BOATING EXAM – CT |QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS|UPDATED 2026/2027
The four length classes of vessels are ✔️less than 16 ft; 16 ft to less than 26 ft; 26 ft to less than 40 ft; 40 ft to less than 65 ft
Basic types of vessel hulls can be described as ✔️planing and displacement
Three basic hull shapes include ✔️flat, round, deep vee
Another hull type is ✔️Multi-hull
The port side of a vessel is the ___ side ✔️left
The four basic types of engines are ✔️stern drive; outboard; inboard; jet drive
Stern drive and inboard engines are ✔️automotive engines adapted for marine use
The U.S. Coast Guard considers personal watercraft as ✔️a small vessel designed to be operated by a person or persons sitting, standing, or
kneeling on the vessel rather than inside the vessel that uses an inboard engine and is primarily propelled by a jet drive
Personal watercraft are subject to ✔️All boating laws and laws specific to PWCs
___ is a device used to pump and force water under pressure through a steering nozzle at the rear of the vessel ✔️an impeller
The information displayed on the capacity plate of an outboard powerboat tells the ✔️Hull manufacturer's recommended maximum number of
persons, recommended maximum horsepower rating and maximum weight capacity
You should include ___ on your float plan before you embark on an extended outing ✔️Number, names, and addresses of passengers, the
number size and make of the vessel and the route you are taking, the date and location of your stopping points, and when you plan to return
Before fueling your vessel, you should ✔️turn off all engines and electrical equipment
A rule of thumb to prevent running out of fuel on a PWC is ✔️use one-third to get out, one-third to get back, and one-third in reserve for
emergencies
If the combined weight of the vessel and its engine is more than ___ of the recommended load capacity of the trailer, you should get the next
larger trailer ✔️90%
Tongue weight is the weight a loaded trailer ___ ✔️places on the towing hitch
Tongue weight of a trailer should be ___ of the combined vessel and trailer weight ✔️7%-10%
As a courtesy to other boaters, you should ✔️prepare your vessel for launching well away from the ramp
To preform good marine engine maintenance, you should ✔️check the engine for anything that requires tightening, repairing, or replacing
If the wind direction is toward the dock, you should always cast off ___ first when leaving the dock ✔️the stern line
The ___ is the vessel which is required to take early and substantial action to avoid a collision by stopping, slowing down, or changing course
✔️give-way vessel
If you are driving a powerboat or PWC and meet another powerboat or PWC head-on, you should turn to ✔️starboard
When two powerboats are meeting head-on, ___ is the stand-on vessel ✔️neither of the boats
If you see a red and a white light ahead when boating at night, you should ✔️give way to the other vessel
If you see only a green light while boating at night, you know that you are encountering a ✔️sailboat and must give way
If you see only a white light while boating at night, you are ___ and you must give way ✔️approaching an anchored vessel or overtaking another
vessel
___ are the "traffic signals" that guide boaters safely along their course ✔️buoys and markers
The four length classes of vessels are ✔️less than 16 ft; 16 ft to less than 26 ft; 26 ft to less than 40 ft; 40 ft to less than 65 ft
Basic types of vessel hulls can be described as ✔️planing and displacement
Three basic hull shapes include ✔️flat, round, deep vee
Another hull type is ✔️Multi-hull
The port side of a vessel is the ___ side ✔️left
The four basic types of engines are ✔️stern drive; outboard; inboard; jet drive
Stern drive and inboard engines are ✔️automotive engines adapted for marine use
The U.S. Coast Guard considers personal watercraft as ✔️a small vessel designed to be operated by a person or persons sitting, standing, or
kneeling on the vessel rather than inside the vessel that uses an inboard engine and is primarily propelled by a jet drive
Personal watercraft are subject to ✔️All boating laws and laws specific to PWCs
___ is a device used to pump and force water under pressure through a steering nozzle at the rear of the vessel ✔️an impeller
The information displayed on the capacity plate of an outboard powerboat tells the ✔️Hull manufacturer's recommended maximum number of
persons, recommended maximum horsepower rating and maximum weight capacity
You should include ___ on your float plan before you embark on an extended outing ✔️Number, names, and addresses of passengers, the
number size and make of the vessel and the route you are taking, the date and location of your stopping points, and when you plan to return
Before fueling your vessel, you should ✔️turn off all engines and electrical equipment
A rule of thumb to prevent running out of fuel on a PWC is ✔️use one-third to get out, one-third to get back, and one-third in reserve for
emergencies
If the combined weight of the vessel and its engine is more than ___ of the recommended load capacity of the trailer, you should get the next
larger trailer ✔️90%
Tongue weight is the weight a loaded trailer ___ ✔️places on the towing hitch
Tongue weight of a trailer should be ___ of the combined vessel and trailer weight ✔️7%-10%
As a courtesy to other boaters, you should ✔️prepare your vessel for launching well away from the ramp
To preform good marine engine maintenance, you should ✔️check the engine for anything that requires tightening, repairing, or replacing
If the wind direction is toward the dock, you should always cast off ___ first when leaving the dock ✔️the stern line
The ___ is the vessel which is required to take early and substantial action to avoid a collision by stopping, slowing down, or changing course
✔️give-way vessel
If you are driving a powerboat or PWC and meet another powerboat or PWC head-on, you should turn to ✔️starboard
When two powerboats are meeting head-on, ___ is the stand-on vessel ✔️neither of the boats
If you see a red and a white light ahead when boating at night, you should ✔️give way to the other vessel
If you see only a green light while boating at night, you know that you are encountering a ✔️sailboat and must give way
If you see only a white light while boating at night, you are ___ and you must give way ✔️approaching an anchored vessel or overtaking another
vessel
___ are the "traffic signals" that guide boaters safely along their course ✔️buoys and markers
