u.s.c.g. merchant marine exam master/chief mate offshore ......o (a) south pacific ocean o (b) north...

National Maritime Center Serving Our Nation’s Mariners

U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam

Master/Chief Mate Offshore Supply Vessels

Q203-Navigation General-Near Coastal

(Sample Examination)

Page 1 of 24 Q203-Navigation General-Near Coastal

8/11/2020

Q203-Navigation General-Near Coastal U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Master/Chief Mate Offshore Supply Vessels Illustrations: 8

Choose the best answer to the following Multiple Choice questions.

1. You are steering 318°psc. A northeasterly wind causes 3° of leeway. The variation is 14°E and the deviation table is extracted below. What will be the true course made good?

DEVIATION TABLE

Magnetic Heading Deviation 300° 2°E 315° 0 330° 2°W

o (A) 303°T • (B) 329°T o (C) 301°T o (D) 327°T

If choice B is selected set score to 1.

2. Which measurement uses mean high water as the reference plane?

o (A) Water depths on the East Coast only o (B) Soundings on the East and West Coasts • (C) Heights above water of land features such as lights o (D) All vertical measurements on charts

If choice C is selected set score to 1.

3. Which daymark has no lateral significance?

o (A) Red triangle o (B) Square; top half green and bottom half red o (C) Green square • (D) Black and white diamond

If choice D is selected set score to 1.

4. Which is TRUE concerning the speed of sound in water?

o (A) It is approximately 1.5 times its speed in air o (B) It is approximately 2.5 times its speed in air o (C) It is approximately 3.5 times its speed in air • (D) It is approximately 4.5 times its speed in air



8/11/2020

Q203-Navigation General-Near Coastal U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Master/Chief Mate Offshore Supply Vessels Illustrations: 8 5. Your vessel has changed course and is heading 285°T, you are on the charted range and it appears

as in illustration D048NG below. After several minutes the range appears as in illustration D047NG below and your heading is still 285°T. What does this indicate?

• (A) A north-setting current o (B) Leeway caused by a NE'ly wind o (C) A south-setting current o (D) A course made good to the left of the DR track

If choice A is selected set score to 1.

6. Tropical cyclones normally form within which of the following belts of latitude?

o (A) 30° to 45° • (B) 5° to 15° o (C) 45° to 60° o (D) 15° to 30°


7. You are running parallel to the coast and plotting running fixes using bearings of the same object. You are making more speed than assumed for the running fix. In relation to the position indicated by the fix you will be __________.

o (A) on the track line behind the fix o (B) closer to the coast o (C) on the track line ahead of the fix • (D) farther from the coast


8. If you were sailing in the North Pacific and were interested in the ice and iceberg limits, where could you find this information?

o (A) Coast Pilot o (B) Notice to Mariners • (C) Pilot Chart o (D) None of the above



8/11/2020

Q203-Navigation General-Near Coastal U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Master/Chief Mate Offshore Supply Vessels Illustrations: 8 9. Which term describes a light, feathery deposit of ice by sublimation of water vapor directly into the

crystalline form on objects whose temperatures are below freezing?

o (A) Snow o (B) Glaze • (C) Frost o (D) Dew


10. In illustration D045NG below, which shape is a daymark warning of danger?

o (A) A • (B) B o (C) C o (D) D


11. Your vessel is participating in the Voluntary Observing Ship Program, you are preparing WS Form B-80 as seen in illustration D041NG below. The dry bulb thermometer reads 54°F and the wet bulb thermometer reads 50°F. How would you encode the air temperature groups in the report?

o (A) 1054/, 2050/ • (B) 10122, 2008/ o (C) 054//, 047// o (D) 1054/, 2047/


12. An air mass that has moved down from Canada would most likely have which symbols?

o (A) cTw o (B) mTk o (C) cTk • (D) cPk


13. You are on course 061°T. To check the longitude of your vessel you should observe a celestial body on which bearing?

• (A) 090° o (B) 180° o (C) 241° o (D) 061°



8/11/2020

Q203-Navigation General-Near Coastal U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Master/Chief Mate Offshore Supply Vessels Illustrations: 8 14. Which is most commonly associated with fog?

o (A) An anticyclone • (B) A warm front at night o (C) A cold front in the spring o (D) A low pressure area


15. Which action is the safest and most prudent procedure to follow while navigating in the vicinity of a tropical cyclone?

