PCOC Boating Test Mock Exam 4

All 36 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

1. Your 4-year-old's PFD leaves a gap of about 10 cm between her shoulders and the device. What does this mean?

   1. It needs to be inflated
   2. It is too big for her
   3. It is too small for her
   4. It fits correctly

2. On which side should you normally keep a fairway buoy?

   1. On your port (left) side, either direction
   2. Always directly ahead
   3. Never pass it; go around
   4. On your starboard side going upstream

3. On which side of a narrow channel should you keep when travelling along it?

   1. The middle of the channel
   2. The port (left) side
   3. The starboard (right) side
   4. Whichever side is deeper

4. What does the guide recommend to soak up oil and fuel in your bilge?

   1. Absorbent bilge cloths
   2. High-pressure hot water
   3. Bleach
   4. Biodegradable dish detergent

5. What does a Sécurité broadcast usually announce?

   1. A request for a tow
   2. A life-threatening injury on board
   3. Safety information, like a hazard
   4. A boat that is sinking

6. Someone falls overboard. What should you do first?

   1. Sound the alarm and slow down
   2. Speed up to circle back
   3. Jump in after them
   4. Call your insurance company

7. In fog, which signal does a sailing vessel sound?

   1. 1 prolonged blast every 2 minutes
   2. 2 prolonged blasts about 2 seconds apart
   3. 1 prolonged followed by 2 short blasts
   4. 4 short blasts

8. What must an approved bailer be like?

   1. At least 750 ml with a 9 cm opening
   2. Any bucket made of fabric
   3. At least 4 L with a sealed lid
   4. At least 250 ml, any opening

9. When is a reboarding device required?

   1. Only on boats over 9 m
   2. When the climb back aboard is over 0.5 m
   3. Only for swimmers under 16
   4. Whenever the boat has an outboard

10. You are boating in late October with temperatures near freezing. Why might an inflatable PFD be a poor choice?

    1. It cannot be worn over a jacket
    2. It is only legal in summer
    3. Its CO2 cylinder may explode
    4. It inflates more slowly and floats less

11. Your 7 m boat is under way in fog. Which sound signal rule applies to you?

    1. Ring a bell every minute
    2. Sound five blasts each minute
    3. No signal at all; boats under 12 m are exempt
    4. Some efficient signal at most every 2 minutes

12. In fog, what signal does a power-driven vessel making way through the water sound?

    1. 5 short blasts every 2 minutes
    2. 1 short blast every 30 seconds
    3. 2 prolonged blasts at most 2 minutes apart
    4. 1 prolonged blast at most 2 minutes apart

13. Where must the pleasure craft licence number be displayed on the boat?

    1. Both sides of the bow, above the waterline
    2. On the transom, just below the boat's name
    3. On one side of the hull only
    4. On the stern, near the motor

14. What do the coloured bands on a red and green bifurcation buoy tell you?

    1. The bottom band shows the deeper side
    2. The buoy must be avoided
    3. The top band shows the main channel
    4. It marks a swimming area

15. Which statement about carbon monoxide (CO) is true?

    1. It is visible as blue smoke
    2. Only diesel engines produce it
    3. You cannot see, smell or taste it
    4. It smells like rotten eggs

16. You rent a motorboat from a marina company but have no operator card. How can you meet the proof-of-competency rule?

    1. Ask the marina to waive it for the day
    2. Show your car driver's licence
    3. Complete and sign the rental safety checklist
    4. Carry a copy of a friend's card

17. If you are in doubt about whether a risk of collision exists, what must you assume?

    1. That the risk exists
    2. That you have the right of way
    3. That no risk exists
    4. That the other boat will turn

18. Which flare rises to about 300 m and drifts down slowly under a parachute?

    1. Multi-star rocket flare
    2. Rocket parachute flare
    3. Smoke signal
    4. Hand flare

19. What is the right way to set an anchor?

    1. Throw it as far as you can
    2. Lower it gently from the bow
    3. Drop it while moving at speed
    4. Drop it from the stern

20. Your wake swamps a canoe and damages a dock. Who is responsible?

    1. The canoeist, for being there
    2. You, the operator who made the wake
    3. No one; wakes are natural
    4. The dock owner

21. You are new to a lake and the charts don't cover it. Who does the guide suggest you ask about hazards like low-head dams and rapids?

    1. The fuel attendant at a highway gas station
    2. No one; just go slowly
    3. A national weather office
    4. Local residents who know the water

22. You are the stand-on vessel and it becomes clear the give-way boat is not taking action. What may you do?

    1. Speed up to pass ahead of it
    2. Turn to port toward it
    3. Act on your own to avoid the collision
    4. Keep going; you have right of way

23. Which of these must a vessel engaged in fishing keep out of the way of?

    1. A power-driven pleasure craft
    2. A vessel not under command
    3. A sailing vessel
    4. A boat towing a water-skier

24. How many flares must a pleasure craft between 9 m and 24 m carry, along with a watertight flashlight?

    1. 6, of which 2 may be smoke
    2. 24, of which 12 may be smoke
    3. 12, of which up to 6 may be smoke
    4. 3, of which 1 may be smoke

25. Your boat is under way when a fire starts at the stern. How should you position the boat?

    1. So the fire is downwind of you
    2. So the fire is upwind of you
    3. Head straight into the waves
    4. Turn broadside to the wind

26. Which VHF channels carry continuous marine weather on the Atlantic coast and the Great Lakes?

    1. 16 and 70
    2. 21B and 83B
    3. 9 and 22A
    4. 68 and 72

27. What does the 1-10-1 principle describe?

    1. Fuel planning
    2. Anchor line lengths for different depths
    3. Lifejacket size ranges
    4. The stages of cold-water immersion

28. What kind of electrical parts must be used on a boat with a gasoline engine?

    1. Any 12-volt parts
    2. Waterproof household parts
    3. Automotive parts
    4. Ignition-protected parts

29. What is the minimum age to operate a personal watercraft in Canada?

    1. 12
    2. 14
    3. 18
    4. 16

30. Why is firing off expired flares on a calm summer evening a bad way to dispose of them?

    1. It is allowed only on holidays
    2. It is a criminal offence
    3. They will not ignite after expiry
    4. It voids your boat insurance

31. What wind speed does a gale warning in a marine forecast mean?

    1. 48 to 63 knots
    2. 34 to 47 knots
    3. 64 knots or more
    4. 20 to 33 knots

32. In a historic canal, how close to a lock gate or dam may you swim?

    1. No closer than 10 m
    2. No closer than 100 m
    3. No closer than 40 m
    4. Anywhere outside the channel

33. What kind of danger does a cautionary buoy warn you about?

    1. A spot to tie up your boat
    2. The outer edge of a beach
    3. Firing ranges or seaplane bases
    4. Safe water at a channel entrance

34. What certificate must you hold to operate a marine VHF radio?

    1. Pleasure craft licence
    2. Restricted Operator Certificate (Maritime)
    3. Amateur Radio Operator Certificate (Basic)
    4. Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC)

35. You are in cold water far from shore wearing a PFD, with no one to join. What should you do?

    1. Tread water vigorously
    2. Take off your boots and jacket
    3. Swim hard to stay warm
    4. Stay still in the H.E.L.P. position

36. You accidentally send a DSC distress alert. What should you do?

    1. Phone your marina about it
    2. Send a second alert to cancel
    3. Cancel it on channel 16 with name and MMSI
    4. Turn the radio off and say nothing