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.

81: Which company does NOT have a marine facility along the river bank in Helena (mile 658 to 665 AHP)?
222: From your 1815 position, you want to make good a course of 263°T. Your engines are turning RPM's for 12 knots. The current is 050°T at 1.9 knots. Adjusting your course for set and drift, at what time should you expect to enter the red sector of Cape Henry Light?
227: At 2037, you change course to make good a course of 016°T. There is no current, but a westerly wind is causing 3° leeway. What course per standard magnetic compass (psc) should you steer to make good the course 016°T?
254: At 0130, you obtain the following radar ranges:

Horton Point Light - 4.3 miles;
Mattituck Breakwater Light - 3.45 miles;
Duck Pond Point - 2.0 miles.

What were the course and speed made good between 0100 and 0130? 

    N a. 236°T at 9.4 knots
    Y b. 246°T at 9.8 knots
    N c. 259°T at 9.8 knots
    N d. 267°T at 9.4 knots
261: You must arrive at your final destination by 0800. The distance from your 0300 position to the final destination is 40.5 miles. What minimum speed must be made good to arrive on time? 

    N a. 9.6 knots
    N b. 9.3 knots
    N c. 8.5 knots
    Y d. 8.1 knots
275: At 1038, you are 0.4 mile south of Long Sand Shoal Buoy "8A" on course 090°T when visibility is reduced to 1 mile in rain and haze. You intend to stay on 090°T until your Loran shows a reading that you can safely follow to the approaches of New London. Which of the following Loran readings will you look for? 

    Y a. 9960-Y-43980
    N b. 9960-X-26290
    N c. 9960-W-14730
    N d. 9960-W-14810
292: If you have 17.3 miles to reach your destination from your 2000 position and want to be there at 2230, what speed should you make good? 

    Y a. 6.9 knots
    N b. 6.5 knots
    N c. 6.1 knots
    N d. 5.7 knots
292: If you have 17.3 miles to reach your destination from your 2000 position and want to be there at 2230, what speed should you make good? 

    Y a. 6.9 knots
    N b. 6.5 knots
    N c. 6.1 knots
    N d. 5.7 knots
368: 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"
    Y c. Cape Charles Light bears 022°T
    N d. you cross the boundary of the contiguous zone
388: From your 0745 fix, you change course to pass 1.0 mile south of buoy "WH" and estimate your speed at 7 knots. If the visibility clears, what is the earliest time you can expect to see Block Island North Light tower? 

    N a. 0845
    N b. 0838
    Y c. 0807
    N d. 0750
465: Determine the great circle distance and initial course from LAT 34°51.0'N, LONG 115°01.2'E to LAT 10°16.0'S, LONG 51°42.6'E. 

    N a. 4436 miles, 245.3°T
    N b. 4598 miles, 245.6°T
    Y c. 4493 miles, 245.6°T
    N d. 4582 miles, 245.6°T
482: The great circle distance from LAT 25°50'N, LONG 77°00'W to LAT 35°56'N, LONG 06°15'W is 3616 miles, and the initial course is 061.7°T. Determine the longitude of the vertex, given the latitude of the vertex as 37°34.9'N. 

    N a. 25°49.8'W
    N b. 25°53.2'W
    Y c. 25°59.0'W
    N d. 26°03.4'W
511: At 0130, your position is LAT 41°09.3'N, LONG 72°46.9'W when you change course to 086°T. If you make good 086°T, what is the closest point of approach to Twenty-Eight Foot Shoal Lighted Buoy? 

    N a. 1.2 mile
    N b. 1.1 mile
    Y c. 0.9 miles
    N d. 0.7 miles
512: At 0200, you take the following bearings:

Falkner Island Light 004.5°T
Kelsey Pt. Breakwater Lt. 054.0°T
Horton Point Light 115.0°T

What were the set and drift from 0130? 

    Y a. 260° at 1.0 knot
    N b. 080° at 0.5 knot
    N c. 260° at 0.5 knot
    N d. There is no current.
605: At 0915 ZT, on 26 July , you depart Yokohama, LAT 35°27.0'N, LONG 139°39.0'E (ZD -9). You are bound for Seattle, LAT 47°36.0'N, LONG 122°22.0'W, and you estimate your speed of advance at 14 knots. The distance is 4,245 miles. What is your estimated ZT of arrival at Seattle? 

