California Boaters Safety - Practice Exam Questions With Correct Answers

A boat's capacity plate gives the maximum weight and/or number of people the boat can carry safely in certain weather conditions. What are these conditions? rainy weather weather with winds up to 76 knots weather with winds up to 154 knots good weather - Answer good weather You file a float plan for a weekend trip. Which of these should be included in the plan? your boat's horsepower rating onboard location of food and cooking utensils names and addresses of your passengers chart showing planing speed vs. fuel use - Answer names and addresses of your passengers What should you do with your float plan for a weekend water outing? Mail it to your home address. Stow it with the boat's registration papers. Fax it to the nearest U.S. Coast Guard station. Leave it with a friend or relative. - Answer Leave it with a friend or relative. Where should portable gasoline fuel tanks be filled? in the boat's cabin in the boat's cockpit on the dock on the gunwale - Answer on the dock Which fueling practice is safe? fueling your boat at night when it is cooler filling portable fuel tanks on the fuel dock turning on the boat's ventilation system while fueling opening all windows, ports, doors, and other openings before fueling - Answer filling portable fuel tanks on the fuel dock What factor determines a boat's required equipment? storage capacity rate of speed fuel tank weight length of boat - Answer length of boat What is the problem with using your boat's engine to drive it onto a trailer? You may break the winch cable. You may damage the engine. The boat's forward motion can disconnect the trailer lights. The propeller's wash can create a large hole just beyond the ramp. - Answer The propeller's wash can create a large hole just beyond the ramp. How full should you fill the fuel tank on a PWC? Leave a little empty space in the tank. Fill the tank all the way up. Tip the PWC to top off the fuel tank. Overfill slightly to avoid any air pocket. - Answer Leave a little empty space in the tank. When moored to a dock, what should you do before casting off while you warm up the engine? Make sure everyone on board is wearing a life jacket. Use an oar or boat hook to keep the boat moving in the water. Shift into forward gear. Raise the engine out of the water. - Answer Make sure everyone on board is wearing a life jacket. Which side of a boat has a green light at night? gunwale starboard (right) stern keel - Answer starboard (right) Which vessel should display yellow lights when towing? PWC sailboat ski boat commercial vessel - Answer commercial vessel You are operating a powerboat at night. Your green sidelight must be visible to boats approaching from which direction(s)? head-on only port (left) only head-on and starboard (right) head-on and behind - Answer head-on and starboard (right) You are operating a powerboat at night. You see red and white lights on another boat. What do these lights tell you? A power-driven vessel is approaching head-on, but you have the right of way. A sailing vessel is crossing your path, and you must swerve to avoid it. You must give way to the other vessel. You are the stand-on vessel. - Answer You must give way to the other vessel. What is the best source for a complete listing of navigation rules that apply to recreational boaters? U.S. Coast Guard U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Fish and Game Commission U.S. Wildlife Federation - Answer U.S. Coast Guard Two powerboats are about to cross paths. What should the boat on the starboard (right) do? Speed up to cross in front of the other boat. Speed up and turn toward the other boat. Maintain course and speed, but stay alert. Shoot a flare and sound a danger signal on a horn or whistle. - Answer Maintain course and speed, but stay alert. A sailboat and a PWC are meeting head-on. Which one is the stand-on vessel? sailboat PWC neither both - Answer sailboat One boat is overtaking another. Which boat must give way? the faster boat the larger boat the boat that is overtaking the boat being overtaken - Answer the boat that is overtaking You are out on the water in foggy conditions. You hear one prolonged blast every two minutes. What does this sound signal mean? I am a power-driven vessel at anchor. I am a power-driven vessel underway. I am an inflatable raft at anchor. I am an inflatable raft adrift in the water. - Answer I am a power-driven vessel underway. Which of these anchors is a good choice for most recreational boats? fluke-style clamp-style galvanized chain concrete block - Answer fluke-style What is the best way to avoid being run over by your own PWC or motorboat? wear a USCG-approved life jacket use the PWC's self-circling feature swim away from the boat or PWC if you fall