• (A) Take positive steps to avoid it if possible o (B) Continue to navigate farther from the coast o (C) Always navigate towards the coast by the most direct route o (D) Batten down and prepare to ride out the storm


16. Where is the dangerous semicircle located on a hurricane in the Southern Hemisphere?

o (A) In the high pressure area • (B) To the left of the storm's track o (C) To the right of the storm's track o (D) On the south side


17. You wish to measure the distance on a Mercator chart between a point in latitude 43°30'N and a point in latitude 40°30'N. To measure 30 miles at a time, where should you set the points of the dividers to obtain the most accurate measurement?

o (A) 41°30' and 42°00' • (B) 41°45' and 42°15' o (C) 42°00' and 42°30' o (D) 42°15' and 42°45'


18. Which would be the characteristic of an occulting light?

• (A) 4 sec. flash, 2 sec. eclipse, 3 sec. flash, 2 sec. eclipse o (B) 6 sec. flash, 6 sec. eclipse o (C) 1 sec. flash, 2 sec. eclipse, 1 sec. flash, 5 sec. eclipse o (D) 5 sec. flash, 5 sec. eclipse



8/11/2020

Q203-Navigation General-Near Coastal U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Master/Chief Mate Offshore Supply Vessels Illustrations: 8 19. Which correction must be applied to an aneroid barometer reading?

o (A) Temperature error • (B) Height error o (C) Gravity error o (D) English to metric conversion error


20. When a buoy is in position only during a certain period of the year, where may the dates when the buoy is in position be found?

o (A) Coast Pilot • (B) Light List o (C) On the chart o (D) Notice to Mariners


21. (4.8.4-7) You are outbound in a channel marked by a range astern. The range line is 273° T. You are steering 090° T and have the range in sight as shown in illustration D047NG below. What action should you take?

o (A) Come right to 093° T. o (B) Come left until the range comes in line than alter course to 093° T. o (C) Come left until the range comes in line then alter course to 087° T. • (D) Come right to close the range then when on the range steer 093° T.


22. A current perpendicular to a vessel's track has the greatest effect on the vessel's course made good __________.

o (A) in deep water • (B) at low vessel speeds o (C) in shallow water o (D) at high vessel speeds


23. Which item in illustration D034NG below shows a Morse (A) light?

o (A) A o (B) B o (C) C • (D) D



8/11/2020

Q203-Navigation General-Near Coastal U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Master/Chief Mate Offshore Supply Vessels Illustrations: 8 24. If the current and wind are in opposite directions, what does the sea surface indicate?

o (A) The surface does not change, each cancels the other • (B) The surface indicates a higher wind speed than what really exists o (C) The surface indicates a lower wind speed than what really exists o (D) The surface indicates a greatly reduced wind speed


25. What weather change accompanies the passage of a cold front in the Northern Hemisphere?

o (A) Steady dropping of barometric pressure • (B) A line of cumulonimbus clouds o (C) Steady precipitation, gradually increasing in intensity o (D) Wind shift from northeast clockwise to southwest


26. Your radar indicates a target; however, there is no visible object at the point indicated. A large mountain, approximately 50 miles away on the same bearing as the target, is breaking the horizon. You should suspect the radar target is caused by __________.

o (A) Sub-refraction o (B) A submerged submarine • (C) Ducting o (D) Ionospheric skip waves


27. A sylphon cell is a part of which instrument?

o (A) A maximum thermometer • (B) A barograph o (C) A hygrometer o (D) A thermograph


28. In a weather report, which defines the term "visibility"?

o (A) The distance an observer can see with the unaided eye o (B) The distance an observer can see a prominent object with a telescope or binoculars • (C) The distance in miles at which prominent objects are identifiable by the unaided eye o (D) The ability to identify an object at night utilizing binoculars



8/11/2020

Q203-Navigation General-Near Coastal U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Master/Chief Mate Offshore Supply Vessels Illustrations: 8 29. Severe tropical cyclones (hurricanes, typhoons) occur in all warm-water oceans except the

