s slow. What star did you observe?

    N a. Regulus
    N b. Menkar
    N c. Rigel
    Y d. Alphard

2332: If you are making 8.3 knots over the ground, what is your ETA at the turning point in York Spit Channel at buoy "29"?

    Y a. 0521
    N b. 0509
    N c. 0459
    N d. 0448

2669: You are steering 143°T, and a light is picked up dead ahead at a distance of 18.2 miles at 2006. You change course to pass the light 5.5 miles off abeam to port. If you are making 14.5 knots, what is your ETA at a position 5.5 miles off the light?

    N a. 2115
    Y b. 2118
    N c. 2121
    N d. 2124

2697: You are underway on course 106°T at a speed of 15.3 knots.
You sight a buoy bearing 109°T at a radar range of 3.6 miles at 1725. If you change course at 1728, what is the course to steer to leave the buoy abeam to port at 0.5 mile?

    N a. 100°T
    N b. 117°T
    Y c. 120°T
    N d. 125°T

2711: Which light characteristics does Foster Light have?

    N a. 1 green flash every 4 seconds
    N b. 1 red flash every 4 seconds
    Y c. 2 white flashes every 5 seconds
    N d. 2 red flashes every 5 seconds

2872: Your vessel is on a course of 272°T at 15 knots. At 2113 a light bears 245.5°T, and at 2120 the light bears 227°T.
At what time and at what distance off will your vessel be when abeam of the light?

    N a. 2124, 1.3 miles
    Y b. 2127, 1.8 miles
    N c. 2131, 2.3 miles
    N d. 2135, 2.7 miles

3097: If the pitch of the propeller is 19.4 feet, and the revolutions per day are 96,713, calculate the day's run allowing 6% positive slip.

    N a. 266.4 miles
    Y b. 290.1 miles
    N c. 308.6 miles
    N d. 327.1 miles

3112: While enroute from Montevideo to Walvis Bay a vessel's course is 116°psc. The variation for the locality is 25°W and the deviation is 6°W. What is the true course made good if a southerly wind produces 1° leeway?

    Y a. 084°T
    N b. 086°T
    N c. 148°T
    N d. 085°T

3268: Your vessel arrives in port with sufficient fuel to steam 595 miles at 14 knots. If you are unable to take on bunkers, at what speed must you proceed to reach your next port, 707 miles distant?

    N a. 12.2 knots
    N b. 12.5 knots
    Y c. 12.8 knots
    N d. 14.4 knots

3608: You are steering 125°pgc. The wind is southwest by south causing a 3° leeway. The variation is 6°E, the deviation is 2°W, and the gyro error is 1°W. What is the true course made good?

    Y a. 121°T
    N b. 123°T
    N c. 127°T
    N d. 129°T

3763: 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 178°T, and the variation is 9°W. If the heading of your vessel at the time of the sighting is 180° per standard magnetic compass, what is the deviation?

    N a. 2°E
    N b. 2°W
    Y c. 7°E
    N d. 7°W

4005: You swung ship and compared the magnetic compass against the gyro compass to find deviation. Gyro error is 2°W. The variation is 8°W. Find the deviation on a magnetic compass heading of 022°.
HEADING HEADING HEADING
PSC PGC PSC PGC PSC PGC
358.5° - 354° 122.5° - 114° 239.5° - 234°
030.5° - 024° 152.0° - 144° 269.0° - 264°
061.5° - 054° 181.0° - 174° 298.0° - 294°
092.0° - 084° 210.0° - 204° 327.5° - 324°

    N a. 1.5°E
    N b. 0.5°E
    Y c. 0.0°
    N d. 0.5°W

4009: 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 true heading of 187°.
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. 1.5°W
    Y b. 0.5°W
    N c. 0.0°
    N d. 1.0°E

12209: You sight South West Ledge Light in line with New Haven Outer Channel Range Rear Light bearing 338.5° per standard magnetic compass. What is the deviation?

