u.s.c.g. merchant marine exam towing vessels-western ......o (c) heavy rain or severe thundershowers...

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U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam

Towing Vessels-Western Rivers

Q425-Navigation General

(Sample Examination)

of 12 Q425-Navigation General

8/18/2020

Q425-Navigation General U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Towing Vessels-Western Rivers Illustrations: 0

Choose the best answer to the following Multiple Choice Questions.

1. Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers, what color are the buoys marking the starboard side of the channel when going upstream?

• (A) Red o (B) Black o (C) Green o (D) Yellow

If choice A is selected set score to 1.

2. What does the lubber's line on a magnetic compass indicate?

o (A) Magnetic north o (B) A relative bearing taken with an azimuth circle • (C) The vessel's compass heading o (D) Compass north

If choice C is selected set score to 1.

3. What do clearance gauges at bridges indicate?

o (A) The height of the tide • (B) The distance from the water to low steel of the bridge o (C) The charted vertical clearance at mean low water o (D) The depth of water under the bridge

If choice B is selected set score to 1.

4. Which defines the controlling depth of the river?

o (A) The edge of a dredged channel o (B) The highest level to which the river may rise without flooding o (C) The minimum depth of the river prescribed in the channel maintenance program • (D) The least available water in a channel which limits the draft of boats and tows

If choice D is selected set score to 1.

5. In the U.S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers, the light characteristic of group flashing (2) is used for which purpose?

o (A) To indicate daymarks with no lateral significant • (B) To mark the left descending bank o (C) To mark the right descending bank o (D) To indicate the preferred channel



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Q425-Navigation General U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Towing Vessels-Western Rivers Illustrations: 0 6. Which organization operates the Maritime Differential GPS (DGPS)?

o (A) The Federal Communication Commission • (B) The U.S. Coast Guard o (C) The International Maritime Organization o (D) The United States Air Force


7. What does the abbreviation L.W.R.P. on the navigation maps mean?

o (A) Least water river plane o (B) Low winter runoff point o (C) Land wall reference point • (D) Low water reference plane


8. Which system provides the highest level of commercial navigational accuracy?

o (A) SPS, without selective availability o (B) PPS, without selective availability o (C) NAVSAT, using the Doppler-shift • (D) DGPS, within a coverage area


9. Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System used on the Western Rivers, which is TRUE of the aids to navigation lights on the right descending bank?

o (A) They can only be green lights • (B) They are white or green lights o (C) They are white or red lights o (D) They can only be white lights


10. Which term is used to describe a structure, usually made of stone, or cement pilings, which extends from the bank at approximately right angles to the current?

o (A) Cutoff o (B) Revetment • (C) Dike o (D) Crib



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11. Advection fog is most commonly caused by __________.

o (A) a rapid cooling of the air near the surface of the Earth at night • (B) warm moist air being blown over a colder surface o (C) air being warmed above the dew point o (D) saturation of cold air by rain


12. If an observer in the Northern Hemisphere faces the surface wind, where is the center of low pressure located?

o (A) To the left, and slightly behind • (B) To the right, and slightly behind o (C) To the left, and slightly in front o (D) To the right, and slightly in front


13. Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers, which is TRUE of a daymark on the right descending bank?

o (A) It will have an odd number o (B) It will indicate the gage reading • (C) It shall be green in color o (D) Must contain yellow retro-reflective markings


14. Which action should be taken prior to assuming the Deck Watch while the vessel is in port?

o (A) Make a security call on VHF channel 16 • (B) Ensure that the vessel's moorings are adequate o (C) Ensure that all crew members are onboard o (D) Visually inspect and test operation of the blue mooring light


15. Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers, which describes the daymarks on the left descending bank?

o (A) Green diamonds • (B) Red triangles o (C) Green squares o (D) Red squares



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Q425-Navigation General U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Towing Vessels-Western Rivers Illustrations: 0 16. 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?

