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.

52: You are downbound when you observe on your Mississippi River map a white square with a number inside located on either bank. This indicates __________.
81: Which company does NOT have a marine facility along the river bank in Helena (mile 658 to 665 AHP)?
147: After passing Oak Bend Lt. (mile 425.6 AHP) you see a light gray shaded area extending into the river shown on the map. This indicates a __________.
209: At 0705, you take the following bearings:

Watch Hill Light 034.5°pgc
Latimer Reef Light 338.0°pgc
Race Rock Light 268.0°pgc

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

    Y a. 253°T
    N b. 256°T
    N c. 263°T
    N d. 266°T
267: At 0802, Branford Reef Light bears 348°T at 0.75 mile, and the north point of Falkner Island bears 088°T at 6.7 miles. What were the set and drift since 0740? 

    N a. Set 040°T, drift .2 knot
    N b. Set 220°T, drift .2 knot
    Y c. Set 220°T, drift .6 knot
    N d. You are making good your intended course and speed.
362: At 0530, the Coast Guard announces that Chesapeake Channel is closed indefinitely due to a collision occurring in the channel between Trestle "B" and "C" of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel. You exit York Spit Channel, leaving buoy "20" abeam to port at 0.1 mile, and alter course to leave Horseshoe Crossing Lighted Bell Buoy abeam to port at 0.2 mile. What is the course per gyrocompass? 

    Y a. 193°pgc
    N b. 190°pgc
    N c. 187°pgc
    N d. 185°pgc
417: A vessel at LAT 21°32'N, LONG 160°30'W, heads for a destination at LAT 30°00'N, LONG 150°00'E. Determine the true course and distance by Mercator sailing. 

    N a. 273°T, 2645 miles
    N b. 273°T, 2692 miles
    Y c. 281°T, 2733 miles
    N d. 284°T, 2762 miles
420: At 0930, your position is LAT 41°16.5'N, LONG 71°41.4'W, and you are turning for 7 knots. Allowing 3° leeway for southerly winds and estimating the current as 035° at 0.3 knot, what is the course to steer (pgc) to point "B"? 

    Y a. 096°pgc
    N b. 094°pgc
    N c. 091°pgc
    N d. 089°pgc
420: At 0930, your position is LAT 41°16.5'N, LONG 71°41.4'W, and you are turning for 7 knots. Allowing 3° leeway for southerly winds and estimating the current as 035° at 0.3 knot, what is the course to steer (pgc) to point "B"? 

    Y a. 096°pgc
    N b. 094°pgc
    N c. 091°pgc
    N d. 089°pgc
438: You estimate that you are making 9.3 knots over the ground. At what time will you enter waters governed by the COLREGS? 

    N a. 0258
    N b. 0255
    Y c. 0251
    N d. 0247
529: You depart LAT 51°48.0'S, LONG 178°35.0'W and steam 179 miles on course 270°. What is the longitude of arrival? 

    N a. 173°47'W
    N b. 174°27'E
    Y c. 176°36'E
    N d. 179°52'W
538: Determine the distance from LAT 23°24'S, LONG 13°54'E to LAT 23°24'S, LONG 42°48'W. by parallel sailing. 

    N a. 3119.3 miles
    Y b. 3122.2 miles
    N c. 3124.5 miles
    N d. 3126.6 miles
551: You are on course 092°T, and the engines are turning for 8 knots. At 0452, you take the following bearings:
Stratford Point Light 020°pgc Stratford Shoal (Middle Ground) Light 141°pgc

What is your 0452 position? 

    Y a. LAT 41°05.2'N, LONG 73°07.8'W
    N b. LAT 41°05.0'N, LONG 73°07.5'W
    N c. LAT 41°05.0'N, LONG 73°07.3'W
    N d. LAT 41°04.8'N, LONG 73°07.3'W
562: At 0700, Falkner Island Light bears 023°pgc, and the range to the south tip of Falkner Island is 7.1 miles. What was the course made good since 0615? 

    N a. 087°T
    N b. 084°T
    Y c. 081°T
    N d. 078°T
740: On 14 March , your 1846 ZT DR position is LAT 21°57.6'N, LONG 132°16.2'W. At that time you observe Polaris with a sextant altitude (hs) of 22°16.8'. The chronometer time of the sight is 03h 45m 10s, and the chronometer error is 01m 32s slow. The index error is 3.2' off the arc, and the height of eye is 44.9 feet. What is your latitude by Polaris? 

    N a. 21°32.4'N
    Y b. 21°49.8'N
    N c. 21°51.0'N
    N d. 21°53.1'N
812: On 28 July , your 0800 zone time (ZT) fix gives you a position of LAT 25°16.0'N, LONG 71°19.0'W. Your vessel is on course 026°T, and your speed is 17.5 knots. Local apparent noon (LAN) occurs at 1150 ZT, at which time a meridian altitude of the Sun's lower limb is observed. The observed altitude (Ho) for this sight is 82°28.7'. What is the latitude at 1200 ZT? 