    Y a. 0728, 7 August
    N b. 1528, 7 August
    N c. 0028, 8 August
    N d. 1528, 8 August
624: You are on a voyage from San Diego, CA, to New York, NY. The distance from pilot to pilot is 4860 miles. The speed of advance is 15.0 knots. You estimate 18 hours for bunkering at Colon, and 14 hours for the Panama Canal transit. If you take departure at 0836 hours (ZD +7), 4 July, what is your ETA (ZD +4) at New York? 

    N a. 0336, 20 July
    N b. 0036, 19 July
    N c. 0336, 19 July
    Y d. 0736, 19 July
726: On 16 December , your 1810 zone time DR position is LONG 129°46.5'W. At that time you observe Polaris with a sextant altitude (hs) of 23°56.8'. The chronometer time of the sight is 03h 12m 31s, and the chronometer error is 02m 16s fast. The index error is 2.5' off the arc, and the height of eye is 52.6 feet. What is your latitude by Polaris? 

    Y a. 23°07.8'N
    N b. 23°12.3'N
    N c. 24°11.9'N
    N d. 24°18.6'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
1198: On 3 October , your 0830 zone time DR position is LAT 26°15.0'S, LONG 73°16.0'E. Your vessel is on course 280°T at a speed of 19.0 knots. What is the zone time of local apparent noon (LAN)? 

    Y a. 1201
    N b. 1158
    N c. 1155
    N d. 1152
1278: On 17 April , your vessel is enroute from the Panama Canal to Kobe, Japan. Your 0400 zone time DR position is LAT 26°12.0'N, LONG 126°12.0'W. Your vessel is on course 285°T at a speed of 18 knots. What will be the zone time of sunrise at your vessel? 

    N a. 0535
    N b. 0541
    N c. 0552
    Y d. 0602
1408: The horizontal clearance of the center span on the Baton Rouge RR and Highway 190 Bridge is __________. 

    N a. 443
    N b. 500
    Y c. 623
    N d. 748
1459: On 28 July , your 1937 zone time DR position is LAT 26°13.0'N, LONG 78°27.0'E. At that time, you observe Deneb bearing 048.7°pgc. The chronometer reads 02h 37m 42s, and the chronometer error is 00m 15s fast. The variation is 4°W. What is the gyro error? 

    N a. 2.4°W
    Y b. 2.8°E
    N c. 3.6°W
    N d. 3.6°E
1460: On 27 June , your 1905 ZT DR position is LAT 24°35.0'N, LONG 50°15.0'W. At that time, you observe Saturn bearing 211°pgc. The chronometer reads 10h 04m 26s and the chronometer error is 01m 20s slow. The variation is 4.5°E. What is the gyro error? 

    Y a. 1.1°W
    N b. 3.4°E
    N c. 3.4°W
    N d. 5.6°W
1481: On 24 May , your vessel's 1000 ZT position is LAT 25°36.0'N, LONG 118°39.5'W, when you take an azimuth of the Sun. Determine the gyro error using the azimuth information.
Chronometer time: 06h 21m 48s Chronometer error: fast 01m 36s Gyro bearing: 099.4°
Variation: 11.1°E 

    N a. 0.3°W
    Y b. 1.3°W
    N c. 1.8°E
    N d. 2.4°E
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
1547: At 0509, on 26 December, you pass under the Helena Highway Bridge (mile 661.7 AHP). What has been the average speed of the current since departing Memphis Harbor, McKellar Lake, if you have been making turns for 7.5 mph? 

    N a. 5.6 mph
    Y b. 4.4 mph
    N c. 2.1 mph
    N d. 1.8 mph
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
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
1734: You pass Springfield Bend Lt. (mile 244.8 AHP) at 1242, on 17 October, and estimate the current will average 2.5 mph for the remainder of your trip. What is your ETA at the mouth of the Ohio River if you are making turns for 10.5 mph? 

    N a. 1905, 19 October
    N b. 0207, 21 October
    Y c. 0519, 21 October
    N d. 0847, 21 October
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
1835: 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
1842: What town is located at mile 389.8 AHP? 

    N a. Whitehall
    N b. Belmont
    N c. St. James
    Y d. Rodney
1910: On 22 February , your 1857 DR position is LAT 23°46.0'S, LONG 93°16.5'E. You observe an unidentified star bearing 126°T at an observed altitude (Ho) of 40°21.5'. The chronometer reads 01h 00m 35s and is 03m 25s fast. What star did you observe? 

