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.

38: What are the color and shape of Anconia Pt. Light at mile 528.6 AHP?
90: As you approach Giles Bend Cutoff Light (mile 367.7 AHP), what type of daymark would you see on the light structure?
214: 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 10.0 knots, the current's set and drift are 040°T at 1.8 knots, and a north wind produces a 3° leeway, what true course should you steer to make good your desired course?
215: As an option to heading into Long Island Sound, you consider anchoring in the vicinity of the Gardiners Point Ruins at the north end of Gardiners Island. What is the minimum recommended distance from the ruins for fishing, trawling, or anchoring? 

    N a. 1.0 mile
    N b. 0.8 mile
    N c. 0.5 mile
    Y d. 300 yards (91 meters)
296: At 1800, Tue Marshes Light bears 264.5°pgc, York Spit Swash Channel Light "3" bears 007°pgc. Your position is __________. 

    N a. LAT 37°15.5'N,  LONG 76°19.8'W
    N b. LAT 37°15.2'N,  LONG 76°20.3'W
    Y c. LAT 37°14.5'N,  LONG 76°20.1'W
    N d. LAT 37°15.0'N,  LONG 76°20.4'W
331: You leave York Spit Channel at buoy "14" at 0600 with an engine speed of 12 knots. You receive orders to rendezvous with the tug "Quicksilver" and her tow at Hog Island Bell Buoy "12". What is your ETA at the rendezvous point, if you pass through Chesapeake Channel to buoy "CBJ", through the outbound traffic separation lane to buoy "NCA" (LL#375), and then to the rendezvous point? 

    N a. 0935
    Y b. 0910
    N c. 0850
    N d. 0830
387: The wind is southerly, and you estimate 3° leeway. Allowing for leeway, what is the course to steer from your 0745 position to pass 1 mile south of Watch Hill Buoy "WH"? 

    Y a. 087°pgc
    N b. 085°pgc
    N c. 081°pgc
    N d. 079°pgc
395: A vessel at LAT 45°36.0'N, LONG 11°36.0'W, heads for a destination at LAT 24°16.0'N, LONG 73°52.0'W. Determine the true course and distance by Mercator sailing. 

    Y a. 247°T, 3299.3 miles
    N b. 247°T, 3951.6 miles
    N c. 251°T, 3298.5 miles
    N d. 251°T, 3951.6 miles
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
618: Your vessel departs Seattle at 1010 zone time (ZD +8), on 28 May, bound for Apra, Guam (ZD -10). The distance by great circle is 4,948 miles, and you estimate that you will average 18.5 knots. What is your estimated zone time of arrival? 

    Y a. 0737,  9 June
    N b. 1737,  9 June
    N c. 1937,  9 June
    N d. 0737, 10 June
688: What is the distance from the Amoco Docks at Baton Rouge, LA, to Pittsburgh, PA? 

    N a. 727.9 miles
    N b. 981.5 miles
    N c. 1575.3 miles
    Y d. 1681.7 miles
1102: On 19 November , your 0200 zone time DR position is LAT 18°41'N, LONG 150°37'E. You are on course 014°T at a speed of 18 knots. You observed 3 celestial bodies. Determine the latitude and longitude of your 0600 running fix. NP-0031

    Y a. LAT 19°45.4'N, LONG 150°52.6'E
    N b. LAT 19°42.8'N, LONG 150°56.9'E
    N c. LAT 19°41.2'N, LONG 150°46.3'E
    N d. LAT 19°39.3'N, LONG 150°51.8'E
1102: On 19 November , your 0200 zone time DR position is LAT 18°41'N, LONG 150°37'E. You are on course 014°T at a speed of 18 knots. You observed 3 celestial bodies. Determine the latitude and longitude of your 0600 running fix. NP-0031

    Y a. LAT 19°45.4'N, LONG 150°52.6'E
    N b. LAT 19°42.8'N, LONG 150°56.9'E
    N c. LAT 19°41.2'N, LONG 150°46.3'E
    N d. LAT 19°39.3'N, LONG 150°51.8'E
1135: The low water reference plane (LWRP) for Bayou Sara is 5.25 feet. If the Bayou Sara Gage reads -0.5 feet, what is the water level in relation to the low water reference plane? 

    N a. 4.75 feet above the plane
    N b. 5.75 feet above the plane
    Y c. 5.75 feet below the plane
    N d. 4.75 feet below the plane
1476: On 16 September , your vessel's 0736 zone time DR position is LAT 27°34'S, LONG 174°49'E, when an azimuth of the Sun is observed. The chronometer time of the sight is 07h 38m 11s, and the Sun is bearing 079.8° per gyrocompass. The chronometer error is 01m 46s fast, and the variation in the area is 11.0°W. At the time of the sight, the helmsman reports that he was heading 252°pgc and 258° per magnetic compass. What is the deviation of the magnetic compass? 