    N a. 26°25.0'N
    Y b. 26°27.6'N
    N c. 26°29.8'N
    N d. 26°32.0'N
845: On 16 September , your 0600 ZT fix gives you a position of LAT 29°47.2'N, LONG 65°28.4'W. Your vessel is on course 242°T and your speed is 13.5 knots. Local apparent noon (LAN) occurs at 1227 ZT, at which time a meridian altitude of the Sun's lower limb is observed. The observed altitude (Ho) for this sight is 63°25.3'. What is the calculated latitude at LAN? 

    N a. 29°07.9'N
    N b. 29°06.1'N
    Y c. 29°04.7'N
    N d. 29°01.6'N
981: On 20 September , your 0730 zone time position was LAT 28°58.0'N, LONG 152°26.0'W. Your vessel was steaming on course 225°T at a speed of 19.0 knots. An observation of the Sun's lower limb was made at 0931 ZT. The chronometer read 07h 29m 20s and was slow 02m 22s. The observed altitude (Ho) was 44°14.4'. LAN occurred at 1206 zone time. The observed altitude (Ho) was 62°49.5'. What was the longitude of your 1200 zone time running fix? 

    N a. LONG 153°32.5'W
    N b. LONG 153°27.2'W
    Y c. LONG 153°23.5'W
    N d. LONG 153°20.0'W
1088: On 9 June , your 0000 DR position is LAT 26°14.0'S, LONG 176°38.1'E. You are on course 223°T, speed 17.8 knots. You observed 4 celestial bodies. Determine the latitude and longitude of your 0630 running fix. 

    Y a. LAT 27°44.7'S, LONG 174°57.1'E
    N b. LAT 27°46.2'S, LONG 175°03.0'E
    N c. LAT 27°41.2'S, LONG 175°01.2'E
    N d. LAT 27°38.5'S, LONG 175°06.3'E
1097: On 9 November , your 0400 DR position is LAT 18°24.0'S, LONG 97°36.0'W. You are on course 138°T at a speed of 16 knots. You observed 3 celestial bodies. Determine the latitude and longitude of your 0600 running fix. NP-0027

    N a. LAT 18°15.0'S, LONG 98°52.5'W
    Y b. LAT 18°45.0'S, LONG 97°06.8'W
    N c. LAT 18°52.5'S, LONG 97°10.6'W
    N d. LAT 19°15.5'S, LONG 98°08.8'W
1183: On 25 June , your 0900 zone time DR position is LAT 24°10.0'S, LONG 148°30.0'W. Your vessel is on a course of 230°T at a speed of 18.0 knots. What is the zone time of local apparent noon (LAN)? 

    N a. 1154
    N b. 1156
    Y c. 1200
    N d. 1204
1286: As you pass under the Vicksburg Bridges, you estimate the current as 3.0 mph. What is the speed over the ground, if your vessel is making turns for 10.5 mph? 

    N a. 16.5 mph
    Y b. 13.5 mph
    N c. 10.5 mph
    N d. 7.5 mph
1479: On 6 November , your vessel's 0706 zone time DR position is LAT 25°30.0'N, LONG 85°35.0'W, when an azimuth of the Sun is observed. The chronometer time of the sight is 01h 03m 30s, and the Sun is bearing 114.0°pgc. The chronometer error is 02m 30s slow, and the variation in the area is 2°.
What is the gyro error? 

    N a. 0.8°E
    N b. 0.8°W
    N c. 2.0°W
    Y d. 2.0°E
1684: You are passing Putney Lt. (mile 943.6 AHP). The gray shaded areas alongside the river represent __________. 

    N a. levees
    N b. weirs
    N c. dikes
    Y d. revetments
1778: At 2234 ZT, on 14 July , in DR position LAT 34°03'N, LONG 150°16'W you observe an amplitude of Saturn. The planet is about one Sun's diameter above the visible horizon and bears 272.1°pgc. The variation is 14°E. What is the gyro error? 

    N a. 0.5°W
    N b. 0.5°E
    Y c. 1.5°W
    N d. 2.5°E
1853: On 8 April , while taking observations for an evening fix, you observe an unidentified star bearing 250.7°T at an observed altitude of 51°44.8'. Your DR position at the time of the sight was LAT 22°16.0'N, LONG 157°58.3'W. The chronometer reads 05h 09m 57s and is 01m 23s slow. What star did you observe? 

