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.

158: Which daymark should you see as you approach French Point Light (mile 915.4 AHP)?
204: From your 1800 position you steer a course of 350°psc at a speed of 10.0 knots. At 1830, your position is LAT 41°11.7'N, LONG 71°45.8'W. What are the set and drift of the current?
405: You depart LAT 33°45.0'N, LONG 118°30.0'W, and steam 2216 miles on course 250°T. What is the longitude of your arrival by Mercator sailing?
429: At 0820, you take the following bearings:

Falkner Island Light bearing 052°true
Branford Reef Light bearing 307°true

What are the set and drift since 0730? 

    N a. Set 052°T, drift 1.1 knots
    N b. Set 052°T, drift 1.3 knots
    Y c. Set 232°T, drift 1.3 knot
    N d. Set 232°T, drift 1.1 knots
429: At 0820, you take the following bearings:

Falkner Island Light bearing 052°true
Branford Reef Light bearing 307°true

What are the set and drift since 0730? 

    N a. Set 052°T, drift 1.1 knots
    N b. Set 052°T, drift 1.3 knots
    Y c. Set 232°T, drift 1.3 knot
    N d. Set 232°T, drift 1.1 knots
433: What true course and speed did you make good between 0730 and 0900? 

    N a. 271°T, 8.9 knots
    N b. 273°T, 8.7 knots
    Y c. 277°T, 8.4 knots
    N d. 284°T, 7.5 knots
615: Your vessel departs Yokohama from position LAT 35°27.0'N, LONG 139°39.0'E (ZD -9), at 1330 ZT, on 23 July, bound for Seattle at position LAT 47°36.0'N, LONG 122°22.0'W (ZD +8). The distance by great circle is 4,245 miles, and you estimate that you will average 13.6 knots. What is your estimated ZT of arrival? 

    N a. 0438, 4 August
    Y b. 2038, 4 August
    N c. 0438, 5 August
    N d. 1238, 5 August
629: You are on a voyage from Belem, Brazil, to Mobile, AL. The distance from departure to arrival is 3150 miles. The speed of advance is 14.0 knots. You estimate a layover in San Juan, Puerto Rico, of 17.5 hours. If you took departure at 2200 (ZD +3h 30m), 26 February , what was your ETA (ZD +6) at Mobile? 

    N a. 1900, 8 March
    Y b. 2200, 8 March
    N c. 0400, 9 March
    N d. 2200, 9 March
657: You are planning a voyage by great circle from the mouth of the Delaware River (LAT 38°40'N, LONG 75°00'W) to Lisbon, Portugal. Which statement is TRUE? (Use gnomonic tracking chart WOXZC 5274.) 

    Y a. You will reach the northernmost latitude of the voyage in  the vicinity of LONG 42°30'W.
    N b. The Northern Hemisphere vertex lies to the east of Lisbon.
    N c. You must plot a composite sailing to remain south of icebergs reported north of 44°N.
    N d. The distance is measured in 60-mile segments using the length of the degree of latitude crossed by the track line.
756: Anchorage regulations for this area may be obtained from __________. 

    N a. Commanding General, Corps of Engineers, Washington, D.C.
    Y b. Office of the Commander 5th Coast Guard District
    N c. Virginia - Maryland Pilots Association
    N d. Chesapeake Bay Port Authority, Hampton VA
813: On 7 November , your 0830 zone time fix gives you a position of LAT 27°36.0'N, LONG 162°19.0'W. Your vessel is on course 289°T and your speed is 19.0 knots. Local apparent noon (LAN) occurs at 1138 zone time, at which time a meridian altitude of the Sun's lower limb is observed. The observed altitude (Ho) for this sight is 45°35.0'. What is the latitude at 1200 ZT? 

    N a. 27°55.1'N
    N b. 27°57.2'N
    Y c. 27°59.5'N
    N d. 28°01.9'N
844: On 12 September , your 0600 zone time (ZT) fix gives you a position of LAT 22°51.9'N, LONG 133°40.1'W. Your vessel is on course 062°T, and your speed is 12.3 knots. Local apparent noon (LAN) occurs at 1142 ZT, at which time a meridian altitude of the Sun's upper limb is observed. The observed altitude (Ho) for this sight is 70°33.2'. What is the calculated latitude at LAN? 

