PCOC Boating Test Practice Test 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. Which arm movement is a recognized distress signal?

   1. Raising and lowering outstretched arms
   2. Holding both arms straight up and still
   3. Pointing repeatedly at shore
   4. Waving one hand side to side

2. Are portable toilets allowed on Ontario waters?

   1. Yes, if emptied daily
   2. Yes, on boats under 6 m
   3. Yes, on any boat
   4. No, they are illegal there

3. You have reached a friend's boat on channel 16. What should you do next?

   1. Keep chatting on 16
   2. Switch to channel 70 to keep talking
   3. Switch to a working channel
   4. Turn your radio off

4. A friend wants you to jump the wake of a passing cruiser for fun. Why does the guide warn against this?

   1. Misjudging speed and distance causes bad crashes
   2. The wave can damage the cruiser's hull and engine
   3. It is only legal on weekdays
   4. It voids your licence

5. What colour light does a lighted cardinal buoy show?

   1. Green
   2. Red
   3. Yellow
   4. White

6. What does the pre-departure checklist tell you to check about the drain plug before launching?

   1. That it is in your pocket
   2. That it is in place
   3. That it is loose for drainage
   4. That it is removed

7. You let go of the throttle on your PWC while heading toward a dock. What happens to steering on most models?

   1. The PWC brakes to a stop
   2. You may lose steering control
   3. It turns away on its own
   4. Steering becomes sharper

8. How dry must your boat and gear be before you use them in a new waterbody?

   1. Wet is fine if rinsed
   2. Dry enough to look clean
   3. Dry on the outside of the hull
   4. Dry to the touch everywhere

9. Why are low-head dams so dangerous?

   1. The water above them flows too fast to paddle
   2. They are always clearly marked
   3. The water drops more than 10 m
   4. Circulating currents trap people at the base

10. 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

11. What can a cell phone user dial in many areas to reach the Coast Guard?

    1. *70
    2. #68
    3. *911
    4. *16

12. Your 5 m power boat is out after sunset. Which set of lights meets the requirement?

    1. Sidelights and one all-round white light
    2. A flashing yellow light
    3. A white sternlight only, with no sidelights
    4. One red all-round light only

13. 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

14. A first conviction for impaired boating can lead to which penalty?

    1. A one-season PCOC suspension only
    2. Only a $100 ticket
    3. A ban on driving a car as well as a boat
    4. Only a warning

15. About what share of people who drown while boating were not wearing a lifejacket or PFD?

    1. About 90%
    2. About 70%
    3. About 50%
    4. About 25%

16. Your boat is 7 m long and its compliance notice shows no recommended limits. What should you do about loading?

    1. Follow the limits for a 6 m boat instead
    2. Use good judgement and ask the maker
    3. Carry no more than 4 people
    4. Load as much as you like

17. Which extinguisher can put out a larger fire, a 5BC or a 10BC?

    1. It depends on the brand
    2. The 5BC
    3. The 10BC
    4. They are the same size

18. How long is a Pleasure Craft Operator Card valid once it is issued?

    1. 10 years
    2. Until age 65
    3. 5 years
    4. For life

19. How often does a vessel at anchor in fog ring its bell rapidly for about 5 seconds?

    1. Every 5 minutes
    2. Only when it hears a boat
    3. Every 2 minutes
    4. At least every minute

20. Your 5.5 m outboard boat's compliance notice allows 6 people or 450 kg. Five adults weighing 470 kg in total want to go. What should you do?

    1. Go ahead, you are under 6 people
    2. Reduce the load; you are over capacity
    3. Go ahead if the water is calm
    4. Add one more person to balance it

21. What colours are cardinal buoys?

    1. White and orange
    2. Red and white
    3. Yellow and black
    4. Red and green

22. Which advice does the guide give for stand-up paddleboarding?

    1. Use an ankle leash on rivers
    2. Paddling in flood water is fine
    3. Paddle with a buddy
    4. Leave your PFD on shore

23. Where should a radar reflector be mounted, if possible?

    1. On the bow, just above the waterline
    2. Above the superstructure, 4 m above water
    3. On the transom beside the motor
    4. Inside the cabin near the radio

24. What is the fine, before provincial surcharges, for operating a pleasure craft that is not licensed or registered when it should be?

    1. $250
    2. $100
    3. $500
    4. $1,000

25. What is the fine for operating a vessel in an unsafe way?

    1. $100
    2. $350
    3. $250
    4. $500

26. Your 6 m boat is anchored in a quiet cove far from any channel or anchorage. Must it show an anchor light?

    1. Only if it has a cabin
    2. No, under 7 m away from traffic is exempt
    3. Only after midnight
    4. Yes, every anchored boat must show one at night

27. A boat over 20 m must have a fitted whistle and what other sound appliance?

    1. A gong
    2. A foghorn app
    3. A bell
    4. A siren

28. It is getting dark and a search plane is circling overhead looking for you. Which signal is best suited to help it find you?

    1. A dye marker
    2. A hand flare
    3. A buoyant smoke signal
    4. A hand-held smoke signal

29. During a person-overboard recovery, what job should one person on board be given?

    1. Steering at full speed back toward the person
    2. Radioing the marina for a tow
    3. Watching the person in the water constantly
    4. Pulling up the anchor

30. At a minimum, how often should you check your PFD for damage and buoyancy?

    1. At least once a year
    2. Only when you buy it
    3. Every five years
    4. Every ten trips

31. 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

32. What do the letters 'PRIV' on a buoy tell you?

    1. It marks a priority channel
    2. It is for police use only
    3. It is a privately owned buoy
    4. It marks a private beach

33. You see a white buoy with an orange diamond containing an orange cross. What does it mean?

    1. All vessels are banned from the area
    2. A speed limit is in effect in the area
    3. A rock or shoal lies below
    4. Information about a marina

34. At a lock station, what does the blue line on the mooring wharf show?

    1. Where swimming is allowed near the lock
    2. Where to wait for the next lockage
    3. The maximum water depth
    4. Where fuel is sold

35. In fog you hear two prolonged blasts about every two minutes. What is the other vessel doing?

    1. Towing another vessel at reduced speed
    2. Making way through the water
    3. Under way but stopped, not making way
    4. Lying at anchor

36. You are boating on an Ontario lake. What is the speed limit within 30 m of shore, even if no sign is posted?

    1. 10 km/h
    2. 40 km/h
    3. 5 km/h
    4. 20 km/h