    N a. 2°W
    N b. 3°W
    Y c. 3°E
    N d. 8°W
1485: On 6 October , your 0416 zone time DR position is LAT 25°16.0'N, LONG 130°25.0'E. At that time, you observe Mars bearing 083°psc. The chronometer reads 07h 16m 22s, and the chronometer error is 00m 10s fast. The variation is 1.5°E. What is the deviation of the standard compass? 

    N a. 0.4°E
    Y b. 1.2°W
    N c. 3.5°E
    N d. 19.0°E
1495: On 9 September , your 2043 ZT position is LAT 24°18'N, LONG 66°46'W. You observe Polaris bearing 001°pgc. At the time of the observation the helmsman noted that he was heading 031°pgc and 040°psc. The variation is 11°W. What is the deviation for that heading? 

    N a. 0°
    N b. 1°W
    N c. 3°W
    Y d. 2°E
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
1839: What are the dimensions of the channel maintained from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, LA? 

    N a. 30 feet x 300 feet
    N b. 40 feet x 300 feet
    N c. 30 feet x 500 feet
    Y d. 45 feet x 500 feet
1858: On 22 April , your 1852 ZT DR position is LAT 23°54.5'
N, LONG 117°36.8'W. You observe an unidentified star bearing 129°T at an observed altitude (Ho) of 27°10.0'. The chronometer reads 02h 54m 53s and is 02m 51s fast. What star did you observe? 

    N a. Diphda
    N b. Betelgeuse
    Y c. Gienah
    N d. Arcturus
1861: On 22 February , your 1857 ZT DR position is LAT 23°46.0'S, LONG 93°16.5'E. You observe an unidentified star bearing 159°T, at an observed altitude (Ho) of 34°30.0'. The chronometer reads 01h 00m 35s and is 03m 25s fast. What star did you observe? 

    N a. Adhara
    Y b. Miaplacidus
    N c. Avior
    N d. Suhail
2091: At your current speed of 22 knots you only have enough fuel remaining to travel 422 miles. You must travel 844 miles to reach your destination. What should you reduce your speed (knots) to in order to reach your destination? 

    N a. 19.8
    N b. 18.4
    N c. 17.0
    Y d. 15.6
2109: At 0100, you obtain the following bearings:

Rocky Point Lookout Tower 062°T
Horton Point Lighthouse 189°T

What was the speed made good between 0045 and 0100? 

    Y a. 7.4 knots
    N b. 8.0 knots
    N c. 8.7 knots
    N d. 9.2 knots
2124: If the visibility is 10 miles and you are in the red sector, at what distance off should you sight Cape Henry Light? 

    Y a. 15 miles
    N b. 12 miles
    N c. 10 miles
    N d. 08 miles
2152: On 25 June , at 0612 zone time, morning stars were observed, and the vessel's position was determined to be LAT 28°13.0'S, LONG 49°34.0'E. Your vessel is steaming at 17.0 knots on a course of 066°T. A sextant observation of the Sun's lower limb is made at 1022 zone time. The chronometer reads 07h 19m 17s, and the sextant altitude is 35°26.3'. The index error is 1.5' on the arc, and the chronometer error is 02m 51s slow. Your height of eye on the bridge is 58.0 feet. What is the azimuth (Zn) of this sight using the assumed position? 

    Y a. 021.5°T
    N b. 157.5°T
    N c. 201.5°T
    N d. 338.5°T
2178: On 26 July , your 1901 ZT position is LAT 28°28'N, LONG 157°16'E when you take an observation of Jupiter. The chronometer at the time of the sight reads 08h 54m 34s and is 06m 24s slow. The sextant altitude (hs) is 33°51.5'. The index error is 2.8'off the arc, and the height of eye is 48 feet. What are the azimuth (Zn) and intercept (a) for this sight using the assumed position? 

    N a. Zn 110.8°,  a 32.0' T
    N b. Zn 249.2°,  a 32.0' A
    Y c. Zn 248.2°,  a 34.2' T
    N d. Zn 290.8°,  a 44.2' A
2461: You have steamed 540 miles at 22 knots and burning 618 barrels of fuel per day. You must decrease your consumption to 372 barrels per day with 299 miles left in your voyage. What must you reduce your speed (kts) to in order to burn this amount of fuel? 

    Y a. 16.5
    N b. 17.6
    N c. 19.1
    N d. 20.0
2462: You have steamed 504 miles at 21 knots and burning 633 barrels of fuel per day. You must decrease your consumption to 410 barrels per day with 399 miles left in your voyage. What must you reduce your speed (kts) to in order to burn this amount of fuel? 

    N a. 20.1
    Y b. 19.0
    N c. 16.2
    N d. 15.0
2690: While on a course of 066°pgc, a light bears 13° on the port bow at a distance of 12.3 miles. What course should you steer to pass 4 miles abeam of the light leaving it to port? 

    N a. 067°pgc
    Y b. 072°pgc
    N c. 079°pgc
    N d. 085°pgc
2885: Your vessel is steering 194°T at 13 knots. At 0116 a light bears 243°T, and at 0147 the same light bears 267°T. What will be your distance off abeam? 