    N a. Betelgeuse
    N b. Aldebaran
    N c. Alnilam
    Y d. Bellatrix
1879: On 13 September , your 1830 ZT DR position was LAT 23°03'S, LONG 105°16'E when you observed a faint unidentifiable star through a hole in the clouds. The star bore 351.5°T at a sextant altitude (hs) of 62°05.6'. The chronometer read 11h 24m 39s and is 5m 08s slow. The index error is 1.0' off the arc, and the height of eye is 52 feet. What star did you observe? 

    N a. Alpha Herculis
    N b. Kappa Scorpii
    N c. Alpha Arae
    Y d. Beta Ophiuchi
2062: You are downbound, passing by Spanish Moss Lt. (mile 534.2 AHP), when you observe on your Mississippi River map several black broken lines extending into the river from the bank. These indicate __________. 

    N a. fleeting areas
    N b. revetments
    N c. dikes
    Y d. weirs
2206: What is the distance in river miles, from the new mouth of the White River to the RR and Hwy bridge at Baton Rouge, LA? 

    N a. 338 miles
    Y b. 365 miles
    N c. 400 miles
    N d. 454 miles
2329: You sighted Trestle "B" in line at 0706 and are steering 108°T. At 0731, Cape Henry Light bears 136°T; Cape Charles Light bears 032.5°T; and Thimble Shoal Tunnel South Light bears 282°T. What was the speed made good between 0706 and 0731? 

    Y a. 8.3 knots
    N b. 8.8 knots
    N c. 9.2 knots
    N d. 9.4 knots
2332: If you are making 8.3 knots over the ground, what is your ETA at the turning point in York Spit Channel at buoy "29"? 

    Y a. 0521
    N b. 0509
    N c. 0459
    N d. 0448
2339: You have steamed 1260 miles at 18 knots, and consumed 205 tons of fuel. If you have to steam 1423 miles to complete the voyage, how many tons of fuel will be consumed while steaming at 16 knots? 

    N a. 143 tons
    N b. 183 tons
    Y c. 293 tons
    N d. 333 tons
2867: Your vessel is on a course of 144°T at 20 knots. At 0022 a light bears 117.5°T, and at 0035 the light bears 099°T.
At what time and at what distance off will your vessel be when abeam of the light? 

    N a. 0044, 3.2 miles
    Y b. 0048, 4.3 miles
    N c. 0052, 5.1 miles
    N d. 0056, 6.0 miles
2901: You are steaming on a course of 198°T at 18.5 knots. At 0316 you observe a lighthouse bearing 235°T. At 0348 the lighthouse bears 259°T. What is your distance off at the second bearing? 

    Y a. 14.8 miles
    N b. 15.3 miles
    N c. 15.8 miles
    N d. 16.3 miles
3055: The propeller on a vessel has a diameter of 24.6 feet and a pitch of 26.1 feet. What would be the apparent slip if the vessel cruised 462 miles in a 24 hour day (observed distance) at an average RPM of 72? 

    N a. -2.7%
    N b. +2.7%
    Y c. -3.8%
    N d. +3.8%
3057: The propeller on a vessel has a diameter of 25.3 feet and a pitch of 23.2 feet. What would be the apparent slip if the vessel cruised 515 miles in a 23 hour day (observed distance) at an average RPM of 93? 

    N a. -3.6%
    N b. +3.6%
    Y c. -5.2%
    N d. +5.2%
3089: If the pitch of the propeller is 22.4 feet, and the revolutions per day are 103,690, calculate the day's run allowing 9% positive slip. 

    N a. 321.7 miles
    Y b. 347.6 miles
    N c. 382.0 miles
    N d. 416.4 miles
3287: While steaming at 16.5 knots, your vessel consumes 349 barrels of fuel oil per day. In order to reduce consumption to 189 barrels of fuel oil per day, what is the maximum speed the vessel can turn for? 

    N a. 12.1 knots
    Y b. 13.5 knots
    N c. 14.6 knots
    N d. 15.4 knots
3615: You want to make good a true course of 137°. A north-northeast wind produces a 3° leeway. The variation is 11° west, deviation is 5° east, and gyrocompass error is 2° east. What course must you steer per gyrocompass to make the true course good? 

    Y a. 132°pgc
    N b. 134°pgc
    N c. 136°pgc
    N d. 138°pgc
10707: At 0726 you depart Lake Montauk with light 1 close aboard and set course 065° per standard magnetic compass at 6.7 knots. At 0912 your GPS position is LAT 41°12.8'N, LONG 71°48.2'W. What is the current? 

    N a. 151°T at 1.0 knot
    N b. 164°T at 0.7 knot
    Y c. 287°T at 2.0 knots
    N d. 321°T at 0.8 knot
10909: What will be the average direction of the current in Lynnhaven Roads at 1000 DST (ZD +4) on 23 July 1983? 

