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.


112: Which of the following statements regarding buoys on the Mississippi River is TRUE?


193: If the visibility is 3 miles, at what range will you lose sight of Chesapeake Light?


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?


361: Which publication contains the specific information about navigating in York Spit Channel?

    Y a. Coast Pilot
    N b. Light List
    N c. Chesapeake Bay Harbor- master's Regulations Manual
    N d. Navigator's Manual - Chesapeake Bay

424: From your 0530 position, you set a course of 271°psc with an engine speed of 9 knots. At 0645, Cornfield Safe-Water Buoy is abeam to starboard. What speed have you averaged since 0530?

    N a. 9.5 knots
    N b. 9.0 knots
    Y c. 8.6 knots
    N d. 7.5 knots

435: Which course should you change to per standard magnetic compass as you pass SW Ledge Light to remain in the channel?

    N a. 026°psc
    Y b. 022°psc
    N c. 014°psc
    N d. 007°psc

456: At 0630, you pass Buoy "PI" close abeam on the starboard side. You are steering 078°T and are headed directly toward Race Rock Light. At 0654, Little Gull Island Light is bearing 207°T and Race Rock Light is bearing 072°T. What is your 0654 position?

    N a. LAT 41°13.6'N, LONG 72°03.3'W
    Y b. LAT 41°14.0'N, LONG 72°05.3'W
    N c. LAT 41°14.7'N, LONG 72°06.8'W
    N d. LAT 41°19.0'N, LONG 72°05.2'W

546: At 0705, you take the following bearings:

Watch Hill Light 030.5°pgc
Latimer Reef Light 329.0°pgc
Race Rock Light 262.0°pgc

What was the true course made good between 0645 and 0705?

    N a. 266°T
    N b. 263°T
    Y c. 256°T
    N d. 252°T

600: What is the brown colored tint shown at Bordeaux Point Dykes (mile 681.0 AHP)?

    N a. river gage
    N b. fish hatchery
    N c. levee
    Y d. dredge material

611: At 0600 zone time, on 22 October , you depart Manila, LAT 14°35.0'N, LONG 120°58.0'E (ZD -8). You are bound for Los Angeles, LAT 33°46.0'N, LONG 118°11.0'W, and you estimate your speed of advance at 20.2 knots. The distance is 6,385.9 miles. What is your estimated zone time of arrival at Los Angeles?

    Y a. 1808, 3 November
    N b. 0208, 4 November
    N c. 1008, 4 November
    N d. 0208, 5 November

634: You have orders to drop off the empties at the fleeting area at Cairo Point and add five loaded tank barges to your tow. If you are turning for 9 mph and estimate the current at 1.5 mph, what is your ETA at Cairo?

    N a. 1031, 22 June
    Y b. 1423, 22 June
    N c. 1741, 22 June
    N d. 2210, 22 June

738: On 24 September , your 1841 zone time DR position is LAT 25°15.0'N, LONG 129°34.5'E. At that time you observe Polaris with a sextant altitude (hs) of 25°20.8'. The chronometer time of the sight is 09h 38m 12s, and the chronometer error is 03m 12s slow. The index error is 4.3' off the arc, and the height of eye is 52.0 feet. What is your latitude by Polaris?

    N a. 24°28.4'N
    N b. 25°16.0'N
    Y c. 25°37.6'N
    N d. 25°42.3'N

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

1218: It is 22 February , and you are keeping zone time +12. You are on course 267°T, speed 22 knots. Your 0800 DR position is LAT 28°15.0'N, LONG 179°18.0'W. What is the time of the second estimate of LAN by ship's clocks?

    N a. 11h 17m 02s
    N b. 11h 50m 42s
    N c. 12h 16m 01s
    Y d. 12h 18m 00s

1420: What company does NOT have a marine facility along the river bank in Helena (mile 661 to 665 AHP)?

    N a. Helena Port Terminal, Inc.
    Y b. Riceland Food Corps..
    N c. Quincy Soybean Co.
    N d. Texas Eastern Pipeline Co.

1426: What is the total length of the trip?

    N a. 910.6 miles
    N b. 901.4 miles
    N c. 900.7 miles
    Y d. 873.7 miles

1426: What is the total length of the trip?

    N a. 910.6 miles
    N b. 901.4 miles
    N c. 900.7 miles
    Y d. 873.7 miles

1452: On 6 November , your 0752 zone time DR position is LAT 25°11.0'N, LONG 76°07.0'W. At that time, you observe the Sun bearing 119°psc. The chronometer reads 12h 53m 07s, and the chronometer error is 01m 19s fast. The variation is 3°W. What is the deviation of the standard magnetic compass?

    N a. 2.2°W
    N b. 3.8°W
    N c. 2.8°E
    Y d. 3.2°E

1503: On 30 July , your 0200 zone time (ZD +4) DR position is LAT 43°48'N, LONG 78°00 W. At that time, you observe Polaris bearing 008.7°psc. The chronometer time of the observation is 05h 58m 07s, and the chronometer is 0m 23s slow. The variation is 10.5°W. What is the deviation of the magnetic compass?

