OBS Navigation & Route Planning 2

Question 1

What does a red buoy with an even number indicate in the US Aids to Navigation system?

Accepted Answer

Leave it to your starboard (right) side when returning from sea

Answer

Red even-numbered buoys mark the right side of a channel when returning from sea — remember 'Red Right Returning.'

Question 2

On a nautical chart, a number enclosed in parentheses next to a depth sounding indicates:

Accepted Answer

A dredged channel depth

Answer

Parenthesized depth figures on nautical charts denote dredged channel depths maintained to that level.

Question 3

A vessel is planning a coastal trip and must cross a shipping lane. What is the safest crossing procedure?

Accepted Answer

Cross at a right angle (90°) to the traffic flow as quickly as possible

Answer

Crossing shipping lanes at a 90° angle minimizes your exposure time and makes your course predictable to large vessels.

Question 4

What is a 'waypoint' in modern GPS navigation?

Accepted Answer

A specific geographic coordinate saved as a navigation reference point

Answer

A waypoint is a stored GPS coordinate used to define a route or mark a destination.

Question 5

What does 'leeway' mean in navigation?

Accepted Answer

The sideways drift of a vessel caused by wind or current

Answer

Leeway is the lateral drift of a vessel off its intended course due to the force of wind or current.

(OBS) Online Boating Safety Certification Practice Test