    N a. Adhara
    N b. Miaplacidus
    N c. Avior
    Y d. Suhail
1919: On 17 March , your 0520 DR position is LAT 27°23.0'N, LONG 39°42.0'W. You observe an unidentified star bearing 110°T at an observed altitude (Ho) of 50°47.2'. The chronometer reads 08h 22m 15s, and is 01m 45s fast. What star did you observe? 

    Y a. Altair
    N b. Alkaid
    N c. Arcturus
    N d. Deneb
2160: On 17 April , your vessel's 1856 zone time DR position is LAT 22°35.0'N, LONG 63°15.0'W. At that time, a sextant observation of the star Sirius is made. The sextant altitude is 42°45.0' and the chronometer reads 10h 59m 27s.
The index error is 2.6' off the arc, and the chronometer error is 03m 01s fast. Your height of eye is determined to be 45 feet. What is the computed altitude (hc) and azimuth (Zn) for this sight using the assumed position? 

    N a. 42°40.0', 214.9°T
    N b. 42°40.0', 325.1°T
    Y c. 42°51.6', 214.9°T
    N d. 42°51.6', 325.1°T
2180: On 12 April , at 0515 ZT, morning stars were observed, and the vessel's position was determined to be LAT 21°05'S, LONG 16°30'W. Your vessel is steaming at 19 knots on a course of 278°T. A sextant observation of the Sun's lower limb is made at 0930 ZT. The chronometer reads 10h 28m 25s, and the sextant altitude (hs) is 40°15.9'. The index error is 2.5' off the arc, and the chronometer error is 2m 15s slow. Your height of eye on the bridge is 57 feet. What are the intercept (a) and azimuth (Zn) from the assumed position of this sight? 

    N a. Zn 057.7°,  a 15.4' T
    Y b. Zn 057.0°,  a 17.7' A
    N c. Zn 122.3°,  a 17.7' A
    N d. Zn 123.0°,  a 22.7' A
2217: The highest point on your towboat is 67 feet above the water, and the Helena Gage reads +22.3 feet. What is the vertical clearance when you pass under the A-span of the Helena Highway Bridge? 

    N a. 74.7 feet
    N b. 52.4 feet
    N c. 49.8 feet
    Y d. 30.1 feet
2405: You are underway and intend to make good a course of 350°T. You experience a current with a set and drift of 070°T at 1.5 knots, and a westerly wind produces a leeway of 4°. You adjust your course to compensate for the current and leeway, while maintaining an engine speed of 10 knots. What will be your speed made good over your intended course of 350°T? 

    N a. 9.4 knots
    N b. 9.8 knots
    Y c. 10. 2knots
    N d. 10.6 knots
2675: At 1423 you are on course 072 T° at 12.2 knots, when you sight a rock awash bearing 070°T at a range of 3.6 miles. If you change course at 1427, what course would you steer to leave the rock 1.0 mile abeam to port? 

    N a. 049°
    N b. 054°
    N c. 086°
    Y d. 091°
2680: While on course 321°pgc with a 1°W gyro error, you pick up a buoy on radar bearing 001° relative at 5.2 miles. What will be the course to pass the buoy by 1 mile abeam to starboard, if you change course when the buoy is 4.5 miles away? 

    N a. 305°T
    Y b. 310°pgc
    N c. 316°T
    N d. 336°pgc
2701: You are underway on course 204°T at a speed of 17.3 knots. You sight a light bearing 205°T at a radar range of 4.7 miles at 1222. If you change course at 1228, what is the course to steer to leave the light abeam to port at 1.5 miles? 

    N a. 223°T
    N b. 229°T
    Y c. 236°T
    N d. 240°T
3056: The propeller on a vessel has a diameter of 18.8 feet and a pitch of 21.4 feet. What would be the slip if the vessel cruised 378 miles in a 24 hour day (observed distance) at an average RPM of 76? 

    Y a. +1.9%
    N b. -1.9%
    N c. +4.7%
    N d. -4.7%
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
3451: You are underway and intend to make good a course of 040°T. You experience a current with a set and drift of 190°T at 1.4 knots, and a northwest wind produces a leeway of 3°. You adjust your course to compensate for the current and leeway, while maintaining an engine speed of 10 knots. What will be your speed made good over your intended course of 040°T? 

