Boat Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. While boating, you hear thunder and see a dark storm front approaching. What should you do?
Remain in open water until rain begins, then choose a destination
Head for suitable shelter or safe harbor early, before conditions worsen
Anchor in the channel so other boats can see you
Increase speed toward the storm to pass through it quickly
2. You are approaching a marina entrance where your wake could affect moored boats. What should you do?
Reduce speed early and proceed under control with the smallest practical wake
Shift into neutral in the entrance and let the boat drift
Make repeated sharp turns to break up the wake
Accelerate onto plane so the boat spends less time near the marina
3. At night, you see only the red sidelight of another boat. Which part of that boat is generally facing you?
Its stern
Its starboard side
Its port side
Its bow directly head-on
4. When you are facing the bow, which side is port?
The right side
The windward side
The rear side
The left side
5. Soon after launching, water begins accumulating inside the boat unusually quickly. What is the best response?
Rely on the bilge pump and continue the trip while monitoring the water
Move passengers to the bow so the stern rises higher
Keep everyone protected, return to a safe landing if possible, and check the drain plug or other source of entry
Accelerate to force the water toward the back of the boat
6. One power-driven boat is overtaking another in open water. Which boat is responsible for keeping clear during the overtake?
The overtaking boat
The boat being overtaken
Whichever boat is traveling closer to shore
Whichever boat has fewer people aboard
7. Which statement about carbon monoxide around boats is accurate?
Its strong odor normally provides an early warning
It is a colorless, odorless combustion gas that can accumulate around boats
It cannot become dangerous in open-air areas
It is produced only by diesel engines
8. Your boat draws 1.6 meters, and a charted area shows 2.0 meters of water. What is the best interpretation before entering?
The chart guarantees 0.4 meters of clearance in every condition
Traveling faster will prevent the boat from touching bottom
Draft matters only when anchoring, not while moving
You must account for tide or water level, waves, chart reference, and a safe under-keel margin
9. What is the bow of a boat?
The forward end
The rear end
The left side when facing forward
The part below the waterline
10. A passenger falls overboard. What should the crew do immediately?
Turn sharply toward the person before alerting anyone else
Raise the alarm, throw flotation, and keep the person continuously in sight
Have another passenger enter the water to assist
Complete a wide circle before preparing recovery equipment
11. Two power-driven boats meet nearly head-on with a risk of collision. What is the standard action when conditions allow?
Both alter course to port and pass starboard-to-starboard
The larger boat maintains course while the smaller one stops
Both alter course to starboard and pass port-to-port
Both maintain course until one boat sounds a signal
12. Which knot or line arrangement is designed to secure a line to a deck cleat?
A cleat hitch
A bowline tied around the propeller shaft
A reef knot around the anchor chain
A rolling hitch tied to the steering wheel
13. After refueling a gasoline-powered boat with an enclosed engine space, what should happen before starting the engine?
Close every opening immediately to keep moisture out
Start the engine briefly to burn off any remaining vapor
Ventilate as directed, operate the blower when fitted, and check for fuel fumes
Switch on all electrical accessories to test the battery
14. What does anchor scope describe?
The distance from the anchor to the nearest shoreline
The weight of the anchor compared with the boat’s weight
The angle between the boat’s bow and the wind
The ratio of anchor rode let out to the vertical distance from the bow to the bottom
15. Before leaving the dock, what is the soundest approach to personal flotation devices?
Keep them together in a locked compartment so they stay dry
Have properly sized, accessible devices and wear them as required or appropriate
Wait until rough conditions develop before taking them out
Carry one universal-size device for each pair of passengers
16. What does a boat’s draft measure?
The maximum height from the waterline to the mast
The distance traveled after the engine is put in neutral
The width of the hull at its widest point
The vertical distance from the waterline to the boat’s lowest submerged point