__________.

o (A) South Pacific Ocean o (B) North Pacific Ocean o (C) Indian Ocean • (D) South Atlantic Ocean


30. You take a bearing of 264° of a lighthouse. What bearing of another object would give the best fix?

o (A) 289° o (B) 120° • (C) 350° o (D) 081°


31. You are on course 238°T. To check the course of your vessel you should observe a celestial body on which bearing?

o (A) 180° o (B) 238° • (C) 328° o (D) 090°


32. Which statement concerning the chartlet seen in illustration D010NG below is TRUE? (Soundings and heights are in meters)

• (A) There is a dangerous eddy southeast of Beito Island. o (B) There is a 12-meter deep hole west of Beito Island and inside the 5-meter line. o (C) The bottom to the south-southeast of the lightship is soft coral. o (D) Maury lightship is visible for 17 miles.


33. Which item is NOT associated with cumulonimbus clouds?

• (A) Steady rainfall o (B) Thunderstorms o (C) Hail storms o (D) Tornadoes or waterspouts



8/11/2020

Q203-Navigation General-Near Coastal U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Master/Chief Mate Offshore Supply Vessels Illustrations: 8 34. While navigating in fog off a coastline of steep cliffs, you hear the echo of the ship's foghorn 4

seconds after the signal was sounded. What is the distance to the shore?

o (A) 209 yards o (B) 363 yards o (C) 480 yards • (D) 730 yards


35. The dry bulb temperature is 78oF and the wet bulb temperature is 62oF. What is the relative humidity?

o (A) 16% o (B) 24% • (C) 39% o (D) 79%


36. When observing a rapid rise in barometric pressure, what may you expect?

o (A) Clear weather with no wind, but the possibility of rain or snow within 24 hours o (B) Deteriorating weather with rain or snow o (C) Heavy rain or severe thundershowers • (D) Clearing weather, possibly accompanied by high winds


37. Which of the following should be done when crossing the magnetic equator?

• (A) heeling magnet should be inverted o (B) the quadrantal spheres should be rotated 180° o (C) Flinders bar should be moved to the opposite side of the binnacle o (D) Flinders bar should be inverted


38. In the Northern Hemisphere, swells that have outrun the storm are produced in which location?

o (A) In the rear of the left semicircle o (B) In the left front quadrant of the right semicircle o (C) In the after section of the left semicircle • (D) In the right front quadrant of the right semicircle



8/11/2020

Q203-Navigation General-Near Coastal U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Master/Chief Mate Offshore Supply Vessels Illustrations: 8 39. Which of the following describes gyrocompass repeaters which reproduce the indications of the

master gyrocompass?

• (A) They are accurate electronic servomechanisms o (B) They are accurate only if the vessel is underway o (C) They are accurate only in the Polar regions o (D) They are hand operated


40. The climate of the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico is _________.

o (A) varies from warm to subtropical o (B) is humid and subtropical throughout the year • (C) is a warm marine type of climate o (D) has an east coast marine type of climate


41. Which type of current which will have the greatest effect on the course made good for your vessel?

• (A) A current that flows at nearly right angles to your course steered o (B) A rotary current in which the direction of current flow constantly changes o (C) A current flowing in the opposite direction as your course steered o (D) A current flowing in the same direction as your course steered


42. A pilot chart does NOT contain information about which item?

• (A) Tidal currents o (B) Average wind conditions o (C) Average limits of field ice o (D) Magnetic variation


43. What is the reference datum mean high water used to measure?

o (A) Soundings in European waters o (B) Soundings on the east coast of the United States o (C) Both heights and soundings worldwide • (D) Heights of topographical features in the United States



8/11/2020

Q203-Navigation General-Near Coastal U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Master/Chief Mate Offshore Supply Vessels Illustrations: 8 44. Your vessel is enroute from Japan to Seattle and is located at position I on the weather map in

illustration D013NG below. You should experience which weather condition?

o (A) Overcast skies with rising temperature • (B) Thundershowers o (C) Steady precipitation o (D) Clear skies with warm temperatures