    N a. 11.2 miles
    N b. 11.6 miles
    Y c. 12.0 miles
    N d. 12.5 miles
3076: If the speed necessary for reaching port at a designated time is 16.4 knots and the pitch of the propeller is 23.8 feet, how many revolutions per minute will the shaft have to turn, assuming a 6% positive slip? 

    N a. 66
    Y b. 74
    N c. 82
    N d. 90
3278: While steaming at 14 knots, your vessel burns 276 bbls of fuel per day. What will be the rate of fuel consumption if you decrease speed to 11.7 knots? 

    N a. 135 bbls/day
    Y b. 161 bbls/day
    N c. 196 bbls/day
    N d. 245 bbls/day
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
3766: Your vessel is proceeding down 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 229°T, and variation is 6°W. If the heading of your vessel at the time of the sighting is 232° per standard magnetic compass, what is the deviation? 

    Y a. 3°E
    N b. 9°E
    N c. 3°W
    N d. 9°W
4001: 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 magnetic compass heading of 143°.
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° 

    Y a. 2.0°W
    N b. 1.5°W
    N c. 0.5°W
    N d. 0.0°
10907: What is the time (DST ZD +4) of the AM high tide at York Point, Poquoson River on 8 September 1983? 

    N a. 0955
    Y b. 1048
    N c. 1055
    N d. 1102
11706: Your position is LAT 37°00.0'N, LONG 75°30.0'W. What is the course to steer per standard magnetic compass to arrive at LAT 36°59.0'N, LONG 75°48.5'W, if you are turning for 8.7 knots, the current is 039°T at 1.3 knots, and a northwesterly wind is causing 3° of leeway? 

    N a. 264.0°
    N b. 267.5°
    N c. 270.0°
    Y d. 273.0°
15342: At 1756 you determined your vessel's position to be 41°10.4'N, 71°59.2'W. From this position, you wish to change course to head for a point 5 miles west of Block Island North Light. With a reported set of 050°T, a drift of 2.0 knots and turning RPM's for 14 knots, which course should you steer to make good your desired course? 

    N a. 070°T
    N b. 075°T
    Y c. 080°T
    N d. 085°T
15411: From your 1830 fix, you continue south on a course of 150°T turning RPMs for 6 knots. You encounter a flood current in the direction of 330°T at 2 knots. Adjusting your course for set and drift, which course would you steer to make good a course of 150°T while turning RPMs for 6 knots? 

    N a. 144°T
    Y b. 150°T
    N c. 158°T
    N d. 162°T
15539: At 2127 you are on course 076°T. What is your ETA at a position where Twenty Eight Foot Shoal Lighted Bell Buoy "TE" is abeam to port? 

    N a. 2316
    N b. 2324
    Y c. 2332
    N d. 2345
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
15868: Stratford Shoal Middle Ground Light is __________. 

    N a. 13 foot high
    N b. a fixed white light
    N c. shown from a white tower
    Y d. equipped with a HORN
16060: The short-long dashed, magenta lines parallel to York River Entrance Channel mark __________. 

    Y a. fish trap areas
    N b. naval exercise areas
    N c. underwater cables
    N d. recommended track lines
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
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
16117: What is the distance from your 0731 fix to Wilmington, N.C.
(LAT 34°14.0'N, LONG 77°57.0'W)? 

    Y a. 339 miles
    N b. 363 miles
    N c. 402 miles
    N d. 486 miles
16270: The wind is northerly and will cause 2° leeway. The current is 018° at 0.5 knot. If your engines are turning for 8.0 knots. What should you steer to remain in York River Entrance Channel? 

    N a. 304°T
    N b. 306°T
    Y c. 309°T
    N d. 314°T
16469: As you pass between trestle "B" and trestle "C" of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge - Tunnel, you sight along the trestle "C" when it is in line. The trestle bears 057° per standard magnetic compass while the vessel is heading 320°T. From this you know the __________. 

    Y a. vessel should be swung to check the deviation table
    N b. compass error is 12°W
    N c. deviation table is correct for that bearing
    N d. deviation is 10°W
16508: At 0700, your gyro alarm sounds. What course should you steer by the standard magnetic compass in order to maintain your original heading of 078°T? 

    N a. 062°psc
    N b. 080°psc
    N c. 090°psc
    Y d. 095°psc
16707: Point Judith Harbor of Refuge __________. 

    N a. is used mostly by towing vessels
    N b. has a maximum depth of 14 feet at MHW
    N c. is easily accessible in heavy southerly seas
    Y d. is entered through the East Gap or the West Gap
16845: After the pilot boards, he tells you the gyro has a 2°E error. If this is true, what should the bearing be along Trestle C of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel as your vessel passes abeam of it? 

    N a. 052°pgc
    N b. 049°pgc
    Y c. 047°pgc
    N d. 045°pgc