Your 6 m boat is in a narrow channel with a large ship that can only navigate within it. What must you do?

Hold your course; you were first

Pass it on the port side at speed

Two power-driven boats are meeting head-on. What should each one do?

Turn to starboard and pass port to port

The larger holds course; the smaller turns

Turn to port and pass starboard to starboard

In general, what must a seaplane on the water do?

Hold course while boats give way

PCOC Boating Test overview

PCOC Boating Test: Rules of the road (Collision Regulations)

Lookout, safe speed and risk of collision, head-on, crossing and overtaking situations, give-way and stand-on duties, which vessels keep clear of which, narrow channels and restricted visibility.

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Rules of the road (Collision Regulations) · Question 1Score 0/0

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

Tip: press 1–4 to answer and Enter for the next question.

Study reference: Collision Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1416, current to 2026-09-21), Ch. Schedule 1 Part B Steering and sailing rules — Rules 5–19

All 22 questions in this test

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

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
Your 6 m boat is in a narrow channel with a large ship that can only navigate within it. What must you do?
1. Not impede the ship's passage
2. Hold your course; you were first
3. Pass it on the port side at speed
4. Anchor in the channel and wait
Two power-driven boats are meeting head-on. What should each one do?
1. Both stop and wait
2. Turn to starboard and pass port to port
3. The larger holds course; the smaller turns
4. Turn to port and pass starboard to starboard
In general, what must a seaplane on the water do?
1. Stay within marked channels
2. Hold course while boats give way
3. Keep well clear of all vessels
4. Sound one prolonged blast
Your power boat meets a sailboat that is under sail. Which boat must keep out of the way?
1. Your power boat
2. The sailboat
3. The larger of the two
4. The faster of the two
An approaching boat's compass bearing from you is not changing as it gets closer. What does this mean?
1. It is moving away from you
2. It will pass well astern
3. Risk of collision exists
4. It has stopped
Two sailboats approach each other with the wind on different sides. Which must keep out of the way?
1. The one to leeward
2. The larger of the two
3. The one with the wind on its port side
4. The one with the wind on its starboard side
When is a boat considered to be overtaking another?
1. Approaching from over 22.5° abaft the beam
2. Approaching from directly ahead
3. Approaching from 10° off the bow
4. Travelling faster in any direction
Two power-driven boats are crossing paths. The other boat is on your starboard (right) side. What must you do?
1. Hold your course and speed
2. Speed up and cross ahead
3. Keep out of its way
4. Turn to port toward it
You are running a power boat in fog. What must you have ready?
1. Your engines, for immediate manoeuvre
2. Your flares, ready to fire every minute
3. Your anchor, ready to drop
4. Your liferaft, inflated
As the give-way vessel in a crossing situation, what should you avoid doing if you can?
1. Passing astern of it
2. Slowing down
3. Crossing ahead of the other boat
4. Altering course to starboard
You are crossing a river in Canadian waters while a power-driven vessel is heading down the river. Who keeps out of the way?
1. The vessel going downriver
2. Whichever boat is larger
3. Whichever is on the other's port side
4. You, the boat crossing the river
A sailboat under sail is approaching a boat fishing with nets. Which must keep out of the way?
1. The fishing boat
2. The sailboat
3. Neither; both hold course
4. Whichever is to starboard
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
Which factor must you consider when choosing a safe speed?
1. The colour of your hull
2. The time you are due home
3. Visibility and nearby traffic
4. Your engine's top speed
When you take action to avoid a collision, how should you make it?
1. In many small course changes
2. Early and large enough to be obvious
3. Only after sounding five blasts
4. At the last possible moment
In fog you hear another vessel's fog signal apparently ahead of your beam. Unless there is no risk of collision, what must you do?
1. Keep your speed and sound five blasts
2. Speed up to get clear
3. Turn sharply to port
4. Slow to the minimum speed to hold course
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
You are the stand-on vessel in a crossing situation. What are you required to do?
1. Keep your course and speed
2. Sound five short blasts
3. Slow down and stop
4. Turn away early
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
You are overtaking a slower boat. Who must keep clear?
1. The boat being overtaken
2. Whichever boat is smaller
3. You, the overtaking boat
4. Whichever boat is under sail
Under the Collision Regulations, how must every vessel keep a lookout?
1. By sight and hearing at all times
2. Only in busy channels
3. Only when over 12 m long
4. By radar alone, but only at night

Rules of the road (Collision Regulations): key rules to remember

Our summary of what the official handbook says on this topic, in our own words. Read it before or after the practice questions above, then check the original chapter. Read the official chapter ↗

Definitions

Power-driven vessel: propelled by machinery. Sailing vessel: under sail with any engine not in use.
Vessel engaged in fishing: nets, lines, trawls that restrict manoeuvrability (not trolling lines).
Not under command: cannot manoeuvre due to exceptional circumstance. Restricted in ability to manoeuvre: because of the nature of its work (dredging, cable laying, towing that restricts course, etc.).
Restricted visibility: fog, mist, falling snow, heavy rain, etc.

Look-out

Every vessel keeps a proper look-out by sight and hearing and all available means, at all times.

Safe speed

Proceed at a safe speed to take effective action and stop in time; factors include visibility, traffic, manoeuvrability, background lights, wind/sea/current, hazards, draught.

Risk of collision

If there is any doubt, risk of collision is deemed to exist. Risk exists if the compass bearing of an approaching vessel does not appreciably change.

Action to avoid collision

Action must be positive, in ample time; course/speed changes large enough to be readily apparent; avoid a succession of small changes; slow, stop or reverse if needed.

Narrow channels

Keep as near as safe to the outer limit of the channel on your starboard side.
Vessels under 20 m and sailing vessels must not impede a vessel that can safely navigate only within the channel; fishing vessels must not impede any vessel in the channel; don't cross if it impedes such a vessel; avoid anchoring in a narrow channel.

Sailing vessels

Wind on different sides: the vessel with the wind on its port side keeps out of the way. Same side: the windward vessel keeps clear of the leeward one.

Overtaking

The overtaking vessel keeps out of the way. Overtaking = coming up from more than 22.5 degrees abaft the beam (at night you would see only the sternlight). If in doubt, assume you are overtaking.

Head-on

Two power-driven vessels meeting head-on: each alters course to starboard and passes port to port.

Crossing

Two power-driven vessels crossing: the vessel that has the other on its own starboard side keeps out of the way and avoids crossing ahead.
Canadian modification: a vessel crossing a river keeps out of the way of a power-driven vessel going up or down the river (except St. Lawrence seaward of Ile Rouge).

Give-way and stand-on

Give-way vessel: early and substantial action to keep well clear.
Stand-on vessel keeps course and speed; may act alone once it is apparent the give-way vessel isn't acting; must act if collision can't be avoided by the give-way vessel alone.

Responsibilities between vessels

Power-driven vessel underway keeps out of the way of: not under command, restricted in ability to manoeuvre, engaged in fishing, sailing vessel.
Sailing vessel keeps out of the way of: not under command, restricted, engaged in fishing.
Fishing vessel keeps out of the way of: not under command, restricted.
Seaplane on the water keeps well clear of all vessels in general.

Restricted visibility

Safe speed for conditions; power-driven vessels have engines ready for immediate manoeuvre.
Hearing a fog signal apparently forward of the beam: reduce to minimum steerage speed, take all way off if needed, navigate with extreme caution.

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