45. Which is TRUE of the horse latitudes?

o (A) An area with steady winds generally from the southeast in the Southern Hemisphere • (B) Area of weak pressure gradients and light, variable winds o (C) An area with steady winds in one direction for six months followed by wind reversal for the

next six months o (D) An area where the formation of typhoons or hurricanes in certain seasons occurs


46. To make sure of getting the full advantage of a favorable current, you should reach an entrance or strait at which time in relation to the predicted time of the favorable current?

o (A) One hour after • (B) 30 minutes before o (C) 30 minutes before flood, one hour after an ebb o (D) At the predicted time


47. Which is a characteristic of anticyclones?

• (A) Dry, fair weather o (B) Gustiness and continuous precipitation o (C) Overcast skies o (D) High winds and cloudiness


48. When changing from a compass course to a true course, which should you apply?

o (A) Variation only • (B) Both variation and deviation o (C) A correction for the direction of current set o (D) Deviation only



8/11/2020

Q203-Navigation General-Near Coastal U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Master/Chief Mate Offshore Supply Vessels Illustrations: 8 49. When would cloud formations be minimal?

• (A) When the surface temperature and temperature aloft are equal o (B) When the relative humidity is very high o (C) When the surface temperature and temperature aloft differ greatly o (D) When the barometric pressure is very low


50. How can Northern right whales can be identified?

o (A) "V" shaped blow easily visible from ahead or behind o (B) Whitish patches of skin on top of the head o (C) No dorsal fin on the back • (D) All of the above


51. Which statement about a gnomonic chart is correct?

o (A) A rhumb line appears as a straight line. • (B) Parallels, except the equator, appear as curved lines. o (C) Meridians appear as curved lines converging toward the nearer pole. o (D) Distance is measured at the mid-latitude of the track line.


52. When recording the wind direction in the weather log, which information would you report?

o (A) The direction the wind is blowing toward o (B) The duration of the maximum gust of wind • (C) The direction the wind is blowing from o (D) The wind chill factor


53. You desire to make good a true course of 129°. The variation is 7°E, magnetic compass deviation is 4°E, and gyrocompass error is 2°W. An easterly wind produces a 4° leeway. What is the course to steer per standard magnetic compass to make the true course good?

• (A) 114°psc o (B) 122°psc o (C) 116°psc o (D) 126°psc



8/11/2020

Q203-Navigation General-Near Coastal U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Master/Chief Mate Offshore Supply Vessels Illustrations: 8 54. You swung ship and compared the magnetic compass against the gyrocompass to find deviation.

Gyro error is 2°W. The variation is 8°W. Find the deviation on a magnetic compass heading of 004°. HEADING PSC PGC 030.5° - 024° 061.5° - 054° 092.0° - 084° 122.5° - 114° 152.0° - 144° 181.0° - 174° 239.5° - 234° 269.0° - 264° 210.0° - 204° 298.0° - 294° 327.5° - 324° 358.5° - 354°

o (A) 1.5°W o (B) 0.5°W o (C) 0.0° • (D) 1.0°E


55. Where will you find information about the duration of slack water for ports on the Atlantic Coast of North America?

• (A) Tidal Current Tables o (B) American Practical Navigator o (C) Tide Tables o (D) Sailing Directions


56. While proceeding along the Norwegian coast on course 039°T, you sight the black-yellow-black banded buoy shown in illustration D021NG below, bearing 053°T. What action should you take?

o (A) Maintain course o (B) Alter course to 053° and leave the buoy close aboard on either side o (C) Alter course to port to rapidly open the bearing to the right • (D) Alter course to 060° and ensure that the true bearings decreases



8/11/2020

Q203-Navigation General-Near Coastal U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Master/Chief Mate Offshore Supply Vessels Illustrations: 8 57. Which term is used to describe the database information that should be shown when a chart is first

displayed on ECDIS?

o (A) Chart display information o (B) Display base information • (C) Standard display information o (D) System electronic nautical chart


58. 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?

