NJ Boating Practice Exam Questions and
Answers (2026) | Review Pack | Real Exam
Practice | A+
• When should your navigation lights be on? -✓✓Sunset to Sunrise or during the day if
visibility is restricted
• When is it legal to tow someone on a wakeboard or tube? -✓✓Sunrise to Sunset
• When is it legal to operate a personal watercraft? -✓✓Sunrise to Sunset
• Is it legal to operate your boat by the launch ramp? -✓✓Yes you have to go at slow
speed no wake
• Where is the best place to transfer gear from your vehicle to your boat before
launching? -✓✓Away from the boat ramp. Preparation should be done away from the
ramp
• Can you legally pass an emergency vessel with their lights on? -✓✓Yes, but you must
go at a slow rate no wake speed
• How fast should you go in a lagoon or narrow channel? -✓✓Slow speed
• Is it legal to operate at a slow speed inside of a marked exclusion area? (diamond with
a cross) -✓✓NEVER GO IN THIS AREA
• What is the distance you should be from any military or service vessel? -✓✓500 yards
away
• If you are within 500 yards of a military vessel how fast should you be going? -
✓✓Slow, no wake speed
• If you are within 100 yards of a military vessel what should you do? -✓✓Be stopped
• If you are operating at a fast speed how far must you be from a marina, pier, wharf, or
dock? -✓✓200 feet away
• When you are closer than 200 feet away from a marina, pier, wharf, or dock how fast
should you go? -✓✓No wake speed, slow
• Before you leave the dock what should you look at? -✓✓Nautical Chart
, • What is a Nautical Chart? -✓✓Contains information such as water depths and the
locations of channels, sand bars, rocks and vegetation. Prevents from running aground.
• What can prevent you from running aground? -✓✓Nautical Chart
• Who is responsible for avoiding collision? -✓✓EVERYONE
• When two boats are approaching head on what should they do? -✓✓Each boat must
give way to the right to pass
• Another boat is approaching your boat from your starboard side, what do you do? -
✓✓You must stop, slow down, change direction (you are the give-way vessel)
• When you are underway and a sailboat is passing you, what must you do? -
✓✓Maintain course and speed as the sailboat must give-way
• True or False: If you are overtaking another boat you must give way -✓✓True
• What is the primary factor that will affect boat speed? -✓✓Visibility
• Caught in the fog, What do you do? -✓✓Slow down, turn on navigation lights, be
prepared to take action to avoid collision
• Red buoys: Even or odd numbers? -✓✓Even
• Green buoys: Even or odd numbers? -✓✓Odd
• Purpose of Markers? -✓✓Identify edges of safe water, the potential for running
aground outside them is very high
• Running Aground, what must you FIRST do? -✓✓Make sure everyone is okay, give
assistance
• What should you do after you run aground? -✓✓Check if everyone is okay, check for
leaks, turn the engine off, shift weight in the boat forward, raise the engine and push
yourself using a boat hook or an ore
• Must you register boat every year? -✓✓Yes
• Where are validation decals placed? -✓✓Next to the registration numbers on both
sides of the bow of the boat
Answers (2026) | Review Pack | Real Exam
Practice | A+
• When should your navigation lights be on? -✓✓Sunset to Sunrise or during the day if
visibility is restricted
• When is it legal to tow someone on a wakeboard or tube? -✓✓Sunrise to Sunset
• When is it legal to operate a personal watercraft? -✓✓Sunrise to Sunset
• Is it legal to operate your boat by the launch ramp? -✓✓Yes you have to go at slow
speed no wake
• Where is the best place to transfer gear from your vehicle to your boat before
launching? -✓✓Away from the boat ramp. Preparation should be done away from the
ramp
• Can you legally pass an emergency vessel with their lights on? -✓✓Yes, but you must
go at a slow rate no wake speed
• How fast should you go in a lagoon or narrow channel? -✓✓Slow speed
• Is it legal to operate at a slow speed inside of a marked exclusion area? (diamond with
a cross) -✓✓NEVER GO IN THIS AREA
• What is the distance you should be from any military or service vessel? -✓✓500 yards
away
• If you are within 500 yards of a military vessel how fast should you be going? -
✓✓Slow, no wake speed
• If you are within 100 yards of a military vessel what should you do? -✓✓Be stopped
• If you are operating at a fast speed how far must you be from a marina, pier, wharf, or
dock? -✓✓200 feet away
• When you are closer than 200 feet away from a marina, pier, wharf, or dock how fast
should you go? -✓✓No wake speed, slow
• Before you leave the dock what should you look at? -✓✓Nautical Chart
, • What is a Nautical Chart? -✓✓Contains information such as water depths and the
locations of channels, sand bars, rocks and vegetation. Prevents from running aground.
• What can prevent you from running aground? -✓✓Nautical Chart
• Who is responsible for avoiding collision? -✓✓EVERYONE
• When two boats are approaching head on what should they do? -✓✓Each boat must
give way to the right to pass
• Another boat is approaching your boat from your starboard side, what do you do? -
✓✓You must stop, slow down, change direction (you are the give-way vessel)
• When you are underway and a sailboat is passing you, what must you do? -
✓✓Maintain course and speed as the sailboat must give-way
• True or False: If you are overtaking another boat you must give way -✓✓True
• What is the primary factor that will affect boat speed? -✓✓Visibility
• Caught in the fog, What do you do? -✓✓Slow down, turn on navigation lights, be
prepared to take action to avoid collision
• Red buoys: Even or odd numbers? -✓✓Even
• Green buoys: Even or odd numbers? -✓✓Odd
• Purpose of Markers? -✓✓Identify edges of safe water, the potential for running
aground outside them is very high
• Running Aground, what must you FIRST do? -✓✓Make sure everyone is okay, give
assistance
• What should you do after you run aground? -✓✓Check if everyone is okay, check for
leaks, turn the engine off, shift weight in the boat forward, raise the engine and push
yourself using a boat hook or an ore
• Must you register boat every year? -✓✓Yes
• Where are validation decals placed? -✓✓Next to the registration numbers on both
sides of the bow of the boat
