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Navigation and Chartwork Flashcards

6 cards from real SVOP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

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  1. On a Canadian nautical chart, you encounter a buoy symbol that is yellow and black. You note the top marks are two cones pointing down. What does this cardinal buoy indicate?

    Answer: That the safest water lies to the South of the buoy.

    A South Cardinal Buoy is yellow on top and black on the bottom, with two cones as top marks both pointing downward. This configuration indicates that safe, navigable water is to the south of the buoy.

  2. You are plotting a course on a nautical chart. The compass rose indicates a variation of 15° West. Your vessel's deviation for the intended heading is 3° East. To convert a true course to a compass course, how would you apply these corrections?

    Answer: Add 15° for variation and subtract 3° for deviation.

    To convert from a true course to a compass course, the rule is to account for variation and deviation. For West variation, you add, and for East deviation, you subtract. A common mnemonic is 'True Virgins Make Dull Company, Add Whiskey' (True, Variation, Magnetic, Deviation, Compass, Add West). Therefore, you would add the 15° West variation and subtract the 3° East deviation.

  3. While navigating in Canadian waters, which operate under the IALA-B buoyage system, you are heading upstream (returning from sea). According to the 'Red Right Returning' rule, what action should you take when you see a red, cone-shaped buoy?

    Answer: Keep the buoy on your starboard (right) side.

    In the IALA-B system, used in Canada, the rule 'Red Right Returning' means that when you are proceeding in the upstream direction (returning from sea), you must keep red, conical-shaped (nun) buoys on your starboard (right) hand side.

  4. Which of the following is the most accurate source for finding the specific meanings of all symbols and abbreviations used on a Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) nautical chart?

    Answer: Chart No. 1, Symbols, Abbreviations and Terms

    Chart No. 1, published by the Canadian Hydrographic Service, is the authoritative guide that contains complete explanations of all the symbols, abbreviations, and terms used on Canadian nautical charts.

  5. You are operating a small vessel in a narrow channel and see a green, can-shaped buoy ahead. You are travelling upstream. How should you proceed to remain in the designated safe channel?

    Answer: Keep the green buoy on your port (left) side.

    In Canada (IALA Region B), when proceeding upstream, port-hand (left side of the channel) lateral buoys are green and can-shaped. Therefore, the operator should keep this buoy on their port side to stay within the safe channel.

  6. On a nautical chart, the abbreviation 'S' next to a seabed description (e.g., 'S/M') indicates what type of bottom composition?

    Answer: Sand

    According to Chart No. 1, which standardizes symbols and abbreviations on Canadian charts, the abbreviation 'S' for seabed composition stands for Sand. 'M' stands for Mud, so 'S/M' would indicate a bottom of Sand and Mud.