• (A) 3°E o (B) 9°E o (C) 3°W o (D) 9°W


59. How is a safe water mark, that can be passed close aboard on either side, painted and lighted?

o (A) Black and red stripes with a Morse (A) light o (B) Black and white stripes with an interrupted quick flashing light • (C) Red and white stripes with a Morse (A) light o (D) Black and red stripes with an interrupted quick flashing light


60. Coral atolls, or a chain of islands at right angles to the radar beam, may show as a long line rather than as individual targets. What causes this distortion?

o (A) Limitations on range resolution o (B) The multiple-target resolution factor • (C) The effects of beam width o (D) The pulse length of the radar


61. Your vessel is underway on a course of 323.5°T at a speed of 16 knots. At 1945 a light bears 350°T. At 2010 the light bears 008.5°T. What will be your distance off when abeam of the light?

o (A) 8.7 miles o (B) 3.3 miles o (C) 4.8 miles • (D) 6.7 miles



8/11/2020

Q203-Navigation General-Near Coastal U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Master/Chief Mate Offshore Supply Vessels Illustrations: 8 62. Which is the region containing 3/4 of the mass of the atmosphere and to which are confined such

phenomena as clouds, storms, precipitation and changing weather conditions?

• (A) The troposphere o (B) The tropopause o (C) The stratopause o (D) The stratosphere


63. The Benguela Current flows in which direction?

o (A) S'ly direction off the East Coast of Australia • (B) NW'ly direction along the SW coast of Africa o (C) SW'ly direction along the SE coast of Greenland o (D) SW'ly direction along the NW coast of Africa


64. An important lunar cycle affecting the tidal cycle is called the nodal period. How long is this cycle?

• (A) 19 years o (B) 6 years o (C) 18 days o (D) 16 days


65. Which aid is NOT marked on a chart with a magenta circle?

o (A) Radio beacon • (B) Aero light o (C) Radar transponder beacon o (D) Radar station


66. "Stand" of the tide is that time when __________.

o (A) tidal current is at a maximum o (B) the actual depth of the water equals the charted depth o (C) slack water occurs • (D) the vertical rise or fall of the tide has stopped



8/11/2020

Q203-Navigation General-Near Coastal U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Master/Chief Mate Offshore Supply Vessels Illustrations: 8

67. On a voyage from Halifax, N.S., to Dakar, West Africa, the Canary Current will __________.

o (A) offer resistance in the form of a head currento (B) furnish additional thrust in the form of a fair or following current• (C) set the vessel to the righto (D) set the vessel to the left


68. How can the accuracy of an azimuth circle be checked?

o (A) ensuring that the alignment marks on the inner face of the circle are in line with those on therepeater on relative bearings of 000° and 090°

• (B) comparing observed azimuths at different altitudes with computed values at the times ofobservation to see if the difference is constant

o (C) aligning the relative bearing markings so that 000° is on the lubber's line and the line of sightpasses over the center of the compass

o (D) sighting a terrestrial range in line and comparing the observed bearing against the chartedbearing


69. What feature(s) of a daymark is (are) used to identify the beacon upon which it is mounted?

o (A) Method of construction• (B) Color and shapeo (C) Sizeo (D) Signal characteristics


70. Yesterday you took a time tick using the 1200 GMT broadcast, and the chronometer read 11h 59m59s. Today at the 1200 GMT time tick the chronometer read 00h 00m 01s. What is the chronometererror?

• (A) Fast 1 secondo (B) Gaining 2 secondso (C) Losing 2 secondso (D) Fast 2 seconds



8/11/2020

National Maritime Center

Serving Our Nation’s Mariners

8/29/2018

D010NG

Adapted for testing purposes only from BOWDITCH, The American Practical Navigator,

An Epitome of Navigation, Volume I, 1984 Edition

Copyright © 1984 by the Defense Mapping Agency Hydrographic/Topographic Center

Further reproduction prohibited without permission Page 17 of 24




8/29/2018

D013NG

Adapted for testing purposes only





8/30/2018

D034NG

Adapted for testing purposes only from Chart No. 1 United States of America Nautical Chart Symbols,

Abbreviations and Terms, 10 edition

Copyright © 1997 by the Department of Commerce and Department of Defense





9/6/2018

D041NG

Adapted for testing purposes only from U.S. Department of Commerce

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Weather Service



u.s.c.g. merchant marine exam master/chief mate offshore ......o (a) south pacific ocean o (b) north...

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