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


17. What is published by the U.S. Coast Guard?

o (A) Nautical Charts o (B) U.S. Coast Pilot o (C) Tide Tables • (D) Light List


18. Fog generally clears when the __________.

o (A) wind speed increases o (B) temperature increases o (C) wind direction changes • (D) All of the above


19. A current moving across a lock entrance toward the river or toward the dam is known by which term?

• (A) Outdraft o (B) Springpool o (C) Lockwash o (D) Cutoff


20. A magnetic compass card is marked in how many degrees?

o (A) 90 o (B) 180 • (C) 360 o (D) 400



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21. Radar makes the most accurate determination of the __________.

o (A) size of a target • (B) distance to a target o (C) shape of a target o (D) direction of a target


22. 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 • (B) Clearing weather, possibly accompanied by high winds o (C) Heavy rain or severe thundershowers o (D) Deteriorating weather with rain or snow


23. While upbound through Memphis, the weather report on the TV news indicates that a cold front will cross western Kentucky and Tennessee the next morning. What weather should accompany this front?

• (A) Gusting winds shifting to the northwest with thunderstorms o (B) Scattered clouds with light to moderate southeasterly winds and possibly fog o (C) Light, southerly winds; high humidity and possibly fog o (D) Overcast with steady, light rain or drizzle


24. Which describes a deadhead?

o (A) A crew member who refuses to work o (B) The upstream end of a land wall o (C) A buoy that is adrift • (D) A tree or log awash in a nearly vertical position


25. Which clouds are described as high clouds, composed of small white flakes or scaly globular masses, and often banded together to form a "mackerel sky"?

• (A) Cirrocumulus o (B) Altostratus o (C) Cumulonimbus o (D) Cirrus



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Q425-Navigation General U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Towing Vessels-Western Rivers Illustrations: 0 26. Which is TRUE when using the radar for navigation?

o (A) The best fix is obtained by using a tangent bearing and a range o (B) When crossing a radar range of one object with the visual bearing of a second object, the two

objects should be 80° to 110° apart o (C) When using two radar ranges for a fix, the objects of the ranges should be close to reciprocal

bearings • (D) When using ranges, the most rapidly changing range should be measured first


27. Which condition(s) is (are) necessary for the formation of dew?

o (A) Available nuclei in the air o (B) Moderate winds • (C) Clear skies o (D) A surface warmer than the dew point of the air


28. Who should be consulted for changing conditions of controlling depths in major channels?

o (A) National Ocean Service • (B) U.S. Army Corps of Engineers o (C) U.S. Coast Guard o (D) National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency


29. Under the Uniform State Waterway Marking System how is a mooring buoy painted?

o (A) Any color that does not conflict with the lateral system • (B) White with a blue band o (C) Yellow o (D) White with a green top


30. In which situation is the light characteristic of composite group flashing (2 + 1) used in the Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers?

o (A) On daymarks with no lateral significance o (B) Only to identify the right descending bank o (C) Only to identify the left descending bank • (D) On preferred-channel buoys



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Q425-Navigation General U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Towing Vessels-Western Rivers Illustrations: 0 31. What must change for the compass deviation to change?

• (A) The heading of the vessel o (B) The longitude of the vessel o (C) The geographical position of the vessel o (D) The speed of the vessel


32. In the U.S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers, a preferred channel buoy to be left to port while proceeding downstream will __________.

o (A) have a characteristic of composite group flashing if lighted o (B) have the upper band red o (C) show a red light if lighted • (D) All of the above


33. When must a proper look-out be kept?

o (A) Only when entering and leaving port o (B) Only between the hours of sunset and sunrise o (C) Only in fog • (D) At all times


34. The lock chamber is 600 feet X 110 feet. Your towboat is 150 feet X 35 feet. Which of these tows will require a double lockage?

o (A) 6 jumbo (3 abreast and 2 long) with a standard on each side of your boat o (B) 4 standard barges abreast next to your boat's head and 3 jumbo abreast in the lead o (C) A set-over single • (D) 9 jumbo barges


35. What enables you to estimate the bearing of a storm's center?

o (A) Pascal's Law o (B) An educated guess o (C) The left-hand rule • (D) Buys Ballot's Law



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36. Which agency maintains federal aids to navigation?

o (A) Maritime Administration • (B) Coast Guard o (C) National Ocean Service o (D) Corps of Engineers


37. The following boats are approaching a lock. Which has priority for locking?

• (A) Corps of Engineer towboat running empty-headed o (B) A passenger vessel o (C) A pleasure yacht o (D) An integrated chemical tow


38. All aids to navigation listed in the Mississippi River System Light List are shown as miles from a reference point and on the __________.

