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.

46: At 2342, on 25 August, 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 9 mph?
93: Which light characteristics does Quaker Oats Light (mile 952.6) have?
116: At which of the following times would you be able to listen to lower Mississippi River conditions on VHF Channel 22?
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? 

    N a. 1919 on 15 May
    N b. 2344 on 15 May
    Y c. 1757 on 16 May
    N d. 2236 on 16 May
270: At 0830, you wish to get the latest weather forecasts for the Falkner Island area. On what frequency would you set your FM radio for this information? 

    N a. 2181 kHz
    Y b. 162.40 Mhz
    N c. 156.80 Mhz
    N d. 156.65 Mhz
285: At 1845, you plot the following bearing lines:

Old Plantation Flats Light bearing 251°true
New Point Comfort Light bearing 335°true

Your latitude is __________. 

    N a. 37°10.7'N
    N b. 37°10.9'N
    Y c. 37°11.2'N
    N d. 37°11.6'N
319: At 2100, you have passed through the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel and determine your position to be LAT 37°01.3'N, LONG 76°03.0'W. The current is flooding in a direction of 303°T at 2.5 knots. Adjusting your course for set and drift, which course would you steer while turning RPMs for 6 knots to make good a course of 175°T? 

    N a. 190°T
    N b. 183°T
    N c. 164°T
    Y d. 156°T
329: The engineer has advised that it will be necessary to secure the gyrocompass and the electronic equipment. From your 0315 position, what is your course per standard magnetic compass to York Spit Channel Buoy "38", if there is no current? 

    N a. 218°psc
    Y b. 216°psc
    N c. 214°psc
    N d. 212°psc
399: A vessel at LAT 11°22'S, LONG 009°18'E heads for a destination at LAT 06°52'N, LONG 57°23'W. Determine the true course and distance by Mercator sailing. 

    N a. 296°T, 3,825.3 miles
    N b. 296°T, 4,154.2 miles
    N c. 285°T, 3,825.3 miles
    Y d. 285°T, 4,154.2 miles
414: A vessel at LAT 49°45'N, LONG 6°35'W, heads for a destination at LAT 25°50'N, LONG 77°00'W. Determine the true course and distance by Mercator sailing. 

    Y a. 246.5°T, 3597 miles
    N b. 253.0°T, 3648 miles
    N c. 268.6°T, 3483 miles
    N d. 066.4°T, 3602 miles
422: Which statement regarding the wreck 0.2 mile south of buoys "1" and "2" at the entrance to New London Harbor is TRUE? 

    N a. The wreck presents a danger to all vessels with drafts in excess of 30 feet (9.1 meters).
    N b. The wreck is visible above the sounding datum between the months of March and June.
    N c. The wreck was cleared by wire drag in 1982 and will not appear on future charts.
    Y d. The wreck is shown on the chart, but its actual existence is doubtful.
470: Determine the great circle distance and initial course from LAT 35°08.0'S, LONG 19°26.0'E to LAT 33°16.0'S, LONG 115°36.0'E. 

    N a. 4457 miles, 126°T
    Y b. 4559 miles, 121°T
    N c. 4682 miles, 059°T
    N d. 4688 miles, 126°T
485: Determine the great circle distance and initial course from LAT 08°53.0'N, LONG 79°31.0'W to LAT 33°51.5'S, LONG 151°13.0'E. 

    N a. 7809 miles, 247.0°T
    N b. 7763 miles, 247.0°T
    Y c. 7635 miles, 233.9°T
    N d. 7618 miles, 230.3°T
573: Visibility has decreased to 1 mile in haze. At 0948, you take the following radar ranges. What course should you steer from this fix to the York Spit channel between buoys "19" and "20"?

Thimble Shoal Light - 5.9 miles South end of trestle C of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel - 3.8 miles South end of trestle B of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel - 5.4 miles 

    Y a. 010°pgc
    N b. 008°pgc
    N c. 004°pgc
    N d. 001°pgc
622: You are on a voyage from Limoy, Costa Rica, to Los Angeles, CA. The distance from departure to arrival is 3150 miles. The speed of advance is 14.0 knots. You estimate 24.0 hours for bunkering at Colon, and 12.0 hours for the Panama Canal transit. If you take departure at 1836 hours (ZD +6), 28 January, what is your ETA (ZD +8) at Los Angeles? 

    N a. 1736, 9 February
    N b. 1736, 8 February
    Y c. 1336, 8 February
    N d. 0536, 8 February
1081: On 14 Sept , your 1810 ZT DR position is LAT 27°12.0'S, LONG 71°10.0'E. You are on course 060°T at a speed of 15.0 knots. You observed 3 celestial bodies. Determine the latitude and longitude of your 1822 running fix. NP-0011

    N a. LAT 27°04.5'S, LONG 71°22.4'E
    N b. LAT 27°07.5'S, LONG 71°18.6'E
    N c. LAT 27°09.2'S, LONG 71°11.3'E
    Y d. LAT 27°11.0'S, LONG 71°14.5'E
1229: Which type of daymark would you see on the Belle Island Corner Lt. at mile 458.6 AHP? 