    N a. 0.5°E
    Y b. 3.0°E
    N c. 7.5°W
    N d. 18.0°W

1775: At 1412 you increase speed to make good 10.2 mph. At 1506 you have a daymark on your port beam. Which daymark is this?

    N a. Bessie Daymark
    Y b. Nolan Light
    N c. Everetts Light
    N d. Marr Towhead Light

1809: Which daymark would you see at Shields Bar Lt. (mile 882.2 AHP)?

    N a. Red triangle
    N b. Green triangle
    Y c. Red diamond
    N d. Green square

1867: On 12 June , your 1845 DR position is LAT 21°47'N, LONG 46°52'W when you observe a faint unidentifiable star through a break in the clouds. The star bears 162°T at a sextant altitude (hs) of 28°36.5'. The index error is 0.5'
on the arc, and the height of eye is 45 feet. The chronometer reads 09h 43m 27s, and the chronometer error is 1m 46s slow. What star did you observe?

    N a. Gamma Virginis
    Y b. Iota Centauri
    N c. Spica
    N d. Mimosa

2053: 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?

    Y a. 1.8 mph
    N b. 2.1 mph
    N c. 4.4 mph
    N d. 5.6 mph

2094: At your current speed of 20 knots you only have enough fuel remaining to travel 218 miles. You must travel 395 miles to reach your destination. What should you reduce your speed (knots) to in order to reach your destination?

    N a. 17.4
    N b. 16.2
    Y c. 14.9
    N d. 13.7

2333: You observe the lower limb of the Sun at a sextant altitude (hs) of 37°47.2' on 11 October . The index error is 3.0' off the arc. The height of eye is 63 feet (19.2 meters). What is the observed altitude (Ho)?

    N a. 37°25.2'
    N b. 37°42.5'
    N c. 37°51.5'
    Y d. 37°57.5'

2595: At 0145 you take on the pilot and are inbound Port Jefferson. The ship's heading is 147°pgc when lined up on the Port Jefferson range. What is your gyro error?

    Y a. 1° W
    N b. 1° E
    N c. 2° E
    N d. 0°

2654: You are steering 231°T, and a light is picked up dead ahead at a distance of 12.3 miles at 0338. You change course to pass the light 4 miles off abeam to starboard. If you are making 16.5 knots, what is your ETA at the position 4 miles off the light?

    Y a. 0420
    N b. 0423
    N c. 0426
    N d. 0429

2660: You are steering 287°T, and a light is picked up dead ahead at a distance of 19.4 miles at 0419. You change course to pass the light 4 miles off abeam to starboard. If you are making 13 knots, what is your ETA at the position 4 miles off the light?

    N a. 0541
    N b. 0544
    Y c. 0547
    N d. 0550

2664: You are on course 061°T, at a speed of 12.4 knots. At 0839 you see a rock bearing 059°T at a range of 4.4 miles. If you change course at 0845 to leave the rock abeam to starboard at 1.5 mile, at what time will the rock be abeam?

    N a. 0854
    Y b. 0859
    N c. 0903
    N d. 0906

2784: You pass Ratcliff Light (mile 289.8) at 1650. What was your average speed since leaving Baton Rouge?

    N a. 7.3 mph
    Y b. 7.6 mph
    N c. 8.0 mph
    N d. 8.3 mph

2910: Your vessel is steaming on a course of 140°T at 15 knots. At 1530 a lighthouse bears 200°T. At 1550 it bears 249°T. What is your distance from the lighthouse at 1550?

    N a. 1.15 miles
    N b. 4.60 miles
    N c. 5.45 miles
    Y d. 5.75 miles

3054: The propeller on a vessel has a diameter of 22.8 feet and a pitch of 19.3 feet. What would be the apparent slip if the vessel cruised 287 miles in a 24 hour day (observed distance) at an average RPM of 67?

    N a. -6.3%
    Y b. +6.3%
    N c. -24.0%
    N d. +24.0%

3064: The propeller of a vessel has a pitch of 19.0 feet. If the vessel traveled 183.5 miles (observed distance) in 24 hours at an average of 44 RPM, what was the slip?

    Y a. +7.4%
    N b. -7.4%
    N c. +11.6%
    N d. -11.6%

3286: While steaming at 14.5 knots, your vessel consumes 242 barrels of fuel oil per day. In order to reduce consumption to 152 barrels of fuel oil per day, what is the maximum speed the vessel can turn for?

    N a. 9.1 knots
    N b. 10.2 knots
    N c. 11.5 knots
    Y d. 12.4 knots

3311: You have steamed 162 miles and consumed 14.0 tons of fuel. If you maintain the same speed, how many tons of fuel will you consume while steaming 285 miles?