    N a. 305°T
    N b. 125°T
    N c. 070°T
    Y d. Almost slack water
11104: What is the time of the first PM (Daylight Savings Time) maximum ebb current at Plum Gut on 10 August 1983? 

    N a. 1231
    N b. 1249
    N c. 1340
    Y d. 1445
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°
12700: You are on course 073° per standard magnetic compass when you take the following bearings: Watch Hill Point Light 037°psc Montauk Point Light 179°psc Race Rock Light 289°psc What is your position? 

    N a. LAT 41°13.6'N, LONG 71°54.6'W
    N b. LAT 41°13.7'N, LONG 71°53.8'W
    N c. LAT 41°13.7'N, LONG 71°54.9'W
    Y d. LAT 41°13.8'N, LONG 71°54.3'W
12708: You are on course 302° per standard magnetic compass when you take the following bearings: Little Gull Island Light 283°psc Race Rock Light 311°psc Latimer Reef Light 027°psc What is your position? 

    N a. LAT 41°12.2'N, LONG 71°57.6'W
    N b. LAT 41°12.4'N, LONG 71°57.4'W
    N c. LAT 41°12.4'N, LONG 71°57.9'W
    Y d. LAT 41°12.6'N, LONG 71°57.6'W
15259: At 0830, you obtain the following radar information::

Branford Reef Light bearing 259° true @ 4.35 nm


What is your vessel's position? 

    N a. LAT 41°12.1'N, LONG 73°53.8'W
    N b. LAT 40°12.2'N, LONG 73°54.4'W
    N c. LAT 41°12.3'N, LONG 72°53.6'W
    Y d. LAT 41°12.4'N, LONG 72°54.0'W
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
15344: From your 1850 position of 41°12.8'N, 71°44.1'W, you change course to 060°T. If you make the course good,
what will be your predicted distance off Point Judith Light when the Light bears 015°T? 

    N a. 1.2 miles
    N b. 1.9 miles
    Y c. 2.7 miles
    N d. 3.4 miles
15363: At 0530, you change course to 090°T and increase speed to 8.5 knots. What is the course to steer per gyro compass if northerly winds are causing 2° of leeway? 

    N a. 088°pgc
    Y b. 090°pgc
    N c. 092°pgc
    N d. 094°pgc
15368: At 0705, the gyro loses power. At 0730, you are on course 092° per standard magnetic compass (psc). Falkner Light bears 356°psc, Horton Point Light bears 123°psc, and Kelsey Point Breakwater Light bears 048°psc. What is the position of your 0730 fix? 

    N a. LAT 41°06.7'N, LONG 72°36.1'W
    N b. LAT 41°06.8'N, LONG 72°36.0'W
    Y c. LAT 41°07.0'N, LONG 72°36.2'W
    N d. LAT 41°07.2'N, LONG 72°36.1'W
15409: At 1540, your position is LAT 37°18.4'N, LONG 76°10.5'W. Which course should you steer per gyrocompass to head for the entrance to Cape Charles City? 

    N a. 109°pgc
    N b. 117°pgc
    N c. 123°pgc
    Y d. 129°pgc
15824: You pass Red River Gage at 2015 on 16 April and estimate the current will average 3.5 mph for the remainder of the time on the Mississippi River. What is your ETA at the mouth of the Ohio River if you continue to turn for 10 mph? 

    N a. 1445, 20 April
    N b. 1830, 20 April
    Y c. 0028, 21 April
    N d. 0821, 21 April
15960: From your 1752 position, you steer 313°pgc at 9 knots. At 1805, you obtain the following visual bearings:
Old Pt. Comfort Light - 238°pgc.
Chesapeake Bay Tunnel North Light - 136°pgc.
What are the latitude and longitude of your 1805 position? 

    Y a. LAT 37°05.9'N,  LONG 76°08.0'W
    N b. LAT 37°06.0'N,  LONG 76°08.4'W
    N c. LAT 37°05.0'N,  LONG 76°08.7'W
    N d. LAT 37°06.1'N,  LONG 76°08.1'W
16108: From your 0410 fix, what is the course per standard magnetic compass to the entrance to York Spit Channel between buoys "37" and "38"? 

    N a. 178°
    Y b. 176°
    N c. 156°
    N d. 152°
16456: What is the course per standard magnetic compass from the anchorage to point A located 0.5 mile east of Cape Charles Lighted Bell Buoy 14? 

    Y a. 194°psc
    N b. 190°psc
    N c. 187°psc
    N d. 180°psc
16538: At 2216 your position is LAT 41°16.0'N, LONG 72°08.0'W. Which statement is TRUE? 

    Y a. You are in the red sector of New London Harbor Light.
    N b. Your fathometer reads approximately 40 feet.
    N c. You will cross the Colregs Demarcation Line if you continue on your present course.
    N d. Little Gull Island Light bears 339°T at 4.3 miles.