    N a. Green - Diamond
    N b. Green - Square
    Y c. Red - Diamond
    N d. Red - Triangle
1419: Which light will you be passing at 0059, on 22 September, if you make good 9.2 knots? 

    Y a. Obion Bar Lt.
    N b. Kate Aubrey Lt.
    N c. Trotter Lt.
    N d. Quaker Oats Lt.
1764: The Gage at Red River Landing reads 43.4 feet. The low water reference plane (LWRP) for Red River Landing, LA. Is 10.6 ft. How many feet is this above the low water reference plane? 

    N a. 10.6 ft
    N b. 11.6 ft
    N c. 22.2 ft
    Y d. 32.8 ft
1857: On 22 May , your 0437 ZT DR position is LAT 25°18.5'N, LONG 51°18.0'W. You observe an unidentified star bearing 097°T at an observed altitude (Ho) of 48°20.0'. The chronometer reads 07h 40m 40s and is 03m 24s fast. What star did you observe? 

    Y a. Markab
    N b. Diphda
    N c. Sabik
    N d. Hamal
1904: On 22 March , your 0519 DR position is LAT 27°20.6'N, LONG 69°25.6'W. You observe an unidentified star bearing 115°T at an observed altitude (Ho) of 54°52.8'. The chronometer reads 10h 16m 47s, and is 02m 15s slow. What star did you observe? 

    Y a. Altair
    N b. Enif
    N c. Menkar
    N d. Rigel
1961: The Delta-Friar Point revetment on the LMR extends from mile __________. 

    Y a. 657.3 - 652.2 LDB
    N b. 652.8 - 649.6 RDB
    N c. 648.5 - 645.5 LDB
    N d. 645.6 - 641.4 RDB
2583: You lose GPS and are navigating solely on LORAN. What LORAN line would you follow to leave Six Mile Reef buoy "8C" abeam to port at 1.0 mile? 

    N a. 9960-W-14885.0
    N b. 9960-Y-43980.5
    Y c. 9960-Y-43982.0
    N d. 9960-Y-43983.5
2590: You have maneuvered for traffic and at 2215 you obtain the following radar information:

Middle Ground Light bearing 287° pgc @ 6.65 nm


What course must you steer to arrive at buoy "PJ", passing 0.5 nm off "Mt Misery Shoal"? 

    N a. 237° psc
    N b. 257° psc
    Y c. 261° psc
    N d. 265° psc
2659: You are steering 115°T, and a light is picked up dead ahead at a distance of 16.7 miles at 0522. You change course to pass the light 3.5 miles off abeam to port. If you are making 12 knots, what is your ETA at the position 3.5 miles off the light? 

    Y a. 0644
    N b. 0647
    N c. 0650
    N d. 0653
2662: You are on course 006°T, speed 16.6 knots. At 0516 you see a light bearing 008°T at a range of 10.2. If you change course at 0528 to leave the light abeam to port at 1.0 mile,
at what time will the light be abeam? 

    Y a. 0553
    N b. 0556
    N c. 0604
    N d. 0607
2682: While on a course of 066°pgc, a light bears 18° on the port bow at a distance of 12.3 miles. What course should you steer to leave the light 4 miles abeam to port? 

    Y a. 067°pgc
    N b. 072°pgc
    N c. 079°pgc
    N d. 085°pgc
2718: What organization has an installation at the uppermost end of Carthage Revetment? 

    N a. City of Natchez (waterfront)
    Y b. River Cement Co.
    N c. J.M. Jones Lumber
    N d. International Paper Co.
2890: You are steaming on a course of 084°T at a speed of 13 knots. At 1919 a lighthouse bears 106.5°T. At 1957 the same lighthouse bears 129°T. What will be your distance off the lighthouse when abeam? 

    N a. 4.3 miles
    Y b. 5.7 miles
    N c. 7.1 miles
    N d. 8.2 miles
3078: If the speed necessary for reaching port at a designated time is 17.8 knots and the pitch of the propeller is 24.7 feet, how many revolutions per minute will the shaft have to turn, assuming a 7% positive slip? 

    N a. 67
    N b. 71
    N c. 75
    Y d. 79
3617: Your vessel is steering course 299°psc, variation for the area is 7°W, and deviation is 4°W. The wind is from the southwest, producing a 3° leeway. What true course are you making good? 

    Y a. 291°T
    N b. 296°T
    N c. 299°T
    N d. 313°T
3761: 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 283°
T, and the variation is 13°E. If the heading of your vessel at the time of the sighting is 278° per standard compass, what is the deviation? 

    N a. 5°E
    N b. 5°W
    N c. 8°E
    Y d. 8°W
3762: 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 196°T, and the variation is 7°E. If the heading of your vessel at the time of the sighting is 192° per standard magnetic compass, what is the deviation? 

    N a. 3°E
    Y b. 3°W
    N c. 4°E
    N d. 4°W
10204: Your present position is LAT 41°05.5'N, LONG 72°38.0'W. Assuming that there is no set and drift, what course must you steer per standard magnetic compass (psc) to arrive at a position 5 miles due south of Saybrook Breakwater Light? 