    Y a. 3°E
    N b. 4°W
    N c. 6°E
    N d. 9°W

14301: What are the characteristics of Washougal Light on the Columbia River?

    N a. Equal interval green, 6 seconds
    N b. Quick flashing red, 2 seconds
    N c. Flashing green, 4 seconds
    Y d. Flashing red, 2.5 seconds

14517: From your 2200 fix, you steer course 288°T to travel up the Thimble Shoal North Auxiliary Channel. If you are making good 6.0 knots, at what time would you expect to pass buoy "18" at the west end of the channel? (There are no set and drift.)

    N a. 2239
    N b. 2255
    N c. 2315
    Y d. 2344

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

15820: You are northwest of Port Jefferson Harbor steering 242° per standard magnetic compass. As you continue westward, you see that the Port Jefferson Range Front Light and Rear Light come into line. If the deviation table is correct, the bearing of the range should be __________.

    N a. 140°psc
    N b. 146°psc
    Y c. 157°psc
    N d. 160°psc

15857: You are southeast of Saybrook Breakwater Light passing a horizontally-banded buoy. This buoy marks __________.

    N a. a sunken wreck
    N b. a tide rips area
    N c. the junction with the Connecticut River
    Y d. shoal water

16017: 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. 77 miles
    N b. 91 miles
    Y c. 104 miles
    N d. 115 miles

16067: At 2118, you obtain the following information:
Cape Henry Light 151°pgc;
Cape Charles Light 033°pgc;
Thimble Shoal Light 291°pgc

What is your 2118 position?

    Y a. LAT 36°57.4'N, LONG 76°01.9'W
    N b. LAT 36°57.5'N, LONG 76°01.4'W
    N c. LAT 36°57.6'N, LONG 76°01.8'W
    N d. LAT 36°57.6'N, LONG 76°02.2'W

16118: You will enter waters governed by the International Rules when __________.

    N a. you cross the territorial sea boundary line
    N b. abeam of buoy "CBJ"
    N c. you cross the boundary of the contiguous zone
    Y d. Cape Charles Light bears 022°T

16245: At 2259 Cape Henry Light bears 250°T, Chesapeake Light bears 122°T, and North Chesapeake Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy "NCA" has a radar range of 1.8 miles. Which statement is TRUE?

    N a. The course made good is 226°T.
    N b. You are in the red sector of Cape Henry Light.
    N c. You are in a submerged submarine transit lane.
    Y d. Chesapeake Light is 7.6 miles off.

16439: While you are at anchor, what will serve as a positive warning that you are drifting towards the wrecks located to the NW and SW of your 2215 position?

    N a. A constant bearing on New Point Comfort Light.
    Y b. The bearing of Wolf Trap Light changing to the right
    N c. Increasing soundings
    N d. The bearing of Wolf Trap Light changing to the left

16514: At 0815, Montauk Pt. Light House is bearing 167°T,
Shagwong Pt. has a radar range of 4.5 miles, and Cerberus Shoal "9" Buoy is bearing 284°T. If the engine is making turns for 10 knots, what was the set and drift of the current since 0748?

    N a. Set 065°T, drift 1.1 knots
    N b. Set 065°T, drift 2.4 knots
    N c. Set 245°T, drift 1.1 knots
    Y d. Set 245°T, drift 2.4 knots

16640: At 0445 you take the following lines of position:

Montauk Point Light 292°pgc
Block Island Southeast Point Light 024°pgc

What was the current encountered since your 0400 fix?

    N a. 004°, 0.7 knot
    Y b. 004°, 0.9 knot
    N c. 184°, 0.7 knot
    N d. 184°, 0.9 knot

20106: You are steaming at 22 knots and burning 319 barrels of fuel per day. You must decrease your consumption to 137 barrels per day. What must you reduce your speed to in order to burn this amount of fuel?

    N a. 12.4
    N b. 14.8
    Y c. 16.6
    N d. 18.2