    N a. 23°23.0'N
    Y b. 23°24.8'N
    N c. 23°26.5'N
    N d. 23°27.9'N
1393: It is 15 July and you are keeping +7 zone time. You are on course 095°, speed 16 knots. Your 0800 DR position is LAT 25°39.4'N, LONG 129°46.2'W. What is the time of the second estimate of LAN by ship's clocks? 

    N a. 13h 40m 17s
    Y b. 13h 38m 19s
    N c. 12h 42m 20s
    N d. 12h 38m 20s
1407: At 2350 hours on 23 June, you are at mile 610.5 AHP when you see about a mile ahead white 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
1461: On 27 June , your 0734 zone time DR position is LAT 22°14.0'N, LONG 53°52.0'W. At that time, you observe the Sun bearing 069.5°psc. The chronometer reads 11h 32m 51s and the chronometer error is 01m 26s slow. The variation is 5°E. What is the deviation of the standard magnetic compass? 

    Y a. 1.6°E
    N b. 2.9 W
    N c. 2.9°E
    N d. 3.2°E
1470: On 1 March , your 2135 zone time DR position is LAT 23°54.0'N, LONG 63°22.0'W. At that time, you observe Schedar bearing 328°psc. The chronometer reads 01h 35m 16s, and the chronometer error is 00m 07s slow. The variation is 3.5°E. What is the deviation of the standard compass? 

    N a. 2.3°E
    N b. 2.5°W
    Y c. 3.2°W
    N d. 4.2°E
1484: On 7 December , your vessel's 0835 zone time DR position is LAT 28°30.0'N, LONG 125°39.3'W, when an azimuth of the Sun is observed. The chronometer time of the sight is 04h 34m 48s, and the Sun is bearing 113° per standard magnetic compass. The chronometer error is 01m 24s slow, and the variation in the area is 13.0°E. What is the deviation of the standard magnetic compass? 

    N a. 0.7°E
    N b. 1.0°W
    Y c. 2.3°E
    N d. 3.0°W
1543: As you pass under the Natchez-Vidalia Dual Bridge, the gage on the bridge reads -3.6 feet. If the highest point on your vessel is 62 ft. above the water, what is your vertical clearance? 

    N a. 60.0 feet
    N b. 63.6 feet
    Y c. 67.6 feet
    N d. 122.0 feet
1736: What are the color and shape of Joseph Henry Daymark at mile 445.2 AHP? 

    N a. Red - Triangle
    N b. Green - Square
    N c. Green - Triangle
    Y d. Red - Diaomond
1774: You pass New Madrid, MO (mile 889.0 AHP) at 1412. What was your average speed since leaving Cairo? 

    Y a. 8.0 mph
    N b. 7.8 mph
    N c. 7.6 mph
    N d. 7.3 mph
2022: On 24 August , your vessel is enroute from Perth, Australia, to Bombay, India. Evening twilight will occur at 1807 zone time, and your vessel's DR position for this time will be LAT 27°17.0'S, LONG 83°17.0'E. Considering their magnitude and location, what are the three stars best suited to observe for a fix at star time? 

    N a. Arcturus, Antares, Atria
    Y b. Spica, Altair, Acrux
    N c. Pollux, Canopus, Hamal
    N d. Rasalhague, Spica, Kochab
2088: At your current speed of 19 knots you only have enough fuel remaining to travel 265 miles. You must travel 731 miles to reach your destination. What should you reduce your speed (knots) to in order to reach your destination? 

    N a. 13.8
    N b. 12.6
    Y c. 11.4
    N d. 10.2
2212: At 1650 you decrease speed to make good 7.1 mph. At 2020 you are __________. 

    Y a. abeam of Old River Control Structure Light
    N b. entering the Vicksburg District of the U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers
    N c. at Palmetto Point
    N d. at Latitude 31°10'N
2276: You observe the lower limb of the Sun at a sextant altitude (hs) of 46°20.3' on 1 April . The index error is 4.5' off the arc. The height of eye is 57 feet (17.4 meters). What is the observed altitude (Ho)? 

