Coast Guard Navigation and Seamanship Flashcards

A vessel showing a red light on its port side and a green light on its starboard side is displaying what type of navigation lights?

Answer: Sidelights

Red (port) and green (starboard) lights are called sidelights and indicate the vessel's orientation to other traffic.

When two power-driven vessels meet head-on, what is the correct action under the Navigation Rules?

Answer: Each alters course to starboard

In a head-on meeting, each vessel alters course to starboard so they pass port-to-port.

What does a single short blast of the whistle signal to another vessel in a meeting or crossing situation?

Answer: I intend to leave you on my port side

One short blast means the vessel intends to alter course to starboard, leaving the other on its port side.

A green can-shaped buoy marked with an odd number indicates which side of the channel when returning from sea?

Answer: Port side

Green odd-numbered can buoys mark the port side of the channel under the 'red-right-returning' rule.

What is the primary purpose of a compass rose printed on a nautical chart?

Answer: To show true and magnetic direction

The compass rose gives both true and magnetic bearings for plotting courses.

Which knot is best suited for tying a line to a fixed post or piling because it holds under load yet releases easily?

Answer: Clove hitch

A clove hitch secures a line to a post and can be released even after bearing weight.

The difference between true north and magnetic north at a given location is called what?

Answer: Variation

Variation is the angular difference between true and magnetic north, shown on the compass rose.