overboard wear an ignition safety switch lanyard - Answer wear an ignition safety switch lanyard Which class of boats has priority when using river locks? paddleboats personal watercraft commercial boats private fishing boats - Answer commercial boats You are traveling upstream on a river. You see a green square daymark. What should you do? Slow down to no-wake speed. Keep the marker on your port (left) side. Wave a skier-down flag. Go around the marker on either side. - Answer Keep the marker on your port (left) side. You see a white marker with red vertical stripes. What type of marker is this? polluted water marker safe water marker low bridge marker information marker - Answer safe water marker Which symbol on a regulatory marker indicates hazards such as rocks or stumps? green square yellow crossed diamond aqua circle orange diamond - Answer orange diamond You see a white marker with an orange crossed diamond and black lettering. What does this marker tell you? mooring area keep out PWCs only good fishing area - Answer keep out What is needed for steering control on a PWC? an outboard motor an adjustable propeller a passenger in front of the operator power to the jet drive - Answer power to the jet drive Which part of a PWC is dangerous to your hands, feet, and hair? drive shaft ignition safety switch pump intake area rudder control - Answer pump intake area If you are involved in a boating accident, what is the FIRST thing you must do? go for a law enforcement officer or other help stop and make a thorough assessment of all property damage stop and assist anyone injured or in danger from the accident set off flares or other visual distress signals - Answer stop and assist anyone injured or in danger from the accident Which vessel requires that the operator be at least 14 years of age to operate on Washington waters? sailboat personal watercraft (PWC) boat powered by a motor of 10 hp or less canoe - Answer personal watercraft (PWC) Under Washington law, what blood or breath alcohol concentration, present in a vessel operator, is considered to be boat operation under the influence (BUI)? 0.10% 0.08% 0.06% 0.04% - Answer 0.08% When is a vessel operator required to use navigation lights? at all times when moored at a dock or pier when away from the dock during the day during periods of restricted visibility - Answer during periods of restricted visibility By law, what age children must wear a USCG-approved life jacket when underway on the open deck of a vessel less than 19 feet in length? 12 years old and younger 12 years old and older 7 years old and younger 7 years old and older - Answer 12 years old and younger What must be on board and available for inspection by enforcement officers whenever a vessel is operated? float plan Bill of Sale trailer license registration information - Answer registration information According to Washington law, during what hours is it legal to operate a personal watercraft? 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. sunrise to sunset after dark 6 a.m. to noon - Answer sunrise to sunset When a vessel is towing a skier, what are the legal requirements for observing that skier? A capable observer must be on board and report the skier's progress to the operator. A capable observer must watch from shore or a nearby vessel. A capable observer must be on board only if the skier is not wearing a life jacket. A capable observer must be on board only if the operator and/or skier are under the age of 18. - Answer A capable observer must be on board and report the skier's progress to the operator. A boat operator is involved in an accident in which a person is injured and requires hospitalization. How quickly must the operator file a boating accident report? within 48 minutes within 48 hours within 48 days before the vessel registration expires - Answer within 48 hours In Washington, how old must a person be to legally operate a personal watercraft? at least 4 years of age at least 9 years of age at least 14 years of age at least 19 years of age - Answer at least 14 years of age If convicted for boat operation under the influence (BUI), how long can you be imprisoned? 364 days 180 days 90 days 30 days - Answer 364 days In addition to an all-round white light, what light(s) must power-driven vessels less than 65.6 feet (20 meters) long exhibit when underway between sunset and sunrise? blue or red flashing light red and green sidelights orange sternlight one lantern or flashlight shining a white light - Answer red and green sidelights In addition to the required wearable PFD(s), what other equipment must you have on board if your vessel is 16 feet or longer? Red Cross-approved first-aid kit Type IV USCG-approved throwable PFD kitchen facilities flashing blue light - Answer Type IV USCG-approved throwable PFD