ASA 103 Exam Graded A+ (Verified)
Action Signals - ANSWER-Under both rules, three short blasts means I am operating
stern propulsion. One short blast means, under International Rules, I am altering course
to starboard; under Inland Rules, it means I intend to leave you to port. Two short blasts
means (International Rules) am altering course to port, and (US Inland Rules) I intend to
leave you on my starboard side.
Aids to navigation - ANSWER-The lateral system: buoys and beacons set along sides of
channels to mark the limit of navigable water.
IALA Region B is used in North America where "red, right, return" rule applies.
IALA Region A is used in much of the rest of the world.
Regulatory markers are white cylindrical with orange stripes above and below these
shapes: diamond (danger), circle (restricted operations), diamond with a cross
(exclusion zone, keep out), rectangle (information: direction, distance, etc.)
Amidships - ANSWER-At or toward the middle of the boat.
Angle of attack - ANSWER-The angle at which the wind strikes the chord.
Apparent wind - ANSWER-The combination of true wind and the wind effect of motion
as felt aboard a moving boat.
ASA recommended safety equipment for a recreational sailing vessel. - ANSWER-VHF
radio.
Cell phone.
Rope and twine: for spare sheets and docklines, or to replace a shackle that lost its pin.
Charts and plotting tools (parallel rule, dividers, pencils.)
Anchor and rode.
Binoculars.
First aid kit.
Tool kit: screwdriver, wrench, pliers, hammer, hacksaw, duct tape, vise grips.
Rigging knife (have a blunt end, not a sharp tip.)
Flashlights and spare batteries.
High-powered flashlight (to see other boats, aids to navigation, or shining it on the sails
to use as nav light.)
Battery lantern.
Clock or watch (waterproof preferred.)
Boathook.
Portable bilge pump.
Softwood plugs (in case a through-hull fitting fails.)
Bucket.
Radar reflector (to enhance your visibility to other vessels.)
Astern - ANSWER-Behind the stern.
, Athwartships - ANSWER-Across the boat from side to side.
Auxiliary engine - ANSWER-The source of auxiliary propulsion on a sailboat. Used also
to produce electricity needed to charge the house batteries.
Backwinding - ANSWER-The act of setting a sail aback.
Beacon - ANSWER-An aid to navigation that's fixed in place.
Bear away - ANSWER-To turn the boat away from the wind, to fall off
Bearing - ANSWER-The direction in degrees toward one object from another.
Beat (beating) - ANSWER-To sail to windward close-hauled.
Beaufort scale 1: wind 1-3 knots. - ANSWER-Light air: ripples with the appearance of
scales but without foam crests.
Bilge - ANSWER-The lowest interior region of the hull.
Bilge pump - ANSWER-A pump used to remove water from the bilge. Usually there is
an automatic (electric) bilge pump and a manual bilge pump on every boat.
Binnacle - ANSWER-The pedestal on which the boat's main compass is mounted.
Blanketed - ANSWER-Hidden by the wind, as when one sail is covered by the other.
Block - ANSWER-A pulley.
Boom vang - ANSWER-An item of running rigging, often a block and tackle, used to
hold down the boom.
Bottom types--Clay (Cl) - ANSWER-Challenging for all anchor types, and the anchor's
weight is more important than its shape. Heavy claw or plow types are better than
lightweight types.
Bottom types--Coral (Co) - ANSWER-Delicate, live organism protected by law in many
places. Damage to it can incur heavy fines. Never anchor on this type of bottom.
Bottom types--Grass (G) - ANSWER-Challenging for all anchor types, and the anchor's
weight is more important than its shape. Heavy claw or plow types are better than
lightweight types.
Bottom types--Gravel (Gr) - ANSWER-Provides consistently good holding and is easy
for anchors to penetrate. Lightweight and plow anchors work well.
Action Signals - ANSWER-Under both rules, three short blasts means I am operating
stern propulsion. One short blast means, under International Rules, I am altering course
to starboard; under Inland Rules, it means I intend to leave you to port. Two short blasts
means (International Rules) am altering course to port, and (US Inland Rules) I intend to
leave you on my starboard side.
Aids to navigation - ANSWER-The lateral system: buoys and beacons set along sides of
channels to mark the limit of navigable water.
IALA Region B is used in North America where "red, right, return" rule applies.
IALA Region A is used in much of the rest of the world.
Regulatory markers are white cylindrical with orange stripes above and below these
shapes: diamond (danger), circle (restricted operations), diamond with a cross
(exclusion zone, keep out), rectangle (information: direction, distance, etc.)
Amidships - ANSWER-At or toward the middle of the boat.
Angle of attack - ANSWER-The angle at which the wind strikes the chord.
Apparent wind - ANSWER-The combination of true wind and the wind effect of motion
as felt aboard a moving boat.
ASA recommended safety equipment for a recreational sailing vessel. - ANSWER-VHF
radio.
Cell phone.
Rope and twine: for spare sheets and docklines, or to replace a shackle that lost its pin.
Charts and plotting tools (parallel rule, dividers, pencils.)
Anchor and rode.
Binoculars.
First aid kit.
Tool kit: screwdriver, wrench, pliers, hammer, hacksaw, duct tape, vise grips.
Rigging knife (have a blunt end, not a sharp tip.)
Flashlights and spare batteries.
High-powered flashlight (to see other boats, aids to navigation, or shining it on the sails
to use as nav light.)
Battery lantern.
Clock or watch (waterproof preferred.)
Boathook.
Portable bilge pump.
Softwood plugs (in case a through-hull fitting fails.)
Bucket.
Radar reflector (to enhance your visibility to other vessels.)
Astern - ANSWER-Behind the stern.
, Athwartships - ANSWER-Across the boat from side to side.
Auxiliary engine - ANSWER-The source of auxiliary propulsion on a sailboat. Used also
to produce electricity needed to charge the house batteries.
Backwinding - ANSWER-The act of setting a sail aback.
Beacon - ANSWER-An aid to navigation that's fixed in place.
Bear away - ANSWER-To turn the boat away from the wind, to fall off
Bearing - ANSWER-The direction in degrees toward one object from another.
Beat (beating) - ANSWER-To sail to windward close-hauled.
Beaufort scale 1: wind 1-3 knots. - ANSWER-Light air: ripples with the appearance of
scales but without foam crests.
Bilge - ANSWER-The lowest interior region of the hull.
Bilge pump - ANSWER-A pump used to remove water from the bilge. Usually there is
an automatic (electric) bilge pump and a manual bilge pump on every boat.
Binnacle - ANSWER-The pedestal on which the boat's main compass is mounted.
Blanketed - ANSWER-Hidden by the wind, as when one sail is covered by the other.
Block - ANSWER-A pulley.
Boom vang - ANSWER-An item of running rigging, often a block and tackle, used to
hold down the boom.
Bottom types--Clay (Cl) - ANSWER-Challenging for all anchor types, and the anchor's
weight is more important than its shape. Heavy claw or plow types are better than
lightweight types.
Bottom types--Coral (Co) - ANSWER-Delicate, live organism protected by law in many
places. Damage to it can incur heavy fines. Never anchor on this type of bottom.
Bottom types--Grass (G) - ANSWER-Challenging for all anchor types, and the anchor's
weight is more important than its shape. Heavy claw or plow types are better than
lightweight types.
Bottom types--Gravel (Gr) - ANSWER-Provides consistently good holding and is easy
for anchors to penetrate. Lightweight and plow anchors work well.
