NJ BOATING STUDY GUIDE EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
ANSWERS
What is the age that you MUST wear a PFD at all times? - Answer-12 or younger
How old must you be to receive a NJ boat safety certificate? - Answer-13 years old
How old must you be to operate a Personal Water Craft
(PWC)? - Answer-16 years old
True or False: Anyone age 13 or older can operate a powerboat that is operated by a
trolling motor or one horsepower or less or if the the boat is longer than 12 feet it must
have less than ten horsepower - Answer-True
When should your navigation lights be on? - Answer-Sunset to Sunrise or during the
day if visibility is restricted
When is it legal to tow someone on a wakeboard or tube? - Answer-Sunrise to Sunset
When is it legal to operate a personal watercraft? - Answer-Sunrise to Sunset
Is it legal to operate your boat by the launch ramp? - Answer-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? - Answer-Away from the boat ramp. Preparation should be done away from
the ramp
Can you legally pass an emergency vessel with their lights on? - Answer-Yes, but you
must go at a slow rate no wake speed
How fast should you go in a lagoon or narrow channel? - Answer-Slow speed
Is it legal to operate at a slow speed inside of a marked exclusion area? (diamond with
a cross) - Answer-NEVER GO IN THIS AREA
What is the distance you should be from any military or service vessel? - Answer-500
yards away
If you are within 500 yards of a military vessel how fast should you be going? - Answer-
Slow, no wake speed
, If you are within 100 yards of a military vessel what should you do? - Answer-Be
stopped
If you are operating at a fast speed how far must you be from a marina, pier, wharf, or
dock? - Answer-200 feet away
When you are closer than 200 feet away from a marina, pier, wharf, or dock how fast
should you go? - Answer-No wake speed, slow
Before you leave the dock what should you look at? - Answer-Nautical Chart
What is a Nautical Chart? - Answer-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? - Answer-Nautical Chart
Who is responsible for avoiding collision? - Answer-EVERYONE
When two boats are approaching head on what should they do? - Answer-Each boat
must give way to the right to pass
Another boat is approaching your boat from your starboard side, what do you do? -
Answer-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? - Answer-
Maintain course and speed as the sailboat must give-way
True or False: If you are overtaking another boat you must give way - Answer-True
What is the primary factor that will affect boat speed? - Answer-Visibility
Caught in the fog, What do you do? - Answer-Slow down, turn on navigation lights, be
prepared to take action to avoid collision
Red buoys: Even or odd numbers? - Answer-Even
Green buoys: Even or odd numbers? - Answer-Odd
Purpose of Markers? - Answer-Identify edges of safe water, the potential for running
aground outside them is very high
Running Aground, what must you FIRST do? - Answer-Make sure everyone is okay,
give assistance
QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
ANSWERS
What is the age that you MUST wear a PFD at all times? - Answer-12 or younger
How old must you be to receive a NJ boat safety certificate? - Answer-13 years old
How old must you be to operate a Personal Water Craft
(PWC)? - Answer-16 years old
True or False: Anyone age 13 or older can operate a powerboat that is operated by a
trolling motor or one horsepower or less or if the the boat is longer than 12 feet it must
have less than ten horsepower - Answer-True
When should your navigation lights be on? - Answer-Sunset to Sunrise or during the
day if visibility is restricted
When is it legal to tow someone on a wakeboard or tube? - Answer-Sunrise to Sunset
When is it legal to operate a personal watercraft? - Answer-Sunrise to Sunset
Is it legal to operate your boat by the launch ramp? - Answer-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? - Answer-Away from the boat ramp. Preparation should be done away from
the ramp
Can you legally pass an emergency vessel with their lights on? - Answer-Yes, but you
must go at a slow rate no wake speed
How fast should you go in a lagoon or narrow channel? - Answer-Slow speed
Is it legal to operate at a slow speed inside of a marked exclusion area? (diamond with
a cross) - Answer-NEVER GO IN THIS AREA
What is the distance you should be from any military or service vessel? - Answer-500
yards away
If you are within 500 yards of a military vessel how fast should you be going? - Answer-
Slow, no wake speed
, If you are within 100 yards of a military vessel what should you do? - Answer-Be
stopped
If you are operating at a fast speed how far must you be from a marina, pier, wharf, or
dock? - Answer-200 feet away
When you are closer than 200 feet away from a marina, pier, wharf, or dock how fast
should you go? - Answer-No wake speed, slow
Before you leave the dock what should you look at? - Answer-Nautical Chart
What is a Nautical Chart? - Answer-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? - Answer-Nautical Chart
Who is responsible for avoiding collision? - Answer-EVERYONE
When two boats are approaching head on what should they do? - Answer-Each boat
must give way to the right to pass
Another boat is approaching your boat from your starboard side, what do you do? -
Answer-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? - Answer-
Maintain course and speed as the sailboat must give-way
True or False: If you are overtaking another boat you must give way - Answer-True
What is the primary factor that will affect boat speed? - Answer-Visibility
Caught in the fog, What do you do? - Answer-Slow down, turn on navigation lights, be
prepared to take action to avoid collision
Red buoys: Even or odd numbers? - Answer-Even
Green buoys: Even or odd numbers? - Answer-Odd
Purpose of Markers? - Answer-Identify edges of safe water, the potential for running
aground outside them is very high
Running Aground, what must you FIRST do? - Answer-Make sure everyone is okay,
give assistance
