NYS BOATING LATEST 2026 COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔Captains primary responsibility - ✔✔passenger safety
✔✔Safety procedures of hitching a boat trailer to the car - ✔✔The ball and hitch should
be the same size, hitch the safety train in an X pattern, check lights, brakes, etc
✔✔Before trailering your boat, what precautions should you take? - ✔✔Load gear into
boat, insert drain plug, remove the tie downs but not the attachment to the bow
✔✔If you have an oil spill, contact —- - ✔✔Any federal waterway
✔✔In a no-discharge zone or sole state waters, what are the requirements for the
marine sanitary device? - ✔✔Can be used as a holding tank, Y valve must be locked,
wired shut, or with the handle removed.
✔✔Garbage can never be —- - ✔✔Dumped off the boat
✔✔If you trailer your boat, what could you do to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive
species from one body of water to the other? - ✔✔Also clean the trailer with hot soapy
water. Never release fish from one body of water to the other.
✔✔What factors should determine the speed of the boat? - ✔✔Visibility, weather, traffic,
etc
✔✔An operator should maintain a proper lookout —— - ✔✔at all times
✔✔What is the primary indicator that a crash might happen? - ✔✔Consistent
decreasing range
✔✔When must navigation lights be displayed? - ✔✔From sunset to sunrise and when
visibility is restricted
✔✔Right of way - ✔✔The stand boat should maintain speed unless the other one
doesn't give way
✔✔Important boating signals to other boaters - ✔✔One shortblast: I will leave you
turning to the starboard
Two shortblast: I will leave you turning to port
Three shortblasts: Reverse engines
5+ shortblasts: Danger
One long blast: Boat is leaving a slip or rounding a bend.
, ✔✔What is the state speed limit within 100ft of shore, dock, land, etc - ✔✔5mph
✔✔What's reckless - ✔✔Driving fast in traffic, tailing, playing chicken, etc
✔✔Alcohol's effect - ✔✔Impaired judgement and increased risk of hypothermia
✔✔In NYS, what's the max BAC? - ✔✔.08
✔✔When approaching a dock, what should you take into consideration? - ✔✔The
current and the wind
✔✔How fast should you approach the dock? - ✔✔Very slowly
✔✔Why are anchors important? - ✔✔It keeps the boat from drifting if the engine fails?
✔✔Where should an anchor NOT be? - ✔✔The stern
✔✔Why type of info is on the chart? - ✔✔Depth, buoy, landmarks, etc
✔✔What colors are channel markers? - ✔✔Red and green
✔✔What's the head of navigation? - ✔✔It is the point furthest upstream that a boat can
travel
✔✔What do the four symbols mean? - ✔✔Square: Info
Circle: Regulatory
Diamond: Danger
Diamond with cross: Exclusion
✔✔What's the definition of a personal watercraft? - ✔✔A boat which uses an inboard
motor powering a water jet pump as its primary source of motive power.
✔✔What are the requirements for a person to legally operate a PWC? - ✔✔At least 14
year old and NYS boating certificate, or accompanied by someone over 18 with a
boating certificate
✔✔What happens when the throttle is released and an operator attempts to steer the
PWC? - ✔✔The ability to steer ceases.
✔✔What time of day is a PWC restricted? - ✔✔From sunset to sunrise
✔✔What's reckless on a PWC? - ✔✔Playing chicken, weaving, and wake jumping
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔Captains primary responsibility - ✔✔passenger safety
✔✔Safety procedures of hitching a boat trailer to the car - ✔✔The ball and hitch should
be the same size, hitch the safety train in an X pattern, check lights, brakes, etc
✔✔Before trailering your boat, what precautions should you take? - ✔✔Load gear into
boat, insert drain plug, remove the tie downs but not the attachment to the bow
✔✔If you have an oil spill, contact —- - ✔✔Any federal waterway
✔✔In a no-discharge zone or sole state waters, what are the requirements for the
marine sanitary device? - ✔✔Can be used as a holding tank, Y valve must be locked,
wired shut, or with the handle removed.
✔✔Garbage can never be —- - ✔✔Dumped off the boat
✔✔If you trailer your boat, what could you do to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive
species from one body of water to the other? - ✔✔Also clean the trailer with hot soapy
water. Never release fish from one body of water to the other.
✔✔What factors should determine the speed of the boat? - ✔✔Visibility, weather, traffic,
etc
✔✔An operator should maintain a proper lookout —— - ✔✔at all times
✔✔What is the primary indicator that a crash might happen? - ✔✔Consistent
decreasing range
✔✔When must navigation lights be displayed? - ✔✔From sunset to sunrise and when
visibility is restricted
✔✔Right of way - ✔✔The stand boat should maintain speed unless the other one
doesn't give way
✔✔Important boating signals to other boaters - ✔✔One shortblast: I will leave you
turning to the starboard
Two shortblast: I will leave you turning to port
Three shortblasts: Reverse engines
5+ shortblasts: Danger
One long blast: Boat is leaving a slip or rounding a bend.
, ✔✔What is the state speed limit within 100ft of shore, dock, land, etc - ✔✔5mph
✔✔What's reckless - ✔✔Driving fast in traffic, tailing, playing chicken, etc
✔✔Alcohol's effect - ✔✔Impaired judgement and increased risk of hypothermia
✔✔In NYS, what's the max BAC? - ✔✔.08
✔✔When approaching a dock, what should you take into consideration? - ✔✔The
current and the wind
✔✔How fast should you approach the dock? - ✔✔Very slowly
✔✔Why are anchors important? - ✔✔It keeps the boat from drifting if the engine fails?
✔✔Where should an anchor NOT be? - ✔✔The stern
✔✔Why type of info is on the chart? - ✔✔Depth, buoy, landmarks, etc
✔✔What colors are channel markers? - ✔✔Red and green
✔✔What's the head of navigation? - ✔✔It is the point furthest upstream that a boat can
travel
✔✔What do the four symbols mean? - ✔✔Square: Info
Circle: Regulatory
Diamond: Danger
Diamond with cross: Exclusion
✔✔What's the definition of a personal watercraft? - ✔✔A boat which uses an inboard
motor powering a water jet pump as its primary source of motive power.
✔✔What are the requirements for a person to legally operate a PWC? - ✔✔At least 14
year old and NYS boating certificate, or accompanied by someone over 18 with a
boating certificate
✔✔What happens when the throttle is released and an operator attempts to steer the
PWC? - ✔✔The ability to steer ceases.
✔✔What time of day is a PWC restricted? - ✔✔From sunset to sunrise
✔✔What's reckless on a PWC? - ✔✔Playing chicken, weaving, and wake jumping
