PCOC Boating Test: Lateral buoys and daybeacons

All 14 questions in this test

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

1. Going upstream, on which side do you keep a green can buoy?

   1. On either side
   2. On your port (left) side
   3. Directly astern
   4. On your starboard (right) side

2. Heading upstream, you see a port hand daybeacon on a post. Where do you keep it?

   1. On either side
   2. On your port (left) side
   3. On your starboard (right) side
   4. Directly ahead

3. What does a fairway buoy mark?

   1. A swimming area
   2. A no-wake zone
   3. An isolated rock or wreck in the channel
   4. Safe water, such as a channel centre

4. You are heading upstream, returning from open water. On which side should you keep a red buoy?

   1. On either side
   2. On your port (left) side
   3. Directly ahead of you
   4. On your starboard (right) side

5. 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

6. You see a red spar buoy while going upstream. What does it tell you?

   1. Keep it on your starboard (right) side
   2. No anchoring nearby
   3. A diver is below
   4. Keep it on your port (left) side

7. What colour and shape is a typical starboard hand buoy?

   1. White with orange bands
   2. Red and conical
   3. Yellow and spherical
   4. Green and can-shaped

8. What shape is a typical green port hand buoy?

   1. A diamond
   2. A cone
   3. A can
   4. A sphere

9. Going upstream, you reach a bifurcation buoy whose top band is red. To stay in the main channel, how do you pass it?

   1. Stop and wait for a signal
   2. Keep it on your starboard (right) side
   3. Keep it on your port (left) side
   4. Pass it on either side

10. Heading upstream, you want to take the channel to your right at a junction daybeacon marked 'preferred channel to right'. How do you pass it?

    1. Keep it on your port (left) side
    2. Pass directly over it
    3. Keep it on your starboard (right) side
    4. Stop and sound one blast

11. Going upstream, you want the left-hand channel at a junction daybeacon marked 'preferred channel to left'. How do you pass it?

    1. Keep it on your port (left) side
    2. Turn back downstream
    3. Keep it on your starboard (right) side
    4. Pass it on either side

12. What does an isolated danger buoy mark?

    1. A channel junction
    2. A small danger you can pass on any side
    3. A safe anchorage
    4. The outer edge of a supervised swimming area

13. You are heading downstream toward open water and see a red conical buoy. On which side should it be?

    1. On either side
    2. On your port (left) side
    3. On your starboard (right) side
    4. Directly astern

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