    N a. 089°psc
    Y b. 080°psc
    N c. 077°psc
    N d. 066°psc
10507: At 0919 your position is LAT 37°00.0'N, LONG 75°30.0'W. You are on course 270°T at 10.5 knots. At 1020 your position is LAT 36°59.5'N, LONG 75°44.9'W. What was the current? 

    N a. 026° at 0.7 knot
    N b. 046° at 1.0 knot
    N c. 226° at 0.8 knot
    Y d. 246° at 1.4 knots
10700: At 1020 your position is LAT 41°11.0'N, LONG 71°50.0'W. You are on course 056° per standard magnetic compass at 9.2 knots. At 1112 your position is LAT 41°15.9'N, LONG 71°41.7'W. What were the set and drift? 

    N a. 130°T at 0.9 knot
    Y b. 141°T at 1.2 knots
    N c. 331°T at 0.8 knot
    N d. 346°T at 1.1 knots
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
12303: You are on course 056° per standard magnetic compass when you sight Block Island North Light in line with the Block Island Aero Beacon bearing 193° per standard magnetic compass. Based on this you __________. 

    N a. know the compass error is 4°E
    N b. should swing your vessel to check for deviation
    Y c. know the deviation table is correct for that heading
    N d. should use 3°W deviation on bearings of 193°psc
13409: You plan to anchor your vessel at LAT 41°00.5'N, LONG 73°02.8'W. What type of bottom should you expect at this position? 

    N a. Gray sand
    Y b. Soft mud
    N c. Hard sand
    N d. Gray mud
15111: At 1810, you sight a buoy on your starboard side labeled "19".
This buoy marks __________. 

    N a. a submerged obstruction in York Spit Channel
    N b. the visibility limit of the red sector of Cape Henry Light
    Y c. the side of York Spit Channel
    N d. the junction of the York Spit and York River Entrance Channels
15167: Your height of eye is 25 feet (7.6 meters). If the visibility is 11 nautical miles, what is the luminous range of Wolf Trap Light? 

    N a. 8.2 miles
    Y b. 12.0 miles
    N c. 16.0 miles
    N d. 17.0 miles
15238: At 0930 you obtain a position from the following information: Race Rock Light bears 110°T at a range of 1.4 miles, and Goshen Point bears 330°T at a range of 3.3 miles. What are your present latitude and longitude? 

    N a. 41°16.0'N, 72°09.5'W
    Y b. 41°15.1'N, 72°04.6'W
    N c. 41°17.4'N, 72°06.0'W
    N d. 41°14.6'N, 72°03.0'W
15246: From your 1845 position, you desire to leave Stratford Shoal Middle Ground Light 1.0 mile off your starboard beam at 1900. Which course and speed would you order if you allow for a 2.0 knot current with a set of 180°T? 

    N a. 205°T at  9.2 knots
    N b. 208°T at 11.4 knots
    Y c. 215°T at  9.2 knots
    N d. 225°T at 11.5 knots
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
15317: If you make good a speed of 6.0 knots from your 1810 position, what is your ETA at Chesapeake Channel Lighted Bell Buoy "2C"? 

    Y a. 1833
    N b. 1845
    N c. 1855
    N d. 1900
15361: Your 0530 position is LAT 41°04.9'N, LONG 73°01.1'W. What is the course per standard magnetic compass to a position 1.0 mile south of Twenty Eight Foot Shoal "TE"
buoy? 

    N a. 082.0°psc
    N b. 092.5°psc
    N c. 096.0°psc
    Y d. 099.5°psc
15507: What course should you steer by your standard magnetic compass to make good a course of 280°T? 

    N a. 266°psc
    N b. 272°psc
    N c. 290°psc
    Y d. 294°psc
15611: 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? 

    N a. 1849
    N b. 1854
    N c. 1859
    Y d. 1904
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
15911: What publication contains information on the navigational hazards in the vicinity of Falkner Island? 

    N a. The navigational regulations in Title 46 Code of Federal Regulations
    N b. Inland Navigation Rules
    N c. U.S. Coast Guard Light List
    Y d. U.S. Coast Pilot
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
16068: From your 2118 position, you proceed to Norfolk, VA, a distance of approximately 26.0 miles. To arrive at Norfolk by 0200 the next day, what is the minimum speed to make good from your 2118 position to arrive at this time? 

    N a. 5.0 knots
    N b. 5.3 knots
    N c. 5.8 knots
    Y d. 5.5 knots
16608: At 2142, you take the following bearings:

Stratford Point Light 331°T
Stratford Shoal Middle Ground Light 280°T
Old Field Point Light 223°T

What is your 2142 position? 

    Y a. LAT 41°03.0'N, LONG 73°01.7'W
    N b. LAT 41°03.1'N, LONG 73°02.1'W
    N c. LAT 41°03.1'N, LONG 73°01.3'W
    N d. LAT 41°03.3'N, LONG 73°01.9'W