    N a. 7.8 knots
    Y b. 8.8 knots
    N c. 9.8 knots
    N d. 11.0 knots
3627: Your vessel is steering course 243°psc. Variation for the area is 5°E, and deviation is 2°W. The wind is from the south-southeast, producing a 2° leeway. What true course are you making good? 

    N a. 242°T
    N b. 244°T
    N c. 246°T
    Y d. 248°T
3647: The true course between two points is 220°. Your gyrocompass has an error of 1°E. You make an allowance of 1° leeway for a north-northwest wind. What gyro course should be steered to make the true course good? 

    Y a. 220°pgc
    N b. 221°pgc
    N c. 222°pgc
    N d. 223°pgc
10501: At 0939 your GPS position is LAT 36°57.0'N, LONG 75°41.0'W. You are on course 119° per standard magnetic compass at a speed of 12.8 knots. At 1017 your GPS indicates your position as LAT 36°54.2'N, LONG 75°33.1'W. What were the set and drift? 

    N a. 280°T at 1.0 knot
    Y b. 275°T at 1.8 knots
    N c. 091°T at 1.6 knots
    N d. 103°T at 1.1 knots
14201: The draw of the Burlington Northern railroad bridge across the Columbia River at mile 328.0 shall be opened on signal, without prior notice, from __________. 

    N a. 6:00 am to 6:00 pm
    N b. 6:00 pm to 6:00 am
    N c. 8:00 pm to 4:00 am
    Y d. 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
15146: At 0016 your position is 41°10.3'N, 71°53.0'W. You are steering a course of 296° true with no set and drift. At 0049 Race Rock Light is on your starboard beam. What was your speed made good from your 0016 position? 

    N a. 13.8 knots
    N b. 14.4 knots
    N c. 15.0 knots
    Y d. 15.6 knots
15413: From your 1915 fix you come right and steer a course of 200°T. At 2000, your position is LAT 37°05.5'N, LONG 76°07.0'W. Your intention is to pass through Chesapeake Channel. If there are no set and drift, what course would you steer per standard magnetic compass to make good a course of 145°T? 

    N a. 134°
    N b. 139°
    N c. 151°
    Y d. 156°
15657: What was the course made good from 0630 to 0654? 

    N a. 078°T
    Y b. 082°T
    N c. 086°T
    N d. 090°T
15918: At 1038, you are 0.4 mile south of Long Sand Shoal Buoy "8A" on course 090°T when visibility is reduced to 1 mile in rain and haze. You intend to stay on 090°T until your Loran shows a reading that you can safely follow to the approaches of New London. Which of the following Loran readings will you look for? 

    N a. 9960-W-14720
    N b. 9960-X-26290
    Y c. 9960-Y-43980
    N d. 9960-W-14810
16038: At 0820 Old Field Point Light bears 206° per gyrocompass,
and Stratford Shoals Middle Ground Light bears 322° per gyrocompass. The radar range to Middle Ground Light is 1.5 miles. Your 0820 fix gives you a position of __________. 

    N a. LAT 41°02.6'N, LONG 73°05.2'W
    Y b. LAT 41°02.5'N, LONG 73°04.9'W
    N c. LAT 41°02.3'N, LONG 73°05.2'W
    N d. LAT 41°02.0'N, LONG 73°05.1'W
16412: Shortly after getting underway, your heading is 097° per standard magnetic compass, and you sight Stonington Outer Breakwater Light in line with Stonington Inner Breakwater Light bearing 000° per gyrocompass. Which statement is TRUE? 

    Y a. The gyro error is 2.5°W.
    N b. The variation is 2°E.
    N c. The compass error is 16°W.
    N d. The deviation is 2°W.
16561: From your 1830 fix, you come left to a course of 290°T.
Which statement concerning Watch Hill Light is TRUE? 

    N a. The nominal range of its white light is 16 miles.
    Y b. It displays both red and white lights.
    N c. Its horn blasts every 15 seconds in fog.
    N d. Its geographic range is 18.5 miles at a 35-foot (10.7 meters) height of eye.
16569: The short-long dashed magenta line around Gardiners Island marks __________. 

    N a. a regulated anchorage
    Y b. fish trap areas
    N c. an area closed to the public
    N d. underwater cables