    N a. 46°24.2'
    N b. 46°27.9'
    N c. 46°30.1'
    Y d. 46°32.6'
2665: You are on course 079°T, speed 11.2 knots. At 0904 you see a daymark bearing 078°T at a range of 4.6. If you change course at 0910 to leave the daymark abeam to starboard at 0.5 mile, at what time will the daymark be abeam? 

    N a. 0918
    N b. 0923
    Y c. 0928
    N d. 0935
2856: Your vessel is on a course of 034°T at 17 knots. At 0551 a light bears 056.5°T, and at 0623 the light bears 079°T. At what time and at what distance off will your vessel be when abeam of the light? 

    N a. 0636, 5.9 miles
    N b. 0646, 5.9 miles
    N c. 0636, 6.4 miles
    Y d. 0646, 6.4 miles
3275: You have steamed 989 miles at 16.5 knots, and consumed 215 tons of fuel. If you have 345 tons of usable fuel remaining, how far can you steam at 13 knots? 

    N a. 1025 miles
    N b. 1993 miles
    Y c. 2557 miles
    N d. 3245 miles
3648: The true course between two points is 312°. Your gyrocompass has an error of 3°W. You make an allowance of 4° leeway for a west by south wind. What gyro course should be steered to make the true course good? 

    N a. 305°pgc
    Y b. 311°pgc
    N c. 315°pgc
    N d. 318°pgc
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
4004: 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 166°.
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. 2.0°W
    Y b. 1.5°W
    N c. 1.0°W
    N d. 0.5°W
10705: At 0726 you depart Lake Montauk with light 1 close aboard and set course 013.5° per standard magnetic compass at 7.6 knots. At 0812 your GPS position is LAT 41°10.0'N, LONG 71°55.9'W. What is the current? 

    N a. 151°T at 1.0 knot
    Y b. 164°T at 0.7 knot
    N c. 334°T at 1.1 knots
    N d. 321°T at 0.8 knot
11404: At 2115 your GPS position is LAT 41°03.3'N, LONG 72°37.9'W. At 0027 your position is LAT 41°14.4'N, LONG 72°07.2'W. What was your speed made good? 

    N a. 7.0 knots
    N b. 7.5 knots
    Y c. 8.0 knots
    N d. 8.5 knots
11501: At 2016 your GPS position is LAT 41°07.6'N, LONG 71°33.8'W. At 2128 your position is LAT 41°00.4'N, LONG 71°29.4'W. What was the speed made good between the two positions? 

    N a. 11.9 knots
    N b. 10.2 knots
    N c. 8.9 knots
    Y d. 6.7 knots
11808: What is the true course to steer from a position 2 miles due south of Branford Reef Light to Horton Pt. Light, if the set and drift of the current are 247°T at 3 knots, and a southwesterly wind will cause 3° of leeway? (Your engines are making turns for 10 knots.) 

    Y a. 104°T
    N b. 100°T
    N c. 095°T
    N d. 087°T
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
13001: At 1222 your position is LAT 41°05.5'N, LONG 72°47.3'W. You are making turns for 14.5 knots. What is your ETA at Twenty-Eight Foot Shoal Lighted Buoy (LAT 41°09.3'N, LONG 72°30.5'W)? 

    N a. 1309
    Y b. 1317
    N c. 1321
    N d. 1328
13002: At 0829 your position is LAT 41°02.9'N, LONG 72°57.4'W. You are making turns for 8.5 knots. What is your ETA at a position midway between buoys "1" and "2" at the entrance of New Haven Outer Channel? 

    N a. 0925
    N b. 0931
    N c. 0938
    Y d. 0944
13801: You are operating in the area approximately 2 miles southeast of Kelsey Point when you realize that your vessel's intended track will carry you over the wreck charted at LAT 41°13.5'N, LONG 72°29.6'W. Which statement is TRUE? 

    N a. The chart indicates the exact position of the wreck.
    N b. The wreck has been cleared by wire drag to a depth of 39 ft.
    Y c. The wreck represents a danger to surface navigation.
    N d. The wreck is visible above the sounding datum.
14103: You are approaching Bonneville Lock and Dam and desire lockage. Which call sign should you use to contact the lock? 

    Y a. WUJ 33
    N b. WUJ 34
    N c. WUJ 41
    N d. WUJ 45
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
14703: At 0800 your vessel is at mile 110 proceeding in an easterly direction on the Columbia River. At 1030 Reed Island is abeam to port as you pass the 125 mile mark. What has been your average speed in knots? 