• (A) left or right descending bank o (B) east or west bank o (C) port or starboard side of the vessel o (D) left or right ascending bank


39. How is a navigation light identified on an Army Corps of Engineers navigation map?

• (A) Name and miles from a reference point o (B) Name and light characteristic o (C) Light characteristic and miles A.H.P. o (D) None of the above


40. Under the U.S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers, which describes the daymarks on the right descending bank?

o (A) Red triangular-shaped panels with red reflector borders o (B) Green triangular-shaped panels with green reflector borders • (C) Green square-shaped panels with green reflector borders o (D) Red diamond-shaped panels with red reflector borders



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Q425-Navigation General U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Towing Vessels-Western Rivers Illustrations: 0 41. You have been observing your radar screen and notice that a contact on the screen has remained

in the same position, relative to you, for several minutes. Your vessel is making 10 knots through the water. Which statement is TRUE?

o (A) The contact is dead in the water. o (B) The radar is showing false echoes and is probably defective. o (C) The contact is on a reciprocal course at the same speed as your vessel. • (D) The contact is on the same course and speed as your vessel.


42. All persons or vessels within the lock area, including the lock approach channels, come under the authority of which person?

• (A) The lockmaster o (B) The dock captain o (C) The lock foreman o (D) The dockmaster


43. Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding automatic identification systems (AIS)?

o (A) AIS cannot be used to make passing arrangements because the ship-to-ship text messaging feature is for emergency use only.

• (B) AIS can be used to make passing arrangements via ship-to-ship text messaging but a vessel operator is not relieved from the requirement to sound whistle signals or make arrangements via bridge-to-bridge radiotelephone.

o (C) AIS cannot be used to make passing arrangements because the system is not capable of this type of ship-to-ship communications.

o (D) AIS can be used to make passing arrangements via ship-to-ship text massaging relieving a vessel operator from making such arrangements via bridge-to-bridge radiotelephone or signaling intent to pass via whistle signals.


44. Which of the listed properties does warm air possess?

o (A) Moisture in warm air condenses as the air is heated o (B) Atmospheric pressure rises as warm air rises • (C) It rises above cooler air and cools as it rises o (D) Warm air that has cooled will develop low pressure areas



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45. If you observe a rapid fall of barometric pressure, which action should you take?

o (A) Call the Coast Guard to verify the change o (B) Contact the NWS or a local radio station • (C) Prepare for an onset of stormy weather with strong winds o (D) Know that the barometer is not working properly


46. What does a Doppler log in the bottom return mode indicate?

o (A) The depth of the water • (B) The speed over the ground o (C) The bottom characteristics o (D) The velocity of the current


47. Which is TRUE of a bluff bar?

o (A) It is a bar extending out from a bluff alongside the river o (B) A bluff bar is perpendicular to the current • (C) A bluff bar has a sharp drop off into deep water o (D) Bluff bars tend to give a false indication of its position


48. At McAlpine L & D, normal upper pool elevation is 420.0 feet MSL, equal to 12.0 feet on the upper gage. The vertical clearance at the Clark Memorial Highway Bridge is 72.6 feet above normal pool. What is the clearance if the gage reads 27.2 feet?

o (A) 25.4 feet • (B) 57.4 feet o (C) 60.6 feet o (D) 72.6 feet


49. Which information must automatic identification systems (AIS) automatically provide to appropriately equipped shore stations, vessels and aircraft?

o (A) Vessel's type o (B) Navigational status o (C) Vessel's course • (D) All of the above



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Q425-Navigation General U.S.C.G. Merchant Marine Exam Towing Vessels-Western Rivers Illustrations: 0 50. If your vessel were proceeding up river (ascending), how is the port side of the channel marked

according to the U. S. Aids to Navigation System on the Western Rivers?

o (A) Red can buoys o (B) Green nun buoys o (C) Red nun buoys • (D) Green can buoys



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u.s.c.g. merchant marine exam towing vessels-western ......o (c) heavy rain or severe thundershowers...

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