Massachusetts Boater's License Test
UPDATED ACTUAL Exam Questions and
CORRECT Answers
MA Boating Safety Certificate - CORRECT ANSWER - Required for 16 and 17 year olds
to operate a PWC, 12-15 year olds operating a motorboat of any horsepower.
class A Vessel - CORRECT ANSWER - length less than 16 feet
class 1 vessel - CORRECT ANSWER - 16 to 26 feet
class 2 - CORRECT ANSWER - 26 to 40 feet
class 3 - CORRECT ANSWER - 40 feet to 65 feet
length classes - CORRECT ANSWER - dictates necessary equipment (fire extinguishers,
sound signal devices, personal floatation devices, etc.)
displacement hull - CORRECT ANSWER - weight or volume of water that the vessel's
hull occupies & greater the weight the greater the displacement (Tabor Boy)
planing hull - CORRECT ANSWER - rises up and glides on top of water (Boston Whaler)
Flat bottom hull - CORRECT ANSWER - shallow draft, planing hull
V-hull - CORRECT ANSWER - more power to plane, smoother in rough water
round bottom hull - CORRECT ANSWER - most efficient with tendency to roll
, multi-hull - CORRECT ANSWER - greater stability because of wide beam, larger area
necessary to turn
wake - CORRECT ANSWER - dangerous because can rock, swamp, or capsize other
boats, passengers can be thrown off balance or overboard, can cause erosion of the shoreline and
damage important habitats
outboard engine - CORRECT ANSWER - mounted on the transom
inboard - CORRECT ANSWER - mounted inside the hull's mid-section and a drive shaft
leads to a prop outside
inboard/outboard or stern drive - CORRECT ANSWER - mounted inside and attached to
the outside
Jet drive - CORRECT ANSWER - use an engine to power a strong water pump that forces
a jet of water out the back of the vessel (PWC most common)
Person Water Craft - CORRECT ANSWER - under 16 may not operate a PWC on
Massachusetts Public Waters, 16 or 17 can if they have boater's license, 18 or older has no
restrictions, but PWCs are considered to be boats and must follow the same rules and regulations
as other boats, can only be operated between sunrise and sunset
max capacity plate - CORRECT ANSWER - max people, max weight, max total (gear &
people), and max horsepower
required for single hulled vessels less than 20 feet in length
boats loaded beyond capacity or overpowered will have less freeboard and will be less stable and
less seaworthy (easier to swamp, capsize, or more difficult to steer and maneuver)
step into center of a small boat when boarding it from a dock
UPDATED ACTUAL Exam Questions and
CORRECT Answers
MA Boating Safety Certificate - CORRECT ANSWER - Required for 16 and 17 year olds
to operate a PWC, 12-15 year olds operating a motorboat of any horsepower.
class A Vessel - CORRECT ANSWER - length less than 16 feet
class 1 vessel - CORRECT ANSWER - 16 to 26 feet
class 2 - CORRECT ANSWER - 26 to 40 feet
class 3 - CORRECT ANSWER - 40 feet to 65 feet
length classes - CORRECT ANSWER - dictates necessary equipment (fire extinguishers,
sound signal devices, personal floatation devices, etc.)
displacement hull - CORRECT ANSWER - weight or volume of water that the vessel's
hull occupies & greater the weight the greater the displacement (Tabor Boy)
planing hull - CORRECT ANSWER - rises up and glides on top of water (Boston Whaler)
Flat bottom hull - CORRECT ANSWER - shallow draft, planing hull
V-hull - CORRECT ANSWER - more power to plane, smoother in rough water
round bottom hull - CORRECT ANSWER - most efficient with tendency to roll
, multi-hull - CORRECT ANSWER - greater stability because of wide beam, larger area
necessary to turn
wake - CORRECT ANSWER - dangerous because can rock, swamp, or capsize other
boats, passengers can be thrown off balance or overboard, can cause erosion of the shoreline and
damage important habitats
outboard engine - CORRECT ANSWER - mounted on the transom
inboard - CORRECT ANSWER - mounted inside the hull's mid-section and a drive shaft
leads to a prop outside
inboard/outboard or stern drive - CORRECT ANSWER - mounted inside and attached to
the outside
Jet drive - CORRECT ANSWER - use an engine to power a strong water pump that forces
a jet of water out the back of the vessel (PWC most common)
Person Water Craft - CORRECT ANSWER - under 16 may not operate a PWC on
Massachusetts Public Waters, 16 or 17 can if they have boater's license, 18 or older has no
restrictions, but PWCs are considered to be boats and must follow the same rules and regulations
as other boats, can only be operated between sunrise and sunset
max capacity plate - CORRECT ANSWER - max people, max weight, max total (gear &
people), and max horsepower
required for single hulled vessels less than 20 feet in length
boats loaded beyond capacity or overpowered will have less freeboard and will be less stable and
less seaworthy (easier to swamp, capsize, or more difficult to steer and maneuver)
step into center of a small boat when boarding it from a dock