    N a. 4.3 knots
    Y b. 5.2 knots
    N c. 8.7 knots
    N d. 10.0 knots
15456: On 25 February, your vessel is berthed near Lamberts Point in Norfolk. You are preparing to sail for Baltimore and wish to be transiting York Spit Channel while the morning flood current is at its maximum speed. At what time should you be between buoys "33" and "34"? And, what will be the speed of the flood at this time? 

    N a. 0513, 0.8 k
    Y b. 0810, 1.2 k
    N c. 0810, 1.5 k
    N d. 1124, 1.2 k
15506: 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
    N b. LAT 41°05.1'N, LONG 71°36.0'W
    Y c. LAT 41°05.3'N, LONG 71°35.8'W
    N d. LAT 41°05.4'N, LONG 71°35.5'W
15729: If the Rosedale Gage reads -0.5 feet, what is the water level if the low water reference plane for Rosedale is 3.0 feet? 

    N a. 0.5 foot below the plane
    N b. 0.5 foot above the plane
    N c. 2.5 feet above the plane
    Y d. 3.5 feet below the plane
15738: At 1830 you obtained the following Loran-C readings:

9960-W-14820.0
9960-X-26097.0
9960-Y-43713.5

What is your vessel's position? 

    N a. LAT 40°41.0'N,  LONG 72°06.0'W
    N b. LAT 40°41.0'N,  LONG 72°10.6'W
    Y c. LAT 40°42.5'N,  LONG 72°07.1'W
    N d. LAT 40°47.5'N,  LONG 72°02.9'W
15858: At 0005, on 26 January, your position is LAT 41°11.8'N,
LONG 72°20.5'W. From this position, you plot a course to a position one mile North of Mattituck Breakwater Light "MI". If there are no set and drift, what course should you steer per gyro compass? 

    N a. 219°pgc
    Y b. 222°pgc
    N c. 225°pgc
    N d. 228°pgc
16008: While on a heading of 082°T, you sight Middle Ground Light in line with Old Field Point Light bearing 206° per standard magnetic compass. From this you can determine the __________. 

    N a. variation
    Y b. deviation table is correct for that heading
    N c. compass error is 17.5°E
    N d. deviation is 3.5°E for a bearing of 206° per standard magnetic compass
16059: At 1800, Tue Marshes Light bears 270°pgc, and York Spit Swash Channel Light "3" bears 007°pgc. Your position is __________. 

    N a. LAT 37°14.0'N, LONG 76°19.8'W
    N b. LAT 37°14.2'N, LONG 76°20.3'W
    Y c. LAT 37°14.2'N, LONG 76°20.1'W
    N d. LAT 37°14.5'N, LONG 76°20.0'W
16106: At 0410, you take the following bearings:
New Point Comfort Light "2" 242°T
Wolf Trap Light 313°T
Horn Harbor Entrance Light "HH" 262°T

What is your 0410 position? 

    Y a. LAT 37°21.0'N, LONG 76°08.1'W
    N b. LAT 37°21.0'N, LONG 76°08.8'W
    N c. LAT 37°21.1'N, LONG 76°07.9'W
    N d. LAT 37°21.2'N, LONG 76°08.2'W
16264: Which statement about your 0400 position is true? 

    N a. You are governed by the Inland Rules of the Road.
    N b. Anchoring, trawling and fishing are prohibited.
    N c. The ocean floor is composed of shingle.
    Y d. You are within the Territorial Sea and the contiguous zone.
16359: If your engines are turning for 6.5 knots and the estimated current is north at 0.5 knot. What is the ETA at point "A"? 

    Y a. 0511
    N b. 0501
    N c. 0450
    N d. 0440
16515: What action should you take to compensate for the above current? 

    N a. Continue on the same course and speed.
    Y b. Alter your course to the left.
    N c. Slow to 8.5 knots.
    N d. Alter your course to the right.
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
16739: What is the earliest time you should sight Montauk Point Light (nominal range - 24 miles) if you are turning for 9.2 knots? Visibility is 5 nautical miles. 

    Y a. The light is visible at 2212
    N b. 2221
    N c. 2243
    N d. You will not sight the light on this course.