    Y a. 24.6 tons
    N b. 34.7 tons
    N c. 43.3 tons
    N d. 54.8 tons

3602: You are heading 328°pgc to make good a course of 332°T, allowing 3° leeway for westerly winds and 1°E gyro error. The variation is 17°E. What should your heading be by standard magnetic compass to make good 332°T.
DEVIATION TABLE
MAGNETIC HEADING DEV.
345° 1°E
330° 1°W
315° 3°W

    Y a. 315°psc
    N b. 318°psc
    N c. 343°psc
    N d. 345°psc

3649: The true course between two points is 078°. Your gyrocompass has an error of 2°E. You make an allowance of 3° leeway for a north wind. What gyro course should be steered to make the true course good?

    Y a. 073°pgc
    N b. 075°pgc
    N c. 077°pgc
    N d. 079°pgc

11101: Great Salt Pond on Block Island is __________.

    Y a. entered through a dredged cut
    N b. not accessible in easterly gales
    N c. available for vessels up to a maximum draft of 8 feet (2.4m)
    N d. not affected by the tide

12507: You are on course 300° per standard magnetic compass (psc) when you take the following bearings: New Point Comfort Spit Light "2" 240°psc Horn Harbor Entrance Light HH 268°psc Wolf Trap Light 003°psc What is the position of the fix?

    N a. LAT 37°20.8'N, LONG 76°09.6'W
    Y b. LAT 37°20.8'N, LONG 76°11.0'W
    N c. LAT 37°20.9'N, LONG 76°11.5'W
    N d. LAT 37°21.1'N, LONG 76°08.2'W

15008: At 1920, the buoy forward of your starboard beam is __________.

    N a. an interrupted quick flashing buoy
    N b. Hog Island Lighted Bell Buoy
    N c. South Light Buoy
    Y d. Sand Shoal Inlet Lighted Buoy "A"

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

15318: You passed Cape Henry Light at 0730 outbound at maximum flood. What approximate current can you expect on entering Chesapeake Channel?

    N a. Slack before ebb
    N b. Slack before flood
    N c. Ebb current
    Y d. Flood current

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

15470: At 1119, Wolf Trap Light bears 268°T at 4.4 miles by radar. What were the set and drift since your 1037 fix?

    N a. 178°, 0.5 knot
    N b. 358°, 0.5 knot
    N c. 178°, 0.7 knot
    Y d. 358°, 0.7 knot

15562: The two wavy magenta lines running to Green Hill Point represent __________.

    N a. recommended approaches to Green Hill Point
    Y b. submarine cables
    N c. prohibited fishing areas
    N d. fish trap areas

15745: Your 2239 position is LAT 41°08.5'N, LONG 71°53.3'W. You change course to 315°T, and you maintain RPM's for 9 knots. At 2329 Little Gull Island Light bears 253°T, Race Rock Light bears 309°T, and Watch Hill Point Light bears 058°T. What were the set and drift of the current you experienced from your 2239 position?

    N a. 076°T at 0.75 knot
    N b. 076°T at 0.90 knot
    N c. 256°T at 0.75 knot
    Y d. 256°T at 0.90 knot

16042: At 1022 when you complete the evacuation, you get underway on course 098°T and order turns for 14.5 knots. You take the following round of bearings at that time:
Stratford Point Light - 260° per gyrocompass
New Haven Light - 326° per gyrocompass
SW Ledge Light - 358° per gyrocompass

Determine your ETA and distance off when abeam of Falkner Island Light, if there are no set and drift?

    N a. 1102, 3.0 miles
    Y b. 1108, 3.3 miles
    N c. 1114, 3.1 miles
    N d. 1118, 3.3 miles

16241: At 2129 Cape Charles Light bears 253°T, Hog Island Lighted Bell Buoy "12" bears 351°T, and Cape Charles Lighted Bell Buoy "14" bears 230°T. Which statement is TRUE?

    N a. The fathometer reads about 62 feet (18.9 meters).
    N b. The bottom is hard sand and oysters.
    N c. You are to seaward of the contiguous zone.
    Y d. You are governed by the International Rules of the Road.

16266: The abandoned lighthouse at Cape Henry is a(n) __________.

    N a. octagonal, black and white tower
    N b. radio beacon station
    N c. emergency back up to Cape Henry Light
    Y d. gray, pyramidal tower

16440: What course per gyrocompass would you need to steer from the anchorage to York Spit Channel buoy "29"?

    Y a. 172° pgc
    N b. 175° pgc
    N c. 178° pgc
    N d. 181° pgc

16463: The visibility is about 5 miles. Which statement about Cape Charles Light is TRUE?

    N a. The light has been visible since you departed the anchorage.
    N b. You will not see the light until you are within 5 miles of the light.
    Y c. The light will become visible about 0400.
    N d. The light will not be visible until you enter the inbound leg of the traffic separation scheme.

16568: From your 1930 position, you plot a course to pass 0.5 mile due south of Race Rock Light. If your vessel's speed is 8.0 knots, the current's set and drift are 040°T at 1.4 knots,
and a south wind produces a 3° leeway, what true course should you steer to make good your desired course?

    Y a. 275°T
    N b. 280°T
    N c. 290°T
    N d. 294°T